Tell The Mountains To Move
A21 Campaign
27 million is almost impossible to fathom…as long as there is one victim of human trafficking, thats all the motivation we need.
Most of us have seen the movie Taken and for most of us that is just a movie. Maybe we are moved. Maybe there is a part of us that wishes we could do something about it, but how? But where? A21 Campaign exists to abolish slavery in the 21st century, here some of their story here. They are actively working in Europe to accomplish 4 goals.
- PREVENT people from being trafficked.
- PROTECT and support those who have been trafficked.
- PROSECUTE traffickers, and strengthen legal responses to trafficking.
- PARTNER with law enforcement, service providers and community members to provide a comprehensive front against trafficking.
To be honest I had no idea this issue existed and I had no idea that there are organizations who are making a difference in this area. I tried to put myself in the shoes of some of these parents who have lost their daughters and sons to human trafficking. The helpless feeling they must feel and the questions of what they could have done differently must consume their thoughts. I am pretty sure if I ever came face to face with someone who hurt my child like that I would be writing any future blogs from cell block c.
I was unaware of the issue in the Northeast. The I95 corridor between Washington D.C. and New York City, including Baltimore and Philadelphia is notorious for human trafficking of girls age 9-14. It breaks my heart. This is a nation wide problem and a world-wide problem. Shaun King talked about his work in Haiti and how kids after the devastating earthquake were stolen and sold into slavery. People with voices need to step up and speak out for those without a voice.
So what can you do? As I have said before and will continue to say, half the battle is knowing what is out there, the other half is figuring out what you can do about it. Put your faith into action and do something about it. Look globally, locally and internally. There is poverty all around us if we are willing to look.
For some of you reading this it is the first time that you’ve heard there is an issue. Pray, give financially and share the news. You can make a difference. Several small steps can make a huge difference. Check out A21Campaign and what they are doing and see how you can help.
A21 Blog
Difference Maker: Shaun King
Ok let’s be honest, we hear all the time that one person can make a difference, but is that just something we say to encourage and motivate people, or do we really believe that? I completely believe it and I can prove it. I want to introduce you to Shaun King. He’s a 30 Year Old Husband, Father, Grad Student & Lead Pastor of The Courageous Church (www.Courageous.tv) in Downtown Atlanta, and he is making a difference.
I started to follow Shaun over a year ago as I heard he had planted a church in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Atlanta and I had a chance to meet and talk with him at Catalyst [although I am pretty sure he would have no remembrance of me]. The things that stood out about this man was his humility and his willingness to talk to someone who is pretty insignificant in the global perspective of the church world. One minute with him and you can tell his passion and excitement. I highly recommend following him on his many social networks. Below is a list of the tweets that he made last night about what is going on in Haiti. Shaun is using Twitter to mobilize, impact and create an awareness in Haiti and it is incredibly impressive.
- Setting out my Soapbox. About to step on it for a few tweets. 1st my opinions then quotes from leaders on the ground in Haiti
- ALL OF THE EXPERTS ARE DEAD WRONG…..
- When the earthquake 1st hit, thousands of you immediately wanted to go and help BE the solution, be the hands & feet of God…
- But you were told by the experts NOT TO COME. You were told to wait until some magical time when things were much better…
- The experts were wrong. Some probably meant well because they didn’t want you to get hurt or be in the way, but let me tell you what…
- Is missing in Haiti -passionate, hard-working, unskilled, loving, non-experts. They are in SHORT SUPPLY. I mean RARE…
- Consequently, the MAJORITY of supplies are sitting unused & the teams of unskilled non-experts I am advising are regularly…
- 9 days later, regularly the first people to have ever visited orphanages and disaster sites. They ALL tell me that we should have…
- IGNORED the experts. Let me tell you a story that will kill you. The caretaker of the Notre Dame orphanage told @SpenceNix…
- She heard dozens of dying babies trapped in the rubble scream & cry for 5 whole days before they all died. 55 babies died. Nobody ever came…
- One more tweet from me then I want to type you a quote from our team on the ground…
- It is NOT TOO LATE. If you feel CALLED to go to Haiti GO. GO! GOOOO! It is tough work, but GO! I will help you…
- Next tweets are direct from our teams on the ground…
- “The growing feeling here in Haiti is that the BIG ORGS & government don’t really care. It’s like they are here b/c the world is…
- focused here. If they care, little passion is ever displayed. Seems like a job or obligation. Even my sponsoring organization…
- (name of large Christian org) pretty much just set up a tent, gave us a vest and stickers and said go. No support. No passion. No questions…
- Large amounts of supplies are just sitting in boxes everywhere. I have seen them there for days while hurting people & doctors…
- Need them. This has opened my eyes wider to the wastefulness of large charities and benefit of small, nimble, passionate groups…
- I have been in Haiti for 6 days and I still have not seen one large Red Cross presence. I honestly think social media has…
- Saved more lives since the earthquake than all but 3-4 great organizations here now. Passion. Relationships. Technology has changed…
- the game. We saved so many lives today and it was just us doing it bro.” <<<<<End of quote
- Thanks for listening.
Thought it was incredible to hear hands on what is going on in Haiti and see one person making a difference. How can you make a difference in your circle of influence and in the world?
