Slavery and Human Trafficking.

Yesterday was a day for God. We got up and headed to church around 10 - taught Sunday school, went to the adult service, and then had lunch. Since Sandy's friends were leading the afternoon service we decided to stay for that one as well. Normally that service is called the "JOY" service but yesterday I guess they had a change of heart. We crowded into the pews and sat, listening to the band play the first song. After they had sung, the two youngest members came forward and told us about something call Passion 2012. Each year there is a national convention for 18-25 year olds, called Passion, which hosts a different subject each year, this years subject was slavery and human trafficking. After explaining what we were about to watch I observed as Sandy's face turned to dread as she pondered whether her children were ready for what they were about to witness. We decided together that the video portrayed something very real and that ignoring it didn't mean the children wouldn't learn about it later, and making them leave would cause them to become more curious. So, nervously, we sat and watched the movie and the kids faces as they focused intently on the screen in front of them. Minute to minute we heard the stories of three people - each a slave in one form or another. We heard their struggles to find jobs, their shock when they realized they weren't going where they had intended to go, the abuse endured during the long hours of day. Teary eyed we listened in horror to their broken words and tattered stories. Stories of loss and fear, stories of utter betrayal of humanity. And stories of redemption, as these three people came out of slavery with the help of various different agencies present all around the world. Agencies outlined in the thank you video accompanying the Passion 2012 Freedom video. We watched as these people came to learn who Jesus is, who God is, and the faith they've developed upon being saved. While I sat there, teary eyed and heart broken I watched their daughter turn around in her seat and exclaim that she wanted to go home. I watched as another little girl clapped her hands against her fathers face, laughing, and my heart became so heavy with sorrow - as well as happiness. There are 27 million people in some sort of slavery today all across the world. That is more than the entire African slave trade. My sorrow came from the idea that there are children and adults all over the world who cannot turn around in their chairs and tell their families they want to go home. It came from the idea that children all over the world cannot clasp their parents in their arms and laugh uncontrollably for no reason. Ironically that is also where my happiness came from. I am so happy to be living here today, to be with people who love me and whom I love. So happy to be so blessed by God. The movie really tore into me, in some of the deepest depths of thought. So much so that I hope to someday help in one of the various countries. Not For Sale in Cape Town, South Africa really caught my eye. I'll continue to pray to God for guidance, not only for myself but for the millions of people who have no voice right now. I've included the full video, including the thank you video outlining some of those involved in Passion 2012. 2013 brings Freedom 2013 - an attempt to draw more attention to slavery around the globe and what we can do to stop it. 


Movie: Passion 2012 Freedom Film
Passion 2012 Thank You Video
Christy Nockels - Passion 2012 song