Start Freedom: Stop the Traffik

Justin Blake, October 12th, 2009

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to declare good news to the Poor, he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the captives….”Jesus, Luke 4:18

Jesus’ public ministry began with these extraordinary words, declaring that God is with the Poor and on the side of the oppressed. God is for the broken and forgotten people on our planet and on the side of those held captive. Around two hundred years ago, the history-maker William Wilberforce,followed in the footsteps of Jesus with refreshing sharpness as he proclaimed freedom for slaves across the British Empire.  His life-long work culminated in the historic abolition of legal slavery in 1807, but sadly centuries later there are more people trafficked around the world now than in Wilberforce’s day.  

Recently, the 24-7 community gathered from across Europe for the 24-7EuroGathering in Amsterdam. It was an exceptional time of looking back on all that God has done and encountering the Lord in prayer together.  Walking through the streets of the city I was mindful of Jesus’ unrelenting, tenacious love that has reached out through human hearts and hands down through the ages.  His is an extraordinary, extravagant, reckless mercy that desires that none should perish, that none suffer in the sex industry, that no one should be bought or sold. As I walked and talked about those held captive, tears rolled down my cheeks at the thought of all those, trafficked through Amsterdam and towns and cities like it around our world.

People trafficking is growing. Up to as many as 4 million men, women and children are trafficked across borders and within their own country every year.More than one person is trafficked across a border every minute!  That’s the equivalent to five jumbo jets full of people each day. It is the fastest growing form of international crime, generating over $31 Billion a year and it is happening right here, right now, on our doorsteps.

It can be difficult to imagine the motivation of family members and friends who deceive parents into releasing their children or sell them for as little as $20 each.  Hearing stories of those sold to local gang masters or organised international trafficking rings for sexual exploitation, sweat shops, child brides, forced begging, farm labour or for the sale of their organs breaks my heart. I have two young sons, and as a parent, teacher and follower of Jesus, I can’t stand aside and do nothing, I have to fight this appalling injustice.

At Windlesham House School, where I teach, we have run a ‘World Awareness Week’ to give our children an opportunity to learn about major issues facing the globe. We have visiting speakers, many from Christian organisations, speaking in school assemblies, lessons, lectures and chapel services about how they can make a positive difference. In previous years children have learned about child poverty, climate change and how they can make a difference in our school communities. This year we’re focusing on the chocolate industry and the trafficking entangled within it to raise their awareness and understanding of modern day slavery.  It turns out that Windlesham schools is not the only community to think that educating our children to these atrocities is vital to changing the future of the criminal industry…

STOP THE TRAFFIK: START FREEDOM is working in partnership with the United Nations to launch a groundbreaking educational project for schools around the world. Together they aim to inspire young people in every nation to learn more about the issue of human trafficking.  The project launches this week on the 14^thOctober with a live eight-minute web cast from the United Nations in New York.  Please pray for the launch and that this will mobilise millions of young people to engage in making a difference for modern day slaves. We’ll be praying and we invite you to join us…

Within the 24-7 family, one of our central values has always been the marriage of prayer and justice. As a result, when we’ve prayed about this overwhelming issue we can’t help but to want to respond. Come and seek the heart of Jesus with us.  24-7 Prayer will be hosting Human Trafficking focused Prayer Rooms in Reading, UK(18-25th October) and Kansas City, USA (12-16th October). If you can’t make it to either of those rooms you can host a week of prayer of your own. 

Let’s pray for change and engage practically to see captives set free. Let’s follow in the footsteps of Jesus and Wilberforce. Let’s join together in prayer and in the fight to stop the traffick.

To find out more and to take advantage of these free resources enabling your school, church and local community to make a difference, and help stop the traffick you can register at www.stopthetraffik.org.