modern day slavery

I posted last week about Peter and slavery and how, through teaching my little class of 2nd and 3rd graders, I wanted to plant a seed in them that abhorred injustice. My prayer is that that seed will grow and that once they are older will learn to fight for those without a voice. Because slavery still happens.

Yesterday, after class, one of the mom's approached me. She said that her daughter was horrified by slavery and kept telling her mom, "I would never want to be a slave mom, never." So the mom, being the true teacher that she is, used that as an opportunity to explain to her child that slavery still exists. That people are still bought and sold and mistreated.

I came home and found a list of resources for the mom that she and her family might like to know about. And perhaps you would, too?

Invisible Children is dedicated to helping end the longest running war in Africa. Joseph Kony is a rebel army leader who abducts children and forces the boys to become child soldiers and uses the young girls for their bodies. This is an incredible organization, founded by 4 college age guys who went to Uganda, saw a need, and is doing something to fix it.

Love146 is an amazing organization dedicated to stop child trafficking. They have a heart breakingingly informative website about the evils of child sex slaves, how these little girls are displayed, sold, bought, used.

World Vision is tackling each of these issues, child soldiers, child sex tourism, child trafficking, and child labor.

Free the Slaves is an organization that partners with countless people across the globe to end slavery everywhere.

We are responsible for our knowledge. We are called to love mercy and to act justly. We are called to defend the orphans and widows, relieve the oppressed. If christians around the world took this call seriously and cared for widows, single mothers, and orphans abroad how many children would be saved from the trap of traffickers who promise them good jobs and education but then steal them away into slavery? If christians around the world took the call seriously to relieve the oppressed, how quickly would we be able to break into brothels and markets that list children on menus as though they are a meal to be bought and free them?

Slavery is still happening. It is real. And it is around us everywhere.