Attack on Innocence!

Articles, Inspiration July 16, 2023 Leave a comment

“99% of victims trafficked for sexual exploitation are women and girls…”

It is truly impossible to imagine that even the smallest, most vulnerable ones can be and indeed are subject to attack.

Yes, sadly, the world lives in ignorance and ignores what is happening around them. As stated on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) website, “Human trafficking is a global, multi-billion-dollar with no country immune. Every year, millions across the world fall victim to traffickers for the purpose of exploitation.”[1]

And not only that, “More than 1 million children, according to the International Labour Organization, are exploited each year in the commercial sex trade.[2]

World’s Children, on the other hand, states, “99% of victims trafficked for sexual exploitation are women and girls (IBLA, 2019). Traffickers use threats, lies, violence, debt bondage, and coercion to force victims to engage in commercial sex acts against their will.[3]

ChildTraffickingChilling statistics, aren’t they? However, this dark side of human trafficking, especially involving children, is even more complex and putrefying, which would require much more time and space to analyze.

For now, it is more than enough because the purpose of this article is to raise awareness among parents, teachers, authorities, and the community in general, so that we keep our eyes wide open and a willing heart to become true defenders of children and adolescents. The world is becoming increasingly perverted, where personal interests prevail, including the dirty movement of money and low passions, at the cost of attacking and destroying innocent lives.

Yes, let’s keep our eyes wide open because unfortunately, individuals disguised as tenderness and innocence may be lurking in the surroundings of schools, health centers, neighborhoods, and even in our own homes, whose fundamental purpose is to “precisely destroy the tenderness and innocence of our little ones.”

Wess Stafford, President Emeritus of Compassion International, wisely stated in one of his books: “The spirit of a little child is a lotWess-eng like wet cement. When a child is young, it takes little effort to make an impression that can last a lifetime.”[4] What a great truth!

This July 30th marks World Day against Trafficking in Persons. Let us be alert not only on this day but every day, minute by minute, and be the guardians of our children and adolescents worldwide. Let’s confront anyone and anything to defend the life and integrity of each child. As adults, it is our responsibility!

God states it in His Word: “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:2-4)

May our Creator find us always doing what is right!

To conclude, Hacia la Excelencia highly recommends the film “Sound of Freedom”  Official Trailer  currently available in English and being screened in the United States. It will soon be available in Latin America and other continents. It’s a movie we cannot miss, based on true events, that will inspire us to act even more as true defenders of children and adolescents.

[1] https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/endht/index.html

[2] https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/nation-now/2018/01/30/sex-trafficking-column/1073459001/

[3] https://www.worldschildren.org/child-trafficking-statistics/

[4] https://kidminandculture.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/excerpt_toosmall1.pdf

The Narrow Gate

Articles June 18, 2023 Leave a comment

“Evil will arrive disguised as supposed well-being, false happiness, feigned peace, of apparent great opportunities…”

Have you had the opportunity to go through a narrow path or door perhaps in your community or on a tourist trip? How did you feel? Was it easy to do, or did you have any difficulty or fear in doing it?

I remember that one of the experiences I had years ago, while doing a video report, was when I visited the home of a low-income family on the Ecuadorian coast. This family lived in the back of a house, located in a neighborhood of extreme poverty, with practically no comfort. Although the front was concrete, I crossed a very narrow small side path to reach the small place rented by the family I interviewed. With great difficulty I managed to cross this dark and narrow passageway, I did it from the side, impossible to pass straight ahead, the space was very small. As I passed by the side of this house, I felt supremely uncomfortable, with uncertainty because I didn’t know what I was going to find at the end of the passage and if it weren’t for the fact that I was accompanied I probably would have felt fear as well.

NarrowGateWell then, Jesus during the well-known “Sermon on the Mount” urged His disciples and in general the large audience that was listening to Him to “enter by the narrow gate.” He specifically told them: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) This exhortation also extends to us today.

Contrary to what we might think, Jesus clearly affirms that wide is the path and wide is the door that leads humankind to evil. In fact, evil will never initially present itself with suffering, tragedy, pain; evil will arrive disguised as supposed well-being, false happiness, feigned peace, of apparent great opportunities; but at the end of the road, it will unmask itself and show its true face – tragedy with no return -.

Jesus in the referred passage is talking about the path to eternal life. A path that begins on this Earth and that each human soul has the freedom to decide where to go; whether by the path that leads to life itself, or by the path that leads to eternal death.

I invite you then to consider the following:

  1. Every day we hear in different places that “all roads lead to God or to the same god.” But it is not so, do not fool yourself, or be fooled. The only way that leads to eternal life is Jesus Christ. He himself said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
  2. Consequently Jesus is the only door that leads to the path of salvation. He himself affirmed: “I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved…” (John 10:9)
  3. And while we walk the path of salvation, the path to eternal life, a path that many times will not be easy, Jesus will be our sustainer. He clearly stated it: “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me will never be hungry; and whoever believes in me will never thirst ”(John 6:35).

The path of salvation, the path to eternal life will not be easy, those of us who have chosen it or those who will choose it, it clearly means that we will have to put aside the “apparent good proposals that life offers us.” The path to eternal life means that we decide to walk in the footsteps of our Master, our Savior, our Lord, our Creator God – Christ Jesus; and these footsteps represent: loving sacrificially, forgiving and sometimes to those who don’t deserve it – humanly speaking, telling the truth, acting with integrity. All this, although many times it is incredibly against us.

Jesus said: “I have spoken these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have affliction; but take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Yes, if you decide to choose the narrow gate – Christ Jesus – as your Personal Savior, you will probably experience afflictionlight-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-2022-10-19-05-08-32-utc throughout your life here on Earth; but surely along the way and at the end of it you will find the peace that surpasses all understanding. And that is only found through an intimate relationship with Christ Jesus, our personal Savior, the only true God. But if you do not, unfortunately, your destiny will be – tragedy with no return –; in other words, your destiny will be hell, a real place of eternal torment!

Now, you are just one step away from experiencing that peace, which no one will take it away from you. Pray like this:

God, Creator of the universe and everything in it, I recognize that I am a sinner and today I ask your forgiveness with all my heart. Forgive me and cleanse me of all evil in my life and receive me as one of your children and teach me to walk with an upright heart before you and those around me. Today, I declare that Jesus, your Son, is my Savior and that by His blood shed on the cross, I am forgiven of all my sins. Thank you, Almighty God, for your great mercy and for giving me eternal life in your Kingdom today. I pray all this in the Name of Jesus, your beloved son. Amen.

The World Upside Down!

Articles May 14, 2023 Leave a comment

Woe! Woe! Woe! We live in an increasingly turbulent world, a world upside down; and if you and I don’t change our way of living, we will witness its ruin, our ruin.

 

It seems that we currently live “in chaos,” some people say. And it’s because today’s society has “taken a different path,” others point out. Their stance is somewhat like being “upside down,” some would say.

The truth is, if we compare our world to decades and centuries ago, we would notice a huge, huge difference. Just to give an example, a positive example of course, perhaps the most evident one is technology. Who would have thought that we would go from the tremendous computers of yesteryears that occupied large physical spaces to tablets or even pocket-sized smartphones? Or who would have imagined crossing skies and seas at astonishing speeds… going from nightfall in America to dawn in Europe?

It’s incredible how the world has changed, evolved. There would be almost no contradiction in saying that the world has changed for the better, if we look at it from the perspective of growth and development, like the example mentioned above.

But has the world really evolved? And here is where the human being plays a very important role. Undoubtedly, the world has required great human minds to bring about this growth and development in many areas such as education, technology, medicine, and industry in general.

feet standing on asphalt with multitude of arrows in diffrent directions

However, even though human beings have worked hard to promote development and progress in various areas like the ones mentioned above, unfortunately, they have neglected matters of the heart and consequently the values that govern human life.

All it takes is turning on the news to realize that the world is upside down. The menu is extensive: murders, kidnappings, armed robberies, drug trafficking. And of course, in a neighborhood conversation or a gathering of friends, there are also “news” like: “Did you know that so-and-so got divorced?” Or “Have you heard that so-and-so left home to live with their boyfriend?” Or maybe, “Did you hear how many people attended the ‘Gay Pride’ parade?”

The list is truly endless! But not only endless, it has also become “normal” to some extent, and many of these actions would even be considered “good.” And people would clearly affirm, “If a marriage isn’t working, it’s better to end it.” In fact, “it’s better to live together to see if the couple is compatible or not.” And of course, “if a man feels trapped in a woman’s body,” it’s time to “come out of the closet.” Ah! “If you can take advantage from this business, you shouldn’t be foolish.” Therefore, everything mentioned and more is seen as “good” in today’s world.

It is normal for couples to live together without getting married; it is frowned upon to express opinions against gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals, to name a few; it is well regarded and accepted to act “diplomatically,” meaning “smiling in front, stabbing in the back.” And it is an everyday occurrence to witness “corruption” at various levels of society, without anyone getting upset or embarrassed, because it is “better to keep quiet than to report it.”

What do you think about it? Do you think “our world is upside down”? Or perhaps, have we exaggerated a bit in this article?

Meanwhile, allow me to leave you with a word of wisdom taken from the Bible, the Word of God, our Creator:

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” (IsaiahTE_Isaiah5-20 5:20)

Woe! Woe! Woe! We live in an increasingly turbulent world, a world upside down; and if you and I don’t change our way of living, we will witness its ruin, our ruin. If you and I don’t turn to our life manual that the Creator left us – His Word – the Bible, this world will continue upside down, and every day we will witness its gradual destruction. In other words, we will gradually witness our own ruin.

Guard your heart!

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart…” (Luke 6:45)

 

 

The Greatest Miracle in the World!

Articles April 12, 2023 Leave a comment

 

Miracle: “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention…”

 

Have you experienced a miracle in your life? Surely, some of our readers will answer affirmatively with all conviction. Others may doubt whether they have experienced one or not, and others will certainly say, “Well…no!”

But then, what is a miracle? To explain it, let’s take the definition from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:  “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” 

With this clear definition, the truth is that all human beings, I believe, could answer affirmatively if we stop for a moment and think about ourselves, about our birth, and if we analyze from the moment we were conceived. That extraordinary formation of each one of us in the womb of our mother and our arrival in this world is already a wonderful miracle. In fact, thinking about the formation of each creature in the maternal womb fills us with tenderness, but at the same time with magnificent amazement. Conception is the start of life and then a journey of 9 months of formation and growth before the great day of the birth of a little boy or girl. It is truly a tender and at the same time great miracle! And yes, a “miracle” because it goes beyond the tender creature that we can hold in our arms. That little creature has a spirit that connects it with his or her Creator, a soul that throughout his life will reflect his character, and a physical body through which that person will connect with his or her environment.

However, extraordinary as the miracle of life is, there is definitely an even more wonderful miracle. It happened one day, but its impact is eternal. In fact, this miracle is also related to life, but rather, to the “Author of life” – Jesus Christ.

A couple of days ago, the Christian world celebrated with great joy “Resurrection Sunday”. But this extraordinary eventLuke24-EN represents more than a day of celebration. It happened more than 2000 years ago. However, historians, anthropologists, scientists, and ordinary human beings continue to talk, analyze, debate, or simply accept in faith this extraordinary event.

Jesus, the Son of God, was “humanly” condemned to death and death on the cross; however, His death was part of the divine plan. In fact, Jesus himself said: “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” (John 10:18 – NLT).

And the fundamental purpose of Jesus on this earth was to give His life in perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of humanity’s sin. The Scriptures say that “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10 – NIV); and that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 – NIV). Therefore, all humanity was condemned to die because of sin. However, the everlasting love of God, the Creator, opened the way for our salvation. And that way was Jesus. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” says Jesus (John 14:6 – NIV).

As human beings, we are completely lost in our sins. Only in Christ and through Christ, if we accept in faith His perfect sacrifice on the Cross, is the only thing that saves us from the wickedness of our hearts. Because who among us could say… “I am free from sin” – no one, absolutely no one.

However, the work of the Cross would be incomplete if Christ had not risen. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:17 – NIV, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”

Empty tomb while light shines from the outside. Jesus Christ Resurrection. Christian Easter concept.

On the Cross, Christ carried the evil of the world, He carried our guilt; the Servant put His life in place of ours. The Righteous died for the unrighteous. However, Christ – the Author of life, rose triumphantly and victorious from the tomb on the third day. In the resurrection, Christ conquered death, demonstrating His Deity, His power, and His glory.

Are you amazed by the miracle of life, by your life? Well, I trust that you will be even more amazed by the miracle of the resurrection of Christ. He is no longer on a cross, His tomb is empty, He is alive, and Jesus has the power to bring you from death to life, from the darkness of this sin-filled world to a life full of His marvelous light, a life full of hope, a transformed life full of the very presence of the Giver of Life – Jesus Christ, who longs to guide and sustain you with deep love, step by step, minute by minute; like a Father who takes care of his son or daughter as no one else does.

Don’t wait any longer, the resurrected Christ is knocking at the door of your heart: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13 – NIV). And if you accept this invitation, you too will be a participant in “the greatest miracle in the world” – “And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.” (1 Corinthians 15:19-20 – NLT)

Christ is risen indeed!

 

The Escape Door for your Soul

Articles February 5, 2023 Leave a comment

“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’”

Billy Graham

What is the first thing you would think, if you suddenly fell into a dark and gloomy pit, and you do not see a way out of it at all. But suddenly you hear a voice like from heaven, when from above it tells you, “There is only one escape door, I will lead you.”

Salvation1Certainly, in my case, I would pay absolute attention to that miraculous voice that offers me help to find the only escape door, the only way to get out of that pit.

Well, our soul lives in a dark and gloomy pit until it finds “the escape door” – “the exit door” and that only escape door is Jesus Christ. There is no other way, there is no other exit, there is no other escape door – Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

Jesus Christ is the only way for the salvation of human being. Jesus Christ is salvation forSalvation2 the soul in depression, for the soul in slavery, for the soul in despair. Jesus Christ is salvation for the soul that longs to get out of the prison of hopelessness.

Referring to Jesus Christ, renowned evangelist and author Billy Graham stated: “God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’”

The everlasting love of the Creator God of heaven and earth, of the universe and of everything in it, is constantly telling the human being “there is only one escape door for your soul, I will lead you.”

Salvation3

I invite you to walk through the four steps, simple but profoundly significant steps that have been posted in this article (see the images). Pay absolute attention to the voice of God that today will lead you step by step so that you find salvation for your soul.

Salvation4

If you want to know more about salvation through Jesus Christ, do not hesitate to contact us.

May God your Creator speak deeply to your heart and lead you to salvation in Christ Jesus!