Acclimation

“…I have gotten used to it.”

Such a statement proves why context means everything. If one were to say that in the context of preparing to run a marathon, I wouldn’t really give it much emotional reaction. But, if one were to say it in context of being a child prostitute…

To say that ‘forced’ prostitution is despicable is an understatement. But, in the case of this article, the issue is compounded all the more by the fact that these young girls are knowingly and willingly selling their bodies in order to provide for their families.

The worst part isn’t really the fact that child prostitution is on the rise in Kenya, for it existed long before the election mess. The worst part isn’t even the circumstances that lead to a 14 year-old girl being put into the situation where she must decide if she wants to provide for her family by selling her body, or watch as her family dies slowly of starvation. No, the worst part is seeing (or reading) the reactions that people have to the problem.

According to the article, the mayor of the city in the article started to crack down when he heard that there were girls as young as 12 in this business. WHAT?!? Is there some kind of magical age line after which you become obligated to crack down on child prostitution? This has always been a problem in Kenya…why the crackdown now? Why wasn’t there already an effort underway before this whole election thing happened?

Even more telling is what the mayor actually said: “This is a business we cannot allow. They have to find alternative means of survival. This prostitution will definitely lead to an increase in the spread of AIDS, and many parents will lose their children.”

Now, maybe it’s due to an insufficient grasp of the language in general…or only an excerpt of a more complete statement. But in those three sentences, I see so many things that anger me.

1) “This is a business we cannot allow.” – That’s it? That’s the harshest language you could muster up in your justification to ‘crackdown’ on child prostitution? I could thing of so many more ways to not only condemn the practice, but to also say that I will do my best to end it.

2) “They have to find alternative means of survival.” – So much for compassion. There is absolutely nothing in that sentence that gives me the notion that this man even cares about the children. It’s more like he views the children as a nuisance…or that he blames them for starting the problem in the first place. He obviously can’t be referring to the pimps (or whatever) because those people don’t go into child prostitution out of desperation for survival. They go into it for greed. And, the tone of the whole thing sort of approaches the situation from an almost apathetic sense…he just wants the child prostitution to end, but he could care less about the reasons why it’s becoming a problem in the first place: there are no jobs for the adults and no schools for the kids.

3) “This prostitution will definitely lead to an increase in the spread of AIDS…” – Is that all? That’s the worst consequence you can think of?

4) “…and many parents will lose their children.” - Again...is that all he can think of to say?

All this makes me wonder…how did this man become the mayor? Although, if the aftermath of the recent elections in Kenya is any indicator, the political scene in Kenya leaves much to be desired.

But, the most devastating reaction comes not from the mayor but from a 14 year-old girl. For one so young, she has such a jaded outlook on life that it hurts to read what she says:

“At first, this job was torture to me. Sleeping with these men is terrible, and sometimes they are rough and hurt me. But with time, I have gotten used to it.” – Janet Kimani

“…I have gotten used to it.” There is absolutely no hope in those words. No hope for a better life…apart from prostitution. No hope…only a resigned acceptance of her occupation. There’s no embarrassment, no shame, nothing.

-Matt
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If you missed the link at the beginning, here's a link to the article to which I am referring.

Dateline NBC: Update

Update: Child victims of sex trade in Cambodia

SOLD: Thailand Documentary Screening

I went out to Fuller Seminary is Pasadena tonight to see SOLD Thailand, a screening/first cut of a documentary regarding child prostitution across Thailand. The film was made by an organization called The Sold Project, and more information can be found at thesoldproject.org

In the summer of 2007, seven young people (under 30) journeyed through Thailand with its sole purpose to film a documentary exposing the plight of children trapped by prostitution.

The documentary states that sex tourism is the country's number one form of income. That statement alone is mind-boggling. As with other similar documentaries, Sold Thailand shows the vulnerability of young children because of 1) how poor a large amount of the population is and 2) the demand of sex.

It's simple, if the demand wasn't there, there wouldn't be as much devastation as there currently is right now. This hour. This minute. This second. But because Thailand has become the capital for sex tourism, people flock from all over the globe. The documentary hinted at this statement in their intro by showing older Caucasian men with young Thai girls.

The documentary was definitely engaging due to the fact that the topic for me is always engaging. Other documentaries have gone more in-depth in reporting, but this was a creative expression of four lives that either were dramatically altered or potentially could have.

With thousands of young children on the street due to broken homes, rebellious attitudes, or a lack of fundamental support, these thousands of children are now potential victims to be sold. One interview described that the street children are either sleeping on the streets, have gone back home, or in a room with a foreigner. Brutal.

The documentary does give hope though with numerous aid workers volunteering their lives to protect lives. Whether its working to help fund scholarships to help students stay in school to keep them out of city brothels, or helping Burmese not fall into the snares of prostitution because of their lack of documentation, light still shines. In the midst of darkness there is till hope, and there still is Christ working in people.

-Geoff Kutnick

God of Justice (pt.2): Justice Unfailing

Almost three months ago, I started a multi-part examination into the Biblical reasoning behind my participation in R100F100. It’s taken longer than I originally planned to get to part 2, but later is better than never.

As with all arguments rooted in logic, as opposed to rooted in emotion, the conclusion is pointless if the supporting arguments are not valid, or if they’re not accepted. Also, it only makes sense to build upon previous arguments in order to reach the conclusion, unless offering useless points is the goal.

So, everything that follows is based upon the assumption that God is a God of justice, and that injustice is anything that takes away from the glory of God…

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We know that every human is a sinner (Romans 3:23). We know that sin is when we take glory that belongs to God and ATTEMPT to give it to ourselves (Romans 1:22-23). Injustice covers the earth.

But, as God is a God of justice, and justice being part of the character of God, injustice CANNOT prevail else God would not be God. For justice to be part of the character of God, and if God is the supreme authority in the universe, it stands that ALL of God’s character (His mercy, grace, love, justice, etc.) must be preeminent. In other words, injustice has no chance of winning, and all injustice, eventually, will be dealt with in accordance with God’s justice and wrath.

But this creates a problem for us, as sinners…as perpetrators of injustice. God’s wrath is pointed towards us (Romans 2:5, Ephesians 2:3, Colossians 3:5-6). In order to maintain justice, God must punish sin, all those offenses against His glory. There CANNOT be any leniency else God would be allowing injustice to prevail.

Imagine a hypothetical situation where I am standing before God in a court somewhere. The case is presented, and it is quite clear that I am as wicked as any human who has ever lived (which is true). And being found guilty, I must wait to hear my punishment…

“It is clearly written that the ‘wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23a). Matt is guilty of the every sin imaginable. He dedicated his life to trampling upon My glory. Consequently, he must be punished accordingly. An infinite offense can only be repaid through an infinite punishment. So, Matt is going to Hell for eternity.”

Clearly afraid, I beg and plead with God to forgive me and to spare me from my punishment…

There are two options: either the punishment gets paid and justice is maintained, or the punishment is voided and injustice prevails. God cannot, according to His character, allow me to go free, so the second option is out. The only option left, there must be payment for my sins.

But, we know, as Christians, that freedom (eternal life) has been given to us (Romans 6:23b). And as the saying goes, “There’s no such thing as a ‘free lunch.’” In offering completely free salvation, God would lose any ability to claim that justice prevails. This cannot happen, and so we know that the salvation that God holds out to us is ‘free’ only in the sense that WE don’t have to pay. Romans 6:23c lays out the means by which our ‘free’ gift was purchased…Jesus Christ. It’s amazing to see such a weighty truth packed into one short verse.

This is made even clearer in Romans 3:25-26. The reason for Christ’s sacrifice is so that God can maintain His justice in the seemingly simple task of justification. Without the sacrifice, justification would be impossible.

In the midst of such weighty truths, it is impossible not to feel overwhelmed. How great is God’s love for us? How infinite Christ’s obedience? How great the sacrifice? How precious the blood? How priceless the result? One can easily imagine, after understanding this, why Paul breaks out in to praise at the end of Romans 11. One can easily imagine why Paul and Silas would break out into song while in chains (Acts 16). One can easily imagine why Christians all throughout history, and even today, stand firm in their faith to the point of death. It is impossible to come away from this without praising and thanking God for who He is and for all He’s done. And even then, we’ve barely even scratched the surface.

In sending His Son to die for us, God made way not only for us to be saved, but for us to glimpse even a tiny sliver of His infinite glory. And where God’s glory is magnified and praised, justice is unfailing.

-Matt