Over the past 6 months, I have become increasingly aware of what an enormous problem slavery continues to be in our "modern and enlightened" age...including in the United States.
It is estimated that more than 27 million people in the world are enslaved today.
Recently, I had the opportunity to hear the founder of this organization, David Batstone, speak about the issue:
Mr. Batstone is a Christian, and he said many profound and powerful things that night, including:
-As followers of Christ, we are to be agents of change, redemption & justice in this world, just as Christ is and was in His ministry on earth.
-Why do we have the presumption that our gifts are for our own benefit & wealth?
-Your vocation should be to use your passion and skills to meet the needs of the world (which includes your own community)
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Houston is one of three major hubs for human trafficking here in the U.S., but the chances are high, that
wherever you live, people are living as slaves: http://www.slaverymap.org/
A recent article in CNN about the issue and another organization that is working to combat it:
There is opportunity for all of us to take action on this horrific issue...starting with becoming aware of the issue. Even further by then letting that knowledge influence how we live, for example as consumers. One of the projects the Not For Sale Campaign is working on is: http://free2work.org/
In their own words, this website is "a strategic tool to bring justice to people in labor bondage and empower individuals to be conscious consumers." (They hope to eventually develop an app for all cell phones where you could scan the item's tag in the store, and get information on how the product was made, the policy of the company regarding child labor, etc.)
We should all be appalled by the reality of this issue...I hope we don't continue to pretend it doesn't exist or is worlds away. How will the knowledge of this reality impact you?
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