Second Life

Wow. Second Life of Chattanooga came to Wednesday Night Supper last night. It was...depressing? I'm not even sure what the appropriate word is to describe the presentation we heard from Patrick Townley and Jerry Redman. Second life seeks to 'end the sexual exploitation of human beings.' Their goal is to bring awareness about sexual trafficking and child prostitution to the Chattanooga area, where this is happening. While we might all be happier to ignore this reality and life in blissful ignorance of the things happening around us, the reality is that prostitution and trafficking are real, are on our doorstep, and present us with an opportunity.

What is the opportunity? Awareness is the first step. I'm not even sure what to do beyond that. I don't have a place in my mind to even begin to comprehend that 12 year old girls are being prostituted. I can't possibly fathom the horror of the fact that a girl will be raped & beaten 30 times in one day. But it's there, it's real, and the first step in the fight against it is awareness.

Beyond that, we are to work for hope. In the Gospels Christ walked among those society had cast aside. Christ called children to himself, holding them up as examples. If all of this awareness saves the innocence, holds the future for one child, then it is worth it. We are to do what we can to protect the least of these.

It was a sobering presentation. But we are called to move forward in hope, trusting that, through us, Christ's light shines in even the darkest of places.

Thanks be to God.