How many slaves do you own?

I have about 33 slaves around the world working for me.

33

Back at the beginning of January, I went with a whole bunch of college students from RDU to Passion conference in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a fantastic 4 days full of worship, teaching, and fellowship with friends (old and new). We worshipped the God of the universe with about 45,000 college students from all across America and from all around the world. And next year its going to be even bigger- next year there will be around 70,000!! If you are between 18 and 25, you should really consider coming next year! It was the best way to spend the last little bit of winter break. 

The point of me telling you about Passion is that while we were there, we not only learned and worshipped, we also responded and were challenged to "Do something now." The focus for Passion this year was ending human slavery. 

We were shown videos of former slaves from around the world- a woman who was a sex slave in Greece, a girl who was a domestic slave in the Middle East, and a man who was a slave on a rice farm in India. 

Around the world right now there are more than 27 million men, women, and children living in slavery. Everywhere from the cocoa fields in West Africa to the red-light district of Amsterdam to downtown Raleigh, people are living in slavery. 

More people are enslaved now then ever before. 

We think of slavery as a thing of the past. Isn't that what the civil war was over? (if you didn't learn history in the south at least). 

Slavery seems old and barbaric, something that would not be happening in a modern world. 

But it is. 

And it happens here. 

Its not just something that happens in the developing world, its happening here. In New York, in Los Angelos, in Durham. 

But we are not powerless. Together, those of us at Passion raised over $3 million to give to organizations around the world fighting human trafficking and slavery. 

So what can you do? What can I do now?

First, find out your slavery footprint.

Slaveryfootprint.org is a great website that explains better than I can the state of slavery in the world today. They will explain where you have slaves working for you and what you should do about it.

I calculated my footprint and I own 33 slaves around the world. In Latin America, Africa, Asia, and India.

Note- these are estimates of course. There is no real way to know exactly how many slaves are affected by you, but still, the point is that my shoes, jeans, and car were made by forced labor around the world. 

Its sad, but the truth of the matter is that it is just about impossible to live in this world and not buy things produced by slaves. Especially if you are living on a budget. 

The point is not to right now swear that you will never buy anything ever made by a slave again, you won't last. You will burn out. 

The point is to take action, any action. 

Choose one product that you don't want to buy anymore. I wrote this post last year about Hershey. I will admit that I have gotten slack in this regard and given in to the temptation for Reese's a few times. 

Slaveryfootprint.org makes it easy to make a difference. They have an app (that I already downloaded) that helps you know if a product is made by slaves and if it is allows you to e-mail the corporation and make your voice heard demanding the end of slavery. 

You can also go right now and sign this petition from the International Justice Mission for President Obama demanding action to bring about the end of slavery. 

As believers, we cannot ignore this problem around the world. The Bible is clear on God's stand about justice. God hates injustice. He hates slavery. Let's hate what He hates and love what He loves.

 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
   he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
   and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Isaiah 61:1

For I the LORD love justice;
   I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
   and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 

Isaiah 61:8

 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:41-46