Slavery Exists Today, Where I Live?
Written by: John Wood in Freedom(Human Trafficking Awareness) on July 17, 2012
"You may choose to look the other way butyou can never say again that you did not know." –William Wilberforce
When I first found out that 27 million people (mostlyminors) on the planetlive in some form of slavery (more people held in slavery than
at any other time in human history), I didn’twant to believe it! I knew at some pointin my life that I’d do something aboutit,but that
desire lay dormantuntil I heard lastyear that slavery wasn’tjustoccurring internationally,butit was occurring in my own country. Not
only that, it was occurring in the State of Florida—the place where I live. I was in shock.This simplycould not be true. I didn’twantit to
be true! Yet, unfortunately, I had to face this harsh reality for myselfpersonally.It is true. Slavery even exists where I live.
The details ofthis reality are staggering.Seventy percentof modern-dayslaves are women.Fifty percent are children.What is worse is
that it is happening in our own backyards.Florida is ranked third in human trafficking cases in the United States, behind Or egon and
California.It is estimated thatat any given momentthere are between 30,000 to 40,000 pre-teen and teenage runaways in Florida.
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,within 48 hours of a child running away from home,they will be
propositioned into the commercial sextrade.Children are being recruited to be sexually exploited from all kinds of places,including the
streets,schools and our local malls.
The opening quote by William Wilberforce haunts me,because Ican truly never say again that I did not know. I have freedom;I am not
being completelydominated and controlled byanother to do whatthey want againstmy will.You and I, who live in freedom,ar e
responsible to assistthose who do not. My favorite verses of scripture are found in Isaiah 42:6-7 (NIV): "I, the Lord, have called you in
righteousness;Iwill take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the
Gentiles,to open eyes that are blind,to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sitin darkness."
Can you even imagine being a slave? What if it was your very own daughter? Wouldn’tyou wantsomeone to rescue her? We have that
opportunity today to be a catalyst to help setthe captives free.
Northland staffand volunteers are working on a "Freedom"strategy to specificallyaddress and respond to the issue ofhuman
trafficking. Connecting together for education and service,we can help put an end to modern-dayslavery and human trafficking.
Join the fight! Come to Northland at Longwood on Thursday, August 2, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in room 4213,for the Immigration
and Human Trafficking Learning Group. We'll discuss how we can respond to this issue together.I hope you'll continue to follow this
blog for updates,informational videos highlighting the problems,stories and practical steps thatyou can take to make a difference right
where you are. The video above illustrates the alarming realityof slavery and whatone organization is doing to remove this evil.
What are your thoughts? Can you relate to how I felt when I firstlearned aboutthis epidemic?

The Link Between Immigration and
Human Trafficking
Written by: John Wood in Freedom(Human Trafficking Awareness) on July 31, 2012
“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet,as to be purchased atthe price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what
course others maytake; but as for me,give me liberty or give me death!” ― Patrick Henry
Did you happen to catch the news within the pastweek abouta woman found wandering the streets ofMelbourne who stated that she
was a victim of human trafficking and had been held a slave? The reality of modern day slavery has hithome and we mustconti nue to
move forward in the movementto end the debasementofhuman beings.Isat down to have a briefconversation with Pas tor Gus
Davies (who emigrated with his familyfrom Sierra Leone to the USA) to better understand the link between immigration and hum an
trafficking. I invite you to share in our conversation by commenting below.
Immigration and Human Trafficking Defined
http://vimeo.com/46180214
The Connection between Immigration and Human Trafficking
http://vimeo.com/46180213
Join the fight! Come to Northland at Longwood this week on Thursday, August 2, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in room 4213,for the
Immigration and Human Trafficking Learning Group. We will delve deeper into these issues when we meetthis week,as well as,
discuss together whatour response should be.Ihope you'll continue to follow this blog for updates,informational videos hi ghlighting
the problems,stories and practical steps thatyou can take to make a difference right where you are!

I Am a Slave ...
Written by: John Wood in Freedom(Human Trafficking Awareness) on August 20, 2012
“Slavery can only be abolished by raising the character ofthe people who compose the nation; and that can be done only by sh owing
them a higher one.” – Maria W. Chapman
I have come to a startling revelation recently that I am … a slave.No, I am not a slave physically as it pertains to human trafficking,butI
am a slave to whatever binds me.I can be enslaved to my sin or I can be enslaved to Jesus Christ.The apostle Paul often use s this
kind of intense terminologyto describe his relationship with Jesus.Paul recognized thatwe will all be enslaved to something,butthere
is One in whom slaveryactually leads to freedom.Our God has so fearfully and wonderfullydesigned us for worship thatour e ntire
being longs for it and so we will worship and be slaves no matter what. The only question is this:Whom will we worship? Whom are we
enslaved to?
The theme of slavery is woven through the very fabric of our being.Honestly, that can be a bit scary, and it is healthy to h ave a reverent
fear of the consequences ofthat reality. In the same waythat slavery exists on a spiritual level,it also exists on a physical level. If you
are reading this,you have been called!You may not fully believe it, but you are being called to set captives free. You have the power to
setcaptives free, because you yourselfare free! You are God’s answer to slavery!
Here, I continue my conversation with Pastor Gus on how we as the Church can respond.You will also see below some very practical
ways that you can empower yourselfand others to respond to this vital cause.
http://vimeo.com/46180215
What Can You Do?
Pray — This battle is not againstflesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12).
Get connected — Contact the Human Trafficking Hotline from the National Resource Center to reporta tip, connectwith anti -trafficking
services in your area or to requesttraining and technical assistance,general information or specific anti-trafficking resources:1-888-
3737,ext. 888 http://www.polarisproject.org/what-we-do/national-human-trafficking-hotline/the-nhtrc/overview
Educate yourself — Do you have a smartphone? Download the “Trafficking In Persons” (TIP) General Awareness Training app.You
can also take the training online: http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/training/dhs_awareness_training_fy12/launchPage.htm
Tell others — Look at your communityand relationships.Recruitothers to work with you on social justice issues.Through awareness,
we can recognize and respond.
Be mindful of what you’re buying — Are the things that you’re buying being made by actual slaves? Find out at:
http://slaveryfootprint.org/.

More ways to join the fight — Read the U.S. DepartmentofState's 20 Ways You Can Fight Human Trafficking:
http://www.state.gov/j/tip/id/help/index.htm
Come to Northland at Longwood on Thursday, September 6, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., room 4213,for the Human Trafficking and
Immigration Learning Group and together, let's move forward in this movement to end slavery. I hope you'll continue to follow
this blog for updates, informational videos, stories and practical steps that you can take to make a difference right where you
are!

Opportunity to Take Action on Human
Trafficking
Written by: John Wood in Freedom(Human Trafficking Awareness) on September 5, 2012
I justreceived this email from Pastor Gus regarding whatWorld Vision is doing to put an end to human trafficking.Take a momentto
read the information below from World Vision,and then make a quick call to encourage the passing ofthe critical Trafficking Victims
Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA).
So honored to be in this movementwith you! See you at tomorrow's meeting!
Today is a national call-in day to urge Congress to pass the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA).
One year ago,the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the cornerstone ofthe U.S. effort to fight human trafficking, expired because
Congress failed to actin time.The same is atrisk of happening this year.
Political talk won’tend human trafficking. But your action can. Congress will notactuntil you do. Just 10 phone calls in a day to a
congressional office gets attention and can make a difference.Here are four ways you can join us to make a difference today and
throughoutthe week:
1. LEARN MORE: Visit www.passTVPRAnow.org to learn more aboutthe TVPRA, download resources aboutthe legislation and
advocacy, and download phone numbers and call scripts.
2. CALL AND TWEET YOUR SENATORS: Call both of your senators and ask them to pass the Trafficking Victims Protection
Reauthorization Act (S 1301). Then organize 10 of your friends to do the same!You can download the phone numbers,twitter ha ndles
and call scriptfor your senators here.
3. GET CREATIVE: Think creatively about how you can engage with your elected leaders,community,and friends aboutyour passion
for fighting modern-dayslavery. Whether it’s calling your senators every week until the TVPRA passes,educating your community
aboutmodern-dayslavery, or learning abouthow you can fight slavery in your daily life, make a commitmentto fight modern -day
slavery. Then, share your commitmenton our ACT:S Challenge page.
4. GO BEYOND JUSTICE: Start an ACTIVE group this fall that explores how to connectfaith & justice and takes action on issues
urgentto the world’s poor.
Again, visit www.passTVPRAnow.org to learn more and download resources to help your commitmentto stop modern-dayslavery.

Be a Voice for the Voiceless
Written by: John Wood in Freedom(Human Trafficking Awareness) on September 26,2012
President Obama talks about ending human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
When the leader of the free world speaks,people listen.How do we combatslavery? When people of all kinds realize the power they
really have and then take a stand!The Presidentofthe United States has power,but so do we! May we all rise up together and be
exactly whatGod has called us to be: a voice for the voiceless!God is calling you: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;I will
take hold of your hand.I will keep you and will make you to be a covenantfor the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that
are blind,to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness” (Isaiah 42:6 -7).
Will slavery end in our lifetime? No.Will slavery ever end? No, as long as we live in a fallen world with other human beings there will
always be slavery of some kind.So why should we do anything at all? Good question,there is story by an anonymous author tha t
answers this question perfectly:
While walking on the beach,a man saw someone in the distance leaning down,picking something up and throwing it into the
sea. As the man came closer,he saw thousands of starfish that tide had washed up onto the beach.Unable to return to the
ocean during low tide, the starfish were b eginning to die.He observed the young boy picking up the starfish one by one and
throwing them back into the ocean.
After watching the seemingly futile effort, the man said,"There mustbe thousands of starfish on this beach.Itwould be
impossible for you to save them all. There’s just too many!You can't possibly make a difference."
The young boy smiled as he picked up another starfish and tossed it back into the ocean. "It made a difference to that one," he
replied.
Are you ready to take a stand? If so, where do you start? If you have not already done this,one very practical way is to find out how
many slaves are working for you at Slavery Footprint. This is an excellent resource being used to make us all aware of the things we
buy and whether those products were made by actual slaves or not. This is a big deal. Take the survey and find out for yourse lfhow
many slaves are working for you. Then, you can take action by sending letters to companies thatsell products thatare made by slaves.
Slavery Footprint and How We Can Take Action Slavery Footprint: Free World App
What else can you do? Join the fight! Come to Northland at Longwood on Thursday,October 4, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in room 4209,for
the next Human Trafficking and Immigration Learning Group.We will continue to delve deeper into these issues when we meetto move
forward in this movementto end slavery. I hope you'll continue to follow this blog for updates,informational videos highlig hting the
problems,stories and practical steps thatyou can take to make a difference right where you are!
More Resources: Fact Sheet: the Obama Administration Announces Efforts to CombatHuman Trafficking atHome and Abroad

Themes in Slavery
“Injustice is an abuse of power that takes from others what God has designed for their life: dignity, respect, ability to
choose to work, relationships.” – Gary Haugen, President IJM
Movie VideoClip:AmazingGrace – watch minute 24:40 – 27:40.
Theme of Power
What ispower? Great ability to do, act or control;strength;might;force;authority.
What ispowerlessnessorvulnerability? Open to attack;thatwhich can be wounded orinjured.
--Whatmakessomeone vulnerable??
 There are variouslimitationsthatcouldmake someonevulnerable:physical,mental,emotional,spiritual,
financial andsocial.Beingcompletelyhonestwithourselves,these are justafew:
o Physical--
 Beinga female.
 Beinga child.
 Beingelderly.
 Being“outof shape”or overweight.
 Beinginjured,havingadisease orailment.
 Inabilitytodefendoneself.
 Sleeping.
 Beingfatigued.
 Nothavingany clothing.
 Nothavingany foodor water.
 Notknowinghowto exercise.
 Notknowinghowto eathealthy.
 Notknowinghowto bandage a wound.
 Notknowinghowto doCPR or the basic functionsof a doctor.
 Nothavingoxygen.
o Mental—
 Havinga mental Illness.
 Havinga behavioral ailment.
o Emotional—
 Inabilitytoreckonwithpasthurts.
 Lack of unconditional love.
 Prominentinsecurities/anxieties.
 Low self-esteem/self-worth.
o Spiritual—
 NothavingJesusChristinyour life.
 Inabilitytoforgive.
 Inabilitytoaskforforgiveness.
 Inabilitytobe honest.
 Believingliesaboutoneself,othersandthe world.

o Financial—
 Livinginpoverty.
 Nothavinga job.
 Nothavingenoughincome.
o Social—
 Notknowinghowto read.
 Notknowinghowto write.
 Notknowingthe language of the land.
 Notknowingthe geographyof the land.
 Notknowingthe culture of the land.
 Notknowingthe resourcesof the landor how to utilize them.
 Nothavingenoughschooling/education.
 Notknowingthe people of the land.
 Notknowingthe “powerful”people of the land.
 Nothavinga weapon.
 Revealingintimate personal information.
 Nothavingany shelter.
--Howmanyof these vulnerabilitiesdoyouhave?How manycan youdo somethingabout?
--Howmanyof these vulnerabilitiesdoyounothave?That isthenthe POWERthat you have!
 Extreme vulnerabilityinpeople’slivesprovidesthe demandforslavery,whichtothe carnal sinful manismerely
an opportunitytoexploitorvictimize.
Is there anythingmore importantthanpower?
 The desire to heal or destroylie inthe handsof everyman,butthisdesire becomesextremelyimportantand
evidentinthe handsof those withgreatpower.
Theme of Desire
What isthe heartof the matter? The desire to heal comesfrom Godaloneand alas we’vecometo center of this great
issue of slavery…it’salwaysa spiritual issue.
Heal ------------------------------------------- Destroy
Life -------------------------------------------- Death
Righteousness ------------------------------ Sin
Slave ------------------------------------------Slave
Who are youenslavedto?Whoisyour master? Romans6:15-18.
 All thingsinourlives(especiallythose thingsinwhichwe are powerful in) mustbe undercomplete submission
to God or else those verythingswillultimatelybe usedtodestroyothersandourselves.
“You may chooseto lookthe otherway,butyou can never say again thatyou did notknow.”– WilliamWilberforce

Ending Slavery Practically
Movie VideoClip: AmazingGrace– watch minute 45:00 – 49:45
Slavery Then…
Movie Clip – Amazing Grace dissected:
 Great Britain1787 – Slaveryviewedasameansto improve the economy.
 General perceivedfearthatif the Britsdidn’thave slavesthe Frenchandothercountrieswouldandthustake
advantage economically.Moralitywassecondary.Theirworldview wasskewed.
 Withoutslavestheyfearedtheywouldhave noplantationsandthusa dwindlingeconomy.
 Why wouldsomeone be afraidtostandupagainstslavery?
o Slaverywasgenerallyaccepted.
o Slaverywasfinanciallyprofitable.
o Slaverywasa signof prestige andpower.
 Slaverywasn’tviewedasslavery;itwasviewedasawayof life orjustanotherbusiness.
 People mustknowthe truthandthus the educationprocessbegins-justone piece of the puzzle.
 ReadActs 19:23-28.
Slavery Now…
 Why wouldsomeone be afraidtostandupagainstslaverytoday?
o Slaveryisunknownorshrouded.
o Slaveryisviewedasafree choice (i.e.variousprostitutionorfarm/constructionworkers)
o Slaveryisviewedasabuse, butperhapsnotactually“slavery.”
o Slaveryisstill financiallyprofitable.
o Slaverystill takesagreatdeal of control and power,therefore canbe verydifficulttodissemble.

The End of Slavery
How dowe reallyendslavery?Practically speakingitissimple:
 Redemption:rescuingthose whoare currentlyenslaved.
 Prevention:preventingthose whoare notenslavedfrombecomingenslaved.
Who doesthe redemptionorrescuingof slaves?
 Local,Federal or InternationalLawEnforcement.
 Licensed counselorsinaftercare facilities.
What if I am not a law enforcementofficerrescuingvictims?Andwhatif Iam nota counselorcounselinginanaftercare
facility?Whatcan I do?
We mustbe co-advocateswithlawenforcementand counselorsin minimizing thepotential forvictimization by
removing vulnerabilitiesand empowering ourselvesand othersin every way,butthese changeswill notbe
effectiveunlessthe Spirit of Lord is thechange.
What are some waysinwhichwe can minimize the potential forvictimization?
1) Educate:
“my peopleare destroyed fromlackof knowledge.” – Hosea4:6
a. Provide continual educationaboutthe dangersof humantraffickingforthe congregantsof Northland,aChurchDistributed
and the local community.
i. Goal:
1. Minimize the potential forvictimizationforbothchildrenandadults.
2. Increase the numberof advocatesable toidentifyvictimstopolice.
b. Human Trafficking AwarenessforCongregation:
i. A sermontopicspeakingonthe issue of humantraffickingandmoderndayslavery.
ii. Human TraffickingAwarenessTrainings:
1. Awarenesstrainings conducted byqualifiedexperts.
2. Includedinthe trainingwill be:(1) whathumantraffickingisandisnot,(2) the scope of humantrafficking,
internationally,nationally,andlocally,(3) opportunitiestoserve.
2) Serve:
“Knowing isnot enough,you mustapply;willing is notenough,you mustdo.” –Bruce Lee
c. The creationof response groupsspecificallyorientedaroundthe issue of humantrafficking.

i. These committees/response teamscouldaddressthe needsof victimsbyprovidinganumberof servicesandareas
for resource donation,therebyincreasingthe numberof potential donorsratherthandrawingresourcesawayfrom
currentoutreachefforts.
ii. We will notreinventthe wheel:
1. GovernmentResources.
2. SlaveryFootprint.
iii. Create multi-facetedHTresponse groupstoaddressvictim’sneedsandorminimizethe potential for
victimization.
1. Medical/Dental Services
2. Transportation
3. Shelter
4. TranslationServices
5. Food
6. Employment/EducationServices
iv. What are yourhobbies/gifts/talents? You can usethese very interests to put an end to slavery!
3) Connect:
d. Withothergovernmental,faithbasedandnon-profitinitiativesinordertomobilize aunifiedapproachvia:
i. Research andconsiderdoingStreetGrace’smodel (analliance of churches) inAtlanta,Georgiawww.streetgrace.org
ii. Website consulting.
iii. Educationof law enforcementandgovernmentofficials.
iv. On-site andoff-site(viainternetconference)educational workshops.
v. One-on-onementoringof leaderswhoare developing“petprojects.”
vi. Financial support.
Concluding Exhortation:
 Rememberbywhose powerthatthe captiveswillbe setfree:The Spiritof the LivingGod.
 Rememberwhyyouare fightingforfreedomtosetcaptivesfree.Why?Rememberyourcalling.
 Rememberthatthoughthisisaboutsettingcaptivesfree,itisalsoaboutyou. Areyou doing this in love?
“If I speakin the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have
the giftof prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not
have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have
love, I gain nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3