China...1st of the series of 5 countries to pray for

China...1st of the series of 5 countries to pray for

1.357 Billion people is a number hard to fathom!  All uniquely created, all loved by their creator!  This is one fifth of the entire planet's population in one country!  I've never been there, so I am writing partially on mere facts that I have read and learned. I am overwhelmed, even from a distance at the enormous expanse of this land and its people.

Because of its population, labor is cheap and traffickers take advantage of this by luring people into jobs that offer false promises and eventually force them (once they have moved them and there no way of return) to work in situations that pay little or nothing. 

China is a transit country for victims going to Thailand and Malaysia and is a destination from countries such as Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia, Russia, North Korea, Romania, and Zimbabwe.  An imbalanced sex ratio has been created because of the government's population planning policies and the cultural preference for sons. This contributes to sexual trafficking along with trafficking for forced marriage purposes. As far as forced labor in brick making and factory or farming, fishing etc, the extent and numbers for labor trafficking is not clear because the government does not freely release information on this topic. 

There are a set of standards that have been set forth in the US to grade each country on its efforts to end trafficking and help the victims.  It is called the "Trafficking Victims Protection Act".  Standards are given for each country to meet and each country has been graded on their progress or efforts to improve. There are 4 tiers: 1)The country fully complies 2)Not fully, but making significant efforts 3)Watch list:  There are a significant number of victims and there is no evidence to improve conditions based on commitments for the next year 4)Do not comply and are not making efforts to do so.  China ranks as #3 (on the watch list).  They were at one point listed as a 4, but government officials claim to be working on drafting a National plan of action for improving the trafficking problem.  They have not yet made the details public.

In China, victims of trafficking are not protected from punishments for the acts they have committed as a direct result of being trafficked.  For example, an immigrant may be punished for being there when they were forcibly brought. Or, they may be punished for forced prostitution.

Prayer Points:

• For China's government to act on the completion of a National Plan for prevention of trafficking.
• For laws to be passed that will protect and help victims.
• For the economic situation in general (which makes China's people vulnerable).
• Chinese people are the second most common ethnicity being trafficked in the US! (second to Mexicans)...pray for recognition where this is occurring.
• Revival: Hearts turning to Jesus so that Human Life is valued and respected.

Thanks for praying along with me. 
Jeannine


Sources:  listdose.com, polarisproject.com, humantrafficking.org
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13818951@N08/14512568993">Great Wall of China</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)</a>
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10897362@N00/3241471178">Fans and Fanfare</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)</a>