A girl, a pimp, a trial, and an unsung hero

A few weeks back I and the rest of my team, had the privilege of meeting and talking with one of the young girls we are advocating for. I think it was a good for her to meet some of the people (outside of VICE) who are fighting for her. It was also very eye-opening, validating, and and encouraging for us. The place of meeting was the country courthouse downtown, where the man that beat her to within an inch of her life and turned her out on the streets at the age of 14 (see's now 16 and a number of months pregnant) was on trial. The trial was postponed until the 24th of Nov, but the case is incredibly strong against him. This is not his first time on trial. The last time the other 14 year old victim ran away from the CPS home while he was awaiting trial and was never seen of again (they suspect she was murdered) with out her testimony, he walked. The girl we met that day had run away now 3 times since her pimp was arrested, the only reason she said she hasn't run away again is that she'll loose custody of her baby if she does. This is why there is a need for a safe, secure, lock-down (both from pimps and from running away) facility for these girls is so disparately needed. Safe-houses totaling 100-150 beds (right now only 8 beds for this purpose exist in the ENTIRE United States) with top quality facilities and medical and counseling services is in the works. It was a much needed injection of positive light in such a dark strong hold of the enemy. I walked away with a renewed sense of urgency and purpose but also excitement to be able to be apart of what God is doing here in Phx.

In a coffee meeting I had with the VICE Squad sergeant and a local pastor and friend, I was deeply struck by the police officer's comment that after 8 years a recent Branded screaning was the VERY FIRST thank you he had ever recieved. These men and women are true heroes, and have the haunting and harowing stories, PTSD, and a daunting task before them, and since their battle ground is our back yard and we pay their pay checks, we somehow take them (and all police for that matter) for granted, or would ask why they aren't doing more?

The chuch of greater Phoenix, stirs as if slowly waking to the idea putting action to the concepts of justice and mercy for the oppressed. God is moving and so too are his people...