2010.new year.what next?

We’re only 66 days into the Freedom For Alice project and this ‘make a difference & help abolish modern day slavery’ mountain is looking bigger than ever. The purpose of this blog is to inform others about Human Trafficking, (especially within Australia) and to document my journey to see if one person can REALLY make a difference. Honestly to say it’s been an overwhelming 66 days would be a huge understatement.

There are an estimated 27 million people in slavery right now. Today. All around the world. Including our own backyards. 27 million people... there are 22 million people living in Australia. Imagine our entire nation enslaved...& add 5million! It’s a mind bending concept. So I wanted 27 million victims to be more than a number to me. I wanted to hear their stories, see their faces and somehow connect to the reality of their lives. I began to watch movies about Human Trafficking...needless to say these films alter you.

I started ‘light’ and watched the movie ‘Taken’. It’s an action movie really focused around Sex Trafficking. There was one absolutely heart wrenching scene where they auction the girls like cattle...all I could think was we MUST not give up fighting for them...

Next I watched ‘Human Trafficking’...it’s a TV mini drama and 3 hours later, felt pretty overwhelmed! It was by far the most confronting film I watched, I’m not sure if I could sit through it again...however I had to play & pause the speech at the end so I could write it all down, a highlight to say the least:

"No sensible person believes that slavery could happen in the 21st century far less on our shores. We couldn’t be more wrong... slave traffickers around the world have rediscovered how profitable is it to buy and sell people. Human Trafficking has emerged as a tragic whiplash at the economic transition that has occurred over the past several years in Eastern Europe and perhaps most importantly we must face the fact that none of this horror would be possible if our culture didn't create a demand for it. We need to realise that modern day slavery is only occurring because we choose to ignore it."

- Human Trafficking Film

My third film was ‘The Jammed' focusing on Trafficking in Australia. Watching scenes shot on streets I’ve walked down was like watching a disturbing evil arrive on my doorstep.

Finally I watched the ‘Not For Sale’ documentary which was very encouraging because it highlighted people around the world who through innovation, passion and dedication and truly making a difference rescuing lives and restoring futures.

I’ve got two more films to go but I might wait a while to watch them...these kind of viewings are intense, emotional and difficult to deal with. In saying that I highly recommend them, especially if you also want to peel back the statistics and encounter the reality of this horrific injustice.

Currently I’m reading Stop The Traffik by Steve Chalke & Cherie Blair...it’s such incredibly useful and insightful book I plan to rant and rave about it in another blog...in the meantime find yourself a copy!

There is much to be done. Many books to read, things to say and actions to take. For the Freedom For Alice project there’d drawings to be done and MONEY to raise...I’m going to give it all I’ve got because:

2010...sounds like a year to be a VOICE for those who have none
2010...sounds like a year for EVERYDAY ordinary people to change the world.
2010...sounds like a year for FREEDOM!

(still convinced we ordinary people can do extraordinary things.)

faith.hope.love.
Fyona

NEW Freedom For Alice Cards Now Instore...

It's always a lovely feeling to finally upload a new range to the online store but I must say this range has been extra satisfying.

When people purchase these cards...they are REALLY helping to make the world a better place. First they can write something encouraging.life giving.inspiring to someone and light up their day. Secondly by purchasing these cards they are taking a stand against injustice in the 21st Century. 100% of profits are donated to The A21 Campaign to help rescue Human Trafficking victims.

Please visit our store and grab yourself a pack...

Hope Concert

Yesterday we had the privilege of attending and selling our products at Hope Concert in Shellharbour, NSW.

The event raised money for Zoe Children’s Home which rescues children who are at risk of have being sold into prostitution or slavery; orphaned children & those who are victims of other heinous crimes and abuse.

It was an awesome night with a fantastic presentation about the issues concerning modern day slavery. We launched our brand new card range & raised a total of $314.55 for Zoe Children’s Home...that is enough to provide housing, medication, health care, education, clothing, food and drinking water for a child in Thailand for 3 months...pretty satisfying stuff.

Thankyou everyone who got behind the event and made it such a success!

Slavery isn’t decreasing...it’s getting worse.

All over the world, today, RIGHT NOW 27 million people are in slavery...I can’t fathom that figure...but this may help: that’s double that of any other time in human history.

Slavery isn’t decreasing...it’s getting worse.

About 85% are females and over 13 million are children. Today’s slave trade earns more than Starbucks, Google & Nike COMBINED each year. It is the single fastest growing and most lucrative industry that exists today. No nation is exempt, no content untouched, uninvolved or slave free...In America all of the major cities have houses that hold women who have been trafficked into slavery, forced into a life of being beaten, raped, and prostitution, servicing an average of 20 to 40 men each day.

“History will reflect upon this in the same light as the holocaust. Modern slavery will go down as the single worst human rights violation to ever take place at such a grand level. Statistically, it is almost impossible for any one of us to not have items in our houses that have slave hands have touched.” Ronda Gupton-Pruett

Just as we have heard the injustices of the past and looked to where our ancestors were, I have no doubt that our grandchildren will one day read about these 27 million lives and then look to us and ask where were we? what did we do? Right now much of this issue is an unknown to us, a modern inconvenience amongst our comfortable, self serving world. However time passing has a way of highlighting the real priorities...do we really want to be a part of a society that piggy backs off the misery of slavery?

So many people are still unaware of modern day slavery. Being informed ourselves so that we may inform others is a powerful tool against these injustices. Big world changing events start from something small, a thought, a conversation, an encouragement...so don’t deny the world of the one small simple thing you can do.

The following is a clip of Justin Dillion (Call+Response film director) speaking at the annual state-wide Christian Life Conference about the danger of human trafficking.

couldn’t have said it better myself...

Christine Caine is the founder and director of The A21 Campaign. The following in from her blog equipandempower.org and explains why she became involved in The A21 Campaign. Personally I couldn’t have said it better myself.

She says, “I will never forget waking up from a deep sleep crying and shouting “we are coming to get you!” The dream was so vivid as I could hear the cries of the girls trapped with no way out...and I could no longer ignore the screams.

The truth is, that had never happened to me before...waking up and shouting from a deep sleep...it was freaky for me...I wondered, “Have I been reading too many books about this subject, watching too many movies, talking about it so much that it had invaded my subconscious?!” Then I had to admit, God was perhaps arresting my attention and asking ME to do something about it. So, I with fear and trepidation, said one word that has radically changed my life...YES.

Freedom is a fundamental human right. It is for FREEDOM that Christ set us free (Gal 5:1).
ONE victim of human trafficking is too many
NO-ONE should be subjected to such an injustice
NO-ONE should be so brutalized, demoralized, devalued, used, and abused
NO-ONE should have their dreams so horrifically shattered
NO-ONE should live in such fear
NO-ONE should live without hope
NO-ONE should be the victim of another's depravity, greed and lust.

We the CHURCH cannot sit by and ignore that this is going on.
We cannot just quote statistics without realizing these are human lives,
Human lives created in the image of God,
Human lives that Jesus gave His life for,
Human lives who are sons and daughters of the King,
Human lives to whom we have been called to reach with the GOSPEL.

The spirit of the Lord is upon ME
Because He has anointed ME
To preach the Gospel to the poor
He has sent ME to heal the brokenhearted
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind
To set at liberty those who are oppressed
Luke 4:18

Selah...we have no choice.

People are the most important thing to God...lets do what we can, with what we have, to rescue, restore, and rebuild the lives of these victims. EveryONE matters to God.”

Slavery Is Unacceptable

Jamie Brandt posted this quote on twitter today: 'Slavery is unacceptable. It was unacceptable yesterday, its unacceptable today, and will continue to be unacceptable tomorrow.'

Both films, Call+Response and Amazing Grace came to mind when I read it...and a deep sense that we no longer have the option to do nothing...

Call+Response

It was only 4 days after the decision to start the Freedom For Alice project was made that I saw this life changing film: Call+Response. In my experience, few things in life have resounded within me as this film, this call and my desire to respond have done. Had I not already awoken to the need to start this project, I am certain I would have been after the 2 hours spent sitting in the cinema.

About the Film:

‘CALL+RESPONSE is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history.

CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

Luminaries on the issue such as Cornel West, Madeleine Albright, Daryl Hannah, Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Nicholas Kristof, and many other prominent political and cultural figures offer first hand account of this 21st century trade. Performances from Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists including Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Five For Fighting, Switchfoot, members of Nickel Creek and Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, Rocco Deluca move this chilling information into inspiration for stopping it.

Music is part of the movement against human slavery. Dr. Cornel West connects the music of the American slave fields to the popular music we listen to today, and offers this connection as a rallying cry for the modern abolitionist movement currently brewing.’ – Call+Response

The film is currently screening in America, but special screenings can be requested via the website.

Visit the website: http://www.callandresponse.com/

Call+Response: its more than facts and figures, these are people, this is unjust and this is happening now...if you missed out on the film, watch this. the Freedom For Alice project seeks to help people such as these....