I’m sitting on the couch looking at the cover of a book I’ve read through twice now. And both times I’ve felt the impact of the words deep in my heart. The stories told inside are true, though somehow I wish they weren’t. Laura Parker tells of her husband Matt’s foray into covert investigations of human trafficking. Primarily that of children. Just writing this leaves me raw, the tears still spilling down my face after having read of the boys and girls whose lives are traded for money.
In her book, Laura recounts her thoughts during those months of investigations. She tells, from a wife’s perspective, the highs and lows that come with this type of work. But through it all is the theme of God’s strength carrying them through.
The rescue of children isn’t for the faint of heart, but for the tenderhearted.
She says,
“We couldn’t get away from this idea that if it were our daughter, we’d want someone to go looking for her ,want someone, somewhere to fight for her rescue…”“We couldn’t get past the idea that maybe there was a noble reason for a good man to frequent a brothel, after all.”
Reading this book has given me resolve to do something more than just sit and cry. In a sense, her story is a call to action. I can’t help but hear the familiar song “O Church Arise”
“An army bold, whose battle cry is love, reaching out to those in darkness”
We are the Army, called by our King to reach out to those who are in darkness. How can we not when Christ has made us free? It is our duty to love the captive soul just as the Father loves us.
So, what’s next? What are we going to do about it? What are we going to do about the boys and girls being sold and thrown away? First, we can pray – we can come before the Father and lay their burdens at His feet.
Secondly, we can volunteer – volunteer our time and money. You may ‘just’ be a stay-at-home mom, and executive, or a single person living on minimum wage, but we can do this! We can fight the good fight with the resources God has given us. Be it $3 or $300. Because as Matt and Laura said in their book, Jesus met the need of the masses with just 5 loaves and 2 fish.
I think I need to read this book this year.
Deb Weaver
This is a good one to put on our ‘to-read list’. It’s short, so can be read over and over. You won’t be disappointed!
Loved reading this, Danielle. Great post.
Thank you,Kelley! Exodus Road has a piece of my heart.