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Survival: Camp Teaches Kids Dangers of Trafficking

CBN

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For most kids, camp is a care-free time playing outside and learning to camp. But children in the Philippines are learning different kinds of survival skills -- how to keep from being victims of human trafficking.

The camp aims to fight human trafficking and is sponsored by Global Impact, founded by Amy Muranko-Gahan.

Children, such as 10-year-old Sandara Antoque, learn the dangers of trafficking through games and role-playing.

"I should not accept candies from strangers because they will use that to make me beg in the streets," Antoque told CBN News. "I will obey my parents when they tell me not to open the door to strangers. And when they get me, I should shout and report them to the police."

Children learn safety measures on how to protect themselves and they learn to recognize the lies of human traffickers.

They understand their value and are able to make good decisions. This gives them a greater chance of survival and lessens the chances of them being trafficked.

Stranger Danger

"Sheryl" was ignorant about these things. She was 11 and her sister was 8 years old when an aunt sent them away to work as housemaids for an employer who promised to send them to school.

"We had no salary because we were told that we will get free education instead. But years passed and we still were not able to go to school," she shared.

Sheryl and her sister stayed on but by the fourth year, they ran away when the employer's son started abusing them physically.

"He hit my legs with a big piece of wood each time he got very angry at me," she recalled. 

Sheryl and her sister are victims of child labor which is a form of human trafficking.

"Children are forced to work for hours in horrible conditions. And they're not able to have what they should have with the rights of a child," Muranko-Gahan explained.

Sheryl and her sister are fortunate that a Christian family is now taking care of them. She is very thankful because through this family they came to know Christ and how he saved them.

"Now I know the true God who is concerned about me and my sister. I am so grateful to the people who opened their home to us," she said. "And I am so happy because we are back in school. I can fulfill my dream to be a social worker to help children like us who are separated from their families."

Creating Awareness

Global Impact continues its efforts to stop human trafficking. They've developed the Freedom for Philippines App, allowing people from different parts of the world to report a suspected trafficker or suspicious activity.

Muranko-Gahan encourages everyone, but especially the church, to take up the fight against human trafficking.

"Every time there is injustice done, especially to children, we as the body of Christ have to do something about that," she said.

"We're the ones who have received freedom from Christ, we have the love of God in our hearts. And it's our job to be a voice to the voiceless," she said. "It's our job to bring freedom and bring the love of Christ. We're moving with His love and compassion in our hearts to reach out, to truly make a global impact. "

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