Have you ever looked into a child’s eyes? The eyes of a child are mesmerizing. They are so full of emotion, so clear and brimming with life. Look into the eyes of your son or daughter, your nephew or niece, your little brother or sister. Their eyes truly are the windows to their souls. Childhood is such a precious time, and there is nothing more beautiful than seeing a child enjoying the life God has given them.

I have seen many children, however, whose eyes portray a very different kind of life; children whose eyes are dark with pain, whose beautiful eyes have nearly lost the life God put in them. There are children, both overseas and here in the U.S., whose lives and freedom have been stolen from them. They have known more pain in their short lives that many of us will experience in our lifetimes. They are children who have become victims of sex trafficking.

Every year, an estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked or otherwise forced into sexual slavery (UNICEF). 1.2 million! It pains me to even write that figure. Precious children, robbed of their childhoods, their rights, their dignity, their lives. I have seen children like this, and the pain in their eyes has broken my heart. I have hugged and played with small girls who are being sold every day by their own parents. Such a thing cannot continue. God has put children in our care to love and protect them, to fight for their lives and their destinies.

We have a responsibility to keep the children of the world safe. We cannot ignore their suffering. Ask yourself what you can do to speak out on behalf of trafficked children. If we work together, we can help bring life back into the eyes of the suffering children of the world.

Ahna Boyum and her family have been working with children globally for over 20 years. She currently lives in northern Thailand and works with TawSaeng and is reaching out to children at risk of exploitation in a red light district.