How I joined the war against human trafficking — Lisha Venter

It all started after I watched the movie Taken. If you haven’t seen this movie, it is about a young girl that takes an opportunity to travel with her friend.

In short, these two friends get trafficked and forced to take drugs. Once they are addicted, the traffickers sell them as sex slaves. Luckily for this girl, her father rescued her with some pretty impressive moves but sadly, this only happens in the movies.

This is not the case for true life trafficking cases. I was told by a friend that this is really happening in the world today.

I could not believe it. My heart was so moved and broken by this reality and I was felt so angry with this great injustice.

I was young, naïve and uncertain how to get involved. I slowly pushed it aside and focussed on just living my life and working to pay my bills.

A number of years later, I heard that it was becoming an issue in our country, so I looked around to see what organisations were fighting against human trafficking but I couldn’t find any.

Once again, I shelved this passion and was soon back to just working to pay my bills.

I started praying
My passion started to grow increasingly around three years ago when I heard of human trafficking occurring not too far from where I lived. I was outraged but I didn’t know where to get involved so I started praying.

Within that year I became passionate about starting my own business. I had no experience or resources available but I became obsessed with working it all out.

While I was focussing on this, I felt God saying to me to get involved with something bigger than myself. I was reminded of my passion for fighting human trafficking.

It was around this time that I came across an organisation that reached out to women in the sex industry. This was close enough to the work I was interested in, so I volunteered every now and then, although, I wasn’t convinced that this was where I would be long-term.

While I was volunteering, I came across another organisation that was more directly involved with human trafficking. I was immediately drawn to their work and knew that this is where I wanted to get involved.

This organisation fights human trafficking through prevention – suspected victims are stopped on their way to being trafficked.

Changing course of someone’s life
I loved this idea of stopping people from being exploited. Changing the course of someone’s life from one of the world’s greatest injustices and giving them another opportunity of freedom in life.

Imagine that was you? What an amazing relief that would be.

I applied for a role that involved monitoring to prevent potential victims from trafficking. I was accepted for the position and I worked in this role for three months, but unfortunately the hours weren’t compatible with my family life.

They then offered me an office job to oversee the operations, which I happily accepted. This was one of the best decisions of my life.

Have I got my business up and running yet? No, not at all but I am sure that I will one day soon. I believe that as you seek God and His will, that “all these things shall be added unto you”.

People are being exploited daily and dehumanised into mere objects. It is therefore my utmost passion to play a small part in this work, ensuring that this evil steadily decreases.

To date, our organisation has stopped over 250 women, men and children from being trafficked and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

The total number of people prevented from being trafficked is increasing all the time, which we give God all the glory for.

God loves all people and hates injustice. Choose to be part of His story because it is what we are here on earth for, to be His hands and His feet.

Seek and find what passion He has placed in  you and live in His will for your life because it is so worth it. As you nourish others, He will nourish you.

Proverbs 11:25  — Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.