Each Sunday of Lent, we will reflect on the ‘seven last words’ spoken by Jesus from the Cross in light of our Congregational Position Papers. This week, we recall the fourth words spoken, “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”  linking these with our position on Trafficking.

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”). (Mathew 27:45-49)

Jesus cries out in agony “Why have you abandoned me?” with a seeming despair that many will have experienced. The darkness of abandonment is the most crucifying of all pains: it is the end of hope; the way to despair. This is the desperate cry of those who are trafficked for labor, human organ harvesting, surrogate pregnancy, and sexual exploitation.

Our position on the trafficking of women and girls identifies its root causes in the structures and systems that intensify economic injustice, violence against women, discrimination against the girl child, inadequate support for migrants, and the social acceptance of the prostitution of women and girls.

As a Congregation, we listen to the despair of those who have experienced this darkness and have developed holistic trauma healing and self-empowerment programs to respond to their needs. Such as Opportunity Village Nepal which rescues, protects, and reintegrates vulnerable women and girls through its Cross Border Anti-Human Trafficking project in Rupandehi and which combats human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children through its Anti-Human Trafficking project in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Today, we call out to you to listen to the abandoned women and girls who cry out in the dark shadow of trafficking. Take action to respond to their cries by taking part in a network or campaign that supports an end to trafficking and promotes the liberation and full empowerment of women and girls in all spheres of society.