i x 2 intercession and intervention
07 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: 1 x 2 against trafficking, abolition, Biblical worldview, Christian, dignity, Donna M. Hughes, exploitation, fair trade, human trafficking, modern day slavery, pornography, Prayer, prostitution, sanctity of human life, Scripture, suffering, University of Rhode Island, Wesleyan Church, young children
It’s been a while since I’ve given a presentation on human trafficking. Even longer since studying the issue. There is certainly much greater awareness here in the US, but I’m sure the average American is unaware that there are more slaves in the world in these early days of January 2012 than at the peak of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Granted, there are also more people in the world today – but there is nowhere slavery is legal.
Working with the little girls I was teaching at the time of my URI courses was difficult for me. The realization that there were adults who would pay for the use of little girls’ bodies for sexual gratification would slam into my consciousness in the classroom. I couldn’t keep reality compartmentalized. It made me sick to my stomach. And so sad.
And now I have a daughter of my own. She was rather a surprise, and her birth marked my stepping back from various responsibilities. It was what needed to be done. And I loved it. The world went on without me and I cherished the “extra” time I had with my baby, and my boys. I didn’t forget what I had learned, but it was never my focus. I was, for the most part, content to leave the subject in the back of my mind.
But today…
I’ve been thinking all week about the issue. Looking for a direction for a brief presentation for church tomorrow. One thing I appreciate about my denomination is its abolitionist history. The Wesleyan Church in large part owes its existence to men and women who understood that although slavery was not proscribed in Scripture, it goes against God’s intent for mankind and Christians cannot support the owning of another human, created in God’s image. Exploitation of any man, woman, or child in any form is unacceptable. And in that spirit, the Board of General Superintendents issued a proclamation in December:
Recognizing that the trafficking of humans is an evil practice that is increasing worldwide, and remembering the efforts of our Church’s founding fathers and mothers who risked their very lives to free the enslaved and bring justice to all people, the Board of General Superintendents of The Wesleyan Church calls Wesleyans everywhere to a day of intercession and intervention on behalf of the victims and perpetrators of human trafficking on January 11, 2012.
We request that local churches include information about the issue of trafficking in persons; and also request that a time of prayer be included in the activities of that day.
The Board of General Superintendents, The Wesleyan Church
Dr. Jerry G. Pence, Dr. Jo Anne Lyon
So, here I am, on Saturday, January 7…trying to be ready to do something that used to come naturally. My mother’s heart doesn’t want to deal with the truth right now, or at least not be submerged in this aspect of it.
I have a very basic PowerPoint presentation, highlighting the Wesleyan Church’s call to prayer.
In observance of the January 11, 2012, Human Trafficking Awareness Day, the Board of General Superintendents of The Wesleyan Church will be calling its constituents to pray for:
• The protection, rescue, and recovery of human trafficking victims.
• The spiritual repentance and conversion of human traffickers.
• The members of congress who create laws against human trafficking.
• The members of the judiciary system who prosecute traffickers of humans.
• The federal, state, and local police who enforce laws against human trafficking.
• The national, spiritual, and social conditions that allow human trafficking.
There is so much to say. I had started making some notes. Because I always forget something when I speak. And, like I said, I’m out of practice on the subject – rusty with my definitions and facts, and a little behind the time with my statistics. And although it is still close to my heart, I’ve been shielding my heart.
And I still want to.
I knew where I was going, and considering what details to include. I think there will be children listening. Like the Bible, this not a G-rated.
Pondering…
Thud…
Screams.
Nora had tipped over in her little rocking chair and hit her head on the floor.
I picked her up. She was fine, but wanted to be held even after she was done crying.
We sat.
And I felt that old familiar revulsion as I looked at her. To think of what is done to children as small and even smaller than her. To think that there are men who can not only be sexually aroused by children who don’t even have a concept of sex, and act on it. To think of the horrible, even fatal, injuries suffered when young body parts are too small and delicate to accommodate what perverts choose to inflict on them.
I couldn’t stop there as late afternoon became evening. Children like my older son having already spent years doing hard manual labor in brick factories, or being forced to murder as child soldiers. Desperate parents of children like my younger son being tricked into sending them into slavery as restavecs in Haiti, treated worse than family dogs and forced to work painfully long hours…
I’m remembering. I won’t know exactly what my presentation will contain until the words have come out of my mouth. And I will be back with more here. We really have no excuse to do nothing. As my University of Rhode Island instructor comforted us as a class overwhelmed by the huge ugliness of human trafficking, we can make a difference. She used as examples the shifts in attitudes toward domestic abuse and drunk driving in our society, brought about by grass roots efforts. As I mentioned earlier, people’s perspectives are already changing.
As Christians, we have a Scriptural mandate to protect the defenseless and seek justice for the oppressed. We must honor the value of each human life and shine God’s Light. The Church has been likened to a sleeping giant that must awake and wield its power to fight this evil.
Like, I said, there will be more on this subject to follow. I just couldn’t NOT write about it this evening, nor can I continue. Bedtime prayers with the kids. Ice cream with the husband. And sleep. I’ll finish my notes in the morning.
Faith lesson from a caterpillar
12 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in The Growth of Wisdom Tags: caterpillar, Christian, faith, focus, God's voice, mom, monarch, perspective, young children
It was just another day, like so many others in the life of a mom with young children. Lunchtime. I was rushing as usual, my mind busy with everything and nothing. The boys’ monarch caterpillar was unimpressed by my need of the counter space occupied by the peanut butter jar that held it captive. I reached to move it out of the way, but, not really paying attention, knocked over the jar. Mildly annoyed by the distraction from my own thoughts, I again reached for the jar, being careful to actually look at it.
Unperturbed, the caterpillar munched its milkweed leaf.
Somehow, I again knocked over the jar. The caterpillar paid no attention as its unnatural home skidded across the counter and crashed into the toaster. This time I managed to get the jar safely into my hand. At least I thought the poor creature’s container was safe, but then I dropped it. The plastic jar bounced off the edge of the toaster and bounced again when it hit the counter.
Through all of the bouncing and rolling, one thing never changed: the caterpillar’s focus. The little creature’s entire world had been turned upside down. Repeatedly. Surrounded by chaos, its focus never shifted. All that mattered was eating that milkweed leaf.
My rushing was brought to an abrupt halt by the voice of the Lord. No, not some booming “MELINDA” from the heavens, but an unmistakable, inescapable impression in the very core of me.
This is what you need to do. This is how you need to be.
I really looked at the caterpillar. As oblivious of my scrutiny as it had been everything else, the caterpillar paid no attention to anything but its leaf.
Milkweed leaves are the only food of monarch caterpillars. The butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. The eggs are only about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. When the tiny caterpillars hatch, they start the only job they have–eating milkweed leaves. They get everything they need by focusing their attention and energy on the source of their sustenance. They grow and grow, until it is time to form a chrysalis.
I need to remember the Source of my sustenance. I need to focus on Him no matter what is going on around me. Even if it seems my world has been turned upside down, all that is required of me is to focus on the One Who holds my world in His hands. When I am focused on Him, everything else is in the periphery, in proper perspective.
