• Faith,  Social Justice

    I May Get Ex-Communicated

    Tweet And while I hope that I do not, I have to write this. I have to say this because I spent a week ashamed at some of the things people do in the name of Christ. I have to write this because we live in a world where slavery will, more than likely, be the biggest global crime industry by the end of the year, and thus, we no longer have the time to worry about offending other people.   I recently heard a story of a young prostitute who escaped from her “life” in the industry and attempted to find help at four churches. Each church turned her…

  • Social Justice

    Free To Live Tour 2011

    Tweet Free to Live will bring together worship leaders Jon Egan and Meredith Andrews, as well as, Tom Davis-CEO of Children’s HopeChest, for a night of worship, speaking, and a call to action. We cannot ignore the millions living in the awful bondage of sex trafficking and Free to Live is bringing awareness in a multi-media, multi-sensory event sure to empower and equip you to fight against this awful crime against humanity. Here are the dates and the best part is the tickets are completely free! DATE CITY May 11, 2011 Louisville, KY May 12, 2011 Decatur, (Atlanta) GA May 13, 2011 Weddington, (Charlotte) NC May 14, 2011 Madison, (Huntsville) AL May…

  • Social Justice

    Remembering 1865: Part 2

    Tweet How well have we remembered..? The 13th Amendment states Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.   That was written in 1865. Right after a bloody war. Fast forward to the year 2011. And we have forgotten. The US has once again become a hotspot for slavery.We are a destination country for slave labor. Sure, we made the term a little fancier. We call it Human Trafficking (HT). But as I sat through a week of training on fighting against HT, I heard story after…

  • Social Justice

    Remembering 1865: Part 1

    Tweet They say if  you don’t learn from history you are bound to repeat it.   Go back to America in the early to mid-1800s. Although newly formed as a nation, we were already divided on what would become an issue that led to a very bloody war. Slavery.   The Northern States saw slavery as being contradictory to the ideals and principles upon which they had fought the Revolutionary War and sought the gradual emacipation of slaves. In the South, however, the slave population was much larger and played a key role in their economic success. More slaves=more profit from free labor. White males believed they should not be…

  • Social Justice

    What Am I Doing This Week?

    Tweet Glad you asked! 🙂 I am attending the CNMI Human Trafficking Intervention Coalition Regional Training Conference.   For those of you that may be new to my blog, abolishing human trafficking in an issue I am very passionate about. I tread, I donate, and I plan to spend my life fighting against this disgusting and awful industry. So when a friend told me she could get me in on this conference, I was all over it!!   The FBI is coming, and Homeland Security, and a bunch of lawyers and other really important people fighting this crime. The training should be awesome and I am pretty stoked to have…

  • Social Justice

    Tread on Trafficking 2011

    Tweet There is a road we keep running on until we reach our goal, but love gives us strength to continue our journey. -Trafficking survivor As my heart has continued to break over the atrocities of sex trafficking, God has been moving in me to do more. I know that this is a difficult thing to talk about. The statistics are overwhelming and the problem keeps growing. Yet, the difficulties and challenges we face in seeking to defeat this evil in no way compares to the evil these precious girls face every single day. They in no way compare to being used and bought and sold for man’s evil pleasure.…

  • Social Justice

    Why Sylvie Is Changing My Life

    Tweet   I woke up this morning a little sore. My neck was a little tight, my hips were a little achy. And I immediately thought, 4 days left… But for people like Sylvie, there is no end. A few friends and I took on a challenge put forth by World Vision ACT:S:       Spend lent digging deep into stories of poverty and injustice and through that, into the heart of God. Each week we will encounter a new story of someone living a life marked by poverty or injustice or both. As we get to know their stories, we are challenged to go deeper than simply reading. We…

  • Social Justice

    CNN Freedom Project

    Tweet There has been lots of buzz on my Twitter feed over CNN’s Freedom Project that was launched this week.  I won’t add much to the noise other than to say that I am so thankful that this issue is coming to light in such a well-known and well-respected forum. My heart breaks over the statistics, but beyond that my heart breaks over the precious children being subjected to such an evil. May we eradicate modern-day slavery so everyone may know what it feels like to be free! Check out the Freedom Project blog and follow them on Twitter for all the latest updates!

  • Social Justice

    A Much Needed Evaluation

    Tweet I found this blog post today entitled “Why I Stopped Serving the Poor,” and I must admit, I mostly clicked on it because I curious. Seeing as much of my life lately has been obsessed with this idea of loving and serving those at the margins, I figured I should see why someone would stop doing that. It was, in the end, one of the most powerful things I have read in a really long time. The author, Claudio Oliver, lives in Brazil and has spent his life there serving the poor and needy. So why would he write this..because so many people need to hear it and need to…

  • Social Justice

    Joy Not Obligation

    Tweet Psalm 23:1-3 God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.    You have bedded me down in lush meadows,       you find me quiet pools to drink from.    True to your word,       you let me catch my breath       and send me in the right direction. I have been really challenged lately over the matter of my finances. It seems to me that perhaps one reason for my coming to Saipan was for God to challenge me in this whole area of giving and of having enough. And the more I have studied the gospels, the more I see that God’s heart is often so far from mine. He promises us life abundantly. He came to be our…