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Archive for October, 2008

DR and Haiti

I visited Haiti and the Dominican Republic for one week. Two beautiful countries that have minority groups that are still searching for Freedom.

In my visit to Dejabon, a city in the Dominican Republic that borders Haiti, I immediately faced the realities of forced labor within these two countries.

One woman pointed out three teenagers, and said that she’d rescued them from Haiti. She claimed that without her help their lives “would be nothing.” But the reality is that she herself is now holding these young women in bondage, because without their labor she cannot afford to send her son to school. The young women work all day selling products for the older women in the streets, and in the afternoon they work in her home. They have never been to school or been paid, and their owner still believes that she is doing them a favor.

In Haiti, exchanging children as Restavek, or slaves, is not uncommon. The people that buy them will even use religious language to justify their actions. This messianic perception of the slaveholders is a big challenge for the modern day abolitionist in Haiti and the DR.

Kique Bazan

Oct 31, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Interracial Dating and Marriage: Does It Really Aid In The Race Reconciliation Process?

When one finds true love, one may believe that the love they have for the other person is capable of moving mountains. Because of this belief, they want to shout their love at the top of their lungs; they may even desire to demonstrate it through public affection [i.e.--hand holding, kissing and cuddling, etc.] Because this love is so huge, there may even be a chance of the both of them successfully challenging societal norms, including norms inherent within the system of racism.

Oct 29, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Fair Trade – The Movie. An eq.tv original.

Oct 29, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Letters from Africa: Hope Through Soccer

On Saturday the final game of a 13 team, 52 game, soccer tournament was held in the midst of a grand ceremony. This tournament was a dream of our partner in Northern Uganda who saw young men being idle in their villages unsure of how to fill their time and lacking hope after 10 plus years in IDP camps (internally displaced people camps). Yes, stability is returning to the region, safety is the norm rather than the sacred, and villages are being rebuilt. But the rebuilding of a village is easier done on paper than in reality, and hope is a magical tool. And so our partner dreamt up and created a soccer tournament where they fund uniforms and soccer balls, and there were prizes of bulls and goats to eat, and a beautiful trophy for the winner to display. Participation required the building of latrines and hand washing locations, and soccer scores included community transformation in terms of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and half-times are filled with song and dance about WASH created and performed by the players. I could never come up with a plan so brilliant–not in my most wild imagination.

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Oct 27, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Sharing Chocolate to Protest the Sale of Humans

Stop the Traffik is planning the world’s largest fondue party at the end of November to protest the use of human trafficking in the manufacture of chocolate.You can have your own party in solidarity – as they say, together we can "STOP THE TRAFFIK".

Oct 27, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Some Ideas On How To Spread the Word about Fair Trade

Overall, Fair Trade sounds like a wonderful way to empower those who have been historically exploited by corporations. This is because Fair Trade allows for these individuals to directly profit from their hardwork; in addition, it also acts as a way to empower them by acknowledging their cultural heritage. In this sense, the ability to Fair Trade is a reputable one–specifically for those who have been historically and economically disenfranchised .

Oct 23, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

White House Roundtable

I’m excited to report that I’ve been invited to participate in a roundtable at the White House next week. Sponsored by the White House Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives and the U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons the discussion will focus on future strategies and promising practices for combating modern-day slavery.

In true grassroots form, Not For Sale has been building in-roads with leaders in the political (Advocacy Days), business, faith, and university realms. Our aim is to create a conduit for backyard abolitionists to be heard within the halls of power… whether it be in Washington DC or Sacramento or St. Paul or Columbus.

As we view it, Not For Sale is a reflection of our entire backyard abolitionist community: in collaboration, through open source activism, we want to amplify your voice to combat slavery. It is in this spirit that I am asking for your crucial input for this roundtable discussion. Please post questions, comments, and/or suggestions for our governmental and fellow NGO leaders.

So, please make a post or drop me an email -maxwex(AT)notforsalecampaign.org-, and let me know what you think is most needed for helping combat trafficking in your area and beyond.

Mark Wexler

Oct 22, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

High School Students on the March!!

I spent the past couple of days in Minneapolis where I had the privilege of being present for a premiere showing of the film Call and Response. Our NFS state team packed out the theater, then led a lantern processional through Uptown, a trendy district of Minneapolis. Nearly 300 folks showed up for the film and the processional, including the executive directors of the three shelters for trafficking survivors that offer services in the Twin Cities.

The next day I spoke to the entire assembly of students at Minnehaha High School. A number of the students had attended the movie the night before and were charged up! Minnehaha demonstrates what one high school can do once the students and teachers decide that they cannot stand by and allow any child to suffer in slavery. Every sports team at Minnehaha will sponsor a Free2Play game this year. The varsity football team is foregoing the usual catering at their season-end event and donating the savings to a NFS project. School dances tack on an extra dollar to the ticket price that will go toward NFS projects to free children. Teachers are integrating NFS materials into geography, social studies, and creative writing curriculum. The school will be having a “how do you wear orange day?” to raise awareness in the community. Students are volunteering at the survivor shelters in the Twin Cities. Nearly a dozen students and a couple teachers will have an immersion experience with our Peru project at the end of the school year.

These students have parents or other guardians, of course, and they are pulling the adults into their passion to know more and act more to end slavery. Many parents told me they started reading my book after their kids came home from school and urged them to get educated. Imagine if we can repeat this commitment in merely one high school in each and every city in the USA? The ripple effect would be unbelievable. Lead on student abolitionists!!!!

Oct 22, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Getting Started

As a follow-up to some of my previous posts I have attempted to provide a few concrete steps for starting/developing a disability ministry. Below are guides from The Evangelical Covenant Church of Chicago and the North American Mission Board. Many of the steps will repeat and others might contradict. The point is that you walk away with a sense of direction from these resources. Following the two above-mentioned guides is a list of web resources for you to explore in your ministry efforts (check the recommended books on this page).

Oct 21, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Celebrate Fair Trade Month This October With TransFairUSA.org

Every October, TransFairUSA.org brings attention to the unfair treatment of farmers globally with their Fair Trade Month initiative. Visit http://fairtrademonth.org/ for more information, as well as ideas and events in your area to help bring awareness to this global cause.

Oct 21, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Do Handicapped People Go To Hell?

(The author understands that South Park does not, on a whole, promote values consistent with a Christian worldview. However, the author also understands that the Church doesn’t always promote values consistent with a Christian worldview. The point of this piece is to bring to light issues the Church should be addressing, yet allows a show such as South Park to address. This seems incongruous with the role of the Church in our society)

This is the question posed by the creators of South Park eight years ago during the show’s 4th season. Before I get into South Park’s answer, let’s look at what the Church says. The question of how one receives Salvation and subsequently ends up in Heaven or Hell is fraught with debate and speculation. While many strict Protestants will chant faith alone and grace alone few denominations actually maintain that as truth. How would either Catholic or Protestant dogma damn a person with a disability. Let’s look at a few denominational approaches to salvation.

Oct 20, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post

Letters from Africa: Apoyo Matek

Thank you. Apoyo matek. Thank you for coming to Uganda, and in particular, to Lira. Thank you for visiting. Thank you for breakfast. Thank you for lunch. Thank you for dinner. Thank you for water. I thank our God that we have been able to meet. Apoyo matek. Thank you for joining our celebration. Thank you for inviting us. Thank you for welcoming us. Thank you.

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