The link between Craniofacial Deformities and Human Trafficking

The smell of crispy sweet jalebi combined with the vehicle exhaust and open sewers greeted us at the entrance of one of Mumbai’s red-light districts, called Thurbe, where Love Without Reason operates an entrepreneurial training center. We wanted to meet the ladies who had been rescued from sex trafficking and who now are learning new self-sustainable business skills. As the hot sun beat on our heads, we climbed through the alleys and one lane streets of the city.

On each side of the road you saw one-level unkempt buildings. Laughter of children, rumbling of motorcycles, and croons of voices permeated the streets. As we walked deeper into the city and stepped over the streams of sewage, we saw women sitting outside of their doorways. They searched us with their eyes, and you knew their curiosity was piqued. With their permission and with the help of our translator we asked them for their stories.

For many of the women in this part of Mumbai, the story is the same. They were born into poverty in some remote part of India.

Their parents unknowingly or knowingly sold them into the hands of human traffickers, as they were unable to provide for them. As young children, many were sold into forced labor networks. At some point they were sold into the red-light districts to pimps. The majority of them have only known a life of rejection, being unwanted, and defined as worthless.

he same psychological abuse echoes in the souls of those born with facial navitha-_afterbirth defects. For instance, six-year-old Bhuvan from a village outside of Bangalore, was kicked out of preschool because he could not speak or communicate well. He was born with a cleft palate. Unfortunately, his peers and their parents were afraid of him. They began to call him names and bully him. He should have been in kindergarten, but the teachers joined in the abuse and deemed that Bhuvan would never amount to anything in his life. The lack of education and literacy will only promote the cycle of poverty. Consequently, these young lives are vulnerable and sometimes willing to do any work in order to sleep with warmth and a full stomach.

For young Navitha (pictured), who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, the stigma was more intense due to the obvious facial differences. After her birth, her parents were advised to end her life, rather than work to feed another mouth. Her life was of no value to the community. She could have been easy prey for those willing to traffick her. Vulnerable children like Navitha are at risk for being sold into bonded labor, sexual slavery, beggary and organ harvesting. However, the intervention by Love Without Reason to provide Navitha with cost-free surgeries saved her from being trafficked as the women in the red-light districts of Mumbai.

Help us continue to fight human trafficking by saving the most vulnerable! There are many more children born like Navitha and Bhuvan whose lives will be changed by life-transforming surgery. Join us, because every child matters!

Susan Mathews

filed under: Blogs

Forgetfulness is a blessing!

Watching a child struggle with sleep apnea, is a heartbreaking effort. For a parent, the gift of a baby’s sweet, soundless breathing cannot be taken for granted. Recently, a close friend shared their newborn’s new diagnosis of sleep apnea. As this father’s voice wavered in sharing their fear in going to sleep and the details of their daughter’s emergency room visit, my mind could not help but go back to Philip. I heard Santhosh comfort the father by saying, “We remember, we went through that too, and your baby is going to make it.”

Santhosh went on to quote Psalms 121:4, “Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber, nor sleep.” We spent many sleepless nights at Philip’s little toddler bed, watching him carefully and making sure his chest was rising. His airway was smaller than normal, so the harsh sounds of struggled breathing became the norm for him. He would jar himself awake, when he could not get his breath. Then he would wake up and the cycle would continue. I remember one night, I could not take it any longer. I knelt on the floor next to his bed and held on to him and cried. My mother-in-law tried to pull me away from the bed, but I could only hold on to Philip and try to reposition him in a hundred different ways in an attempt to open his airway. It was a fruitless effort, and nothing I could physically do would help him.

There was no person or professional that could give clear cut answers and help for ourson. But this eternal Word that gives life and pierces to the marrow, was the only thing we could stand on in these times. It was our only source of comfort. We began to speak life over him. We prayed and gave his life into the Father’s hand every night as we tucked him into bed. We went through various surgeries, and as Philip grew, some symptoms changed.

t seems that one of ‘best’ gifts we could have is the ability to forget. Why would this be, you might ask? Honestly, I had forgotten that difficult path we walked through in Philip’s early life. Those were horrible, grievous days that I would rather not remember or think on again. But it all came back to me, as we counselled and encouraged this new father with his new baby.

The Second Corinthians Mandate comes to mind, and I’ll conclude with that from 2 Corinthians 1:3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Because of the comfort we received in our troubles, now we are able to comfort those in the same troubles we experienced. So, whatever the trials that you have experienced, know that the God of all comfort who comforted you, will enable you to also use the same comfort to bless another person.

We do this together,

Because every child matters,

Susan Mathews

filed under: Blogs

Women and the right to….VOTE

There has been a lot of talk in 2012 regarding the “war on women” and the “woman’s vote.” This is true in regards to the election year, I’m not sure that it is much of an issue otherwise.

I am not here to tell you whom to vote for, just advising that you do go to the polls with eyes wide open. We believe at LWR that we exist “because every child matters.” For that matter, there would be no child, if there was no mother (or father). Every child matters.

Since 1973, 54 million abortions have occurred in the US alone. You read that right, 54 million babies who were taken from the safety of the womb to be discarded, their life light whisked out. Close to 500 physicians signed a public declaration indicating “Abortion is never necessary to save the life of the mother.” (American Life League)

Then, is abortion necessary at all? People, we each have the right to choose our mate. You and I can choose our political party. But don’t you dare hide behind the word “choice” when it comes to the life of a baby.You must say it as it is. You either are declaring life or death when it comes to an “unintended pregnancy.” Only 8% of abortions fall in the category of source as rape, incest or mother’s health. Personal reasons are cited for the 92% remaining, according the the National Right to life website.

It is PAST time to stand up for the lives of the children that were destroyed before their time. It is an enemy called Satan who comes to steal,kill, and destroy. Jesus Christ came to give life, and life more abundant. If you don’t believe me, take the time to visit the National Memorial for the Unborn in Chattanooga. You will weep when you read the plaques and grave markers of the aborted children whose parents and sometimes grandparents have placed in their honor. How they wish they could turn back the clock.We can’t turn it back. However, we can declare today that we will stand up for the right to life of our children. If you don’t want your child, then give them to me, as Mother Teresa said. I will take care of them. Every child matters. No one is unwanted.

So, yes, there is a war on women. The war to make women think that they have no alternative but death in the case of an unintended pregnancy. The war to make women think that people are trying to dictate what you can or cannot do to your body. The fact is this baby is a new life, separate from yours and mine, that is temporarily housed and sheltered in the womb. And because every child matters, no matter the race, sex, disability or appearance, they deserve life.

Go to the polls and let your voice be heard. There are 54 million voices who will never be heard.

Because every child matters!

susan

www.lovewithoutreason.org

filed under: Blogs