Child Slavery

By Sarah Plumadore, Messiah College

I sat in chapel with the word “sold” plastered on my shirt and yet I sang, “my chains are gone I’ve been set free, my God my savior has ransomed me.”

I realized that while God has ransomed me from the curse of my sins (and I, in no way, wish to belittle the incredible and simply awesome nature of that redemptive act), I have never been chained -- literally chained, the way Maya had.

Maya, the girl whose story my shirt represents, was sold by her own mother, taken across the boarder from Myanmar to Thailand, and forced to sell flowers every day. She was 8 years old.

I was struck by this incongruity; that I could joyfully sing “my chains are gone, I’ve been set free” and yet children like Maya are sold every day and forced into lives of slavery – chained. As I looked around, I saw other participants of the campaign singing with hands lifted, totally immersed in this act of worship, proclaiming their own freedom in Christ. Yet their shirts screamed: Forced, Threatened, Indebted, Seduced, Deceived. Each shirt represents yet another child trafficked into slavery.

There are many ways you can mobilize others to advocate for the Child Protection Compact Act: setup laptop stations to advocate online, encourage others to call their elected leaders, or download our advocacy petition to collect signatures.

Be sure to also send the online form around to others through Facebook and e-mail. If enough of us call and write to our leaders, they will make it a priority to right this wrong and stop child slavery.

We are now entering Week 3 of Lent, and below is part of the study for Week 3. You are not too late to get started! Make sure to download the entire study here.

A Most Distressing Disguise

We gathered together in a group of about sixty—me, my wife, and my daughter Hannah, along with a few World Vision Uganda staff and perhaps forty children of various ages. We were waiting for them to arrive, planning to greet them with songs and celebration. We had been told they would arrive that morning.

As the metal gates creaked open, our anticipation grew—they were here. The SUV slowly pulled in, inched its way toward us, and finally came to a stop. Then the doors opened, and two teenage boys tentatively stepped out to face the crowd. I could see both fear and confusion on their faces—they clearly weren’t expecting this kind of welcome, not for two mass murderers.

Matthew Stephens is the Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator for World Vision in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.  In this video we explore why human trafficking thrives.

Raise awareness and advocate on your campus: The Human Wrong Initiative

ACT NOW: Advocate to stop child slavery. Right this Human Wrong.

By Gia Coluccio and Kendra Johnson of George Washington University

At Urbana 2009, World Vision ACT:S, IJM, and Sojourners launched a new child slavery campaign, known as the Human Wrong Initiative. We want to share our Human Wrong story with the network and give you some ideas on how you can begin organizing your campaign!

By Jesse Eaves, World Vision child protection policy advisor

Percy’s our child protection and anti-trafficking specialist in Vlore. I asked her if the global economic crisis had increased the vulnerability for local children and their families. Her response was at once both a “whoa” and a “duh” moment for me.

If you’ve always been in crisis, what qualifies as a “crisis”? Sure, it’s been pretty rough in the United States and elsewhere. World Vision and other organizations have warned that the economic crisis will place even more children at risk for exploitation, as families and communities become more desperate. Well, what if you’ve been desperate for decades, and even generations? If you’re always in a “crisis,” if you’re always vulnerable, are the mistakes and laments of bigger economies really going to have an effect on you? It’s a good question to ponder as we move on to our next stop: A visit with the Peer Educators.

By Jesse Eaves, World Vision child protection policy advisor

Standing on the ledge of a rocky coast of the southwestern Albanian port of Vlore, looking at the crystal clear water of the Adriatic Sea, it’s hard to imagine anyone being in crisis in this place. You want to believe that it’s simply beautiful. But if you look at the vulnerability and poverty when we turn back toward land, there’s little beauty here.

By Jesse Eaves, World Vision child protection policy advisor

Since I got back from Asia, it’s been non-stop gearing up for the Human Wrong Initiative.

So where are we? We are in Tirana, the capital of Albania, in the Balkan region of Eastern Europe.

Urbana 09 was great this year! Check out some great videos and slideshows to remember your Urbana experience (or find out what you missed)!

Here's a video tour of the ACT:S Experience exhibit: 

Check out people's commitment pictures at Urbana - find yourself or friends and tag them on Facebook!