It’s Time to Wake Up
April 4th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens
For the next two weeks, I will be reposting our Redeemed series focusing on the serious issue of human trafficking and the ministry of Women at Risk, International. I pray you will join us and be changed through it!
I have an odd defense mechanism with things that make me uncomfortable – I go to sleep!
When on long car trips through the mountains with no exits in sight, or stuck in a traffic jam in a tunnel, and we start to run low on gas, I lean my seat back and sleep (when NP is driving, of course!) I figure that if we are going to run out of gas, it will happen whether I am awake and anxious or asleep and blissfully unaware – most likely we’ll be fine, so I might as well avoid the stress and sleep!
There are a lot of horrifying and evil things in this world that I would rather not think about. I find myself metaphorically sleeping in my seat to avoid anxiety.
Human trafficking is one of those issues I would rather not think about.
Chew on these stats – read them out loud if it will help them sink in.
- 100,000 girls, ages 9-19, are trafficked in commercial sexual exploitation in the U.S.
- 3,000 children are forced into commercial sexual exploitation at any given time, just in San Francisco.
- 1.2 million children are trafficked internationally each year
- As many as 4 million women and girls are bought and sold worldwide every year.
Horrifying.
I’m guessing most of us are like me – we’d rather close our eyes, stay blissfully unaware. We figure it’s going to happen whether we know about it or not, so we might as well ignore it.
It’s time to wake up, friends. There are things we can do.
The more I learn about human trafficking, the more it vividly illustrates for me my state as a former slave, redeemed from the bondage of sin. Christ paid the price with His own blood to redeem my life from the pit – the least I can do in return is to tell others about the freedom available through my Savior. And as a former slave, redeemed by a God who loves justice and mercy, I feel compelled to do all I can to secure freedom for the millions of physical slaves in this sin-marred world.
I humbly ask you to join me on this journey. For the next two weeks- the weeks before we commemorate the blood-price paid for our freedom – it is my honor to host Gillian Ferdwerda from Women at Risk, International here on KristiStephens.com. Gillian will be sharing amazing stories, horrifying statistics… and hope. Women at Risk, also known as WAR, is on the front lines – helping to find, rescue, love women and children who have been sold, abused, betrayed, forgotten. There are so many ways we can help.
So please be sure to read this amazing series. Visit Women at Risk, International’s website. Learn all you can about trafficking. Tell your friends. Post links on facebook, twitter (#redeemed), or your blog. Please help spread the word – wake us from our slumber.
If you are a blogger and would like to help, please grab this button for your blog – the more who hear, the better.
Code: <a href=”http://www.krististephens.com/redeemed”><img src=”http://www.krististephens.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/WAR-page.jpg” alt=”BWS tips button” width=”150″ height=”125″></a>
Let’s proclaim freedom for the captives in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
- 27 Comments »
- Posted in Human Trafficking, Uncategorized
March 18th, 2010 at 8:41 am
Praying for us all to arise from our slumber and take action!
March 18th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Kristi,
Thank you for waking me up! I have to admit, until you brought the horrors of human trafficking to my attention a month or so ago, my eyes were closed. I had no idea these crimes existed in ‘my own backyard’. I’m grateful for the difference you are already making in educating so many of us.
Open the eyes of our hearts, dear Lord.
Kristin
March 18th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Thank you, Kristen – that is such encouraging feedback. Amen – may God open our eyes!!
March 18th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by KristiStephens: It’s time to wake from our slumber – human trafficking is REAL. It’s HERE. And there are things we can do. http://is.gd/aNdd3…
March 18th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Thank you for this post that is just so close to my heart! I have already added the button-thank you so much! Blessings to you sweet child of the King!
March 18th, 2010 at 10:13 am
It’s easy to think of human trafficking as a far away problem. Thank you so much for raising awareness of what is happening not only in the rest of the world, but right here in our own nation! We have to wake up and do something!
March 18th, 2010 at 10:34 am
Thank you for helping, Kristi!!
March 18th, 2010 at 10:34 am
I will post a link and the button on my Friday post to help spread the word and encourage people to tune in.
March 18th, 2010 at 10:34 am
I totally agree, Erin – most people (myself included) are completely shocked to find out what an epidemic it is within our own borders. Thank you for your help!
March 18th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Thank you, Julie!!
March 18th, 2010 at 10:57 am
I know I’d almost rather sleep through this one! I’ve grabbed the button.
March 18th, 2010 at 11:02 am
I know the feeling!! Thanks, Sandra.
March 18th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Thank you for blogging about this. We are concerned that our missing granddaughter may be a victim of human trafficking.
Please see our story and links at http://www.bringhomeashley.9f.com
I will be adding your button to my blog and will spread the word via facebook and twitter.
March 18th, 2010 at 11:44 am
oh, my – thank you for sharing your story and spreading the word. Will be praying for Ashley.
March 18th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
I posted for you today! Wonderful start! I am excited to read and learn more about this! Thank you so much for doing this for these women and GOD!
http://robertsrockfarm.blogspot.com/2010/03/thinking-thursday-2-guest-post-kristi.html
March 18th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
This just breaks my heart!! Thanks for bringing awareness to this awful “topic” that we’d much rather sleep through, than believe that it is a reality!
Hugs,
Traci
http://www.ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com
March 18th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Hi Kristi. I just came across your blog via Like a Warm Cup of Coffee. I was so surprised to read this post because I actually went to college with Gillian. What a great series to publish; I look forward to it and am putting the button on my blog.
March 18th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Thanks you for your information and your heart on this gutrinching story. These poor unfortunate women and children. I am now aware that the problem is much much bigger than I would have ever suspected.
My prayers are with the loved ones of those who have turned up missing and for the victims themselves that God will intervein and reign down upon the purpetrators of this horrindous sin against these others.
God Bless you for sharing.
March 18th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Oh, wow – Anna that is an amazing connection! Thank you for joining with us through the series!
March 18th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Kristi it’s an honor to link to this from my website. Everyone needs to know what’s really happening. Thank you for opening our eyes. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
March 18th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Thank you for bringing this horrible topic up. International Justice mission does a wonderful job doing rescues in this arena.. they are very successful in many countries.
In the Portland Oregon region there is a high trafficking volumne because they are a ‘connection’ to Seattle and California. I live in the Oregon area and it is shocking to me that we actually have it here, not in India, or china, HERE… in Oregon.
It is not just a foreign country issue.
thank you… for sharing.
March 18th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
I had no idea. I will certainly be praying about this and reading more about what can be done to help.
March 21st, 2010 at 9:32 am
Thank you so much for the information…didn’t realize it was going on right here in the US..eye opening. I put a link on my blog! Thank again!
March 21st, 2010 at 9:33 am
Thank you for helping get the word out!
March 23rd, 2010 at 7:22 am
[...] Kristi Stephens is making us open our eyes with articles on Human Trafficking….join the movement, and spread the word; It’s Time to Wake Up. [...]
April 16th, 2010 at 6:02 am
[...] how I go to sleep when I am afraid? Well, I have another little neurotic [...]
April 4th, 2011 at 9:40 am
Timely post…
In about 2 hours, a group is meeting at our place to pray about this topic and to figure out how our church can be involved in helping.
I know very little about the statistics honestly, but I’ve heard over and over that our city (Portland) is one of the worst.
I agreed to let them use our house as a meeting place because I’m also trying to fight my urge to “stay in the the dark”…the ease of “before I knew”….
But this is one of my favorite quotes:
“You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know…”
~William Wilberforce