Destiny Rescue

Warning: the following post has the potential to completely ruin your day. I hope it does.

Conrad and I attended the Vineyard Regional Conference at Columbus Vineyard Church last week. The conference was really good ~ inspiring speakers, great music, informative workshops, and plenty of time to meet and interact with fellow leaders in the Vineyard.

I could write several posts on why I love The Vineyard, but today I am focusing on this conference we attended, and specifically an organization I learned about while we were there.

I was walking through the massive foyer where several organizations had display tables set up when the Destiny Rescue table caught my attention. I made my way to the table and asked the gentleman behind the table to tell me more about their organization. I am so impressed by what I learned about them that I must pass the information on to you. So here goes!

Destiny Rescue is a Christian organization working in Thailand, Cambodia, India and Mozambique to rescue children from prostitution and protect at-risk children. I learned from this gentleman that children as young as 8 years old are being forced into prostitution. . . Um, I have two 8 year old daughters. When he told me that he had rescued 8 year old girls from brothels, I actually gasped and the little hairs on the back of my neck started to tingle. 8 Years old and forced into prostitution. I hope that makes your stomach turn like it did mine.

According to the literature I took from that table, the US Department of State estimates that more than 2 million children are exploited each year in the commercial sex trade. Tonight, more than 5,000 children will be forced into a room with a stranger for the first time where they will experience horrors no child should ever have to endure. Not just once, but many times every night. Let those numbers sink in. . .2 million children exploited each year. . .tonight 5,000 children will be raped for the first time. Tonight.

The facts are hard to hear. Even as I write this, I am nauseated. But the beauty of Destiny Rescue is their commitment to these girls. Destiny Rescue’s mission is two-fold. First they are working to rescue girls caught in prostitution. They go under cover into brothels and red-light districts, looking for and rescuing children trapped in the sex industry. Secondly, they recognize the girls who are at risk of being sold into prostitution and they have programs in place to offer a promising future for them. For all of these girls (the rescued and the at-risk), Destiny Rescue provides shelter, food, clothing, an education, and vocational training.

Destiny Rescue is a grass-roots organization based in North Webster, Indiana. I can’t tell you how impressed I am by the passion of the people involved in this ministry. The more information I got, the more I saw the love and care that these girls receive. It’s a beautiful display of the love of Jesus being poured out onto the innocent.

I can’t cover all the I learned in this post. I encourage you to click on Destiny Rescue’s website and even consider how you can help. There are several ways to donate to the organization (including hosting a jewelry party and selling jewelry made by these girls!). If nothing else, be informed. This is a huge problem throughout the world and these girls need us to cry out for justice on their behalf.

If you are interested in reading more about this issue, I highly recommend this book: