Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and if I wasn’t in the middle of moving I would have spent some time writing about the connection between human trafficking and orphans. My friend Chris Marlow runs a great orphancare organization called HELP and they are doing something about this very thing. He wrote this post today and I’m so thankful for his voice:
It’s a day that we can stand-up and say, “Enough already,” to this evil that exists in our world.
As I was processing what HELP is going to do as an organization; asking questions such as, “What is our mission?” trafficking was front and center. It’s hard to fathom, but it’s true, modern-day slavery is alive and well, thriving as an underground business model. I wanted to start an organization that would help fight this evil.
This is why we desire to rescue orphans, restore their hope and renew their community. Because orphans are some of the most vulnerable opportunities available to those who traffic.
If these kids are rescued from streets, fields, parks, and dumps, and are placed in a loving community, led by spiritual leaders, their chances of being trafficked are much less. This is how HELP fights trafficking.
Also, if your church is doing nothing to fight these issues, I would suggest you deeply repent, seek forgiveness and get involved. The church should be leading the fight to seek justice and rescue those trapped in this industry, PLEASE do not ignore this call!
For those who are looking for more information, I would suggest the following resources:
Movie-Trade: A legit movie that deals with the real-life issues of human slavery.
Rockumentry-Call & Response: A great way to begin to comprehend the human trafficking industry.Organizations:
International Justice Mission: They’ve been fighting these issues for years.
Not For Sale: Another organization working on the front-lines.
One Voice to End Slavery: A community of activists who are trying to make a difference.
The ABBA Fund Blog 