Redeeming the Broken

Preventing exploitation—the roots of human trafficking

Story by Christmas Beeler & Tom Price
Photos by Vivien Farkas unless otherwise noted

Worldwide, human trafficking has escalated, ensnaring children, women, and men. An estimated 7,000 women and 500 children are currently trafficked in Budapest, Hungary, according to the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. Seeking to expose this darkness for what it truly is, believers at Calvary Chapel Budapest (Golgota) turned their facility into an interactive trafficking exhibition, with actors in each room portraying an aspect of a victim’s life. More than 2,000 attended the two-day event, many of whom had no previous connection to the church.

Lilla Gyugyi left the exhibit shaken. The lovely CC Budapest building had become a shop of horrors. As a teacher and mother of a two-year-old, she was speechless—horrified at the grim reality of the victims. She thought, How can I, as a teacher, recognize the signs of parental abuse that might lead a child into being trafficked? How can my husband and I protect our daughter?

Lilla’s husband and pastor of CC Esztergom, Laci Gyugyi, was almost numb by the end. “The horror of hearing the screams of the women, combined with the reality of the pain the actresses portrayed, was shocking,” he stated.   After finishing the exhibit, he saw Phil Metzger, the pastor of CC Budapest. Phil asked for his impression of the exhibit. Laci told him, “I am in shock.”

Phil was thankful that the church’s effort to expose this crime had been effective. “We wanted the exhibit to expose the reality, the shame of it all,” said Phil. “Our goal was not to simply shock people but to make them realize that these (sex) workers are human beings. They need to know that they are loved by God.” Because the victims’ horrific but true stories often go untold, Phil explained, “We drew on firsthand experience of the workers; obviously, we can’t bring the girls and women here.”

Believers in Budapest have been reaching out to trafficked persons for 15 years; through this, they have learned that many young girls were sexually abused as children before being sold on the streets. Some were even sold by parents or family members while they were still children. CC Budapest began a safe house for the girls who want to get out but don’t know where to turn. Phil stated, “We want these girls to know that we will help them recover and begin a new life. We let them know that God still loves them.” Phil felt that the church, located in the heart of the city, needed to allow others to understand the plight of these young women. The church ministers to the young women and lets them know there is a way out.

 The complete article is published in issue 69 of Calvary Chapel Magazine.