Stopping traffick

Last night at our church a remarkable woman from Oasis India spoke about her ministry to -- and rescue of -- girls swept up by human trafficking in India. These are teen and pre-teen girls sold into virtual slavery to work in brothels in major urban centers like Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa. The latter is the popular tourist destination on the Arabian Sea, known for its beautiful beaches and also known for one of the largest child pornography and child prostitution industries in the world. Prostitution by women over 18 is legal in India, but this dubious legality provides a shield for child prostitution. The younger the girl the higher the price she will fetch. This isn't just an Indian problem. This beast is fed by dollars and euros. Judgment Day is coming.

In the meantime a courageous band of Christians is working to rescue these girls from the clutches of the exploiters. Our guest told stories of dangerous midnight excursions to phone booths to pick up girls fleeing for their lives. In other cases girls are unwilling to receive rescue because they aren't told what kind of work it is that they're being offered to escape the poverty that still afflicts 70 percent of Indians. Often a family member will sell them to someone offering a job working for a wealthy family. The stories reminded me of stuff I've read about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad during slavery days here in America. Today in India there's an underground railroad run by organizations like Oasis and International Justice Mission. Instead of being chased by plantation owners with dogs they're chased by pimps with cell phones, often aided by the blind eye of the authorities.

Another thought I had was this. There are very smart, engaging voices writing bestselling books about how Christianity is an evil cult responsible for most of the ills in the world. I'd love for the "New Atheists" to hear this woman talk about how when Christianity comes to a village it empowers the weak and the oppressed. It gives dignity to women who were formerly seen as second-class citizens. Incidentally, this is one of the reasons why the spread of Christianity is so violently opposed by upper-caste Hindus. I'd love for them to see how the gospel motivates people to give their lives to rescue street children from the squalor of vast slums like the one shown in Slumdog Millionaire, the one right next to the airport seen by every traveler who arrives by air to Mumbai. Conditions in India today are much like conditions in first century Roman times. The reason Christianity spread so rapidly throughout the Empire was that Christians "the little Christs" treated each life as precious and every individual with dignity. Something similar is happening in India today. Christopher Hitchens is smart. He's a smart fool.