Trafficking and Soccer

Please be praying for Ukraine right now. Europe is gearing up for the Euro 2012 soccer tournament, which is being hosted in Poland and Ukraine. There are four cities in Poland and four in Ukraine that will be hosting soccer matches. I don't know the four in Poland, but the four in Ukraine are Kyiv (the capitol), Kharkiv (where Nate Medlong lives), Donets'k, and L'viv (my city, of course).

Why would I be so concerned and send a call out for prayer because of soccer? Well... sex is a big industry here. One of the major exports of Ukraine is women. Once, in a speech to an Asian country he was visiting, the current president of Ukraine invited visitors to come here, saying that the women were beautiful and didn't wear much clothing. He took it back as a faux pas later... The sex industry here is gearing up for a huge influx of profit during those tournaments. From what I've heard, in the U.S., the largest human trafficking event of the year is the Superbowl; it looks like the same thing is happening here in Ukraine.

I hope none of my friends here in L'viv are involved in this. L'viv is a more religious, conservative city than most of the cities in Eastern Ukraine, so I haven't seen anything advertised or blatant on the streets... It could be that God is just shielding my eyes from that (which, I don't really mind not seeing that as a single guy... thanks, God!). Either way, I'm praying that God will break the back of this movement. It's so wrong. They are making profits on ruining the lives, scarring the hearts, and physically destroying young women. I don't know if this is true, but I heard that the border stations are forcing the older women to take an unpaid leave so that younger, prettier ones can be the "first face" of Ukraine as the visitors pour in... They are, in effect, telling older women that they aren't worth anything if they're not young-looking and pretty.

The only real answer I see for all of this is the Gospel. We can make all of the laws we want and legislate all of the morality we want, but that won't change the hearts of men and women. It's completely illegal in America to do this, but it still happens. The Holy Spirit is the only One that can truly change the hearts of the U.S. or Ukraine. If the men get saved, they won't visit the brothels. If the pimps get saved, they won't run the brothels. If the women get saved, they won't work at the brothels. Jesus is the real answer for sin and all of its effects.

Please pray with me for the Gospel to go out in both nations so that these young women will be saved from such a wretched existence.