America's Sick Heart

There is something sad and sick rolling in the heartland of America. It has a name and a thousand faces. It clings to our streets like the sludge of cars and sewers. Fathers, these are your daughters. Mothers, these are your sons. They are dying beneath the light of the sun.

This toxic thing is called human sex trafficking by some - or simply sex slavery by others. It is the sale of our sisters and brothers. They’re being bought and sold for sex and we see it, but we know it not. They are the shadows we see from the corners of our eyes. They are mists we barely notice – yes, theirs are those faintly ringing cries.

It isn’t just an oversea, out-of-sight problem. It is our problem. In 2005, we were only estimating. 100,000 to 150,000. A conservative estimate – probably many more. Hundreds of thousands of breaking hearts, dying behind closed doors.

America, land of the free and home of the brave, come and rise up for your little ones today. It’s not okay that the average age for our kids to become sex slaves is 11 years old. Those little girls should be playing in schools, getting married, watching happy years unfold. But they are locked in cages. They are starved for criminals’ wages. They are the casualties of a silent war because we aren’t yet sure what we’re looking for. America, America…

And I pray God sheds His grace on thee, and comes with truth to set us free.

By Samantha Lindholm
Written April 19, 2012