Today I received an email from a missionary I used to work with at CityTeam Ministries. His name is Jim and his wife and children live with him in Indonesia. They've been on staff with CityTeam for many years doing the Lord's work overseas and I felt compelled to share with you this prayer letter update he emailed. It's about sex trafficing, and I know so many of you that are reading my blog today have recently become passionate about helping to stop this vicious cycle that claims so many young lives around the world. If you feel led to give or would like information, please let me know and I'll do my best to get you in contact with Jim and CityTeam Ministries. Here's Jim's experience where he lives right now:

YOST'S PRAYER UPDATE

At dawn Jesus appeared in the temple courts where all the people gathered around Him, and He sat down to teach them.  The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery.  They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.  Now what do you say?  They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him.  But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger.  When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her".  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left with the woman still standing there.  Jesus asked her, "Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?"  "No one, Sir", she said.  "Then neither do I condemn you", Jesus declared.  "Go now and leave your life of sin."    

- John 8:2-11 -

  

THE HEARTBREAK OF FEMALE TRAFFICKING 

Indonesia:

70,000 women and 30,000 children are trafficked within and across Indonesian borders each year

The annual income from prostitution in Indonesia ranges between US$ 1.2 and 3.3 billion.

These girls work "on the street" in a certain city in another country in Asia.  There is an average of 60-70 girls, ages ranging from 15-27 standing on the street. They come from all over Indonesia. Their passports are false and dates of birth changed, when their passports are arranged a few days before sending them out. The majority were promised jobs in restaurants and pubs and never knew they would line the pavement, selling themselves.

30 days is the maximum time they can legally be in this country. They are not allowed to work without work permits. A contract is as follows: serve 120 men and receive nothing but $10/day for food.  After they meet their “target” they have between 2- 5 days left to “earn” for themselves.  How much can they earn at $30/client ($20 for the girl and $10 for the pimp)?

Here's what it would be like if you "walked the street with them" one time.  You talk, laugh, hug, hand out snacks, exchanged phone numbers and BB pins under the ever watchful eyes of the pimps.  Some pimps allow you to engage with the girls and pray for them and others refuse it.  Just trying to imagine what these gals have gone through to be able to stand on the street, breaks your heart.  They wear clothes they would never wear at home.  Never before have you seen so much fear in someones eyes.  Even while talking to you their eyes constantly scan the street on high alert for another possible police raid; always ready to run.

As you're chatting with the girls, from nowhere the police come in and grab 7 of the gals you are talking to and a pimp.  In 8 days, 35 of these girls are taken, meaning they get a red stamp in their passport and are not allowed to return to this country for 3 years.
It sounds like good news.  On the other hand, you ask yourself what are they returning to?  Are they sent home or are some of them sent to a different destination?  You don’t know.  This is the only vocation they know.  Some of them have not even completed secondary school.

RESTORATION MINISTRIES

For several years we've been quietly but steadily "saving" girls out of the sex industry until now we have 5 centers for prostitute rehabilitation throughout the country of Indonesia.  On an average, $500 will buy out the contract of a gal and give her a new chance at life.  Then she learns to start "following Jesus" in community with other gals like herself.  She begins sharing what she's learning with other gals still caught in the trap of prostitution and she eventually starts an inductive Bible study with them.  If you'd like to get involved in this ministry with us, we have a special account with Cityteam International in San Jose, California called YOST RESTORATION MINISTRIES where all donations go to "saving" these girls.

  

PRAY : that the tide of female trafficking in Indonesia will be turned back through a spiritual reformation!

PRAY : that we'll be successful at starting small micro-credit businesses with these gals so they can be financially independent and not lured back into the sex industry.

PRAY : that we'll be able to bring these gals back to their original villages and towns so as to be reconciled with their families and show how their lives have been transformed!

  

LET'S ALL PRAY AND WORK FOR TRANSFORMATION TO COME TO THE STREETS WHERE ENSLAVED GIRLS EXPERIENCE THE FATHER'S LOVE!

  

Thank you for praying!

JIM (for Joan, Amy, Jenni, Megan and Maxi)