Cardboard “confessionals.” A selected group of students walked up on stage carrying large pieces of cardboard. Written boldly in Sharpie on these pieces of cardboard were numbers, statistics. Jaw-dropping, heart-wrenching statistics. But one in particular caught the attention of many students.
“There are over 27 million slaves around the world today.”
Yes, slaves. Most are sex slaves. They are bought, tricked, abducted, or bargained into deceit and cruelty. Most are promised lives of ease, a better future and lots of money. They are generally girls ages 8-19, and they are sold to pimps in brothels or other traffickers for commercial sex. Grown men pay to have sex with these girls, typically requesting the younger girls, the virgin girls.
Bought at a Price, or B@AP, is a non-profit organization
that works to raise awareness about and prevent human trafficking. Originally
created during the summer of 2010, B@AP started out as an idea in the minds of
a few high school seniors who wanted to make a change in our world. They
quickly brought the idea into motion by selling t-shirts and bracelets, and
hosting concerts to raise money for the cause. Now, more than just an idea, the
team is supporting Tiny Hands International with the majority of the money raised.
Our team firmly believes that God and His Word should be the
driving force behind our passion. The name Bought at a Price comes from the
scripture found in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 which says, “Do you not know that your
bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received
from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God
with your bodies.” (NIV) Our team’s name
derives from the fact that, one, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and
two, that each and every one of us were bought at a price when Jesus, Son of
God and man, died on the cross to save us from our sins.
The Bible also says in Proverbs 31:8, “Speak up for those
who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” And
that is our whole goal as Bought at a Price. We want to speak up for those who
are being oppressed, and we want to save those who are held captive by slavery.
We can not save the world from this ugly darkness, but we can help. We can’t rescue all the children over night or change all their lives, but we can start by making a difference in the life of one.
