We had a wonderful meeting of the Carolina Clapham Circle tonight! Lots of brainstorming about things we can actually put into practice—and soon.
Most of us are going to look at the ins and outs of having our churches become "abolitionist churches" through the Not For Sale Campaign.
Various members are going to make contact with the FBI, The Salvation Army, Campus Crusade and with a person who suspects slavery at a local Chinese restaurant.
We'll look for opportunities to multiply our efforts by starting smaller groups in our immediate areas, so prayer and education can be happening more often than once a month.
We'll each look at the recommendations of the Renewal Forum in Washington, D.C. about the shortcomings of North (or South) Carolina's anti-human trafficking laws, and we'll contact our representatives and encourage them to strengthen the laws.
I felt a strong sense of real networking as we talked tonight--it is wonderful how God has brought us together with various experiences and skills to do His will. If you live in the Charlotte area, please join us!
Showing posts with label Not for Sale Campaign. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Not for Sale Campaign. Show all posts
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
A bit disappointed
I watched the Not For Sale documentary last night, and I'd say it is OK. I was a bit disappointed, though, by a couple of things.
First, while the excellent book of the same title by David Batstone covers several organizations that are fighting against slavery, and the documentary covers the same organizations, in some cases the documentary hardly mentions slavery. If you were to watch the video without reading the book, you could get the idea some of the organizations help poor people but not necessarily people who have been enslaved. Obviously it is great if they are helping poor-but-free people, but when the documentary is all about fighting slavery, I would think that the people making the documentary would establish that point more clearly.
Second, the documentary is set up as eight separate segments, each focusing on a different organization and most being interviews with the heads of those organizations. But sometimes the people ramble a bit, and tighter editing might have helped. What would have helped most, though, would have been for a narrator to carry us through the documentary instead of just having eight talking heads take a section each. I'm a journalist, and I think that one mark of an amateurish article is when the writer simply strings together a bunch of quotes separated only by attributions. As I watched this video, I felt like I do when I read one of those articles.
But the information is good and helpful, and when we hold the first meeting of the Clapham Circle of Lancaster County, I think I could show one or two segments without losing people's attention. Other organizations also have videos, however, and I may see about using one of those in addition to, or in place of, this one.
First, while the excellent book of the same title by David Batstone covers several organizations that are fighting against slavery, and the documentary covers the same organizations, in some cases the documentary hardly mentions slavery. If you were to watch the video without reading the book, you could get the idea some of the organizations help poor people but not necessarily people who have been enslaved. Obviously it is great if they are helping poor-but-free people, but when the documentary is all about fighting slavery, I would think that the people making the documentary would establish that point more clearly.
Second, the documentary is set up as eight separate segments, each focusing on a different organization and most being interviews with the heads of those organizations. But sometimes the people ramble a bit, and tighter editing might have helped. What would have helped most, though, would have been for a narrator to carry us through the documentary instead of just having eight talking heads take a section each. I'm a journalist, and I think that one mark of an amateurish article is when the writer simply strings together a bunch of quotes separated only by attributions. As I watched this video, I felt like I do when I read one of those articles.
But the information is good and helpful, and when we hold the first meeting of the Clapham Circle of Lancaster County, I think I could show one or two segments without losing people's attention. Other organizations also have videos, however, and I may see about using one of those in addition to, or in place of, this one.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Help former slaves
The Emancipation Network (TEN) sells clothing and other items made by former slaves living in Nepal, India, Cambodia and other countries. That brings income to the former slaves and helps them to move toward self-sufficiency and a new life. It’s cool that TEN sells many of the items at house parties, which allows them to educate people about the problem.
I received my copy of the “Not For Sale” documentary today, and I can’t wait to watch it.
I received my copy of the “Not For Sale” documentary today, and I can’t wait to watch it.
Friday, June 1, 2007
I Just Showed Up
Sara Groves has a song that says “And I just showed up for my own life, And I'm standing here taking it in and it sure looks bright.”
That’s kind of how I feel about all this. Again, I don’t feel as if I’ve wasted my life up to now, but I feel like I am moving into a new phase of life. And even though I have no idea what’s in store, I’m excited to see where God will lead.
In the meantime, I’m still praying, reading and corresponding. I’ve had some encouraging e-mail exchanges with people who are fighting human trafficking, and I’m continuing to read through lengthy reports that various NGOs and government agencies have posted online. Currently I’m in the middle of the Transitional Housing Toolkit for Anti-Trafficking Service Providers. I think the information could be crucial if we start some kind of shelter for survivors of trafficking.
I’m overwhelmed by the amount of helpful information at humantrafficking.org.
And I am aiming to hold the first meeting of the Clapham Circle of Lancaster County in August or September. Between now and then, I’ll try to meet and correspond with key people in this area to explain the issue to them and see if they will agree to attend that meeting. I’m thinking that we’ll probably watch a film such as the “Not For Sale” documentary, which I’ve ordered.
That’s kind of how I feel about all this. Again, I don’t feel as if I’ve wasted my life up to now, but I feel like I am moving into a new phase of life. And even though I have no idea what’s in store, I’m excited to see where God will lead.
In the meantime, I’m still praying, reading and corresponding. I’ve had some encouraging e-mail exchanges with people who are fighting human trafficking, and I’m continuing to read through lengthy reports that various NGOs and government agencies have posted online. Currently I’m in the middle of the Transitional Housing Toolkit for Anti-Trafficking Service Providers. I think the information could be crucial if we start some kind of shelter for survivors of trafficking.
I’m overwhelmed by the amount of helpful information at humantrafficking.org.
And I am aiming to hold the first meeting of the Clapham Circle of Lancaster County in August or September. Between now and then, I’ll try to meet and correspond with key people in this area to explain the issue to them and see if they will agree to attend that meeting. I’m thinking that we’ll probably watch a film such as the “Not For Sale” documentary, which I’ve ordered.
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