Christians Work to Impede Human Trafficking in Thailand

Dec 19, 2022

One thing Thailand is known for is human trafficking. Human trafficking doesn’t have to include just sexual exploitation, although that is the most common form. It also includes forced labor, illegal or fraudulent international adoptions, and even forced militia recruitment. While strides to stop these crimes have been made, men, women, and even children still suffer greatly from the rampant human trafficking industry. However, several Christian organizations in Thailand are working to prevent these crimes and restore God’s hope in victims. 

The U.S. Department of State classifies the Government of Thailand as a country that does not meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making improvements. 1 Sex trafficking is predominant in Thailand’s tourist cities where prostitution is legal. Reports show that many girls are brought in from villages in northern Thailand to be sold as sex slaves. Women are not the only ones who are enslaved. Men and children can also be deceitfully recruited into both sex slavery and forced labor. Vulnerable adults are targeted by local gangs and mafias not only through abduction, but more commonly through false social media ads aimed toward those who are desperate to make a living wage. Children are sadly not shielded from these tactics as online games and websites are used to induce younger victims who are then blackmailed into performing sexual acts. 2  

 

As relentless as Satan is, we as Christians must remember that Christ’s atonement includes prevailing over evil in the world (1 John 2:2). In addition, Apostle Paul also says that our labor in the Lord will not be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:57-58). Therefore, this is why Christians seek not only to prevent these crimes from happening, but also to care for the victims’ souls and restore hope through Jesus.

 

 

ZOE International is one of the largest Christian organizations involved in fighting human trafficking, particularly child trafficking. Its strategy is prevention, rescue, and restoration. One of the ways it excels in prevention is recognizing the vulnerability in poor areas lacking resources and education. These are the places where trafficking thrives. ZOE partners with the Mercy Network Partnership, with the Children’s Hunger Fund, and other Christian non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In addition, ZOE works with law enforcement, social workers, teachers, and pastors in reporting potential crimes before they even happen. 3

 

To rescue children, ZOE cooperates with anti-trafficking law enforcement task forces throughout Thailand. ZOE not only partners with the Thai government, but also with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to bring traffickers to justice. 4 To help victims recover from the traumatizing abuse they’ve experienced, ZOE’s Restoration Program is in place to heal and help them plan for a brighter future. In order to rescue children of various ages and localities, ZOE maintains multiple facilities: a main home, boy’s home, Child Rescue Center, and a recreation area. 5

Curious to know how these rescued children come to learn about Jesus, I reached out to ZOE International to investigate. A manager in ZOE’s Santa Clarita office informed me that even though the Christian staff heal and restore, they never force it upon the children. However, some Thai children are evangelized by students enrolled in ZOE’s 2-year Bible school training. Naturally, children who live in ZOE homes and facilities interact with the students. Because these children look up to the students as role models, it is not uncommon for the children to be receptive to the Gospel. Furthermore, whenever the students hold weekly worship, the children can’t help but want to participate. 6 A 16 year-old girl who was rescued from a brothel encountered God’s love through interactions with ZOE’s staff. When she dedicated her life to Christ, she exclaimed, “What took so long for someone to find me and tell me about Jesus?” 7

Another Christian ministry in Thailand, Youth With a Mission (YWAM), an international missionary training school, started the Tamar Center in the city of Pattaya, 100 kilometers south of Bangkok. Similar to ZOE, the Tamar Center focuses both on prevention of trafficking crimes and on restoration of God’s hope in victims, particularly women. To combat the tsunami of human trafficking in Thailand, organizations must collaborate to make any kind of difference. The Tamar Center partners with the Hands of Hope and the Hand to Hand Foundations.

To be effective in this difficult ministry, the Tamar Outreach Center is located in Pattaya’s red light district. Tamar staff are not shy about visiting women in the district’s bars to tell them about how they can change their lives and to share Jesus’ love with them. Women who are ready to leave their enslaved lives behind are provided housing, vocational training, counseling, biblical teaching, and practical help. 8  

The Tamar Center’s outreach efforts have worked wonders for these women as they build new lives for themselves. One example is a woman who thought that the only way she could make a living was to sell herself. She has three kids, and when she became ill, she placed them in a shelter in order to continue working. Her life changed when she heard about the Tamar Center’s vocational training program from where she launched a fulfilling career in hairdressing. She also accepted Jesus as her savior after learning about God’s love from the Bible. 9

 

Christians in Thailand have worked tirelessly to prevent human trafficking and to help victims establish more wholesome lives for themselves. Of course, these Christian workers are not mere do-gooders, but labor in these difficult circumstances for the glory of God. Sadly, human trafficking is still destroys millions of lives not just in Thailand, but all over the world. Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few (Luke 10:2). ZOE International and YWAM’s Tamar Center’s compassion for the suffering are examples of what Christ’s followers can do in Thailand. Love never fails.

 

Written by: Nicolas Beaudreau

Sources

1. U.S. Department of State. (2022, August 17). Thailand - United States Department of State . U.S. Department of State. Retrieved November 5, 2022, from https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-trafficking-in-persons-report/thailand/
2. Whitney, S., & Anti-Human Trafficking Cell of Mercyhurt University. (2022, February 2). Human trafficking in Thailand . The Exodus Road. Retrieved November 5, 2022, from https://theexodusroad.com/human-trafficking-in-thailand/
3, 4, 5. Thailand . ZOE International. (2021, December 17). Retrieved November 5, 2022, from https://gozoe.org/our-locations/thailand/
6. Email conversation with an office manager at ZOE International on Nov 4, 2022
7. Gibson, L. (2022, April 20). What took so long for someone to find me and tell me about jesus? ZOE International. Retrieved November 5, 2022, from https://gozoe.org/2022/04/26/what-took-so-long-for-someone-to-find-me-and-tell-me-about-jesus/
8, 9. Tamar Center . YWAM Thailand. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2022, from https://www.ywamthai.org/tamar/

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