"We are just stories, so here’s mine to tell
Give my heart freely, hope you keep it well
A is the ailment, and B makes it better
C is creating your life in letters."
~Lucy Schwartz
That sounds like a ridiculous statement! But a reporter went undercover to reveal the truth, that in fact, you CAN buy a child in 10 hours. In fact, he would have been able to buy three. Check out the article; it is shocking, sad, and obviously, terrible!
Please; go read it! (I realize that it was written 2 1/2 years ago, but undoubtedly the situation remains the same, especially after the earthquake that hit Haiti this January.)
Did you know that Human Trafficking is the fastest growing trade in the world? It is also the 3rd largest crime industry that after drugs and weapons. Did you know that there are more slaves today than EVER in history before?
Human Trafficking does not stop at the U.S. borders however.
The following is taken from an article found online.
"Still, many Americans believe human trafficking to be an international phenomenon.
I, like so many others, thought that trafficking was a problem that plagued other countries like Thailand and India, but was oblivious to what was happening right here in our backyard," said Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel, who is spearheading the county's efforts to combat human trafficking and open a shelter for sexual trafficking victims."
"About 300,000 American youths are trafficked for sexual exploitation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. During a one-night national sting involving 29 cities last February, law enforcement officers picked up seven underage girls involved in prostitution in Portland -- more than any other city besides Seattle. They also picked up six adult pimps in Portland and cited 14 adult prostitutes.
Still, many at the conference said a collective national denial of the issue remains.
"What we're about in the U.S., we're willing to jump out there and save the world but we won't look under our own rocks because it's embarrassing," Bickford said after giving a presentation on the work he's doing with the task force. "
(http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/01/human_trafficking_industry_thr.html)
A church in Portland, Oregon has a ministry particularly for women who find themselves victims of sexual exploitation. http://www.imagodeicommunity.com/article/scarlet-cord/
"Within the U.S., Atlanta, Georgia has been identified as currently having the highest rate of child sex trafficking, with 200-300 exploited for the commercial sex industry every month." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking)
Last night I was SHOCKED to read that there are actually LEGAL BROTHELS within our own country.!!!!
There are nearly 30 legal brothels within the state of Nevada alone!! (http://investigation.discovery.com/investigation/prostitution/prostitution-history-05.html)
Here's one last (and kind of intense) video I want to share with you.
Do you want to DO something about all of this?
I know I do.
(And I'm working on putting something together to inform the community of everything that goes on. Let me know if you would want to help.)
Check out these other sites for more information on the subject, and what you can do to get involved and help support the groups fighting modern day slavery. They are very informing.
I just recieved this message from Steve Wallace through the facebook group "Grants Pass For Jesus" and I thought it would be really great to share! Check out his blog when you're done! (the link is at the bottom)
The following was the email>>
Can you change your city?
You can if you cover it with a prayer blanket. The Prayer Blanket is the continual daily prayer, by name, for every lost person in your community.
Don’t become overwhelmed with the magnitude of such a project just begin. Consider that at the moment somewhere around 3 to 5% of the lost in your community are being prayed for on a continual and regular basis, not very good. The good news is this is occurring with little provocation. Imagine what could happen if the Body of Christ in your community rallied together to do this on purpose.
Suppose you invited The Lighthouse Movement to come to your town and implement a system to mobilize the Body of Christ in united prayer. Followed by a campaign to pray for every lost person in the community.
As a result it would not be difficult to imagine the 3 to 5% that are being prayed for right now, on accident, could jump overnight to 50%, WOW!
What would happen in your community if the Body of Christ began praying for the salvation of 50% of the Lost, by name, on a daily basis?
I’m thinking citywide revival. What are you thinking?
Here’s The Lighthouse Movement's website: http://www.lighthousemovement.com/
I don't know everything there is to know in life, but I do know that God is always there for me. He's got my back. He wants the best for me. If God, the one and only who created not just the world, but the whole universe (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4 to get a little off track of where this blog is going, but it is such a GREAT video!!) cares about me-what do I have to worry about?
There is a certain passage that has been touching my heart lately. I'm even going to write it out so you don't have to get up to find your Bible. This short passage of scripture gives me that umph when I feel like I have lost all inspiration and direction. Read on:
2 Peter 1:3-4
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption of the world caused by evil desires."
Just gonna stop right there for a bit; when I read this, I am nearly brought to tears.
As I have briefly talked about in previous posts, one of my greatest challenges is learning how to accept things like the news and other forms of media. Guarenteed, if I watch the news or read an article, I will get upset. SOMETHING is bound to frustrate me, whether it's problems within our goverment, fear that people are so oblivious to what is coming in the future, or you can only imagine what else.
But read those verses again.
He has given us everything we need. There may be crazyness happening all around us, but our Heavenly Father (who is incomprehensibly more powerful than we can imagine[...that was a double thoght]) has got us. He's not worrying! Only by Him, we have everything we need for life and godliness! I can give up my worries and stress to Him, and thrive on His strength and power!
And I'm just going to repost that second verse, because it needs no other explanation.
"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption of the world caused by evil desires."
The next set of verses gives me peace. Often times I feel as if I have no direction of where to go, what to do, or how to live. But the following verses say basically ALL that we need to know in order to live the lives that He has called us to live.
2 Peter 1:5-11
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
But there is one thing we must not forget; choosing to live out these instructions on a daily basis won't be easy. In saying that, I'm going to lift up a prayer for all who read this, that He will help you to make these ways a lifestyle. And if you wouldn't mind praying that for me as well; I could definatly use it.
:)
