In the midst of a near-crisis with cybersex trafficking, Compassion and local church partners offer at-risk kids eternal hope and everyday help.

An American man has been arrested and sentenced to life behind bars in the Philippines for making child pornography, according to Mission News Network.

It is only the latest in the epidemic overtaking the island country's most vulnerable people. 

In partnership with local churches and other global ministries, Compassion is waging war on cybersex trafficking.

Compassion International photojournalist Edwin Estioko says, “The Philippines has the worst and most cases of online sexual exploitation of children.

“We are a largely English speaking country, we have a lot of easy online payment schemes, and then we also have so many internet cafes – even in the remote provinces.”

For families who live below the poverty line, it may seem that the only option is a dire one. Compassion International reports, "Cybersex trafficking can bring in $189 USD per child, per day; that’s approximately $9,908 Philippine pesos. It’s an attractive income source for desperate parents who need to put food on the table."

This year, Compassion is launching a nationwide awareness campaign to educate parents and community members.

Frontline church partners provide a safe place for children and help protect them from exploitation and abuse.

Compassion International says, "IJM trained Compassion staff members to identify warning signs of abuse. If a child is at risk, Compassion intervenes quickly to ensure that each child knows he or she is known, loved, and protected. At the same time, Compassion staff also reach out to IJM for further action.

Prayer requests

  • Pray for a strong partnership between International Justice Mission, World Vision and Compassion Philippines as they join forces to combat cybersex trafficking together
  • Pray for success as Compassion’s staff and other agencies educate the community about child exploitation; for new opportunities to share their message and open hearts to receive it
  • Pray for children who are vulnerable to abuse; pray they will be protected by their families, friends, neighbours and churches
  • Pray for the eyes of the world to be open to this new evil; pray for perpetrators to be brought to justice