Chains of Shame – a song about human trafficking

The words of this song were written through the eyes of a (fictional) 16 yr old girl from Russia. A nameless girl who was tricked into travelling to America, “the land of the free and the brave”, for a better job & life, yet fell victim to the 2nd fastest growing industry in the world, human trafficking. These are the thoughts I imagined her to think after nearly 3 yrs, held & forced into a life of survival sex, by one man and his organized ring of traffickers, pimps and buyers of children.

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It’s in 3/4 time (a waltz). The verses’ tune is soft, w/a heavier evanescence-feel on the chorus & tag.

Chains of Shame

if God can forget all the chiefest of sins, surely He has forgotten my kind

i think it’s been 33 months since my innocence, but i’ve lost all sense of time


dreams, aspirations, love, education, plans for a future and hope

like my body, they’re stripped of their meaning; beaten, now bleeding, almost a joke


how.. could.. i be… so stupid?!
i cant believe who i’ve become since i believed him

theres.. no… way out now!!
out of this darkness, out of these chains…of shame

chains of shame


bought until worthless, diseased and addicted; who in their right mind would care

to free the (underground) oppressed, cover this nakedness, and offer poor wanderers rest
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who in their right mind would really stand up to such powerful people now a’days?

if i could still dream, i’d sit by a clear stream and smile as they lock him away
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(Chorus)
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tag:
нарушите эти цепи позора (pronounced: “lou-doo-shut-slites-itz. shay-pee-pah-zorah” meaning, “break these chains of shame” – in Russian)
break these chains of shame (x2)
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ending:
I turned 16 years old last week
I turned 23 tricks on my birthday
I turned from bitter…to numb. I’m so bound
Tell me, how will this all turn around?
tag:
Can you help me break these chains (x2)
Will you help me break these chains (x4)
These chains of shame

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Inspirations:

http://SCTNow.org

***
Is.1:17-18 Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.
“Come now, let’s settle this,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
I will make them as white as snow.

***
Matt. 25:37-40 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

***
Is. 58:6-11
6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.


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a must watch

http://www.lifechurch.tv/message-archive/habakkuk/2

the word ‘dip’ has been on my brain this week. my daughter’s been really into dipping things, odd combinations like grahm crackers in ketchup or pretzels in yogurt. i’m callin’ her my ‘little dipper’.

this 35min. msg speaks of (& illustrates like an upside-down bell-curve) when we find ourselves in a ‘dip’ ~ a struggle, trial or source of pain that just seems unfair. craig groeschel tells us 3 things we need to do @ that low point, in faith. important. pls watch it & share it w/a friend in need

http://www.lifechurch.tv/message-archive/habakkuk/2

that bites

so as devoted followers of Jesus, we’re to teach our lil ones to respond as he did, to injustice…and at the same time manage a healthy level of self-respect, right? easier said than done. case in point: earlier this week braylon was standing in the cafeteria line w/a crispy bill in hand, about to order some highly anticipated ice cream. classmate, christopher sees the dollar & snatches it right out of bray’s hand. what’s bray’s 1st response? not to tell a teacher or nearby assist. principal, not to even ask for it back. no, he decided that the best way to get chris to let go of the dollar would naturally be, to bite the boy’s forearm as hard as he could.

sure, it shows he’s not gonna let anyone take advantage of him (thanks 4 that positive spin, gramma!) but is that what i’m after? how should i teach him to respond to the injustice in his life? Jesus had no issues w/self -respect, yet some would say he let people walk all over him. he never retaliated physically. he retaliated with the spoken word…and sometimes even silence. he basically told judas, ‘do what you gotta do’. he turned his other cheek. he stood, shaking & dripping in blood that good friday, while soldiers whipped him until he looked un-human. oh, he had plenty of power to ‘stand up for himself’ & retaliate, but his power was harnessed w/love & restraint. eugene peterson paraphrased it this way:

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.

how do we respond to the injustice in our lives? guess the answers are right there ~ study & reflect Christ, speak the truth in love, trust the Father to deal w/anyone who mistreats u & never lose sight of the joy & place of honor set before you. you’ll get that ice cream.