BY KAREN ABBRUSCATO

I live fairly close to the Levi Stadium where the Super Bowl 50 was held last month.  There were so many festivities and hype building up to the big game; Super Bowl City was erected, banners were flying and there was jubilation in the air.  I was attending a Super Bowl party when the Blue Angels flew over the house; and a couple minutes later, they were broadcasted flying over the Levi Stadium.  That’s how intimate the game was for us - it was almost as good as being in the stadium.  All in all, it was a very exciting time for the San Francisco Bay Area, and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

Some people were not so happy to be a part of it.  Unfortunately, wherever there is a convention of masses there is sex trafficking.  An article in the San Jose Mercury News reported 42 suspected victims:  

“The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said its three-week crackdown on human-trafficking centered around the game -- and a contentiously debated uptick in prostitution activity -- netted the identification of 42 suspected victims. The undercover operation, which focused on local online escort ads, also resulted in the arrests or citations of 30 Johns, and 14 arrests or citations for alleged prostitution-related offenses, including the arrest of a 20-year-old Sacramento woman suspected of pimping a 17-year-old girl.”

I have come to accept that sex trafficking is taking place in my neighborhood, as difficult as it is to comprehend.  I just can’t accept why it is happening here, or anywhere for that matter. Greed, corruption and ego are the characteristics that come to mind with respect to both the Pimps and the Johns.  Prayers are needed for these people to find redemption in their lives.  They live with Satan guiding their ways and the only way to stop them is to lock them up in jail or have them find the road to redemption through Jesus Christ.  

While we’re saying our prayers for the evildoers, we need to say a prayer for the victims who have been abused and have lived the life of destruction: they’ve been told they’re worthless and that nobody cares. These youths need to be rescued, they need to hear that God made them and He doesn’t make mistakes. These victims need to be built up to believe in themselves and that is our job.  

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”  Matthew 25:40