27 Million
There was a
time, not too long ago, when I couldn't look at the dirty/ugly/hard things of
this world. I would feel guilty as I
would listen to my friends Kathleen and Gideon talk about the genocide in other
countries. I just couldn't bring myself
to even think about it. It was as if, as
long as I ignored it and kept it at arm’s length, it didn't really exist. I honestly think that I didn't believe that
my heart or my faith could handle it. I
have come to learn that my faith can and is the only way to handle it, and my
heart definitely cannot and that is okay because no matter how much
it hurts, I cannot ignore it any longer.
I am still figuring out what I, little-stay-at-home-mommy-me, can
do. But I DO know this. I can no longer live like it doesn't exist. I have to do something.
I heard a story
told about a church in Germany during the time of the Nazis. They said they could hear the trains go by
carrying the Jewish people to the concentration camps. They could hear them crying and
screaming as they went by so they would always arrange their services so they
would be singing hymns when the trains came by.
They would sing at the top of their lungs to drown out the
voices of those being taken to slaughter.
Repulsive. The whole story makes
me sick. I think, how could someone do
that? How could they turn a blind eye
and deaf ear? How could they do that in
a church?
And then I look in the mirror.
I run to the store and plan birthday parties
and go out for pizza like this isn't happening.
I gather in a church and sing songs to my Savior while someone is being
sold for sex in that very moment. I have
to ask myself, how is what I am doing any different?
“You may choose to look
the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” -William Wilberforce
There are 27
Million Slaves right now, more than ever before in history. Young girls, as young as 4 years old, and on average in the early teens are
sold in sexual slavery. Kept in cages
and forced to perform sexual acts with anywhere from 15-30 men a day. There are children trapped in sweat shops,
brick yards and rock quarries. This is
happening all over the world and in our own back yard girls and boys are having
their lives stolen from them.
There are places
all over the globe where parents have to choose which children to feed and which
children to let die of starvation because if they try to spread the food out to all of their
children they will all starve to death.
There are places where new born babies, with the umbilical cord still
attached, are left in the dump because the mother thinks it is easier to part
with them at that point than to watch them suffer and die. There are thousands upon thousands of
children going to sleep tonight hungry or in torment from drinking dirty water
that is filled with parasites. This is
real. This is happening now. This is not okay.
I have a 3 year
old little girl. She is a joy and a
blessing at every turn. She is smart and
funny and full of life. I want only the
best for her. I want her to grow up safe
and happy. I couldn't imagine having to
watch her suffer or die but, for a fact,
this is a mother’s reality right now as I type this. Oh God.
Oh God.
How can I live
like this isn't happening? What can I
do? There’s a lot of things but here are
2 to start with.
1) P R
A Y – pray like my life depends on it, because someone else’s does. Here is an amazing resource that is available
for free until Jan 6th. It is a prayer
guide for praying for survivors of sex trafficking. https://wellspringliving.org/events/40-days-prayer-guide
2) Become
informed. There are so so so many ways
to do this. Here are just a few
depending on what information you desire:
a. www.slaveryfootprint.org This is something I
did a few months ago and it was an eye opener for sure. You answer some basic questions and it tells
you how many slaves are working for you.
I think you will be surprised the answer. I know I was and it is making me think about
the products I buy on a regular basis.
It also gives you the ability to contact companies about their ties to slavery.
b. 888-3737-888 – know this number, program
it into your phone. It is a human trafficking
hotline. Check out http://www.polarisproject.org/
for more information and specifically spend time looking at “Recognizing the
Signs” so you can be prepared to help someone just by calling this number and
reporting what you see.
c. www.withthisring.org This is probably the 3rd
time I have posted this website. It connects
you to others that have decided to make the choice to live and give radically,
the way that Jesus’ calls us to. It is,
in a way, a support group for those that want to follow in the footsteps of
Jesus as we walk away from the American Christian lifestyle. It isn't just about engagement rings, it is
about being radical and providing physical water and spiritual water to those
who desperately need both.
This is just
scratching the surface. As I come across
other amazing information opportunities I will post them for you. I know that this post/blog
can be depressing and has become quite repetitive. Part of me wants to apologize for that but I
am not going to. I know it is not human nature to seek out repetitive, sad things to read but until these topics become
well known and the followers of Jesus stand up and join God in this battle
(for it is truly His battle) I will keep sharing what is on my heart and I hope
you will share it as well and keep coming back and we will keep growing
together. We can make a difference
today. Will you commit, right now, to begin praying for those that are kept in bondage? If you will, please leave a comment that says
“I’m in” (or something like that).
“This is the day the Lord has
made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
By His strength
we can rejoice that we are given this day and the opportunity to be a voice for
the voiceless.
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