The Salvation Army is deeply committed to fighting and responding to modern slavery and human trafficking and they have a theological and historical mandate for social justice and action.
They also believe that prayer is a powerful tool to assist in the fight for freedom for those affected by modern slavery and human trafficking and work towards a world free from exploitation.
Today is International Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking and you are invited to join The Salvation Army, partners, and friends worldwide to corporately cry out for justice and freedom. This year’s theme is; ‘I have heard their cries,’ from Exodus 2:23-25;
“… The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out. Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them.” (New Revised Standard Version, Anglised)
This theme offers The Salvation Army a space to publicly declare our collective commitment to listen and pray for the millions of people who are currently experiencing modern slavery and human trafficking. Just as God remembers, hears, and is close to those who are afflicted by modern slavery and human trafficking, so do we.
Maybe you would like to join in the following prayer for those victims that are still trapped in human trafficking, which was written by Joy Ime-Sunday from the Nigeria Territory.
God of justice, hope, and love
Father of the fatherless,
defender of the oppressed
Our hope for years to come.
We believe that it is for freedom
that you have set us free,
to serve one another through love
that we may live in abundance and goodness.
Dear God,
In this moment, I / we stand with our sisters and brothers,
men and women, boys and girls
who are victims of modern slavery and human trafficking.
I / We know you feel their hurt, fear, excruciating pain, humiliation
and even all they might be going through which I / we might not be aware of.
Lord, I / we pray that you rescue them from the hands of their oppressors,
release them from the clutch of the wicked
and by your grace restore their lives and bring them into light.
Help them heal, grant them justice
and may their traffickers repent and come to know you more.
Fill us with your sacred passion and love
that we may continue to fight for justice.
Use us as your tool, to help end this human tragedy.
And may your love, embrace and presence never depart from these victims.
Hear our cry and prayer O Heavenly Father.
Amen!
Other prayers covering those victims who have been freed, restorative justice, The Salvation Army’s Global Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking efforts etc. can be viewed here.
There are also some suggestions for prayer stations, along with other resources that you may want to incorporate into your settings over the coming weeks to help broaden people’s knowledge and understanding of this important social justice initiative.
Blessings ’til next time 🙂
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