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]