Thursday, February 27, 2014

Human Trafficking Day

Today is February 27...and there are 27 million people who are enslaved in our world today.

27 million.

Most are between the ages of 18-24 years old. This hits me like a ton of bricks, because of my 4 children, do you know how many of them fall in that age bracket? TWO.

OUT OF FOUR.

Many are women...CHILDREN, even. The weak. The defenseless.

The innocent.

I hate it.

So, today the #enditmovement asked for people to raise awareness to end slavery by drawing a red X on their hands, taking a picture of it, and putting it on social media. And the hope is that it will spark conversations and maybe open some eyes to what many in our world are facing.

I read this quote and thought it was so good: "Nothing happens just because we are AWARE of modern-day slavery, but nothing will EVER happen until we are."

Because someone said that drawing a red X on your hand is not going to stop slavery...and they are right. But, if it sparks a conversation...or lights a fire...or inspires someone to DO or GIVE or GO...then that could potentially save lives.

Even if it saved ONE life.

Three people asked about my red X today.

So, Joshua saw my hand and saw pictures on Facebook, and on the way to his Therapeutic Recreation this morning, he asked me questions about it. And, not gonna lie, it was hard to find the words.

I tried to explain it in the most generic way possible, but how do you gloss over the ugly and ever make it okay to anyone, much less the innocents who should never, ever hear or know about these things?

Really, none of us should.

He looked at me and said, "before Christ, we were all in bondage, but Jesus died to set us all free."

And that, my friends, is from my little Downsy man.

And then I heard him tick-tick-tick-ing on his phone, and I'm gonna share the Facebook status he wrote...just the way he wrote it...because sometimes it really is this simple:

"I think that no one deserves to be a hostage or in bondage. The Lord has set us free by his blood he poured out on that cross on that Good Friday because he has brought us out of that bondage. I think we ought to disband it not just in our nation but in the other surrounding nations. The Lord will not allow this. It should not be allowed anywhere."

Shine a light on slavery.

In it to end it.

"If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." John 8:36

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