Human Rights

It’s a difficult task to find meaningful, ethical gifts at the best of times, and now for most of us the pandemic realities of 2020 have added even more challenging hurdles to Christmas shopping. In many places, local stores are closed, gatherings are restricted, and it seems impossible to avoid bigbox conglomerates or controversial online retailers. How can you ensure the gifts you’re giving this year are supporting socially conscious businesses, are justly and fairly made, and are contributing to healthy local economies? 

When she read a story on social media about headstones in a Jewish cemetery being vandalized in Michigan, my niece, Meghan Cohen, thought immediately of the cemetery in the Detroit area where her grandparents and aunt are buried.

A college professor in Denver, Meghan quickly decided that if the vandals had defaced the graves of her loved ones, she would hop on a plane -- despite the COVID- 19 pandemic -- and head for Detroit to clean them.

When people hear about the work I do with survivors, they often want to share with me the latest story they have heard about trafficking. As they share details, it could be about a case or a news story I hadn’t yet heard, and yet elements of it - the targeting, recruiting, grooming or conditioning, and exploitation of victims - tend to follow similar patterns. Despite this, trafficking can look vastly different and take on different forms.

Hear my cry, O God
Listen to my prayer
From the ends of the earth
I call to You

And when my heart
Is overwhelmed
Lead me to the rock

- David Baloche 

On Thursday October 8, 2020 we woke up to witness two deaths that had occurred during the night in the village. Two people who pretended to be customers killed an unsuspecting young lady operating the casino shop after midnight. The two murderers were heard as they tried to lift the loot, noise from moving the machines made the neighbors suspicious of dubious activity going on next door. An alarm for help was sounded and a search for the perpetrators started. One of the thugs was arrested by village leaders and police.

The Exodus Road is a nonprofit dedicated to strategically fighting human trafficking across the globe. The organization intervenes in human trafficking situations by empowering nationals around the world to gather evidence and facilitate rescue missions with local police to free enslaved people. 

Since 2011, I’ve been speaking and raising awareness about issues relating to human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Over the years, my presentation style changes and evolves to work to my strengths and address emerging issues. One of the challenges I have speaking to audiences of strangers is not knowing how much they might already know about the issue, so I tend to start with general facts and information and go from there. Last year, I adapted my presentation and centered my content around myths about human trafficking.

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. - Isaiah 43:19 NLT

Jesus in your name we pray, come and fill our hearts today.  Lord give us strength to live for you and glorify your name.  - Paul Baloche

So take all that I dream
Take all that I plan
You you hold all my days
There within Your hands

- Christy Nockels