When someone takes a child and meets physical and emotional needs,that child gets attached to and depended on them.  Hopefully, these people are loving parents. Too often, they are predators who sell that child for sexual services. Even when the child knows that what’s happening isn't okay, they may not seek help because they are trying to fill a void. After a while, they believe that what’s happening to them is simply a life they are meant to live.

This is Season 5, Episode 5. Our book this week is “Somebody’s Daughter” by Julian Sher. Our guest is speaker, author, and anti-trafficking advocate BJ Garrett. We will check in with BJ after we investigate this compelling story about one daughter in particular. A young girl named Maria.

Maria was from Atlantic City, but was excited to be relocating to Las Vegas. She knew that Sin City was very aptly named in part because it was the biggest market in America for underage prostitutes. She was seventeen, and had walked the streets in many east coast cities since she was 14. Now she was in the big leagues, working the casinos. It had started when Maria ran away from home.

Authorities estimate that roughly one third of children who run away end up being exploited by sex traffickers within 48 hours of leaving their homes. Their average age? Around 12 to 14 years old. Like Maria. Maria didn’t exactly grow up dreaming of being a prostitute. What she’d dreamed of becoming was a Methodist pastor. 

Maria finally saw how little she really meant to this man. Working with law enforcement, Maria helped land him in jail for a long time. It wouldn’t have been possible if the officer she was working with hadn’t been a part of a group of officers who decided to treat child prostitutes like children first and prostitutes second.

Grab a copy of this book so you can read the whole story - it actually is very uplifting to hear about not only how police are looking at new ways to help these kids rather than just punish them for being victims. You’ll also learn about groups of women who have gotten out of the life, and now devote their time to reaching out to the very young girls.

John 8:1-11 NLT

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught 

in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

The young girl from today’s story and others like her didn’t grow up wanting to prostitute themselves. Her community treated her like she deserved being stoned like the Pharisees wanted to do to this woman. But their zeal wasn’t for the law, it was for trapping and discrediting Jesus. The law required both parties in an act of adultery to be stoned. Even though she was caught in the act, the man with her wasn’t brought before Jesus. Maria was a child, yet for a very long time she was treated more harshly than her trafficker or the men who paid for her services. 

How many of us are throwing stones without considering our own sins first? And the only one who had the moral right to, wouldn’t do it. And I want us to consider his words to her, “Go, and sin no more.” in a different light than we often hear it used. He’s just told her that he does not condemn her, so to me it makes so much more sense that “Go and sin no more” isn't a harsh command as much as a loving invitation. The Savior knows that when we follow him, we are joining in a life that is so much better than what we could come up with on our own. 

Let’s make sure that all of the women in our communities who have been forced into a life like Maria’s or have just made choices like this woman brought to Jesus know that they are welcome in our lives and in our faith communities. Not one of us has the moral authority to cast any stones. 

Let me know what you thought of this episode! Send me an email a lori@theunlovelytruth.com or message me on social media. I love it when people are willing to have those hard, but impactful conversations!

Visit my website to access more episodes, read my blog posts, or check out ways you can financially support the podcast so that together we can impact more people, more families, and more communities. If you would like to contact me about booking me as a speaker, or ask about my consulting and investigative services, please email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com. 

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