Child Trafficking

Posted on 25 November 2009.

A mob of parents killed a book salesman and badly injured four of his colleagues at a primary school in Zhejiang province in late October. "The parents surrounded the five salesmen and attacked them, a police spokesman said.

The salesmen were later saved by police officers and sent to a local hospital where one of them died and four are still receiving treatment," according to a BBC report.

The reason for the attack? Rumours had spread that the men were a human smuggling ring out to abduct local children. "As gossip spread that a gang was trying to ensnare the young pupils, parents surrounded and set upon the men," the BBC report explained.

As we have shared previously in these updates, hundreds and maybe thousands of children go missing each year in China. Children of poor farmers or migrant workers are often targeted. Some end up sold to childless couples; others are used by criminal gangs as beggars or in prostitution. The Ministry of Public Security reported investigating 2,566 potential trafficking cases in 2008.

In a recent six-month campaign against human trafficking, police have reportedly recovered more than 2,000 children. Forty-two suspected traffickers were picked up by police in just one week. This year a national DNA database has been set up to help trace missing children. Websites also show pictures of some of these children, in the hope of returning them to their families. Let's pray that these methods will result in real breakthroughs to help end such dreadful crimes.

Pray for parents whose children have been abducted. May the Lord give them strength and hope.

Pray for the kidnapped children who have recently been recovered by police. May as many as possible be reunited with their parents and may each one find healing and hope for the future.

Pray for many more children to be recovered and for those criminals involved in human trafficking to be caught and stopped.

Pray against such fear and paranoia as led to the death of the book salesman. May innocent people be protected from harm, whilst the guilty receive just punishment.