Today is Shine a Light on Slavery Day, put on by END IT, a coalition of the leading organizations in the world in the fight for freedom. Organizations such as IJM, World Vision, Not For Sale, Hagar, and more have banded together to provide awareness, prevention, rescue, and restoration in the fight against human trafficking.
So what can you do, on this day that is meant to bring awareness to the world that there are approximately 27 million people in slavery today?
1.Get the facts about modern-day slavery. 2. Give to the END IT Movement. 3. Continue to be educated and learn about how you can help. Here are some other posts I've written on modern-day slavery and ways to get involved: Stop the Candy Shop, Sold, IJM Eau Claire Just Us Run, Love 146, Human Trafficking Stats, Nefarious 4. Get training. If you live in the Twin Cities area (or are feeling a road-trip), come to this Anti-Trafficking 101 all-day training to learn how to be a citizen responder to trafficking. It's only $30 for a whole day of training by experts (U.S. government, Home Land Security, police officers, human trafficking survivors, etc). I'll be there. Join me? 5. Pray. Pray for rescue and healing for those trafficked, for changed hearts for the pimps and johns, for continued awareness and action to be taken against slavery, and ultimately for Jesus' love and power to be known.
It's been awhile since there's been a Freedom Friday around here, but I found it only fitting [and just a teensy bit cliche- but who can't resist that??] to do one today, on the day that we celebrate freedom as a country.
I thought I would do a round-up of all previous Freedom Fridays here at The Things That Make Us Tick. Check them out, get educated, and take action! And remember, action can be as simple and powerful as prayer.
Stop the Candy Shop
An initiative by Street Grace Ministries, an organization out of Atlanta, GA (the 3rd top trafficking city in the WORLD, by the way) that fights against the exploitation of children in the sex trade.
Sold
A novel by Patricia McCormick- a quick and life-changing read.
A company that empowers people to rise above poverty by creating sustainable economic development programs that support holistic growth of individuals and communities within developing nations and inspiring the knowledge of a generation about their ability to bring change to a world that is in need.
IJM Eau Claire Just Us Run
A run in Eau Claire, WI sponsored by the International Justice Mission. All proceeds go to IJM. This year it's on July 9th... so coming up quickly! Register here if you like!
Love 146 An organization fighting to end child sex slavery and exploitation.
Reject Apathy Magazine A magazine [both online and in print] shoot-off of Relevant Magazine focused onsocial injustice, poverty, violence, the environment, etc.
Happy Fourth everyone! How will you be enjoying your freedom today?
P.S. Did you see you can get The Things That Make Us Tick straight to your inbox now? Just put your email in the form on the right of the page under 'subscribe' and you'll be all signed up!
It's been awhile since I've done a 'Freedom Friday' but I figured what a fitting time as we just celebrated the 4th of July. Independence Day. How blessed I felt yesterday as I had the freedom to hike, get lunch at Applebees, take a nap, learn more about Human Trafficking, and watch fireworks over the lake. I felt blessed because I know there are way too many people out there who do not have that freedom, and many- millions- due to the sex slave trade.
Last night before the fireworks we watched Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. It was my third time seeing the documentary [I wrote about it here] and it still impacted me just as much as the first time seeing it. Afterwards we had a pastor and his wife here in the Dells talk to us about their experience dealing with human trafficking as they've traveled the world, as well as the trafficking that is going on right here in the Wisconsin Dells.
The night was both heart-wrenching and hopeful, as the Gospel of Christ was proclaimed and as we cried upon His power and salvation for these many souls, His precious children.
The church that we had this event at supports Stop the Candy Shop, an initiative by Street Grace Ministries, an organization out of Atlanta, GA (the 3rd top trafficking city in the WORLD, by the way) that fights against the exploitation of children in the sex trade.
I stumbled upon Stop the Candy Shop a couple years ago when they were just coming out with their film, The Candy Shop. This film is a fairytale/parable about the child sex trafficking epidemic in Atlanta and all over the world. It is dark and disturbing (how could it be anything else, based on it's topic?), but also very well done and very thought-provoking.
Here's the trailer, if you're interested. You can view the whole film here.
Above all else, PRAY. Pray for these precious, sweet children. Pray for the johns. Pray for the pimps. Pray for hearts to be changed, justice to be served, lives to be saved, and ultimately for God's glory to be known.
I read Sold by Patricia McCormick this weekend. And it literally took me maybe 3 hours.... I think it's written for teens. But it's so good! Here's a journal entry I wrote after I finished it:
I've always seen rescuing victims of sex trafficking as a dauntless, impossible task. Millions, millions of slaves, how could we ever, I ever, make a dent? But it's not about making a dent in those millions. It's about each one of them. One girl. One boy. One soul. That would be worth it. To that one person, rescue would be the world to them. Their life would never be the same. It would be a worthy cause. One soul.
So my recommendation: READ IT. It is a quick read, but one that will change you.
Like crocheted hats, headbands, sunglasses cases, and even bow-ties? Check out Krochet Kids International... they empower people to rise above poverty by:
Creating sustainable economic development programs that support holistic growth of individuals and communities within developing nations.
Inspiring the knowledge of a generation about their ability to bring change to a world that is in need.
In Eau Claire this summer and looking for a way to get involved in the fight against injustice, specifically slavery? This Wednesday at 6pm at Owen Park there will be the 4th Annual Just Us Run/Walk with proceeds going to International Justice Mission. Check out their website here for more info! Maybe I'll see ya there! :)
They are fighting to end child sex slavery and exploitation.
Do you enjoy running, biking, swimming, or working out? They currently have a campaign called Tread on Trafficking.
Tread on Trafficking is a fundraiser between May 1st and June 30thwhere treaders ask sponsors to support them for the number of miles or hours they spend running, swimming, biking, or working out with all the money raised going directly to Love146, an international organization working to end child sex slavery and exploitation.
Check out Reject Apathy... a magazine [both online and in print] shoot-off of Relevant Magazine (KC blogged about that here). I received the first issue this summer at a conference I attended out in Colorado Springs.
This mag is chock-full of information on social injustice, poverty, violence, the environment, etc. Their tagline is: Sustainable change. Sacrificial living. Spiritual revolution. Good stuff.
For all you readers who live here in the EC, Nefarious is coming to town!
There will be a screening on Friday, May 4, 7-9pm, in HHH 100.
What is Nefarious?
Nefarious, Merchant of Souls, is a hard-hitting documentary that exposes the disturbing trends in modern sex slavery. From the very first scene, Nefarious ushers you into the nightmare of sex slavery that hundreds of thousands experience daily. You’ll see where slaves are sold (often in developed, affluent countries), where they work, and where they are confined. You’ll hear first-hand interviews with real victims and traffickers, along with expert analysis from international humanitarian leaders.
From initial recruitment to victim liberation—and everything in between—the previously veiled underworld of sex slavery is uncovered in the groundbreaking, tell-all Nefarious, Merchant of Souls.
Watch the trailer:
This is going to be a hard, but good film to watch. Hope to see some of you there!
[On Fridays we will be providing you with facts, stats, scripture, resources, thoughts, links, etc. having to do with freedom and justice. We serve a just, loving God who has a HUGE heart for those oppressed and those in need. Our hope is that you can come away from Fridays here at "Things that make us tick" a little more educated about the injustice around us and with a bigger heart for those who are afflicted.]
Lord, break out heart for what breaks yours.
Key word: HE.
HE (God) will deliver the needy and afflicted. How fortunate we are that He delivered US, and now chooses to include and use us in his redemptive plan for the world.
