Prayer for TVPRA/CPCA

South Puget Sound Chapter Women of Vision

with Cindy Breilh (far right)

Advocating for the CPCA March 2010

 Child Protection Compact Act (CPCA)  Update

The Craziness Begins!

An update on 2011 legislation fighting child slavery

By Jesse Eaves, Policy Advisor for Child Protection

"It has only been a few weeks since the 111th Congress came to a close and the 112th Congress began—but what a difference a few weeks makes. The fight against slavery continues, and we have a huge role to play.

Over the course of the past year, thousands of you called, wrote, and met face-to-face with your elected leaders. As a result of that united voice, the Child Protection Compact Act (CPCA) came within an inch of becoming a law until time ran out.

You’ll recall that I let you know that in this new Congress, the centerpiece of all U.S. anti-human trafficking law (the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, or TVPRA) was up for renewal. Laws like the CPCA do not work without the framework of the TVPRA. Since we want to be sure that a strong and robust TVPRA becomes law, we’ve been working hard to ask your elected leaders to include the provisions of the CPCA into the larger human trafficking bill.

However, something happened last week that caught us off guard. As the new Senate came into session, right out of the gate, your leaders did something surprising. On the first day of legislating, the original sponsors of the bill—Senator Barbara Boxer of California, Richard Burr of North Carolina, and Ben Cardin of Maryland—reintroduced the CPCA. On top of that, they brought on board a new sponsor: Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts. The message they are sending is clear – “WE HEAR YOU!”

This reintroduction of the CPCA is more symbolic than anything. It means that your voices were heard and your leaders have not forgotten you. This is a way for them to mark the importance of the CPCA provisions as we move forward with the process of advocating for the new TVPRA. In the most likely scenario, the CPCA will simply get folded into the TVPRA—and then we will go to town advocating for the passage of the TVPRA.

As we prepare to move forward, take a second and pat yourselves on the back for making your voices heard. A big salute goes out to Women of Vision in California and North Carolina who tirelessly hounded their Senators to lead the way on this bill. The silent cries of enslaved children around the world will be silent no longer as you stand up next to them and seek justice on their behalf.

We’ll be updating you as soon as we know when the TVPRA will be officially introduced. Once that happens, let’s challenge ourselves to make our voices louder and more powerful than ever. It’s going to be hard. Anyone who watches the news or reads the Internet knows that. But with thousands of voices and God on our side, justice and freedom will prevail.

I leave you with the words of Molly Baker, an amazing advocate and student at the University of Delaware. She recently wrote: 'After the hard news that the CPCA did not pass, I came upon Habbakuk 1:2-4 in which Habbakuk cries out to God in frustration saying, ‘How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.’ My heart has at times echoed the same cries and questions of why God would allow so much injustice in our world. However, God answers Habbakuk's cry and ours as well, as in Habakkuk 2:4 he replies, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’ What we SEE is injustice, wrongdoing, and a bill that has not passed. BUT God calls us to live by faith. As Hebrews 11:1 says, ‘Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do NOT see.’”

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before You in the Name of Jesus praising You for opportunities that You give us through World Vision and Women of Vision to make a difference around the world in the lives of poor and marginalized children and women. Like Habbakuk we cry out to you about the injustices in our world. We are disappointed that the Child Protection Compact Act (CPCA) did not pass in the 111th Congress.

We praise You for World Vision and Women of Vision and the information and education provided to us so that we could be a voice for the voiceless in Washington DC and in our own State of Washington against slavery this past year. Lord we know that strongholds do not topple easily, yet we believe in faith that nothing is impossible for You. Lord we ask that you would stir our hearts again and again and that we would take whatever action necessary to be used by You in this fight against slavery in the world and in America. Give us the information that we need and empower us with courage to call, communicate with and go to those in authority who decide our laws.

We praise You in advance that the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) will be renewed and that the CPCA will be enfolded into this larger human trafficking bill. Thank you that Senator Barbara Boxer of California, Richard Burr of North Carolina, and Ben Cardin of Maryland reintroduced the CPCA along with Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts. Thank you for their message of encouragement to us that we have been heard. Let this action by these Senators be the spark that ignites passion within our Congress to pass the TVPRA!

Thank you for Jesse and his team. Bless them in all ways as they take a stand daily in this battle. Guard them and protect their families, their health, their finances and their lives as they stand firm on the front lines. Encourage them to not grow weary in well doing. Give them hope in Your renewed direction for this cause.

Lord, we know that without You we can do nothing. We surrender our paltry efforts at the foot of the cross and place them in Your Hands and ask that you multiply our efforts to create a mighty army. Mobilize us at the perfect moment, the optimum time in our present history to impact and put a stop to human trafficking in this generation. Let it be so, Lord! Amen!