In the News

            This article is in the Lexington Minuteman today.               

          Human Trafficking Victim Recovered by Trinity Covenant Members

A 14-year-old Ugandan girl named Rachel was rescued from forced prostitution and slavery through the efforts of Sandy Gannon, a member of Trinity Covenant Church in Lexington, during a recent trip Gannon made to Uganda.  Gannon was visiting the homes of children who attend a school in Bakka, and while at Rachel’s home, Rachel’s father received a phone call from her.  Gannon was able to convince the father to ask for Rachel’s return.  A day later, Rachel returned to her home. 

The definitions of “family” and of “orphan” differ greatly between the United States and Uganda, Gannon said.  In Uganda, an “uncle” may be any man who plays a role in a child’s life.  One of Rachel’s “uncles” had sold her for $25 to someone in the sex trade.  Rachel’s father saw this as a way to reduce the number of mouths to feed.

Gannon and Trinity’s Pastor, Christopher Haydon, and Todd Klipp, another Trinity member who traveled to Uganda in late September, decided that no money should exchange hands to reclaim Rachel, because doing so might encourage more children to be sold.  Instead, they offered to provide food for the family each month.  Gannon also reminded the family that Rachel would be able to help support her family for many years in the future if she got an education.  She also told them that free medical care is provided for the students and families that they live with, at a nearby medical clinic run by Show Mercy. 

In Uganda, families may agree to take an orphaned child, but there is no government money to help care for the child and no oversight of the home. Children that we regard as orphans are often given to families in the village, who may use them as servants or even sell them.  The prevalence of AIDS and extreme poverty has left many children with no loving families, Gannon related. 

Many children are taken in to be put to work or to be sold.  Rachel is one of the 90 children currently being sponsored by Trinity members and others in a program set up by Gannon.  A child can be sponsored for $25 a month.  A sponsorship gives the child a mosquito net, shoes, school fees and supplies, and a meal at school every day.  “Sponsored children have the added benefit of the oversight by The Christian Mission Sponsorship Program to keep them safe,” said Gannon.

Another sponsored girl, 14-year-old Winnie, is still missing, but Gannon is working with people from the Kampala church who run the school to try to locate her and bring her back.  A third 14-year-old girl, Miracle, who ran away several times to avoid being forced to marry, was brought back to her grandmother’s home through Gannon’s efforts.  Food and medical care were promised to the grandmother if she would keep the girl at home and in school. 

Anyone interested in sponsoring a child or making a donation to help prevent children being sold into slavery may contact Gannon at:  s-gannon@hotmail.com  or visit her blog sandysugandaadventure.blogspot.com

By Nancy E. Leskiw