Why Isn’t Anyone Doing Anything?
Vicki Moore and Rahab’s Rope RichLife story #18:
Last month we talked about what it means to be mission driven and the true wealth that arrives when service to others becomes the point of our focus. In response to our question: "Got a mission or know somebody who does?" I recently had the opportunity to talk with Vicki Moore, founder and active leader of an organization called Rahab’s Rope.
The mission of Rahab’s Rope is large: to give hope and opportunity to the women and girls forced into the commercial sex trade of India. Through the efforts of their volunteers and supporters, Rahab’s Rope has provided safe houses, rented flats for vocational training as well as basic education in Bangalore, a flat and a medical clinic in Goa, and worked directly in the brothels of Mumbai. They have provided health and nutrition, groceries, hygiene education and supplies; they have helped girls to find jobs or re-enter school.
They have also provided medical needs, including a life-saving surgery for one girl whose sinus cavities had been horribly destroyed through multiple beatings.
Talk about a mission! But what I found most interesting about Vicki’s story was how it all began.
In January of 2004, I came across a story on the internet about the every-day reality faced by millions of girls and women living in India. The story told of the more than two-hundred women forced into prostitution daily. How they are sold or kidnapped into the sex trade as early as age five. How these women are held captive, beaten, raped, and humiliated. How they are made to believe that their only real value is the price that their body will bring. By their late teens, the majority of these girls are considered "used up" and are cast out onto the streets to survive on their own. With little to no skill set and little to no money to their name, these girls return to prostitution as a means of survival, and the hopeless cycle continues.According to Human Rights Watch, there are approximately fifteen million prostitutes in India today; these are women and girls, mothers and daughters, most of them between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five.
I was a stay-at-home mom with children of my own. I had no experience with human trafficking and the more research I did, the more alarming global statistics I found. These stories broke my heart, and I couldn’t get them out of my mind.
That day in the comfort of her own home, Vicki Moore asked the question,
“Why isn’t anyone doing anything about this?”
And then she heard the answer,
"I would like for you to do something."
As is often the case, if the question appears inside you, the answer is there, too.
How many of us wait for someone else to do something?
How many of us think the problem too big, or ourselves too small?
In the words of Vicki Moore:
“We believe nothing in our lives happens by chance and timing is God appointed. As God was opening my eyes to the women in crisis in India, I was also taking an Old Testament Bible class and was studying the story of Rahab the prostitute found in the book of Joshua. The rope in the story represents Rahab's rescue both physically and spiritually, and there is a high probability that Rahab made the rope herself. It is our hope that just as the rope that Rahab made represents her rescue, the skills taught to the women at our Women's Centers will represent their physical and spiritual rescue as well.”
Plans for the organization include reaching out to more girls in more areas, adding a new safe house for underage girls, and their current work of acquiring and outfitting a new housing facility for women in aftercare. If you would like to find out what you can do to support the ongoing mission of Rahab’s Rope, please visit their website at www.rahabsrope.com.
With all Ms. Moore has given throughout the past seven years, we asked her, “What has the experience of helping these women given back to you?” Her answer:
“A joy and excitement to life that can't be explained.” She writes:
“I have met so many wonderful people all across the U.S. and in India that have helped in so many ways, and many have become very good friends. These people have poured into the ministry with their gifts, talents and finances, and poured into me with their encouragement and kindness. I would never have had this experience had I not been working with these girls in India.”
What experiences are awaiting you? What do you wish someone would do something about? It was the answers to these same questions that led Ms. Moore to discover her mission, and the gift she had to offer the world.
To the world you may be one person –
but to one person you may be the world.
It's scary when you get that answer to the question about why isn't anyone doing something about an issue. Means there's a lot of work to do! Thank God for people like Vicki who are giving back and making SUCH a huge difference in the lives of people she may never meet 🙂 Thanks for sharing this story, Beau!
Thank you Beau for sharing this 'Inspirational Story'…it brings to mind the movie "Amazing Grace" which was the story of the "Abolition of The Slave Trade" in the British Empire! …Thanks, Hughie
Thanks for sharing this powerful story of the wisdom and courage of one woman willing to step up and take action…a model for all of us. 🙂
Excellent and inspiring article Beau! It reminds me of my mother and father-in-law who are currently fostering 5 children (all siblings) because they too heard the voice of God telling them to do it instead of asking, Who can take care of them. Thanks for sharing! Love it!
WOW! This is a powerful story Beau! Thank God for such caring people as Vicki! She is truly an inspiration! God bless!
This is such an inspirational article! I believe this is so true ~ we have all the answers within us! We just have to ask the right questions, and we are not too small to do something that we believe in right NOW! Thanks Beau!
This is a great story about how we all have the power to make a difference if we will but step up and show up with the talents and skills that God has blessed us with. Thanks for sharing, Beau!
LOVE this article…thank you for sharing. I just spoke to a group of women a couple weekends ago about a very similar concept–once we've seen something it becomes our responsibility, we can't UN-SEE it. This doesn't mean that we are called to fix every problem we see–it DOES MEAN, however, that we must do SOMETHING (pray, donate, love, connect with) about every hurting person we see. What would this world be like if we all took this to heart?
What a powerful and inspiring story! Thanks for sharing!
I am just starting to get to all these blog posts tonight and this was the first one I opened:) What an inspiring post…I did know about the mission and its a very powerful story to say the least. Its amazing what work we are called to do and who we are here to serve. Three short years ago I set out to create an addiction recovery coaching program with no money. I had to sell social media consulting services to help fund the new business. I am in the middle of my launch now. I have found this so uplifting. Thanks.
I love your posting. Keep them coming. Lorii at http://www.manifestingmydestiny.com
Thanks Beau, such a great story. Vicki is an amazing woman and thanks to her many women have a life with a future now.
Isn't that a reason to help people? To give them a better quality of life? I think it's the best!
What a horrible and shocking story! Why are there such cruel people in this world! I am not a personal trainer, but I want everyone, irregardless of their workout preference to succeed in their fitness journey. I am just a motivator.
Wow, what a powerful story Beau! Thank you for sharing it.
So true. Often, the things that we acrae about and wish somoene would do something about are ours to address…we have the gifts, skills, knowledge, ability within us if we will just, as Kim says, step up and step out!! Great post!
What an awesome ministry Vicky has. When allowed God works such miracles through us. Reminds me to always ask why and follow with why not!
Thats an eye-opener! Great inspiration at the same time! Thanks!
Vicky is definitely an inspiring woman, very moving story you share here. I bet she means the world to more than one person. Namaste.
Inspiring…. Wow!
Norma Doiron @ the LEARNED Preneur ╰☆╮
What an amazing story! Wow. It really makes you think…"What could I do?"
Wow! Great, inspiring story that has given me something to think about. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Beau for sharing such a inspiring story. It really makes us appreciate life as we know it, I can't even even imagine what those women & girls go through everyday. I love Vicky's passion and mission.
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful and inspiring story. If we all picked just one way we wanted to work to change the world, we could make the world so much more beautiful than it already is!
I have come out of this lifestyle and went thru inner healing, my question now is how to go back in and bring others out. Every body says it is to dangerous but I know from personal experience how destructive this is. Not being able to look in the mirror for many years now I can look and not cry. The resume for a legal job is still a hurdle. How can I help? A student now in Christian Counseling working toward my degree, any wisdom would be appreciated, for the area of Atlanta Georgia.
Thank you, Melody Wright