Aisha's Story: A Story of Survival
As the mother of three young children, Aisha was struggling to make ends meet after the death of her husband. To support her family, she sold vegetables at the local market. Then the COVID-19 lockdown forced her to leave her home in Sri Lanka and take a job as a housemaid in the Middle East. But Aisha quickly found herself trapped and alone in an unfamiliar place. She eventually became a victim of abuse.
Unfortunately, Aisha’s story is one of many. There are nearly 50 million people around the world imprisoned in various forms of modern-day slavery and human trafficking. The Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO) works around the clock in 73 countries and across five continents to identify and protect survivors. Your prayers and support for The Salvation Army World Service Office directly helps people like Aisha.
The International Day of Prayer for Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking took place on Sunday, September 22. Salvationists in every territory across 134 countries united in continuous prayer each hour of the week with petitions for freedom and justice.
This year’s theme “Let My People Go,” drawn from the encounter between Moses and Pharoah in Exodus, is a reminder that God hears the cries of the oppressed and calls on us to serve as agents of liberation. Even today, we need this ancient plea. All voices and prayers are necessary to uplift those ensnared within the chains of modern slavery.
Aisha’s story has a happy ending. She reached out to the Sri Lanka Embassy, and they connected her with The Salvation Army Safehouse, a refuge for women escaping abusive situations. In the Safehouse, Aisha escaped her abuser and acquired new skills. She learned how to tailor clothes and discovered a passion for sewing and a glimmer of hope to change her life.
The Salvation Army helped Aisha to safely return home to her family in Sri Lanka, but the support goes far beyond that. With encouragement and support Aisha continues to rebuild her life and regain stability. By providing Aisha with vegetables, fruits, baskets, and a scale, The Salvation Army encouraged her to finally achieve her dream of becoming a vegetable vendor. At last, Aisha was able to pay for her children’s education and rent.
The fight against modern slavery and human trafficking is one that requires all of us to stand in solidarity with its victims and bring their plight before the throne of grace.
Learn more about the other ways the Salvation Army is responding to human trafficking around the world and how you can help here: International Social Justice Commission - Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response (salvationarmy.org)