The murky world of people smuggling
Lyndon Bowring, Executive Chairman of CARE, comments on the causes close to the heart of the Christian community
T he proclaiming of ‘liberty to the captives’ was, and still is, at the heart of Christ’s ministry! Before returning to heaven Jesus commissioned his disciples to preach the gospel of salva- tion to every tribe and nation.
He also said his followers were light and salt in the world – called to be at the forefront of caring for the poor, speaking for the voiceless and standing up for those who are oppressed.
Modern slavery and human trafficking is being increasingly talked about in churches across the UK. It’s impossible to know just how many men, women and children are subjected to this horror, but the figure is reckoned to be about 50 million – a quarter of them children! It’s estimated that over 100,000 victims are subjected to forced labour and sexual exploitation in the UK alone, some living hidden in our own communities.
The very idea of human beings created in God’s image being cruelly treated as objects to be bought and sold is abhorrent. In response, many organisations have been established to reach out and bring freedom, justice and hope to people trapped in slavery.
Alongside these ministries, CARE has, for several years, worked in the UK Parliaments and petitioned governments on behalf of incredibly vulnerable trafficking victims – asking for them to be protected and given vital support. Imagine the fear of someone who has escaped their captors of being tracked down again.
They are understandably frightened to cooperate with the police and testify against the criminals who exploited and abused them. There’s also the terror of being arrested or deported because they were brought into the country illegally.
The Government’s ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ going through Parliament this year has brought these matters back to public attention. Some aspects of this legislation concerned with the tens of thousands of refugees crossing the Channel in small boats, sometimes with tragic consequences, could make things even worse for victims of trafficking and modern slavery and seriously undermine attempts to curb this heartless trade in people.
The murky world of people smuggling and trafficking is a huge, complicated problem. We need to pray for those who are responsible for unravelling it: the Home Secretary and her department dealing with immigration, asylum seekers and those who have arrived by illegal means, those serving in the police and Border Force, local authorities as they try to house thousands of people, and the schools and health services helping families.
May the church of Jesus Christ continue to proclaim that wonderful liberty of the gospel and the loving care it also brings.
This article first appeared in the June 2023 edition of Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.
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