Today is Shine a Light on Slavery Day, established and promoted by the End It Movement. (You can read my first post on its inception in 2013 by clicking here.) As explained on enditmovement.com,
END IT is a Coalition of the leading organizations in the world in the fight for freedom.
The #EndItMovement has mobilized thousands of people, corporations, and organizations to bring awareness, prevention, rescue, and restoration on behalf of the 20-45.8 million people trapped in modern day slavery.
How YOU can shine a light on slavery
The topic of slavery seems overwhelming…and it should. There are more slaves today than at any other point in human history. It appears impossible to conquer, but you can make a difference!
Begin:
Draw a red X on your hand, take a selfie, and post it using #EndItMovement. That’s all it takes to add your voice to the growing number of freedom fighters around the globe.
Keep going:
Want to spread the word, but don’t know what to say? Share this post on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter using the sharing buttons at the bottom. For more information on Modern Day Slavery, follow the link at the top of the page.
If you want to go farther, visit End It Movement to share stories or videos to help raise awareness among your friends and family who might not know slavery still exists. When I first became a freedom fighter, most of my circle of influence had never heard about modern day slavery. You can be the one to tell those you love about those who have no voice.
You can also donate to one of the End It Coalition Partners or find a local organization in your area like:
If that doesn’t satisfy you, consider using your unique gifts and talents to take part in the fight.
Raise money through a 5K or freedom ride
Write articles on your blog
Make jewelry, blankets, downloadable art, stationery, or whatever makes you happy
Use the resources in your hands now to impact others. God gave you these special gifts as tools to be a blessing. Get creative!
Love your neighbor
When asked what the greatest command in Scripture is, Jesus responded,
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. – Mark 12:30-31
Personally, I cannot imagine a better way to love my neighbor than to fight for those enslaved in my town, my state, my country, and around the world. Will you join me?
Click EndItMovement.com to find resources, read freedom fighter stories, locate partners, brainstorm ideas, and even purchase clothing to promote the End It Movement.
Click here to sign the International Justice Mission petition to ensure the End Modern Slavery Initiative (EMSI) is given the resources it needs.
Today is the official launch of the End It Movement. A coalition of seven anti-slavery organizations have joined forces to spread the message that not only does slavery still exist in our modern world, but that there are more slaves now than at any time in human history.
Shine a Light on Slavery
The mission of the End It Movement is simple.
We want every man, woman and child to know that there are 27 million men, women and children, just like them, living in the shadows. In brothels. In factories. In quarries. Working as slaves. In 161 countries. Including our own. We are here to shine a light on slavery. No more bondage. No more sex trafficking. No more child laborers. No more, starting now.
Approximately 27 million people are enslaved worldwide, many of them in the United States. Eighty percent of them women. Many, many of them children. For an average of $90 per person, a slave can be purchased and put to work where ever their owner deems fit, making them part of a $32 billion dollar industry.
This has to stop NOW.
One of the passages that I consider to be part of my personal calling and manifesto for my life is Isaiah 61: 1-4.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
This prophecy foretelling the coming of Christ and His mission says that He came to “proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” How can we as His ambassadors do anything less? We must make freedom a top priority in our lives. Freedom from physical captivity as well as spiritual captivity.
I understand that this is a difficult thing to grasp—men, women and children being forced to do unspeakable things for the profit of another. It’s evil and ugly and we would much prefer to turn our heads and look away. But I beg you to think for just a moment…what if it was your child? What if it was your daughter kidnapped off the streets and forced to live and work in a brothel? What if it was your brother forced to work eighteen and twenty hour days in the sun doing back-breaking labor with no pay and very little food or water? What if it was you? Would you want someone to fight for you? Pray for you? Rescue you?
Indifference is not an option. I encourage you to go to EndItMovement.com. Learn the facts. Find out how you can help. Take the pledge to become part of the movement to end modern day slavery in this generation.
We can make a difference. Together we can ” repair the devastations of many generations.” I’m in it to END IT. Will you join me? Click here to sign the pledge.
