As usual I have a lot on my mind at a late hour. Suprised? Well, here it goes...and be gentle, this is close to my heart.
I went to see Taken tonight. If you haven't heard of it, it's a movie about the sex trade. If you haven't heard of that, read my other blogs...most of them have something to do with it haha. But the movie just keeps replaying in my mind. Well, not all of it. Not the parts where he unrealistically kills like 7 people in about 5 minutes. But the parts about prostitution are what stuck with me. It's been a long time since I've seen a movie like this one. I can't close my eyes because when I do, I see a 17 year old beautiful girl being auctioned off to a bunch of rich men. Or I see a 19 year old girl handcuffed to a bed with no pulse. Those are the parts that stuck with me.
But there's one line that got me. It made me so angry. The man told the girl's father "It's just business, it's nothing personal." I've been thinking about that ever since. It's nothing personal. But, see, it is personal. It hit me (and yes I already knew this but it really hit me) that each girl out there being sold for a few bucks behind a curtain or being auctioned off for $500,000...that girl is someone's daughter. She's someone's sister. She's someone's friend. Even the girls who are sold by their own parents, I have a hard time believing it was an easy decision for those parents. Maybe it was, who knows, but I like to believe it wasn't easy.
I hope these images leave my mind. I keep thinking of the girls I met in Cambodia. I can't bear to think that they went through anything similar to what that movie portrayed. I don't want to think that they've been raped over and over just because their parents needed some money. But it's true, and you can't get rid of the truth.
Usually I like to make these blogs somewhat hopeful or uplifting, but that's not the spirit I'm in tonight. Is that wrong? It's just that movie was more than a movie to me...it was a rude reminder of what I've been called to change, even if I think I can't.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
stressing but blessing (i'm so clever!)
It's been way too long since I've written. Since Easter weekend actually...that's a pretty long time. I don't know, maybe it's not, but I feel like Easter was months ago. It was just a couple weeks ago though wasn't it?
And so, here I am, a few weeks later, doing my best to get through the next couple weeks. I hate to say it like that, though. I mean, I like to enjoy every day as best I can, savor each moment and remember that I can't get it back. And yet, here I am in the same place I always fall back on - I can't wait until this part is over.
As I'm writing that, though, I feel very convicted. I mean, God gave me this life. He gave me today and He gave me the opportunity to be at this amazing school with some amazing people learning amazing things that will, and already have, changed my life. Shouldn't I be more grateful than this? I feel like I should be praising God for all the stress I have, but I'm not. Actually, let me rephrase that, I know I should be praising God through all the stress and I'm not.
It makes me think of the story of Job. It's kind of a difficult book to read and if you take stuff out of context you can really screw up your theology, but it's such a good story. The devil himself comes to God and asks permission to ruin the life of Job, an extremely godly man. The Lord knows Job hasn't done anything wrong, he deserves no punishment, but he also knows what will come of Job's suffering for centuries to come. (I bet He even knew I'd be writing about it today!) So anyway, the Lord lets Satan do what he wants as long as he doesn't take Job's life. So the devil takes everything from Job: his family, his land, his pride, his health, everything he has. Talk about stress...Job must have been beyond just stress - he had to be in utter despair. I mean all that's really been taken from me is my sleep and my free time (and a little bit of my sanity). And still, immediately after Job is told that his house has fallen on his children, Job says this:
And so, here I am, a few weeks later, doing my best to get through the next couple weeks. I hate to say it like that, though. I mean, I like to enjoy every day as best I can, savor each moment and remember that I can't get it back. And yet, here I am in the same place I always fall back on - I can't wait until this part is over.
As I'm writing that, though, I feel very convicted. I mean, God gave me this life. He gave me today and He gave me the opportunity to be at this amazing school with some amazing people learning amazing things that will, and already have, changed my life. Shouldn't I be more grateful than this? I feel like I should be praising God for all the stress I have, but I'm not. Actually, let me rephrase that, I know I should be praising God through all the stress and I'm not.
It makes me think of the story of Job. It's kind of a difficult book to read and if you take stuff out of context you can really screw up your theology, but it's such a good story. The devil himself comes to God and asks permission to ruin the life of Job, an extremely godly man. The Lord knows Job hasn't done anything wrong, he deserves no punishment, but he also knows what will come of Job's suffering for centuries to come. (I bet He even knew I'd be writing about it today!) So anyway, the Lord lets Satan do what he wants as long as he doesn't take Job's life. So the devil takes everything from Job: his family, his land, his pride, his health, everything he has. Talk about stress...Job must have been beyond just stress - he had to be in utter despair. I mean all that's really been taken from me is my sleep and my free time (and a little bit of my sanity). And still, immediately after Job is told that his house has fallen on his children, Job says this:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart. c]">[c]
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised." (Job 1:21)
I mean seriously, Job? Your house has just collapsed and your kids are dead and that's what you have to say about it? "Praise the Lord"?? Does that blow anyone else away? Does it convict anyone else?
Like I said, I haven't exactly been praising the Lord in my stress. I haven't been cursing Him or anything, more neglecting Him. I try to spend my few minutes a day in the Bible and praying, but He deserves more than that, even if I don't like the circumstances around me. And that's another thing: He's unchanging. That means that just because the homework and the stress are piling up, it doesn't mean He's shrinking. He's just as huge and just as amazing as before.
I'm going to try to change my attitude though. I wasn't even thinking about any of this before I started writing, but God's convicted me in the past few minutes. I need to learn to praise Him throughout these next 13 days. So, God, may your name be praised.
and naked I will depart. c]">[c]
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised." (Job 1:21)
I mean seriously, Job? Your house has just collapsed and your kids are dead and that's what you have to say about it? "Praise the Lord"?? Does that blow anyone else away? Does it convict anyone else?
Like I said, I haven't exactly been praising the Lord in my stress. I haven't been cursing Him or anything, more neglecting Him. I try to spend my few minutes a day in the Bible and praying, but He deserves more than that, even if I don't like the circumstances around me. And that's another thing: He's unchanging. That means that just because the homework and the stress are piling up, it doesn't mean He's shrinking. He's just as huge and just as amazing as before.
I'm going to try to change my attitude though. I wasn't even thinking about any of this before I started writing, but God's convicted me in the past few minutes. I need to learn to praise Him throughout these next 13 days. So, God, may your name be praised.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
good friday?
This Good Friday wasn't like most years. Usually I become very reflective, contemplative, whatever on Good Friday. This year I think I took the opposite route. I did my best to ignore it. You know why? Because I know I didn't deserve what Christ did and I couldn't let myself accept that He did it anyway.
So I went through the motions. If it came up, I acted like I was grateful and acted like everything was normal, but inside everything was all wrong. I didn't want God's forgiveness because I knew there was no way I could live up to it. I didn't want it because I knew I'd just screw up again anyway. And in my head I had this crazy idea like if I tried hard enough, I'd convince God I was right not Him.
Stupid, right? Well no one ever said I was smart. And besides, I think we all try stupid things sometimes when it comes to God. I guess it's because He's so hard to understand, so we box Him up and try to control Him. I know I'm not the only one...
But anyway, it didn't work of course. My thoughts, my actions, won't change a thing about history. Because what happened on Good Friday is more than just a legend. It's more than a good story. It's history. It's truth. And it's why I can get up in the morning knowing that His mercies are new and that what I did yesterday is over. It's a new day and I have a new slate. So hopefully I'll do my best to respect that new day with His new mercies. Of course, knowing my human nature I'm sure something will go wrong. But it's worth a shot. I think Jesus deserves my effort at the very least.
Jesus died on the cross for you whether you wanted Him to or not. It's up to you to accept it. It's all your choice now.
So I went through the motions. If it came up, I acted like I was grateful and acted like everything was normal, but inside everything was all wrong. I didn't want God's forgiveness because I knew there was no way I could live up to it. I didn't want it because I knew I'd just screw up again anyway. And in my head I had this crazy idea like if I tried hard enough, I'd convince God I was right not Him.
Stupid, right? Well no one ever said I was smart. And besides, I think we all try stupid things sometimes when it comes to God. I guess it's because He's so hard to understand, so we box Him up and try to control Him. I know I'm not the only one...
But anyway, it didn't work of course. My thoughts, my actions, won't change a thing about history. Because what happened on Good Friday is more than just a legend. It's more than a good story. It's history. It's truth. And it's why I can get up in the morning knowing that His mercies are new and that what I did yesterday is over. It's a new day and I have a new slate. So hopefully I'll do my best to respect that new day with His new mercies. Of course, knowing my human nature I'm sure something will go wrong. But it's worth a shot. I think Jesus deserves my effort at the very least.
Jesus died on the cross for you whether you wanted Him to or not. It's up to you to accept it. It's all your choice now.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
what could be worse?
Tonight my heart is heavy.
It's heavy for 27 million people around the world.
Or at least that's the estimated number...who knows? It could be more. About 27 million people are slaves today. Slavery still exists and it's right in our backyards. But we're not doing anything about it. 80% of those slaves are women. 50% of those slaves are children. Most of them are sold for sexual expl
oitation.
It's estimated that between 14,500 and 17,000 (it's hard to record them all) people are trafficked into THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA every year. Into a free country. Into our country. Of them, 70% are sold for prostitution or some other type of sexual exploitation. There have been reports of this in all 50 states.
The US has become one of the top 3 destinations for sex traffickers. Out of all the countries in the world enough people are brought into our country as sex workers to make us the 3rd most popular destination country.
Sex trafficking is a sickly profitable business. It's become an $8 billion international business. Wal-Mart, the largest company in the world as of 2008, only had a revenue of $378,799 last year.
But it's not about statistics. It's about lives. It's about individuals, just like you or me, being forced into something they don't want to do. They are worth so much more than $100. They are priceless. They're human beings with families, dreams, and hopes.
UNC news
San Francisco Chronicle
Global 500
It's heavy for 27 million people around the world.
Or at least that's the estimated number...who knows? It could be more. About 27 million people are slaves today. Slavery still exists and it's right in our backyards. But we're not doing anything about it. 80% of those slaves are women. 50% of those slaves are children. Most of them are sold for sexual expl
oitation.It's estimated that between 14,500 and 17,000 (it's hard to record them all) people are trafficked into THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA every year. Into a free country. Into our country. Of them, 70% are sold for prostitution or some other type of sexual exploitation. There have been reports of this in all 50 states.
The US has become one of the top 3 destinations for sex traffickers. Out of all the countries in the world enough people are brought into our country as sex workers to make us the 3rd most popular destination country.
Sex trafficking is a sickly profitable business. It's become an $8 billion international business. Wal-Mart, the largest company in the world as of 2008, only had a revenue of $378,799 last year.
But it's not about statistics. It's about lives. It's about individuals, just like you or me, being forced into something they don't want to do. They are worth so much more than $100. They are priceless. They're human beings with families, dreams, and hopes.
A story from North Korea/China:
"Nineteen-year-old So-Young stands at less than five feet tall after being chronically malnourished in North Korea. A refugee, she crossed illegally into China with hopes of a better life, but found instead a nightmare of sexual exploitation. An “employer” offered her approximately $1.40 per day in exchange for work—money that So- Young planned on sending back to her family. Deceived by this empty promise, So-Young spent the next several months being passed between handlers. Just days before she was to be purchased by a forty-year-old Chinese man, So-Young managed to escape with the help of a local pastor. Three years later, she was forcibly repatriated to North Korea where she was imprisoned for six months before escaping once more to China. Traffickers kidnapped her once again, repeatedly raping her prior to her sale. Her new “husband” also raped her multiple times before she was able to escape. So-Young remains in hiding today: “There are many people coming out of North Korea, but they don’t have anywhere to go and no other choice but to go that route [into China].”" Trafficking in Persons Report 2008
UNC news
San Francisco Chronicle
Global 500
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