A mission group reports an emerging human trafficking situation in Buddhist Southeast Asia. To address this, the group is rescuing women in the border districts of Myanmar and Thailand. A high percentage of these women are from Cambodia.

In recent months, they have rescued 30 women being led to a life of hell on earth. Sometimes, these women are told they are being taken to a place where they can earn a better living. In other cases, their families sell them into prostitution. Since there is a vast market for young prostitutes in this part of the world, low-income families sometimes sell their daughters. Many Cambodian families regard daughters as far less valuable than sons. Girls can help provide for their families through prostitution. The only silver lining, if you can call it that, is there is far less stigma in prostitution in the Buddhist cultures of Southeast Asia than there is in most parts of the world.

Today, the mission group has an enormous challenge ahead. They have 30 young women who must return to their families in Cambodia. There can be interference from governments and human traffickers. News outlets are watching the situation, which can provide accountability for possible evildoers. Events are moving so quickly that they might not have time to teach these Buddhist women more than rudimentary aspects of the Christian life.

SOURCE:

A missionary prayer letter