End It

I started learning about human trafficking in 2008 as I was preparing for my internship in Thailand. Since then, my eyes have been opened more & more to the size of this issue & the urgency of it. Some days I just want to jump on a plane and go bust into a brothel Laim Neeson/"Taken" style or SOMETHING! (No really, I actually thought about that one day during my run).
Then the Holy Spirit & common sense show up to remind me that doing something like THAT probably wouldn't be productive for anyone but there are things I can do right now. So for anyone else out there that is learning about this issue & getting mad about it like me, here are some ideas:

1) Pray: Why do we leave this as a last resort? Our prayers as children of the God of the Universe are powerful! "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." -Jesus in John 14:14
Pray for trafficking to end. Pray for courageous & just authorities around the world to have their eyes opened to what is happening in the back allies. Pray for hope, healing & rescue for the millions of men, women & children enslaved.

2) Give: Unlike Laim Neeson's character in Taken, those out on the field doing these rescues don't have unlimited financial resources. Maybe ask God if you can find a couple extra dollars to give to an organization fighting trafficking on the ground like the Hard Places Community or The Exodus Road.

3) Learn: Since I'm dreaming of someday being on the field in person doing something about this (don't worry mom, I have no plans to join a swat team or anything), I am doing a lot of reading.  Once you start digging, you find there are a lot of organizations working to end this atrocity. That is encouraging and it means we don't have to reinvent the proverbial wheel. We get to learn from people that have gone before us about what works and doesn't work.  The International Justice Mission is a great starting place to learn more about trafficking & some very practical work being done to end it. Another great resource is the Nefarious Documentary just know it is a very real picture of what is happening so it is painful to watch at times if you are like me. Individuals like Laura Parker are also great resources; she began The Exodus Road with her husband & blogs about their rescue missions. Following any of these organizations & resources on Twitter is a great way to find more of them. I love using technology to change the world!

4) Tell all your friends: I think a lot of people know that this is going on, but not a lot of people know there are literally millions of slaves in our world or that there is anything they can do about it.  If you follow me on twitter (@heathergrace717) I may have already blown up your twitter feed with my re-tweets about abolition, justice & such. I want everyone to know that this is happening and that anyone can help end it!