My First Step

I've gotten some good advise regarding my last post- "But What Can I DO?" I'm not sure yet how I'm going to put it all together, but for now I've decided I need to really start to get the word out about human trafficking. These blogs are a part of that, but I'm also trying to get the word out through Facebook.

Facebook has an application called "Causes." By adding the app, you can post information about that cause on your profile. You can also donate to the cause and invite friends to join your cause or get them to donate too. I've joined a few causes, but so far the one I'm putting most effort behind is "Stop the Traffik."

If you're on Facebook and you're my "friend" look me up, click on my Stop the Traffik link and join. I'll get "credit" for getting you to join and I'll know my first step is working. If you're not my friend, search for my name, add me to your friends and send me a note telling me who you are and that you saw this note on my blog.

Then YOU can start getting your friends to join and help spread the word too. Come on! This is a simple way to get the ball rolling. You can help make a difference. We all can.

Get the word out there!

But What Can I DO?

For a couple of years now I have been very concerned about human trafficking. It all started when I saw a made for TV movie "Human Trafficking" with Mira Sorvino and Donald Sutherland. As I watched, my heart was broken and I sat quietly with a dull ache hanging over my spirit. The next day, even before the second part of the movie aired, I began searching the Internet to find out more. I wanted to DO something about it.

I found plenty of links and learned a lot, but other than send money, I came up empty. And which organization would make the most difference? Which would use my donations most wisely? Obviously, TSA was a good choice, but even if I did that, I still got no closer to personally DOING something and making a difference. And you're never really in on where your money goes, who you're helping and what it DOES to help.

Sending money at an issue like this seems like a way to avoid getting personally involved; sorta like keeping it all at arms length. It's always easier to throw money at such things than to actually roll up your sleeves and DO something (Debbie & I support 2 children through TSA, but we can't get personally involved in their lives [not that we don't want to]. We rarely hear any news about them and I usually feel like we're just trying to placate our conscience the easy way).

I have written a few blogs on the subject and lately taken to inviting friends on facebook to join the cause (and a few other good causes) to get the word out there, but even that seems like it's just "the socially acceptable thing to do."

When I recently asked Rob Dolby what I could do, he suggested I take a prostitute out to lunch. That shocked my system, but actually sounds plausible. Still, the average prostitute I would see on a street corner might not be trafficked (although many are [even though it's not seen that way in American courts] if you follow the path that led them to that place- it would certainly be a similar thing).

What really bothers me about trafficking is that women and children are kidnapped and hidden away from those who might actually be in a place to help them (like me taking them to lunch, developing a respectable relationship with them and helping them make a good choice [with most it's no choice at all] to get to safety). My heart SO breaks when I hear of such injustice!

I'd like to wear the "I am Coming" ring, but they haven't been produced yet! Not enough people have joined the cause through them to get them made. But wearing a ring, except for educating people, does exactly what?

That hurts me deeply at this point, but I guess all I can DO is pray my ache back to Jesus, who put that ache in me in the first place. He aches SO much more than I over the people trapped in trafficking; they are his children.

Interestingly enough, my prayers can actually DO something while I wait for a more tactile thing to DO.

Anyone out there have any suggestions?

Prayer: O Yahweh! Bare Your mighty arm on behalf of your captive ones! Comfort, protect, bring hope and a way out. Keep them from physical, emotional and spiritual harm. Let them know of your undying love and concern. Break their captor's teeth, cause them to get caught and punished! End this blight on humanity and help us to DO what it takes to bring true freedom to all.

Riding the Wave

I have been thinking about the term "Riding the Wave" and while it sounds like a fun ride, it occurs to me that it can be cool as long as you know where the wave is headed.

I can think of three different destinations for waves:

1) A nice, wide, sandy beach. This is the place everyone assumes they are headed when riding a wave. I've seen surfers finish out their rides right on the sand without even stepping in the water! Nice! If this is where you are headed, as long as the ride is a good one, the end is justified.

2) A rough, rocky jetty. This would certainly not be a place you want to end up. Yet it happens a lot more than people want to believe or admit. While they are paying attention to the ride and assuming it's taking them where they want, they miss where the final stop ends up. "Pride goes before a fall," scripture reminds us. This is not a happy ending, but many never even include this possibility in their plans.

3) Out to sea. This happens when outside forces like wind or currents redirect the wave. This ride never ends or does so when it is far from the safety of shore with no chance of a safe landing.

So when you think you want to ride the wave (of whatever) in your life, make sure you take the wave God is directing you to. That will give you the first result. When you pick the wave, it's more likely you'll end up with a second or third place result.

And that crash at the end can devastate more than your ego.