"Dirty Faith"

Christians are called to serve "the least of these", but what does that really look like? What does it mean to be a follower of Christ, and not just a believer in Christ? Nowell outlines this kind of life with a mix of personal stories, statistics, and scripture analysis to stir readers into action. Using his experience with street kids in Brazil, Nowell has a clear vision of what loving the orphan, widow, and prisoner actually means, and he does a good job or clarifying this call for the reader.

Dirty Faith is the latest release in the Christian social justice explosion, and I put it on par with David Platt's Radical. The message isn't radical or new; it's the foundation of a biblical Christian lifestyle. But in today's culture of self-centered faith and easy sacrifice, it's an important starting point for anyone looking to get back to New Testament Christianity. For those already involved in serving the least, this  book will not present anything new, but will confirm what you're working for. I'd recommended for anyone wanting to make a difference and not sure where to start, for anyone who feels like something is missing from their Christian walk.

3/5 Stars, Recommended.

I received this book from the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

Rescue Happens

Okay, so NaBloWriMo has kinda been a bust this year. Sorry-ish. But I'm kinda over posting just for the sake of posting. I'd rather have something to actually share, and "I went to work today" or "I spent all day in my jammies watching Netflix" isn't totally blog worthy. But today, I've got something exciting to share!

The Exodus Road has been trying for a few months to conduct a raid on a certain dance club in India. Previous attempts were unsuccessful as the club owners somehow learned about the raids in advance and moved out all the girls. But this week, the ER team tried again, with amazing results.

I'm on their texting list (which is AWESOME!) and got a text Wednesday night saying that 35 people (including 10 minors) were rescued from a dance club in India. Then an hour later, another text: "MORE! Team heard sounds coming fr wall. Broke thru & found 22 girls trapped. 56 new total now, 18 minors!" What an awesome series of texts to get!

Here's founder Matt Parker talking about the raid:
Girls Hidden Behind a Wall. (Update on raid for 56 victims) from The Exodus Road on Vimeo.

Can you imagine? Not only are you kept as a slave, raped multiple times a day, but then you're crammed behind a fake wall, all the while knowing other girls are getting rescued. Imagine, that was your life, but then you wake up Thursday morning, free. No slavery. No abuse. No rape. Just rescue. Just hope.

You can take part in funding rescue. Now til November 30th, Exodus Road is aiming to fully fund one year of rescue. They've put together four gift sets in their store to meet this goal. Or for more information about the Exodus Road and other ways you can be involved, head to their website.

12 Years a Slave

I thought I was just going to go out for dinner tonight. But my dinner date decided she didn't feel like dinner, she wanted to see a movie. She really wanted to see 12 Years a Slave, and I'm always down to learn more about slavery, so I looked it up and found a theatre near us, and off we went. Before we left, I didn't really know anything about this movie, except it was about slavery. I watched the trailer before I left the house (and was very excited to see that Benedict Cumberbatch was in it!!). Here's the trailer:



This movie is incredible. The cinematography is unlike most movies in that they give you so much silence and stillness. They give you time to process and absorb the emotions of each gruesome, graphic scene. And believe me, there are plenty of hard-to-watch moments.

Movies like this always make me angry that this kind of evil has happened...then it makes me even more angry to think it's still happening. Maybe it's not as public or accepted as it was back then, but slavery is still a very real thing in our world. There are more slaves in the world at this moment than there were in all the years leading up to the emancipation of the late nineteenth century.

That kills me! While it's impossible to know how I would have reacted if I lived back then, I like to think I wouldn't have sat quietly by while so many people were brutalized. And if I wouldn't have allowed it to happen back then, how can I allow it to happen now?

There's no easy answer to that. The issue of modern-day slavery, of human trafficking is so much bigger than any one person can understand or combat. Nearly every part of life in today's world is impacted by slavery. There are layers of economic and relational problems that contribute to the reality of human trafficking. Nearly 30 million men, women, and children enslaved as I type this. It's impossible for one person to make that all disappear.

But that's okay. Because my one person is determined to take action. And my one person can join with your one person. Then we two people can join with another two, until we are a big, strong force for freedom in the world. One person can make a difference, but many people working together can turn the world upside down.

It takes one decision. One choice to not sit quietly while others suffer. To take action when you get the chance. I promise that when you decide to take action, the opportunity will present itself. Learn about the issues in this world, and find your action to help end the horrors of human trafficking. Because no one should be enslaved.

For more information, check out some of these sites:

• Polaris Project
• The Exodus Road
• Not For Sale
• Zoe

We Are Watching

Do you remember being thirteen? What your life was like then? What you were worried about?

I was in 8th grade. My biggest concern was if my parents would allow me to go to Roller Kingdom with everyone else on Saturday night...well, that and if a certain boy would ask me to skate during the couples skate. Thirteen was when I started going to youth group, and roughly the same time I first learned to "Kiss Dating Goodbye". I have a bunch of silly memories from that time, a few bad, but overall thirteen was a pretty good, albeit awkward, time in life.

But not everyone is so lucky. There are some parts of the world where thirteen means servicing grown men several times a day. Where thirteen means pain, humiliation, and slavery. And there are places where the unthinkable act of pedophilia isn't afraid to show it's face in public, because they think no one is watching. But we are. 

We Are Watching from The Exodus Road on Vimeo.

We are watching. Rescue is coming. The Exodus Road team is in place and ready to bring these pedophiles to justice and these girls to restoration. As I type this, there is a raid being planned for the next few hours to bust some pedophiles. And we all get to play a role in this rescue!

First, keep updated by following The Exodus Road on Facebook and Twitter, or by texting "ER" to 51555 for live updates from the field.

Then, donate. It costs $35 for one night of investigation in Southeast Asia. This week The Exodus Road and the blogging team I am part of are aiming to support one complete month of operations. That's a total of $1,050 by Sunday June 2nd. Will you help bring freedom to young girls held in brothels?

Giving is easy. From your smartphone you can text "4thekids" to 41444. Or to donate online, click here and put "bust a pedophile" in the comments section. Donate whatever amount you can. This blog has 15 followers, and gets an average 25 views per FF post. If each of you donate just $10 (one movie ticket), that's 6 nights of investigations and operations that we fund. Six nights of bringing justice and restoration to girls trapped in sex trafficking. Six nights that weren't possible before. All for the price of one movie.

So join me. Let's let these men and their victims know that someone is watching. Someone is acting. Rescue is coming.

If you could leave a note of encouragement for the ER staff and operatives, what would you say? Leave it in the comments below.

Let's Bust Some Pedophiles

If you know me, or have been following my blog for any length of time, you know that human trafficking is an issue that makes my blood boil. Modern-day slavery runs rampant in our world today. Men are forced to work dangerous jobs for pennies a day towards a loan they stand no hope of ever repaying. Young girls are kidnapped and tricked into locked brothels where they are forced to "service" multiple men per day. It can all seem too much sometimes, too hopeless. Like there's nothing we can actually do to stop it. But that's all changing.

This week, there is something we can do!

I've been asked by the folks at The Exodus Road, a non-profit empowering literal rescue, to help fuel investigations for active cases of pedophilia in Malaysia*. Because of the work they've been doing, and the respect they've garnered from local law enforcement, they have been given dozens of open cases to investigate.

The undercover team there needs about $35 per night to conduct local investigations, and the blogging team I serve with at the Exodus Road wants to send these men out for an entire month, 30 nights. That's $1,050 to raise, if you're curious. The funds will go to the travel, lodging, and investigative expenses. We will literally be "hiring" an investigator, on our behalf, to go look for children and gather the evidence needed to put pedophiles behind bars.

We have one week to raise the funds needed to send out to this trained team of operatives. This campaign will end on June 2nd, so I'm asking each of us to donate just $10 to this cause. And giving is super simple.

If you've got a smartphone, pull it out and text "4thekids" to 41444. You'll immediately recieve a link to follow and make a tax-free donation with your credit card.

Or if you'd rather give online, you can donate here to give on The Exodus Road site. Write "bust pedophiles" in the comment section.

Let's join together to bust some pedophiles and bring hope and healing to kids stuck in slavery. Will you join me?

*Location has been changed for security

Live58

(Look! It's a button for my Freedom Friday series! It still needs a little tweaking, but I'm digging it. Thanks Leah!)

Someone shared an amazing video with me this week and you guys HAVE to watch it. It's called 58: The Film. It's about an hour long, but seriously, go check it out right now. You can see it on Netflix, or on their website. Go watch. I'll wait...

Wasn't that a great film?! I was stunned by how amazing the visuals were, the stories, the hope. I believe this film did a great job of not only painting a picture of what poverty really looks like in the world today, but of giving hope of a better tomorrow.

Some of my favorite parts was anytime Wes Stafford was talking. You can see this man's passion for the poor and orphaned leaking out of him when he speaks. And the whole retelling Bible stories while in the locations they happened was phenomenal. I got chills a few times. Actually, I think I experienced the entire range of human emotion during this film.

I've always loved Isaiah 58, so this film was right up my alley, and I loved every second of it. I hate that people live as shown in the film. I hate that this kind of injustice exists. That my life in the US practically depends on the forced labor of these beautiful people.

But I love the hope Isaiah 58 and this film provide. Because God says it doesn't have to be this way. God says chains can be broken and burdens eased. The oppressed can be set free. The hungry can be fed and the naked clothed. And He says that I can be a part of it! And so can you!

Not only can we be a part of it, but He expects us to. Compassion (i.e. love) should be a part of our DNA. The possible actions to show compassion are even more numerous than the people in need of love. Some ideas:

Sponsor a child with Compassion International. It's only $38 a month to save a child from poverty, illiteracy, trafficking, and more. That's less than ten bucks a week. Let's be honest, most of you spend more than that on coffee.

Fund an Exodus Road operation or investigator to find and rescue girls trapped in brothels. This month Exodus Road and their partners provided the intel for a massive rescue in Mumbai. Eighty-Nine girls are now free from sexual slavery because of the work they're doing. EIGHTY-NINE. Look! How amazing is this?!?! Read the story here.

[Source]

Love someone! This is the easiest and hardest step of all. Who in your neighborhood or city is in danger of going under? Find someone around you who needs love and bring it to them.

For more ideas, check out Live58.org. Then just start looking. Once you decide to open your eyes to the issues in this world, you can't miss them. Poverty and injustice are everywhere. Decide to be a part of the solution and find your place! Together we can see poverty destroyed in our lifetime.

What did you think of the film? What jumped out to you the most? How do you fight injustice?

Rescue is Coming

Ever wonder what the inside of a brothel is like?

Rescue is Coming {Locked Brothel in India} from The Exodus Road on Vimeo.

What breaks my heart is the girls when they line up. You can see they don't want to be there in their body language. They are not willing participants in this whole business. They are all fidgeting and playing with their nails. They know what's coming, and they know there's no way to avoid it.

But they don't know that rescue is coming. They don't know that this group of men is different. These men are kind, loving. These men are bringing hope.

I know many people who think (and I've thought it myself at times), "I don't want to know about human trafficking. I don't want to hear about all this evil. I don't want to believe it exists". Because it seems hopeless. It seems too big of an evil to overcome. But that's a lie. Because there is hope, even when it seems bleak. As Laura Parker says on the Exodus Road Blog,

Because here’s the truth you need to know (and I need to remember) about trafficking in Asia: there are people actively looking for these innocents. Right now. There are retired military men who refuse to spend their years sipping drinks on the beach but instead spend time in locked brothels, gathering evidence for rescue. There are nationals who demand that their own country rise up for the sake of these little ones, even though they could accept bribes and line their own pockets. There are wives who stay at home by themselves watching their children while their husbands are out working cases late into the night. There are straight men who’ve grown up in church who are going into gay bars and befriending ladyboys, for the sake of love, truth, and justice. There are entire families who are hacking out a life overseas for the sake of rescue and restoration for the abused. 

Yes, this is a gritty dark battle, but it is not a battle that is going unchallenged. It is not a fight without hope.

In a dark world, with such unthinkable evil as sexual slavery, there is hope. There is light. Rescue is coming.

To learn more about modern day slavery, head over to Exodus Road's website.

What gives you hope when thinking about human trafficking?

Introducing Freedom Fridays

Introducing.....FREEDOM FRIDAYS!

One of my goals for this year is to be more intentional with my blogging (as Christianese as the whole "intentional" thing sounds to me). Basically, blogging is something I much enjoy and want to use for a purpose greater than just "Here's what's happening in Ashleyland". To this end, I've been consistently posting every Wednesday since the year started, and will now be adding Friday's to the mix! Friday's will now be known as Freedom Friday here at AspiringAshley!

What is Freedom Friday? Oh, I'm so glad you asked! Freedom Friday is where I blog about social justice (I've already written about it from time to time, now it's officially a thing!). Anything related to human trafficking, poverty, orphans, clean water, education, etc. will be fair game for Freedom Friday topics. My posts for Compassion will now be on Fridays,  and posts for my newest blogging partnership: The Exodus Road. Let me share why I'm so excited about this new venture!

The Exodus Road, to quote from their home page, is "a non-profit organization that fights modern day slavery through covert investigations. Our coalition of operatives work together to gather evidence and conduct rescues for those trapped in sexual slavery." Basically, they fund and operate undercover operations (Currently in Southeast Asia and India) to investigate reports of human trafficking, then, working with local organizations and government, conduct raids to rescue the children and adults held captive. Hello! Awesome!!!  Now, you could argue, "But Ashley, there's a lot of organizations doing that. What's so special about Exodus Road?" Well, I'll tell you.

The Exodus Road is a relatively new organization. As an organization, they've been around less than two years, but the people themselves all have several years experience in the field, a combined 60+ years fighting human trafficking! I had been following co-founder Laura Parker's blog when I first heard about The Exodus Road. Since I loved reading her real-life stories of missionary life (and regular person life), I looked into her new project. While the work they're doing is fantastic, their attitude and approach sets them apart from the rest of the groups out there doing the same thing. Poke around a bit on The Exodus Road website and you'll see ways for any person to get involved with the fight against human trafficking. They've got great donation campaigns, an artist-partnership program, the blogger program that I've joined, and a handful of other ways to help, with more on they way! The Exodus Road team is actively searching for ways to engage everyone in this fight, they truly are a coalition of concerned people across the globe determined to end human trafficking in our lifetime. Now, as if the people-aspect isn't great enough, these people love to celebrate! Check out this video about Freedom Rocks:

#FREEDOMROCKS from The Exodus Road on Vimeo.

How fabulous is this?!? Every child, every person rescued is precious, loved, and celebrated at The Exodus Road offices. I love the idea that in this office, on a day when they may feel low, they have a jar full of names and stories of the children they've rescued to keep them going. It reminds me of that quote from Lilo and Stitch, "Ohana means family. And family means no one gets left behind, or forgotten".

So can you see why I'm so excited about being a part of The Exodus Road team?? If not, you must not have gone to their site yet...or watched that video I posted above. Go do both. I'll wait....Now are you excited?? Good! Together we can see the end of bondage for the 27 million people currently enslaved around the world. Join me here every Freedom Friday to continue our journey together!

Child Labor

After my Black Friday post, I was asked to explain what child labor means to me, specifically,

"I would love to know your views on what constitutes unacceptable child labor, and whether any work done by children in support of their families is acceptable to you."

So, going on the basic premise that if one person asks, several are thinking, let me share here :)
Let me preface this by saying this is all my own thoughts from my research and observations, not the stand of any organization.

Child labor, in its simplest definition is a child forced to work at dangerous jobs, for extended periods of time, unable to enjoy the basics of childhood (fun, education, love). In the example of the chocolate industry, children are frequently kidnapped and forced to harvest cacao with no hope of escape, love, safety, fun, or education. The job is dangerous: they climb a tree with a large, sharp machete, then use said machete to chop down the seeds and open them up, many times injuring themselves in the process. Medical care is off limits. They live in conditions that we wouldn't think of subjecting our animals to. Nothing about this situation is okay; it's child labor, human trafficking, slavery.

A while back, I turned down an offer of chocolate from a coworker, who kept after me to find out why I wouldn't take a piece. When I told her I don't eat non-Fair Trade chocolate because of the high incidence of slave labor, especially child slave labor involved, she compared it to her childhood, saying, "Please, my parents made me do yard work every weekend. That's slave labor!". Um, no. Because you had a loving family taking care of you. You had friends, toys, play time. You were given education that went all they way through university. And I highly doubt that by doing basic yard work you were in any danger.

Helping with household chores is a normal part of growing up. In the city, that meant that I helped with dishes, laundry, raking leaves. Friends in the country would feed the chickens, brush the horses. This is acceptable for children to do (providing they're old enough, of course. A two year old shouldn't be washing dishes like knives, but they can pick up toys). I have no problems with children contributing to the family's household or business, provided they still get to be children and are safe. Children should be loved, safe, free to have fun, and free to an education, but can have these basic childhood rights and still contribute to their families.

Fair trade and similar labeling ensures that any children involved are receiving an education, not working long hours in a field or dangerous jungle. Yes, if the source involved is a family farm, they may be contributing to the upkeep with chores, but their main job is to be a kid, not work the farm.

What's your stand on child labor? Did I miss anything? Let me know what you think!

Alternative Black Friday

Black Friday Shopping. Its an alarming trend in our culture. The day (or sometimes just hours) after giving thanks for all we're blessed with, people run out to argue, trample, and hunt for the best "bargain" to give to their families. And really, very few deals scored on this day are actually worth the aggravation  It's just all so disturbing to me. We sacrifice time with our families on the holiday to go buy them things they don't actually need, spending extra money just so we can get the "free" bag with purchase. It's just really getting on my nerves lately.

And, since I'm sure people will disagree with me on this stand, lets move on to a different issue in our product-centered culture. Do you know where your gifts are coming from, or who's making them? Many things produced today involve slave labor. Today. Not hundreds of years ago, but right now in the 21st century, people are forced to make things with little to no pay. Among the worst offenders are chocolate, cotton products, and electronics. 

But what can you do?

Not For Sale has developed a free website and app called Free2Work that will tell you how safe your products are.

If you have a smartphone, pull it out right now and download the app. I'll wait.....

You can use the app two ways: search for a product, or scan the barcode. The app will give the product a grade (like school) based on how their products are made and what efforts the company is taking to prevent or eliminate poor labor practices. 

Why is this important? Because if we keep buying products that are harming others, especially without their consent, companies will continue to make products with slave labor (which is cheaper for them). Case in point: Hershey's. Hershey's is one of the worst offenders in the chocolate industry for using slave labor but despite proof and thousands of letters, they refuse to fix their supply chain. It would cost them to make the switch, and they haven't felt much pressure to change. People still buy their products. However, in Europe, consumers became aware of the same situation with Cadbury. They immediately were outraged that people were suffering for their treats, and stopped buying Cadbury. Within a year, Cadbury became fair-trade. (Simplified version of the story).

The only thing that will end slavery and human trafficking is for ordinary people to rise up and say "we won't stand for this", even if it means changing the way you shop. It's not that hard to do! Make it a habit to check the website/app before you shop and make the wisest decisions. If one of your favorite companies is not being responsible with their production  tell them you're upset! I've done it a few times and have even gotten replies with what they're doing to improve! Because of actions like this, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream has committed to going fully fair trade by the end of next year, and has already made the switch on several flavors! 

So this Christmas season, make it a happy time for you, your loved ones, and the people making your gifts! Shop fair-trade or the equivalent!

"The Just Church"

This is exactly the kind of book I've been looking for! While most books on justice present the issue in varying depths and ways, then call for action, they usually lack any practical steps to move from knowledge to application. This book is not like that. Jim Martin, Vice President of Church Mobilization at International Justice Mission, basically assumes you have a foundation of what injustice/justice are, gives a brief refresher course on the issues, and dives in to show you what to do with all that information.

One thing I was not expecting, and really enjoyed, was that this "how-to" didn't even start until more than 100 pages into the book. Instead, Martin starts the book by preparing and encouraging those who desire to engage in the work of justice. He prepares you for the difficulties that are certain to arise when working against such evil forces. Once he ensures that individuals are on solid footing, only then does he move on to teach how to engage a body of believers in the monumental task of restoring justice.

While he cannot give specific action steps, since every church will need to respond in a unique way, with their unique blend of talents and resources, Martin does a beautiful job of outlining the process of making justice a key value and action in your church. This book is truly an amazing handbook for justice ministries, the first of it's kind, to my knowledge! It's written in an easy-to-understand, quick-paced way that gets you excited and seeing the possibilities. I am leaving this book with a renewed passion for justice, and a compass (as Martin calls it) to lead others towards a better world.

A must read for any church leader, but especially those with a passion for justice. Buy it here.

5/5 Stars

(I recieved this book free from IJM in exchange for an honest review)

God, It's Not Fair

This is post is part of Compassion's Blogging Month

Hi God. It's me. I've been putting this post off all week. This week's Compassion Assignment. One of few the reasons I'm doing it now is because I challenged myself to complete the whole Compassion Blogging Month, and the new assignment comes out tomorrow. I could say that I've been busy; I worked all week. I could say I was tired; I've been exhausted all week. I could say I was distracted. Those are all true, but  I don't think any of those things is the real reason for my delay.

I think the real reason is You. The assignment is to write You a letter about sponsorship. But what on earth do I tell You about it that You don't already know? Praying for the kids is great, but to do that for a whole letter seems like a Wish List of sorts...not that praying for kids is bad. I just want this to be more than "And bless this one and that one and give us this...."

I think one of the main reasons I've struggled is because when I read the assignment, the first sentence in my head was, "But God, it's not fair!" Because it's not.

It's not fair that these innocent, loving, deserving children are without so many basic needs when I and the people I love have so much. I mean, really. I heard today about a woman who's had 12 surgeries to make her breasts a size M. We don't even know what to do with all our money, and there's kids sick, and starving, and homeless all over the world! This issue, as with human trafficking just make me want to scream, "GOD, IT'S NOT FAIR!" while having a tantrum like a two-year-old.

Because it's not fair that I am sitting here with more electronics than I can count. With dozens of outfits in my closet, yet I complained this morning that I have nothing to wear. With so much food in my fridge and cabinets that it goes bad before I can eat it all. With instant access to medicine and treatment for any kind of ailment. With 4 Bibles on my shelf and endless information at my fingertips. With a safe, warm, comfortable place to live and sleep.

Yet, while I'm sitting here, there's a little boy watching his mother waste away from disease. There's a little girl being forced into prostitution. There's a mother mixing dirt into her child's food to help his belly feel full. There's a brother and sister working for their family's income, instead of going to school. There's a young man looking for hope and seeing only darkness. God, it's not fair.

Where's the line that decides who gets abundance and who goes without? What did I ever do to get in the abundance line, while those kids didn't? And if I can't stand it, how do You? When You hear their cries, see them in trouble, how can You not step in and save them from it? I suppose that's why You're God and I'm not. (Which is good, because I would never be able to handle the stress of running the universe!)

Lord, I know You're a just God. I know You work all things for Your good. And I know that this is a fallen world, but that just doesn't seem like a good enough reason for all the injustice around us. The one hope I have in this confusion of unfairness is that I know You have a habit of using the willing to change the world. And I want to help. Sign me up. I want to fix it. I want the world to be fair. It really irks me when people say "you can't save the world" because why can't I? I serve the One who created it, so why can't I save it? Obviously not on my own, but with Him I can...can't I?

Joseph did it. So did Esther. David. Moses. So why not me? True, right now I have no idea how to. I don't have the resources, or the training, or a full vision (yet), but that's never stopped You from using someone! So I start small. I change the way I shop. I change the way I live in and see the world. I sponsor a child. Maybe right now I'm not saving the entire world. But I'm saving the life of Nithish. Because of my sponsorship, he gets healthy food and water, clothes, school supplies, education and more. His life will be different. And maybe he goes on to do something amazing with his life. He uses the opportunities Compassion gave him and the education he receives to change his village. To make it a safe, happy, successful place. And right now I'm using my electronic blessings and social media to take a stand, to use my voice, so maybe a friend will step in to change a child's life, too. Then my World Saving Power has doubled. If it keeps going like that, pretty soon, I will save the world with You!

Is this why You let the world be unfair? To stir us to compassion, to have a passion to change the way things are? To get beyond our own lives and step into the hurt of someone else's? I wish the world was fair. I wish I didn't know the kind of horrors that happen in this world. But, at the same time, I thank You for opening my eyes to them. For giving me that passion to want to see change in the world and for showing me step by step how to make it happen. Lord, for all the tears and sleepless nights I've had (and am sure to continue having) over these issues, I pray that You would show up and show off to eradicate these nightmares from our world. Because without Your presence, it's all for nothing. My actions will only result in making me sick and tired.

But with You....with You, I can save the world.

Sex, Money, and That Sick Feeling

Oh my gosh.

Oh.My.Gosh.

What the heck?!

Holy crap holy crap holy crap.

What the &$%@#*$&%^&

Oh my God, save these girls!!

Repeat for an hour and a half.

That's pretty much went through my head during the screening of

The Whistleblower.

This film is based on real events, also captured in a book of the same name.

Basically, to sum it up very quickly, a woman works for the UN in post-war Bosnia. During her work, she comes face-to-face with human trafficking, specifically the sex trade. Worse than that, many government workers and high-ranking officials are involved, not only as customers, but as suppliers. When she tries to end this horrible reality, she is faced with threats to her and the girls involved, and is forced to end her formal investigation. But she cannot simply forget the things she has learned.

She becomes the Whistleblower.

This film is gruesome, intense, and very real. Be warned: this is rated R for good reason. You will be nauseated. It's hard to process this film. It's obviously far different than reading a book about human trafficking (which I've done several times). Seeing this movie made it so much more realistic. I know what I saw was acting, but it was really good acting. And what was depicted really happened. And it's happening right now. All over the world. Even here in the US, here in Mass.

It's sickening. But that word isn't strong enough. I don't have words to fully convey what I'm thinking and feeling. Except to say I have to DO something. But I'm not sure what or how. But I have some ideas, and have to look into some things, and pray about it.

The film comes to select theaters this weekend. Please go see it. Its very intense. Very. But its important to be aware of what's happening in our world, especially if we want to end it.

While you're at it, check out Sex+Money (which I screened on Monday).

It was just as serious, but not as gritty. This one is about sex trafficking right here in the US. Its a documentary with interviews from former prositutes, pimps, clients, and leaders in the abolition movement.

Both films were very well done, on a very serious and important topic. Please check these films out and let me know if you'd like more resources...I've got a ton! Together we can end slavery in our lifetime.

My Weekend on Capitol Hill

There's so much to say about last weekend that I'm not even sure where to start.

Ok, the beginning. I spent last weekend at International Justice Mission's Advocacy Training in DC. Sunday we spent the say learning a little bit about Human Trafficking and how to be an effective advocate and lobbyist before going to Capitol Hill on Monday to put it in action.

Backing up a bit, I've been getting more and more involved in the modern-day abolition movement. I first learned that slavery is still happening about a year and a half ago. I was stunned to learn that there are 27,000,000 people enslaved around the world today. I sort of ignored it for a while. But then God started....gently throwing it in my face, I guess. It was everywhere I turned. A book on sale at my favorite warehouse, an email from a missionary, a TV show. So I started to pay attention. I started educating myself, reading books, following websites. This past October I took a big step and attended the Global Forum on Human Trafficking. Since then, I've been following Not For Sale, IJM, attended the Justice Conference and have been reading everything I can find and praying about where I'm supposed to fit in all of this.

I don't think I've really written about it here just because its such a big issue and I wasn't sure how to address it. And I figured there were much more experienced and knowledgeable people out there than me. But I've come to realize, that compared to the general population, I'm an expert. I know a lot more that I thought I did, especially after this weekend. And I think since this is such a big passion in my life, and becoming an evermore present part of it, its a fitting subject for my 100th blog post!

So moving on. We spent Monday meeting with big shots on Capitol Hill (still can't believe that little old me met with all these lawmakers and discussed an upcoming bill!!!!!). Our goal for the day was to make our senators and representatives aware of the upcoming TVPRA bill.

This is the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. This law was created in 2000 and made great strides towards the abolition of slavery by making HT against federal law and creating the TIP (Trafficking in Persons) office, which investigates and prosecutes in HT cases, among other things. The office publishes the annual TIP report which ranks countries according to their efforts to eradicate slavery on a tier system. The TIP office also gives grants to organizations in 68 countries working to abolish slavery. This bill needs to be reauthorized every two years, this being one of those years. With the reauthorization this year, some added provisions are being recommended, including fully funding the TIP Office, creating "focus countries", and increasing resources to provide an effective emergency response team (for situations like the earthquake in Haiti that left many children and women vulnerable to trafficking).

Some of these provisions are taken from a proposed law known as CPCA (Child Protection Compact Act). This bill passed the Senate unanimously last year, but time ran out in the house so it didn't make it to law. This year, it has been reintroduced by one of the senators, but IJM (and myself), while they support the bill, is putting more of an emphasis on the TVPRA. This is because the TVPRA includes many of the provisions of the CPCA and there stands to be more lost if the TVPRA doesn't pass. It must be reauthorized by September 30th. If it doesn't pass, the TIP Office would not necessarily close right away, but would be severely impacted.

The other thing I learned about during this training was IJM's Project Lantern. I think this is so cool! In Cebu, Philippines, human trafficking, in the form of the child sex trade, was at extremely high rates. IJM partnered with local law enforcement, training them in how to recognize HT and enforce the laws. Giving these officers the tools and confidence to deal with Human Trafficking made a huge impact in this area. In the 4 years of this project, an outside agency found a 79% drop in child sex slavery! 79%!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With this information, one hope of the TVPRA is to implement this plan in other Tier III countries.

So, that's how I spent my weekend. Talking about these things with lawmakers. I was really nervous going into this weekend, and going into each meeting, but God is awesome and gave me and my team the words to speak. It was definitely a time of growth and stepping outside of my comfort zone. There is so much more to this issue, such as the who's what's and where's of trafficking, but I think this is enough for today!