by  Sr. Margaret Anne Meyer MMM          U.S.A.         15.03.2022

Recently I was asked “What is it like to be on a protest march?” Here is my answer. So often, the feeling of hopelessness comes over me when I hear the cries of suffering people. What can I do? I am so small and the need is so great. Did Jesus feel like that in the Garden of Gethsemane? Did Jeremiah and the prophets want to hide like Jonas and not deal with where God was leading them? What happens? Jeremiah says God put a fire in his belly and it would not go away.

Somehow God leads you to likeminded people who also want to do something. This happened to me after a retreat. A Sister came up to me and asked me to join the Boston Coalition of Sisters against Human Trafficking. I was overjoyed and at the same time wondered how I could contribute.

The chance came one cold blistery day in January 2019 when the Sisters organized a prayer vigil at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston. It had snowed the previous night. Those of us who were able, left the warmth of the motherhouse chapel to stand on the sidewalk outside for twenty minutes, holding signs asking the passing cars to stop Human Trafficking. Many cars passed by and honked their horn in agreement. All the while, we knew the remaining Sisters were praying that this atrocity would stop. Somehow our warm clothes and the fire in our bellies kept us going, despite the freezing weather. As one of our members, Betsy Goodwin, put it,” Today, with hope still in our hearts, we gather to pray for an end to human trafficking. We gather in solidarity with them and those who stand with them, accompanying and advocating for these women men and children.”

Did we do any good? That is for God to work out. Many people think this is a problem for other countries and not the City of Boston. We know that it is happening in every town. We want people to be aware that Human Trafficking exists, and that prayer is a powerful weapon to use against it. So today I invite you to join us in our efforts by your prayer and sacrifice. You are now, with us, as a link in a chain of love. We are people trying to do something to stop this atrocity and restore the inherent dignity of these women and young girls who have their freedom taken from them against their will.