Not for sale

Uncomfortable fact: there are slaves today. It is a $32 billion industry--like drugs and arms smuggling, highly profitable and illegal. Types of slaves we may not know about include men, women, girls and boys (some very young) who are forced into commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or child soldiering. Slaves are disposable people to the trafficker, yet unlike other commodities they are reusable, so are extremely lucrative. Trading in persons means corruption, subterranean horror, violence, greed, extreme inhumanity, preying on the defenseless, and so much more that we don't like to think about on a daily basis.

I'm glad I saw Call+Response as it is one way to get in touch with the issue and come away with some hope that I/we can make a difference. Besides some good music by a variety of musicians (see them here)  you hear people like Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd and other prominent political and cultural figures  tell real stories of real people and their captivity, forced labor, and sometimes their escape. Cornel West was really enjoyable. I was distracted by some of the technical flaws and techniques (which in part could have been poor quality projection at the theater) but overall I urge you to see this film and investigate the wonderful things that are already underway to turn this situation around.

I am not for sale. You are not for sale. No one should be for sale. Become an abolitionist.

quote from not for sale website

Some groups already having effective results:
free the slaves
not for sale
polaris project

"Justice is what love looks like in public."

Those of us in the Denver area and a few other cities around the country have a chance to see the new feature rockumentary, CALL+RESPONSE. It reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. Slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India and in 2007, slave traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

Tall Skinny Kiwi has seen it. I hope to see the movie tomorrow. Want to know what you can do? Besides seeing the movie (only here a couple more days) you can consider the 33 responses suggested here.

Watch the trailer:

Please don't snow

My neighbors have their shrubs and flowers covered with sheets, but I am too lazy to go out in the cold again tonight to do that. So I am saying, "Please don't snow!" Over the weekend we brought in ferns, succulents, and a few other plants that are too pretty to lose. There's only so much room in a small house to offer shelter. Can't bring the whole yard in.

The weather was great on our trip to GA. Our youngest son, Ben, went along this time. One of the highlights of the trip for all of us was hearing Jimmy Carter teach from the book of Acts at his church in Plains. He is very sharp, a man of the Word, still very committed to the peace process and contributing to the world. He was going to be in 3 countries during the next week. There were plenty of Secret Service agents and it is the first time I got frisked with a metal detector before entering church!

This weekend is Off the Map Live in Denver--The Born Again Church Tour. I am looking forward to meeting people and hearing the conversation. I will be taking photos, so check back here next week.