It sickened me to think that amid the pain in Haiti, there are people lurking to sell and exploit  vulnerable people.  

Understanding what human trafficking is and how it happens is our feature this week.  Regular viewers may notice it is a rerun at this timely moment, in part to publicize that on Jan 30^th and Feb. 1 we are hosting two forum’s on Human Trafficking as part of our education campaign on this need.  I’d love to meet you at those Toronto locations if you can attend. 8 p.m at Walmer Road Baptist Church, 188 Lowther St in Toronto on Jan 30^th, and 8 pm at the University of Toronto, 155 College St. Health Sciences Building, 6^th floor, Monday Feb. 1.  We’ll be featuring a forum called Buying Sex is Not A Sport – a group that is watching the Olympics for the same concern of selling vulnerable people as aid groups in Haiti are on the look out for human trafficking there.

Three ways Canadians attempt to sell other Canadians is by recruiting youth from shopping malls, foster or group home settings, and web sites offering modeling lessons.

I have a friend from Regina, Saskatchewan whose grade nine daughter was raised in a home much like mine.  Cheri was raped at a youth group party and never told her mom.  Cheri lost so much self esteem in that violation that within months, when scumbugs began to flirt with her, she responded.  Two years after the rape, Cheri was approached by a boy a year older than her at Regina Summer Fair.  She fell under his spell, and he went to work to do all he could to alienate her from her parents.  She didn’t realize she was being recruited by a young pimp, she believed she was running off with a loving boyfriend.  Within a few sad years, sweet Sherri from the nice family was dead in Victoria B.C., her life as a prostitute had left her murdered.  Her parents now help others avoid Cheri’s fate, and you can watch their story here.

Trisha Baptie  was 13 years old, her parents marriage had melted down, neither of them had the skills to love her through her pubescent acting out, and she was cared for in a group home.   She was flattered when a 35 year old man who watched her come and go started paying her attention.  Caring, complimenting her, building her up, offering her a better home than what social services was providing.  Trisha left the group home to live with her new “boyfriend” and on this weeks program, Trisha tells us how this man began selling her for sex.  You will also learn how it took 15 years and the help of a “church girl” for Trisha to break free. 

Finally, let me close with a thank you to Naomi Baker of www.canadafightshumantrafficking.com  and Jen Singh of Samaritan’s Purse, two young women who just kept knocking on my door to say Listen Up TV must educate people about Human Trafficking.  

I also bring a huge thank you to our anonymous donor family who took a risk and stepped up to fund this week’s program.   It would have been just prayers and ideas had your hard work in earning money, and then giving money away not been behind us.  You were God’s hands in action to us, and we thank you.    

We haven’t forgotten our children we featured last year from Cambodia who are also at risk of being sold..  

I close with a prayer for a family who waits in worry for their missing daughter; join me in asking God for the safe return Miriam Makhniashvili.