America is a unique place. It is a nation governed by its own people.

As I write this column, the third of a series on slavery in America, I am at a hotel just a few miles from our nations Capitol. The hotel is themed appropriately with halls named after former Presidents and national leaders.

International Justice Mission (IJM) is not far from my hotel. IJM is a 300+ person organization that is made up of case workers, advocates, church modilizers and lawyers. Started in 1997 by former lawyer for the US Dept. of Justice, Gary Haugen, IJM has worked alongside governments and law enforcements around the world in efforts to abolish modern day slavery. Taken directly from their website, one of IJM’s core commitments sums up what they strive to do:

IJM seeks to restore to victims of oppression the things that God intends for them: their lives, their liberty, their dignity, the fruits of their labor. By defending and protecting individual human rights, IJM seeks to engender hope and transformation for those it serves and restore a witness of courage in places of oppressive violence. IJM helps victims of oppression regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or gender.

The foundation for their work comes from Isaiah 1:7: Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan and plead for the widow.

By creating laws and implementing them in America and a number of countries around the world, IJM has been able to carry out this command found in Isaiah. IJM works to free all people from lives of injustice, and they invite you and me to participate in their efforts. In America, it’s the people’s vote that matters.

As American citizens we have an incredible privilege and responsibility to vote on matters of equality and justice. IJM invites us to use our vote in a way that will speak for those enslaved in our country and abroad. We have the freedom to urge our congress to move on behalf on those in enslaved.

IJM makes this pretty easy for us to do. Check out this page on IJM’s website to learn more about what you can do to use your freedom, your voice and your vote to protect the poor and the enslaved.

I am learning just how passionate and expressive God is when it comes to the well-being of all of his precious children.

“And the Lord looked and saw that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene.” Is. 59:15-16.

"I looked and saw all the oppressed-and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors.” Eccl. 4:1.

Edmund Burke said:

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”

One of my hopes for this series on modern day slavery is that it will inspire action on the part of the church. Modern day slavery is not just an overseas issue. It’s not just something that happens in poor, remote places. There isn’t a race, location, neighborhood, country or any other demographic we can assign, that is untouchable in the massive human trafficking industry. I mentioned before I met a young woman who was enslaved in a very wealthy community in Orange County, CA for several years. This is happening everywhere. It is happening at the Olympics in Vancouver right now as young women and girls are being moved around unwillingly and forced into unthinkable situations in order to meet the demand raised by those in attendance.

We do have the tools to close down this monstrous industry of the buying and selling of human beings. I encourage you to visit IJM’s website and act. They will walk with you step by step as you contact congress and your local governments. If you’re a student, they will help you start a club on your campus that will raise awareness to this issue. If you’re church wants to be more active, they have staff whose jobs are to mobilize churches.  

This Friday afternoon I will be visiting IJM and will have the privilege of meeting with a staff member who is the church mobilizer for California. Check back next week for the continuation of this series and the outcome of my visit to IJM. I am not certain of the amount of time I will be granted at IJM but if any of you have burning questions you’d like me to consider asking the organization, now’s your chance. Please let me know by Thurs. evening and I will do my best to ask any and all questions that may come up.

Pray about how you can get involved. Using your privilege to influence congress and voting are great places to start. After all, we once said:

“We the People  of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

As I mentioned in the last post on the subject, if you suspect any human trafficking happening in your area, please call the national hotline immediately at (888) 373-7888.