Friday, January 28, 2011

Prayer and Fasting for the Super Bowl



My husband Matt and I were recently made aware by a missionary we support in Dallas (Deep Ellum area) that the Super Bowl is a time when there is a significant rise in human trafficking in the U.S. An unknown number of enslaved children are currently being trafficked into the Dallas area in preparation for Super Bowl XLV. Each city that hosts the Super Bowl or similar events experiences an influx of prostitution rings ready to sell America's children to the crowds. Throughout January and February, many churches, non-profit organizations and law enforcement agencies have come together to fight human trafficking during the Super Bowl.

Volunteers are participating in street outreaches 24 hours a day working to locate and rescue victims, helping high-risk businesses such as hotels and bars recognize victims and canvassing at-risk neighborhoods with anti-trafficking information. These efforts during the previous two Super Bowls resulted in 50 children being rescued from their captors as well as prosecution of the perpetrators! 

Matt and I inquired about volunteering, but we we're a little late to join the street teams. Instead we are committing to join the many other believers in praying for the anti-trafficking programs and fasting the day of the Super Bowl. We hope that God will be glorified and His light will shine in the midst of dark places as a result of this anti-trafficking campaign.

"...if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58:10

I wanted to make you aware of the efforts and invite ya'll to join us in praying and choosing to fast either Saturday or Sunday.

The group organizing the outreaches, Traffick911 (http://www.traffick911.com), has a prayer guide for supporters to follow. I've here is a document with the prayer guide for today through the Super Bowl. Please announce this as you see fit to your groups and to other church leaders you know! 

Thank you,
Matt & Sarah-Jane Menefee