Friends, one of our South Asia teams is in the middle of a rescue operation right in these moments. Please pray:

- Safety for the clients and staff
- Cooperation from the government authorities
- Swift and wise decisions to be made
- Freedom, safety, and a place of healing to be given to these girls

Thank you so much for your prayers…

Thank you for your prayers over these past few days for our team in South Asia, the local authorities, the traffickers and brothel keepers, and most especially, the girls who have been enduring such immense suffering. You joined us in fervent prayer for an operation about which we could give you very few details - not the continent, not the timing. But we can now tell you that one of the IJM South Asia teams, in their largest operation to date, secured a landmark victory this weekend.

Early Saturday morning, IJM and the local police in one particular South Asian city conducted simultaneous operations at two brothels, freeing approximately 30 trafficking victims, among them girls as young as 13.  The rescued girls and women are now receiving care from IJM social workers.

Seven suspected perpetrators have been taken into police custody, and police have locked the brothels to prevent their re-opening.

Please continue to pray for each of the girls, as well as for the perpetrators.
We are so grateful, beyond what we can even express. Thank you for joining us in this work!

“These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they set an ambush for their own lives.
Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
it takes away the life of its possessors.” -Proverbs 1:18-19

“Unjust gain… takes away the life of its possessors.” Join with me in praying for those who seek unjust gain through the purchase, sale, and pillage of women and girls.

Begin with me tonight in praying for a particular group of brothel owners and traffickers who are harboring, under violence and for the purpose of profitable rape, a large number of women and young girls who desperately desire freedom. Pray that these brothel owners and traffickers would be unaware, despite any covert efforts on anyone’s part, of an impending rescue. Pray that these women and girls would all be securely removed from the brothel and their abusers - all of them - arrested and justly detained. Pray that these women and girls would have courage to tell the truth of what they have endured, and would know the hope of new life and freedom that waits for them.

Because of the particular sensitivity and size of this operation, I will wait to let you know the location and any further details.
But please do pray. We hope to have an update for you next week… but please do not delay in praying, nor back-down from persevering in prayer.

Pray for the women and girls who are suffering greatly this night. Pray for courage and knowledge of God’s presence.
Pray for our staff in this city - they are worn but refusing to relent. Pray for strength and knowledge of God’s presence.
Pray for the local authorities who will execute this operation. Pray for integrity, conviction, and unity.
Pray for those who, by the hand of God, will be brought to justice. Pray that God would turn their heart through this facing of judgment.

The operation in South Asia that we mentioned last week (January 14) has not yet gone forward. A critical meeting with government officials is taking place and will determine the timing for the operation - please pray that this meeting goes smoothly and that the officials will be compelled to act on behalf of the 15+ children who wait to be rescued.

Pray for these 15, suffering more long days and nights under brutal abuse… pray that these days and nights of trauma will quickly be put to an end.

Pray for our staff, that they will have great perseverance and joy in this labor.

Again, thank you so much for your continued prayers for the trial of two traffickers in Svay Pak, Cambodia. The verdict has been announced - both traffickers were deemed guilty and have been sentenced to 10 years in prison each.

Please continue to pray for the two girls, aged 9 and 16, who so bravely testified in this case. They continue to be safe and undergoing long-term recovery from the abuse they have endured. Pray that they would grow into strong, courageous women, free of the false shame that so often enshrouds victims of abuse, free of fear, full of joy, deeply healed through the One who is able to do immeasureably more than all we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Please pray for the two perpetrators who will now remain in prison for the years ahead. Pray that their hearts would break with the knowledge of what they have done, and that Christ would be revealed to them as their Redeemer, their way to true life and restoration.

Pray also for our staff team in Cambodia - another trial commenced on Christmas Day, the verdict to be announced January 5. There has been little time for rest - pray that they would know the deep rest of the Holy Spirit, sustaining them through each new day, bringing joy and peace that surpasses all understanding.

The IJM team in Cambodia and all of us at HQ here in DC are so very grateful to you for your prayers for last week’s trial. We were especially concerned that there would be delays, and that the girls would be so intimidated by both their trafficker and by the potential presence of family members that they would not feel safe to tell the truth of the violent abuse they have endured. We asked you to pray for these concerns - that the trial would be swift and free of corruption, and that the girls would have great courage.

Your prayers have been answered in full force!
The trial went forward with no delays, and the verdict is scheduled to be announced Christmas Day. Please do pray for the panel of judges in their decision, as well as for the girls and for the IJM Cambodia team on Christmas Day as they receive the verdict.

Below is a report from one of our staff members detailing how the two girls did at trial - clearly, your prayers were so known to these girls. We cannot thank you enough!(Names have been removed to protect the identity of the girls and guard the security of this on-going case)

“The girls did wonderfully with testifying. We were a bit worried at the beginning of the trial, as [the 9-year-old] was terribly anxious and quickly in tears as soon as she saw [the trafficker] walk in the room. I truly believe that it was through the many prayers that were being lifted up that she began to noticeably relax and calm down during the testimonies of both [the trafficker] and [the 16 year-old victim]. While [the16-years-old] testified, [the 9-year old] stood up and watched her closely through her testimony and then followed suit with her own strong testimony. She later told me-- “At first I was crying when I saw [the trafficker] because I was so afraid, but when I saw how brave and strong [the 16 year-old] was in her testimony, I decided- I can do that too!”

“We can also praise God that [the 9 year-old’s] mother did not show up to the trial as she had feared.”

Please see previous blog post for details and specific prayer requests for the trial that just commenced in Cambodia. Below is a video still-shot of four of the girls from this case, taken by our investigator when collecting evidence before the rescue operation. Two of these girls are testifying against their trafficker in court today, including the very youngest girl pictured here (bottom middle).

If you can, take a moment to leave a prayer or word of encouragement in the comments - the staff in Cambodia will be able to carry these with them throughout the trial and share them with the two girls as well.

Friends, as I write this, a trial is beginning in Cambodia to prosecute a man we believe to have trafficked many girls in the town of Svay Pak, Cambodia. If you joined us at this past year’s Global Prayer Gathering, or if you were with us this past Thursday night at the DC Benefit Dinner, you heard our VP of Investigations share testimony, photos, and undercover video footage of this precise case that we have been working on since February.

Please pray, now, throughout the night, and the days ahead as this trial moves forward:

Pray for two of the trafficking victims - one aged 16 and one age 9 - who will be testifying against this man, in person, in this small Cambodia court room. Pray that God would give them extraordinary courage and would use this in their continued healing process.

Pray that no corruption would enter this trial procedure. Pray there would be no delays.

Pray for the man being prosecuted for trafficking crimes - that truth and justice would reign over his life.

Pray that this man would never abuse or exploit another human being again, and that this case would send a strong message to traffickers throughout Cambodia, SE Asia, and the globe.

Please check back for updates - we will post further details as we are able. And click “read more” below for a more indepth description of the trial at hand and specific prayer requests, as written by our social worker in the Cambodia office:

Read more...

Friends, thank you for your continued prayers for the remarkably difficult case one of our South Asia teams has been fighting. There are two key pieces of information to give you by way of an update:

Read more...

Friends, the IJM team in South Asia and around the world has been so strengthened and humbled by your joining us in prayer so wholeheartedly over these past 2 days. Thank you for perservering with us in patient, persistant prayer.

Today was an deeply intense day for the staff and our clients. The six families removed from the rice mill have given testimony to the the enormity of abuse they have suffered; however, official release has not yet been granted by the government.

Official release by the government is an absolutely critical step in the rescue process - it secures the long-term safety of former slaves, guarding them from being retrafficked and ensuring they receive economic restitution to begin their new lives of freedom. 

Read more...

The Weekend to End Slavery has arrived! Tomorrow more than 39,000 people will gather in homes across the world to watch IJM’s new documentary, At the End of Slavery. On Sunday, churches across the nation will preach sermons mobilizing their congregations with the biblical mandate to bring slavery to an end.

Even if you did not order a film+kit in advance, you can still join the live webcast with Gary Haugen. Tune-in to http://www.attheendofslavery.com/weekend-to-end/ at 8pm ET for this opportunity.

We would love to hear your thoughts as you join in the movement this weekend!

Friends, we have so much joy in bringing you the news that our team in Cebu has just rescued eight trafficked girls.

The testimonies of each girl clearly point to the suspect as the trafficker. Their testimony states that the suspect deceived the girls into believing that they would simply be attending a party in a hotel.  However, when they arrived at the hotel, the suspected trafficker sold them for sexual services to customers. The suspect was arrested by the Cebu local police after being caught in the act of selling the girls for sex. The transaction was caught on video making for a particularly strong case.

Please pray that the case will move forward without roadblocks, and especially pray for each of these girls as they are cared for in the aftermath of this trauma. Please also pray for the suspected trafficker, that God will move her to repentance and restoration.

If you would like to leave a comment below of encouragement to our staff and to these rescued girls, we would love that!

Right now, we are launching an operation in South Asia on a facility holding over a dozen slaves. The owners are hyper vigilant in their supervision of these laborers and regularly subject them to brutal beatings.

Pray that the South Asia team will have flawless coordination with the local authorities.
Pray that full release and restitution will be granted to each slave laborer.
Pray that their aftercare will bring deep healing.
Most of all, please join with us in praying that tonight will be their last night as slaves.

As an update to yesterday’s report, we are thrilled to let you know that today, after a complex intervention that required five simultaneous operations at a series of connected brick kilns, 27 people have been officially released by the government from slavery. An additional 18 dependents were rescued along with these adults, making a total of 45 men, women and children who are now free from their oppressors. Each of these men, women, and children are now being served by IJM’s aftercare team as they begin to rebuild their lives.

Your continued prayers are needed - please pray for the government officials who exhibited great courage in bringing this rescue to completion. Please pray for the staff, that God would fill them with hope and renew their strength for the work ahead. And please pray for these 45 newly freed women, men, and children, that they would know the goodness of the God who loves them and is present with them. Please also pray for the slave owners, that they would repent of their trade.

Praise be always to our great God.

We are so grateful, beyond words, for your prayers.
The operation we were all praying for throughout this past night was a TREMENDOUS SUCCESS! The team in South Asia is finalizing release certificates with the government authorities and moving each former slave into safety and freedom. Please pray for this process throughout the next 24 hours - and check-back for further details tomorrow.

We can also rejoice that two other major operations were successful this week! In another location of South Asia, six people were freed from slavery in a rice mill. And in Cambodia, 12 trafficked women and girls were rescued from a violent brothel. I have posted further details on the Cambodia rescue below.

As always, your words of encouragement (simply use the “comment” function below) are a tremendous source of strength to our staff on the front-lines, and to those who are in the first moments and days of freedom.

CAMBODIA RESCUE
This week our team in Cambodia worked with the local authorities to bring rescue to 12 women and girls, all whom were trafficked into a brothel of particularly violent, sordid conditions. Praise God that each of these women and girls are now safely in aftercare shelters, and by an extraodinary work of God, ALL three suspects in this case have been apprehended into police custody.

IJM aftercare staff learned that many of the girls were beaten regularly.  The girls showed IJM staff the scars from beatings. Photos taken of the room in which the girls were held at the brothel reveal a windowless, dark, dirty, small “prison” from which they were not permitted to leave. A staff member said the room “looked fit for rats.” In addition, they were fed only one meal each day. Any other food was to be paid for by the girl to the brothel owner with money they rarely had.

These girls are now FREE. Join the IJM team around the world in praising God and praying for each of these girls, that they would be ushered into new lives of daily healing and restoration, met with care by our God of all love.