This week of advent is "witness". This is so applicable to the issue of human trafficking. I, and all who open their eyes to this injustice are witnesses to something one would rather ingnore. But, no! Our eyes must be bright and open. They are bright because I hold hope in my soul for all the children that they may be rescued from their hells and find their own heaven, where they are safe. The saying, "ignorence is bliss" is true but it is not fair or just to be living in complete bliss when we are witnesses to modern-day slavery. Think: Every 30 seconds, one child has been trafficked. Once this injustice ends there will be bliss in my soul. I know it will be in the souls of children who become witnesses of their own strength and beauty instead of a man hurting them and waiting in darkness as years pass by in a brothel. In places like that, bliss is a thing of the past that the trafficked only hold in faint memories. Remember, children are trafficked at very, very young ages and being raped for profit could be all they know. With prayer and persistence, let's give them bliss: freedom.

"I will sing of loyalty and of justice;
to you, O Lord, I will sing."

Psalm 101

This photograph is of two girls in a Cambodian brothel. Give them your voice.

Trafficked children who enter a safehome receive love and care. Also, they get time to express themselves. Their self-expression is something greatly valued and greatly important to the their caregivers, counselours and most of all to themselves. What moves me is when I get to see the drawings that a trafficked child does because it is exactly what a child here in the states would draw. Their dreams are the same. It is so true that we are more alike than different. One drawing is the dream of a girl who wants to be a teacher and get married. I hope that when people put their hearts into this quest for justice, they can think of all the girls they know who have the same, simple childhood dreams that this healing child has and feels connection to them. For example, "Oh, this is what my niece always talks about." Help them make their dreams a reality. Maybe it is even you who had that dream as a child? Please, bless them with prayer and advocacy. If you are able, donate to my favorite organization that combats child sex trafficking - Justice for Children International. Justice for Children International is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization. www.jfci.org

You would never know, would you?

A safehouse. I see one, where girls stay after being rescuced from brothels. Happiness. Is what my heart feels. I am not a victim of human trafficking but I've felt some of the girls' pain. Where is my safehome? I am creating one for myself. Just like building a real safehouse, it takes work and each step makes the safehouse seem more like a reality. I know that some beautiful child is using a toolkit I fundraised for her as she is counseled in a safehome. The photo I've seen of a girl playing with a doll during therapy means more to me than many, many things in my life. Because of kind people giving money to JFCI through my fundraiser last July, another girl just like "Grace" in the photo will be closer to healing. The toolkit has crayons, a dollhouse, toys, etc. Just fun things for children. So to a "Grace", I hope the toolkit you receive gives you comfort when you hurt so badly that it's hard to talk. And "Grace", I am healing with you too. You are an inspiration.

Congratulations to the International Institute of Connecticut for getting the grant to have a human trafficking program. I figured that as part of their work with immigrants and refugees, anti-trafficking should be a priority. I know that refugees are unfortunately vulnerable to being trafficked and exploited. In the camps and outside, exploitation occurs for food. Refugees are an easy target for traffickers because recorded information about them is scarce. And their present environment leaves them aching for stability and security. I am lucky enough to live in an environment where I do not have to worry about being trafficked and exploited. So for those who do, let us fight for their right to be safe. Thank you to all the NGOs and individuals for their belief in that. It will bring healing and justice for children at risk and victims of modern-day slavery.

And the grand total for the JFCI fundraiser is... $150.00 You know, it's really not that bad considering all the rainy performances we've had. There was even one night where we could only play until intermission because there was no power. We used Mike's car's headlights so the audience and actors could see the stage! I'm proud of my little fundraiser even though the prediction of the profit was much higher. With every cent, change has been made against modern-day slavery. This is a movement and because of that things should be taken in strides. Yet, I will fight whole heartedly until exploited children are free. With God, we need to give our light and love to these beautiful children no matter what.

*Every minute two children are trafficked for sexual exploitation. Give your light and love.*

I am putting money where my mouth is. That is a wonderful feeling. Yesterday was the first night of fundraising for JFCI at "The Taming of the Shrew." While I was talking to people about the agency and collecting money, I couldn't stop thinking that at this very moment a trafficked girl is being raped and at this very moment a child is being abducted from her home to be put in a brothel and at the same time this evil is occuring, I am fighting against it. I had these kids' backs. I really hoped that one day a trafficked girl will understand that people care about her and want the best for her. It was inspiring to see people give from their own pockets and the supportive comments from people were so wonderful. One doner that sticks out in my mind is a man who works for public works and was just at the park doing his job. Yet the first thing he did when he got out of his truck was to come over, look at the display and give 3 dollars when public works employees do not get payed much. He had to literally dig through his wallet to give me the money. I think he set an example for me in terms of charity. Everyone was so generous and I am delighted to say 44 dollars were raised by only selling concessions to a crowd of about 60 people. Tonight there will be even more people! Fantastic... just fantastic.

Statistics from UNICEF about child exploitation:

Millions of girls work as domestic servants and unpaid household help and are especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Millions of others work under horrific circumstances. They may be trafficked (1.2 million), forced into debt bondage or other forms of slavery (5.7 million), into prostitution and pornography (1.8 million), into participating in armed conflict (0.3 million) or other illicit activities (0.6 million). However, the vast majority of child labourers – 70 per cent or more – work in agriculture.

Surveys indicate that 30 to 35 per cent of all sex workers in the Mekong sub-region of Southeast Asia are between 12 and 17 years of age.
Mexico’s social service agency reports that there are more than 16,000 children engaged in prostitution, with tourist destinations being among those areas with the highest number. In Lithuania, 20 to 50 percent of prostitutes are believed to be minors. Children as young as age 11 are known to work as prostitutes. Children from children’s homes, some 10 to 12 years old, have been used to make pornographic movies.

An estimated 300,000 child soldiers - boys and girls under the age of 18 - are involved in more than 30 conflicts worldwide. Child soldiers are used as combatants, messengers, porters, cooks and to provide sexual services. Some are forcibly recruited or abducted, others are driven to join by poverty, abuse and discrimination, or to seek revenge for violence enacted against themselves and their families. [photo by Kay Chernush for the U.S. State Department]

Hello, welcome to my blog "Modern-Day Slavery." I have created this blog out of hope that someday children all over the world will know the inside of a classroom instead of the inside of a brothel. I hope that one day children will know the sound of laughter instead of the sound of gunfire and screams. And I hope that one day children will know how a warm bed feels rather than the fabric of the loom they are chained to. These are all forms of slavery existing in today's world; OUR WORLD.

[photo by Kay Chernush for the U.S. State Department]