As I grow older... as we welcome more nieces and nephews
into our family and as Casey and I prepare to become parents in the coming
years, my awareness of protection and safety grows as well. I look at children that have been abused as
they arrive at the hospital for recovery and anger grows in my soul. To look at another human being and see abuse;
to talk with friends and hear stories, it births a sense of responsibility. I immediately ask questions in my head like, “if
someone had known”, “if only they had spoken up”, “if someone had done
something” maybe the hurt wouldn't have been so bad, maybe the abuse wouldn't
have gone on for so long.
It’s hard when we live in a world that revolves around
ourselves. All we see and think about
are how is this going to affect me and how my needs are going to be met. That’s how we’re trained to think through
media. So when does change occur? When do we stop thinking that way and take a
stand? When do we tune our ears to the
cries of others and listen to God as He instructs us to follow paths of
obedience?
I learned about the
A21 Campaign at Elevation church when Christine Caine spoke during our Code
Orange Revival. A21 is a partner of the
End it Movement and together they work to end slavery of all kinds.
27 million people are currently enslaved. 8 out 10 human trafficking cases worldwide
involve the sex industry. The average
age is 12 years and yet only 1 in 100,000 European traffickers are every
convicted.
I think somewhere in our past we were taught that slavery
ended when really the “industry” brings in an estimated $32 Billion each
year. So… do we go on as normal, turning
our heads the other way or pretending not to see what’s going on around us?
What if it was your sister? Your niece? Your son?
Is it going to take hitting close to home to wake us up? If you’re ready to see change and take
action, there are lots of ways to get involved.
Don’t wait until it’s too late, start now and learn ways that you can
help!
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