Freedom Day Spirit Is An Everyday Event

ART FOR FREEDOM: Artists from around southern California collaborated on a mural during The Freedom Day, One Voice, One Act to End Slavery gathering at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa Sunday. The 8 ft. by 32 ft. mural will be auctioned off with proceeds going towards battling slavery issues. Image Credit: JEBB HARRIS, THE REGISTER

Freedom Day Spirit Is An Everyday Event

Last Sunday (March 25th) was the first of a worldwide recognition event, Freedom Day, to bring attention to the persistent and vexing problem of Humans capturing and selling Humans into efforts that include labor, sex, and even war.

200 years ago on March 25th, the politicians’ of Great Britain, led through the Christian principle based efforts of William Wilberforce, voted to abolish its effort to support and participation in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. The major efforts that led to this historic moment in time were dramatically portrayed in the recent film release – Amazing Grace.

The modern day efforts of slavery - Human Trafficking – need to stop and the only way to start the effort to reduce and bring an end to this business enterprise (one that generates more dollars and cents than Microsoft Corporation) is through awareness. One day a year is a start, but the spirit of Freedom Day needs to become an everyday event for this practice to end.

In Southern California, Freedom Day was a success.

HELPING HANDS: Mike Hartnov crochets a garment as his group Krochet Kids International demonstrated their project at the Sunday gathering. The nonprofit was founded by a group of young men who crochet and will be going to Uganda in May to teach women to crochet caps and other items which will be imported here for sale. Image Credit: JEBB HARRIS, THE REGISTER

This from the Orange County Register -

Program seeks help in fighting human trafficking
Freedom Day gathered supporters for modern-day abolitionist movement.
By SUSHMA SUBRAMANIAN - The Orange County Register - Sunday, March 25, 2007

COSTA MESA - One of the highest-profile human trafficking cases in Orange County would have never been discovered if it weren't for a neighbor.

A woman in Irvine called authorities when she noticed that a young girl who lived next door never went to school.

The neighbors, former Irvine couple Abdelnasser Eid Youssef Ibrahim and Amal Ahmed Ewis-abd Motelib, admitted in June to forcing a 10-year-old Egyptian girl to work as their domestic servant.

Westminster police Lt. Derek Marsh, a co-director on the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, told that story to about 40 people during a workshop at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa Sunday, part of Freedom Day, organized by nonprofits to educate residents about human trafficking.

"I don't see human trafficking driving down the street in a patrol car," Marsh said. "It's not one of those things that are public to check on."

He encouraged audience members to help fight human trafficking by looking for clues in their neighborhoods – people who seem like fish out of water for reasons that might include living with many other people who don't seem to be related or because they get bused to work.

More than 1,000 people attended Sunday's event, which included workshops on different aspects of human trafficking, films, lectures, art booths and music supporting modern-day abolitionist movements.

"When drugs are trafficked, they can be sold just once," presenter Tobi Aclaro said.

"A person can be sold over and over again."

WELCOMING FREEDOM DAY: To kick off the Freedom Day event, organizers asked the more than 1000 people in attendance to put a hand on one another's shoulder and look at them for 30 seconds in silence. The gesture, meant to welcome the dignity and humanity of others, was the starting point for activities to promote awareness of modern day slavery. Image Credit: JEBB HARRIS, THE REGISTER

At the event's opening, people were asked to touch someone standing next to them on the shoulder and to look that person in the face for 30 seconds, an exercise encouraging people to see humanity in others.

"Imagine the change we would welcome if we began to see the worth and dignity of every human being," said Ruthi Hoffman-Hanchett, one of the event organizers.

Nonprofit groups sold bags, hats and jewelry that would benefit human trafficking victims.

Workshop topics included human trafficking related to global poverty, migrant laborers and child pornography.

According to the U.S. Department of State, approximately 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders worldwide each year. About 14,500 to 17,500 of those victims are brought each year into the United States for forced labor or commercial sex.

"Before today, I didn't even know that this existed," said Tim Zarza, 27, who lives in San Diego. "It's become an industry and it's some people's way of living. And it's terrible."

A Burmese woman who was sold into prostitution in Thailand by her mother when she was 12 told her story. She escaped with the help of missionaries and now is married with two children.

"I have encountered so many problems in my life," said Moon, who gave only her first name. "I'm so thankful for what God has done for me."
Reference Here>>

Freedom Day - 24-7PRAYER Joins Stop The Traffik

Image Credit: Ville Miettinen

Freedom Day - 24-7PRAYER Joins Stop The Traffik - To honor and recognize the 200th anniversary of the "Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Act", a significant moment in the fight to end the evils of the transatlantic slave trade.

Freedom Day is 25 March 2007. The abolitionists of the 18th and 19th centuries generated a mass movement who campaigned for an end to slavery. In 2007, campaigners want to do the same-to inform people about the evil of Human Trafficking and to call for change that will prevent the sale of people, prosecute the traffickers and protect the victims.

Freedom Day is planning to be a key moment for STOP THE TRAFFIK and now 24-7PRAYER, the campaigning global coalition involving clubs, schools, faith groups, businesses and charities from around the world.

Freedom Day is a day to join in a prayer vigil. The plan is to organize one in every single county, constituency and city in the land, to 'give thanks' for William Wilberforce and all that God did 200 years ago, a prayer vigil to 'intercede' for specific situations and for a measurable positive change toward the reduction in the enterprise of Human Trafficking.

This from STOP THE TRAFFIK organizing partner 24-7PRAYER -

As you read this, a child somewhere is being bought and sold like a lump of meat and we know that God hears their cries and that He is calling us to take action.

24-7 Prayer has committed to support the STOP THE TRAFFIK campaign by holding a prayer vigil on the night of Saturday 24th March 2007 to pave the way for the celebration of Freedom Day on Sunday 25th. The 24-7 Prayer UK team is leading this prayer initiative, but people trafficking is a global issue and so we feel it is essential to get the support from the worldwide community.

With just days to go we need you to take action now. Go ahead and spread the word: book a venue for the vigil and look to mobilise local youth groups, churches, colleges and schools. You might like to run an entire week of non-stop prayer in the build up to Freedom Day?

We've been busy developing specific resources to help with the vigil, which can be downloaded from the website, but for the time being here are some answers to your initial questions:

Q. What is a Vigil?
A. A vigil is a period of wakefulness for a particular cause, generally conducted on the eve of a holy day.

Q. What is the aim of this particular Vigil?
A. We want to see the world alive and awake with prayer all night on 24th March 2007. Across the nation we will take time to 'lament' - to hear the cries that God hears 24/7, the cries of those in slavery.

Q. What's the format of the vigil?
A. You can either organize a 24 hour prayer vigil, or a night of prayer or just a straightforward evening prayer meeting on 24th March.

Q. What's the focus of the vigil?
A. Three P's: Prayer, Profile and Preparation.

Pray! We will take time to 'give thanks' for William Wilberforce and all that God did 200 years ago. We will take time to 'intercede' for specific situations and for measurable change. Wilberforce understood and demonstrated that the power-house of all lasting change is not politics but prayer. "Of all things," he said, "guard against neglecting God in the secret place of prayer."

Profile! We will seek to build awareness of the issues surrounding human trafficking in our localities through the STOP THE TRAFFIK Campaign.

Prepare! As well as praying about and profiling the issues, we see the vigil as a preparation for Freedom Day - March 25th 2007.

There are already vigils planned from Belfast to Ibiza (see vigil map), from small groups of friends meeting in their front room, to weeks of 24-7 prayer at Boiler Rooms. It does not matter how you want to do it, but God is calling us to pray! So visit the website, see where others are praying and register your own vigil.

“He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captive and release from darkness for the prisoners”. Isaiah 61.

To receive further updates, information and prayer requests over the coming months about supporting STOP THE TRAFFIK through prayer please email us.

Here are a few facts that you might find useful as you begin to get people aware of this issue, you can get loads more resources from the STOP THE TRAFFIK website:

At least 12.3 million people are victims of forced labour worldwide. Of these 2.4 million are as a result of human trafficking. [Source: International Labour Organisation, 2005]

600-800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year. That means that for almost every minute of every day a person is enslaved somewhere in the world.

Approximately 80 per cent are women and girls. Up to 50% are minors. [US Department of State, 2005]

An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. [UNICEF, January 2003]

Once you’ve decided what you’re going to do on Freedom Day it would be great if you could let the Stop The Traffik office know by emailing info@stopthetraffik.org.

Be sure to visit the new 24-7 Prayer/Stop The Traffik website for support and resources on setting up a vigil to pray in your community for an end to people trafficking.
Reference Here>>

"Wherever two or more are gathered in MY name" - proceed to intercede on behalf of those who do not have their freedom at the hands of others who do.