Loving the slaves

Did you know that there are more children, women and men are held in slavery right now than over the course of the entire trans-Atlantic slave trade back in the day? Did you know that nearly 2 million children are exploited in the commercial sex industry? Did you know that it is often the poor who bear the burden of these abuses and injustices because they lack the access to their own justice systems and are unable to protect themselves or their families from those more powerful?

In the global, cosmopolitan, hi-tech world that we are in today, it's shocking to hear of these injustices and stories. IJM, International Justice Mission, is an international organization that is bent on stamping out modern day slavery. They work to make public justice systems work for victims of abuse and oppression, who urgently need the protection of the law. IJM's passion for what they do, and their compassionate heart for those who are hurting inspire me so much.

This summer, they started a campaign called the 5 Weeks of Freedom, in which a team of ordinary people are giving up 5 weeks of their time to cycle 1800 miles of the Underground Railroad, which was an informal network of secret routes used by the 19th-century African-American slaves in the United States to escape the people holding them captive. I had the honor of supporting them financially, raising awareness, and doing just a little bit to bring an end to modern-day slavery. You can too!

Love challenge: "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."