"Mom, we're a laughingstock. We die a laughingstock." -- Allan Nerutanga, as he died in Zimbabwe's cholera outbreak, grieving that he would never rescue his parents from poverty.
What do we do in the face of something so huge...and yet so manageable? How do we restore those with a marred identity and loss of dignity, bring about change and empower the sick?
I love meeting new people. It would take me too long to explain to you how the following person and I ended up crossing paths, but we did, and for that I am thankful. Mr. J. Medeiros is one cool guy. Although I would not call myself a “rap girl” (please, have you seen how WHITE I am?) I do have an appreciation for all different kinds of music, and even more than that, an appreciation for those seeking to express themselves artistically. Mr J does that in an incredible way.
I always appreciate it when I hear singers whose lyrics are not afraid to tackle the hard truths and realities in life – this is true of Mr. J. One song in particular will really strike you when you are at his concert or listening to his album. It is not new, it’s been around for a while – but I just heard it for the first time Thursday night.
“Constance” is a story about a girl in the Philippines victimized by Human Trafficking. The video of it below was created by Sam Sanchez of Stick Productions in 2006. It has spread like wildfire via YouTube and has inspired an international human rights movement called the “Constance Campaign.” Mr. J spearheaded the movement, and has partnered with non-profits like xxxchurch.com, and humantrafficking.org. In May 2007, “Constance” was featured on CBS Evening News in a expose’ on internet pornography.
Here are the lyrics...
1st verse: An old man vacationing, he stands patiently under a hotel sign that blinks vacancy he's thinking maybe he's to late to make the drop off till a truck coming his way breaks and stops short and now he's out of sorts and you can see he's sorta nervous walking to the passenger door to meet his ordered service this is someones daughter working, blames his conscience when the driver says "she's my youngest, her name is Constance" he comments "and its only 6 dollars per visit just dont leave any marks on her, it hurts business" thought for a minute and he confessed "that's fair" since it was three dollars less then his cab fair "how old are you honey?" she says "im thirteen" her nose was runny, its raining in the Philippines he handed over the money in a chilling scene the truck drives off and now he's on the hunt to kill her dreams the sign reads no vacancy, he leads Constance to a room he has rented for taping see, he's about to turn six into six thousand and all you have to do is click on your web browser its not illegal to use raping as a cash crop as long as it says she's 18 on your laptop the sound of rain is her backdrop laying there like she's waiting for somebody to say they care while the tears of God fall down the window pain she feels unholy like her Father doesnt know her name Mary Magdalene and the Woman At The Well He knows everything that happened and in His arms she fell.
hook: repeat x2 in his arms she fell will you stay with me
2nd verse: He's 21 and all alone in his household he's tempted by the quiet he feels and the mouse he holds the silence of his spouse is cold so he's about to help that man get his six thousand gold one click and now she's sold withholding his conscience scrolling through the comments there she is looking confident a picture of Constance in a series of video clips, "adult content" the title blinks in bold letters like the vacancy sign its his time to go get her its like his mind doesnt know better her soul is crying out "let me go" but he wont let her he got her trapped inside his media player held captive by his need to replay her its a matter of he being here and she being there that's why he doesnt feel the need to care guilt is in the seed he bares spilling his shares of the profit on a 500 million dollar market where children are regarded as product and traded like stock tips and raped for the sake of our pockets his lap top sits like a window into Constance room where he exits coz its almost noon and he's expecting his wife home soon with new clothes for the baby she'd be angry if she saw his new lady a thirteen year old Filipino named Constance trust me girl God has not forgotten He knew Mary Magdalene and the Woman at the Well He knows everything that happened and in His arms she fell
hook: repeat x2 in his arms she fell will you stay with me
