One of the most chilling things that I have come across in researching the impact of fathers on their children comes from the realm of human trafficking. I read a story about a human trafficker in California who had been arrested and convicted. He freely told the press and the cops how he was able to recruit and basically enslave teenage girls, forcing them into prostitution and treating them like animals while he lived like a king on the money they made.
He said that his recruiting ground was the mall.
He would approach a girl, usually aged twelve to sixteen. He would ask them a simple question, "Where is your daddy?"
He said, "If they answered, 'He's over there,' or 'He's at work,' or something like that, I would walk away. However, if they said, 'I don't know,' or 'I don't have a daddy,' I had found my next worker."
The interviewer asked him, "What did that have to do with anything?"
He said, "Girls without their daddies were looking for a 'daddy.' I just became that. I gave them gifts. I gave them attention. I gave them money. I didn't have to kidnap them. I simply made them need me. Then they would do anything I demanded that they do. They actually loved me for it."
He said, "Girls that had their daddy didn't need what I was offering. They were immune. I didn't even bother with them."
If that doesn't send chills up your spine, I don't know what will. As a father of two daughters and someone who literally feels sick every time I hear of girls being trafficked like cattle, it makes me even more determined to be a strong presence in the lives of my children.
Mothers, this is nothing against you. Our families would be nothing without you. I would say that my wife has had more influence on who our children are than I have. Mothers are the heart and soul of the family, and I give them all the respect in the world for the work they do.
It's just that these girls that were trafficked had mothers. That didn't stop this slimeball criminal from recruiting them. It was the absence of the father that made them vulnerable to him.
Fathers, you are essential. You are invaluable to your children. Never stop fighting for them. Never stop guiding them. Never stop being present. You are of infinite value to your children.
Fathers, human trafficking is only one thing that we can help prevent. Reflect on the following statements and live them out:
1) Fathers, make sure that your daughters never wonder what it is like to be held by a strong man. Hug your daughters. Let them feel your strength and your protection. Never let them wonder what it is like to be held by strong arms, because if they don't get it from you, they'll seek it out from another man, and you have no idea who that "other man" will be.
2) Fathers, make sure that your daughters never wonder what it is like to be complimented and made to feel important by a man. Tell your daughters they are beautiful. Let your daughters know that they are worthy of your attention. If they don't get that from you, they will be vulnerable to the first man that comes along that provides that. That man may not have her best interests at heart.
3) Fathers, make sure your daughters know what it is like to be respected. Let them see you respect their mother and treat her as the child of God that she is. When she sees you treating her mother that way, she will learn that that is how women should be treated, and she won't accept anything less from any man that comes along.
4) Fathers, make sure that you model faith in God for your daughters. Let your daughters hear you pray, let them see you read Scripture, let them see you live your faith on a daily basis. Let them see what you believe to be right and wrong. Fathers, you are a HUGE factor in what your daughter will believe to be right and wrong. Show her what it means to be a person of faith. Let her see you rely on God. She will grow up to do the same thing.
Fathers, you are essential. Never underestimate your importance to the family. Never underestimate your importance to your daughters. The world may tell you differently. That's okay. The world is wrong. You are essential.
He said that his recruiting ground was the mall.
He would approach a girl, usually aged twelve to sixteen. He would ask them a simple question, "Where is your daddy?"
He said, "If they answered, 'He's over there,' or 'He's at work,' or something like that, I would walk away. However, if they said, 'I don't know,' or 'I don't have a daddy,' I had found my next worker."
The interviewer asked him, "What did that have to do with anything?"
He said, "Girls without their daddies were looking for a 'daddy.' I just became that. I gave them gifts. I gave them attention. I gave them money. I didn't have to kidnap them. I simply made them need me. Then they would do anything I demanded that they do. They actually loved me for it."
He said, "Girls that had their daddy didn't need what I was offering. They were immune. I didn't even bother with them."
If that doesn't send chills up your spine, I don't know what will. As a father of two daughters and someone who literally feels sick every time I hear of girls being trafficked like cattle, it makes me even more determined to be a strong presence in the lives of my children.
Mothers, this is nothing against you. Our families would be nothing without you. I would say that my wife has had more influence on who our children are than I have. Mothers are the heart and soul of the family, and I give them all the respect in the world for the work they do.
It's just that these girls that were trafficked had mothers. That didn't stop this slimeball criminal from recruiting them. It was the absence of the father that made them vulnerable to him.
Fathers, you are essential. You are invaluable to your children. Never stop fighting for them. Never stop guiding them. Never stop being present. You are of infinite value to your children.
Fathers, human trafficking is only one thing that we can help prevent. Reflect on the following statements and live them out:
1) Fathers, make sure that your daughters never wonder what it is like to be held by a strong man. Hug your daughters. Let them feel your strength and your protection. Never let them wonder what it is like to be held by strong arms, because if they don't get it from you, they'll seek it out from another man, and you have no idea who that "other man" will be.
2) Fathers, make sure that your daughters never wonder what it is like to be complimented and made to feel important by a man. Tell your daughters they are beautiful. Let your daughters know that they are worthy of your attention. If they don't get that from you, they will be vulnerable to the first man that comes along that provides that. That man may not have her best interests at heart.
3) Fathers, make sure your daughters know what it is like to be respected. Let them see you respect their mother and treat her as the child of God that she is. When she sees you treating her mother that way, she will learn that that is how women should be treated, and she won't accept anything less from any man that comes along.
4) Fathers, make sure that you model faith in God for your daughters. Let your daughters hear you pray, let them see you read Scripture, let them see you live your faith on a daily basis. Let them see what you believe to be right and wrong. Fathers, you are a HUGE factor in what your daughter will believe to be right and wrong. Show her what it means to be a person of faith. Let her see you rely on God. She will grow up to do the same thing.
Fathers, you are essential. Never underestimate your importance to the family. Never underestimate your importance to your daughters. The world may tell you differently. That's okay. The world is wrong. You are essential.
No comments:
Post a Comment