A Note on Human Trafficking

Well, this has been an interesting day. It is Human Trafficking Awareness Day - A day to get informed about the darkness that few of us engage in personally and that many of us would rather not hear about. Not because we don't care so much as this subject is really disturbing on many levels. The idea of human slavery may evoke images of Africans engaging in forced labour or glamified prostitutes forced to work the streets, but how often do we consider the 7 year old forced to make bricks all day under a hot sun with no reprieve or the 8 year old girl sold for sex 20 times in one night?

Engaging locals to stand up against these injustices is one of the most effective ways to bring human traffiking to a stop. This means that everyone from the authorities and business people to the poor and disenfranchised need to stand and work together. Corruption cannot be allowed to dictate the worth of a human. Each one of us is priceless...In the eyes of God, we were worth the sacrifice of His Son...priceless.

Those of us seemingly detatched from this issue can offer support: finances, prayer, volunteering our time and/or skills where needed, and raising awareness so that others can contribute. (Another way to help is to not invest in pornography - seems like a no-brainer, but I am suggesting it anyway.) Consider that though you may have never been to...say...Cambodia, you don't know anyone from there personally,and you will never go there in the future, you still are affected by the trafficking of Cambodians. Consider the products that you purchase. Were they manufactured in a sweat shop overseas? Or using child labour? How can you find out? Start by Googling any and all phrases that have to do with human slavery or human trafficking. You may be surprised at what you find out. There are so many organizations out there that are doing great work for this cause. (You can go to http://www.mpexploringissues.blogspot.com/ and check the side bar for links to a number of these organizations.)
Otherwise, talk about it with others, get educated, ask questions, and choose to be involved. This is an issue that needs our attention as individuals and as a society...a global community. Your participation will make a difference.

Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.~Isaiah 1:17