Trafficking....how it happens!!!

We met a man in one of the home visits, whose niece was trafficked three months ago.

He told us what has actually been happening to pave way for trafficking...

First:

There is always an insider, someone with power, popular in the community who is connected to the Traffickers (or brokers or mediums as they are called). They would come into the village, build great relationships, live for months and get married to a young girl ( mostly between 11 - 18). After three months of their marriage, they would say they are moving away to India. This would be the last time the family sees their child.

Other ways are; as long as you have money, there will be people ready to give you their children, it goes as far as (500Takas) which is around 90USD. You would then be paying the family approximately 40USD each month after that.

In a home visit were were told that a girl who was taken to India, she was rescued, but after a few months, she went back on her own. She liked it there.

There are different schemes on how its happening; but its so subtle that it goes unnoticed.

I have watched women who have lost their children, and they have so much pain, but feel that they have no authority to speak 'against' their husbands will. Its a burden in my Spirit. The community members, see it as a 'light' issue, but generally concerned about early marriages. We are following the early marriage conversation more, as its what the community is wanting to talk about.

We keep connecting the Trafficking conversation as part of the chat but people say they know, its happening. Its once in a while. The community soon forgets about it and looses grips; and that's when another girl is trafficked. They say some times it can take 4months before you hear a case.

The team is maintaining the discipline of a Facilitation team, with knowledge that there are visible and invisible elements. The team's role is to stimulate and connect conversations that will provoke the community members to re-think and make decisions. We are also learning together as we step in this sensitive environment. We are finding the points for focus, and we follow them. The team is strengthening muscles alot, in regard to community responses. The normal practice of debriefing, prepping, documentation, Spiritual life and Warfare, accountability are shaping up well. God is awesome, and He is not sleeping.

One of us has been sick, and unable to walk, we are less but he is an Intercessor and so close to the heart of God.He has been praying to the Lord to calm the winds and rains so that we get home and it happens even before he finishes the prayers. We exalt The Lord, He is our commander.

Today....18 June 2008

We have heard that some people have been arrested at the border; they were in the process of trafficking a large number of girls. We keep praying for a breakthrough, for this issue.