"Human trafficking can work only if the victims remain invisible to the public eye. We have to remove the veil of ignorance."

From my journal entry:
At small group we talked about excellence and it just left a bunch of questions in my mind; concerning not identifying in striving to be excellent to achieve identity. In "Not for Sale" it says on page 260... "you identify where your passion meets the needs of the world" We must be excellent for the sake of being a child of God and to be able to engage ourselves in the issues of the world. I was doubting why i'd perform this weekend at the Emmaus banquet because I don't feel like i'm the best singer and songwriter; but honestly it is bigger than me. The message and the needs of the world are so much greater than what a few people think of my songs. (Not for Sale) 1: The first part is to engage yourself in the activities that you feel you were put on the earth to do. 2: The second part is to carry out those activities so as to benefit others.

I'm going to scan the conclusion of this book for you guys to read. This book is probably number two in changing my perspective on life, and has potentially changed the direction of my life (I still have to take a step in the fight and then make my commitment.)

For the last two days i've been inquiring and asking about how bad working must suck. And indeed it probably does. Therefore i've decided not to stitch together jobs to make an impressive resume that will pay me big bucks. I hate institution a lot of the time, but theres no getting around it. Many times I felt like our entire lives were an institution with a goal of making money. Doesn't it seem like the purpose of life is to make money? Why do we go to school, and to college, and what is the first thing we are so desperate to do after college? Why do we work so hard so we can retire and be old and boring and have all this money for no good purpose? I didn't want to take it as far as forsake normality, sell everything, and live as a monk, but I don't want to live for money.

I've decided to pursue my vocation (part 1 and part 2). In building a vocation I will then "design and pursue meaningful endeavors." 'People from all different fields of work are needed in the fight to end slavery. We need lawyers to protect the rights and persecute the traffickers. We need entrepreneurs to provide jobs and create enterprise for newly freed slaves. Students are needed to research and to influence policy and the coming generations. Health and mental care workers need to be there to help fix the broken lives. Construction workers are needed to build shelters. You can imagine the list goes on and there is a need in every field of work. Heres a practical one, a person with two blankets needs to give one away to somebody in need. The movement needs your time, talent and money'

I've taken most of this post from the concluding paragraphs of the book "Not for Sale" Please, don't be so American. Pick up a book that teaches you something from the outside of your suburban boxes. Please.















Then most importantly, the church needs to react. Where compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and love was nailed on the cross for us, we have blasphemed the love of God by forsaking the command to love our neighbor as ourselves. We have created an institution of religious rules and fakers of disciples of Jesus. We have created a hierarchy of power that doesn't even submit to the word of God. We have sought money more than the face of God. We have created idols for ourselves and continually serve and worship things made by man. We have allowed NGOs to be the face of God, when they don't even believe in the work of the Holy Spirit. The brokenness of the world needs healing and restoration, and that restoration and healing can only fully be met by the love and touch of God! Please Church let us fight!