Xapa to the World

Interlude
Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I’m still alive and kicking, but have had to take an involuntary step back from the blog. Boo! I know. Well, maybe I’m the only one disappointed about this. The reason? I woke up on Saturday morning to a strange sound coming from my computer (we have a monster of a desk-top called the XPS…it’s ridiculously big, which would make you think it would be ridiculously amazing. Alas, it is not.) and when I restarted it, the noise continued and nothing else. I was depressed, but glad to have my phone and the Australian Open (woo! go Djokovic!) to keep me company on TV. I’ve also done quite a bit of exercising, and read through two books in lightning speed. I’m also going to try out doing some crewel embroidery. So, there you have it. The big guy’s at the shop right now, probably to stay and be chopped up into whatever valuable parts may be there (hopefully giving me enough to buy a laptop!) Yes! I will come into the 21st Century!! Until then, I still check my Facebook pretty regularly and, of course, there’s Twitter! Until then, hasta!

Sarah ><>
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January 28, 2011
Moses Forgets
This week, at one of my ESL classes, we read the story about the people of Israel complaining of their thirst in the wilderness. This happened at least twice because it’s recorded twice that they complained enough for Moses to ask God to give them some water. The first time, Moses asks and God says to hit a rock with his staff. Moses does so and water comes out of the rock to quench the people’s thirst. The second time, the people complain and Moses asks God for help. God says to him to take the staff and tell the rock to produce water. But when Moses goes before the people, he ridicules them and then hits the rock with the staff twice. Water still comes out, but at a dear price – Aaron and Moses will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land, because they did not believe God and take Him at His Word.

This is one of those stories that I have usually just skipped over. I love reading about Moses, but this one, for some reason, seems to just register and then I go on to the next thing. But my student did not. She had some questions, like:

If Moses had done it once before, then why didn’t he believe it would happen again the way God said it would?*

and

If Moses believed God, then why did He test him again?*

These are great questions! I love watching a non-believer respond to the Holy Spirit, even if they are just questions, because asking questions are a sign that God is working on them. I love the promise that God’s Word is living and active – It always does a work when spoken or heard.

The first question, well, how often do we forget what God has done in our lives before? Moses was the advocate for the people of Israel and he came to God many times to petition for forgiveness for their forgetfulness of God’s love and provision…but he was not exempt himself from forgetting. I cannot imagine what it would be like to lead people who constantly griped and complained about everything, but that one single action – that one burst of anger and pride – led to him not being able to enter the promised land. Look at the wording:

“Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
– Numbers 20:10, ESV

It wasn’t, “Shall God bring out water for you?” but “Shall we…” God says that because Moses and Aaron did not uphold Him as holy before the people, they will not bring those people into Canaan. A little later in the chapter, Aaron’s death is recorded and his robe and office of high priest are given to his son, Eleazar.

The second question speaks to God’s nature and not Moses’. Why does God test those who have, thus far, proven that they follow Him? Why did God ask Moses to just talk to the rock this time instead of striking it again? Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac after he had waited for 100 years to have him?

We’ve been talking in church the last couple of Sundays about Great Stories in the Bible and this last week the story was Abraham and this sacrifice. My pastor spoke about how God did not throw a challenge like that on Abraham right off the bat. Yes, asking him to leave his family and home to go to some land that he had never heard of was a big challenge, but it was a test comparable to his level of faith. And it’s not like Abraham never failed at a test that God gave him. God promised him a son in his old age and beyond his wife’s physical ability, and rather than believe the fullness of God’s promise, Abraham cut a corner by sleeping with Sarah’s handmaiden.

God tests us; it continues throughout our lives as believers. He will give us challenges at various times, but praise God, that He takes into account the level of faith we have at that time. We may not pass them, but it is not because God has given us a challenge greater than we can handle, but because we are doubting ourselves, doubting Him, or believing a lie (or all of the above).

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
– 1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV

So, back to the second question, why does God continue to test us? It’s to grow us and to make us more like His son. We will not be perfect until He makes us so, and that won’t happen until heaven. But that doesn’t mean He doesn’t want to start us on that road now. And the successes in our life, our conquering those tests and moving on, serve as testimony to the lost that our God is a great and mighty God. That He is concerned with our lives and with our hearts. That He can change a person from being selfish and in despair to being selfless, a servant, and filled with hope.

And that verse above gives me hope that when I face a challenge to my faith and in my life, God has already gifted me with the strength I need to endure it. What I have faced before now has only added to, not taken away from, the arsenal in my will to resist the devil and move forward in maturity in Christ.

*paraphrased into English
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January 15, 2011
Nat’l Human Trafficking Awareness Day
Today, January 11th, is the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. If I had been better prepared, I would have had this post ready to publish first thing in the morning, but I did not, so here it is.

You can call 1.888.373.7888 any time, day or night, 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year to report a case of human trafficking. Human trafficking can take the form of slave labor (including domestic servitude) or forced sex labor and can involve adults and children alike. The average age of a trafficked child is 12 years old. Victims of trafficking find themselves there by methods of force, fraud, or coercion. They might be paying off “debts” with enormous amount of interest. They may be threatened with violence or abused as well as their families. They can often be taken across national borders to a country where they don’t speak the language – their paperwork could be forged or missing entirely and they often fear the police as much as their captors. This fear is usually justified as when the crime is found, they are lumped in with the criminals instead of treated as a victim – many times they are sent back to their own country to live in their shame and risk being trafficked again.

This modern-day slavery is more heinous and comprehensive than the form of slavery fought over in the Civil War. It is the fastest growing organized crime and second only to drug-trafficking (which is estimated to be surpassed very soon). If you think that the United States is exempt from this, you are sorely mistaken. Cases of human trafficking have been reported in every state. The US has been found to be a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked individuals.

I’m going to list quite a few organizations/people/businesses I follow, either on Twitter or Facebook or whatever. I would really recommend checking them out. This is something that burns in my heart – as children of God we are called to loose the bonds of those who are held captive. Educate yourself and then take up the banner – become an abolitionist.

*and really, these are just a few of the newly blossomed organizations ready to fight human trafficking. If I’ve left out anyone note-worthy, let me know and I’ll see about adding them! Thanks!

Organizations

Beauty From Ashes

(Fort Myers, FL)
website  ·  blog · facebook · twitter: BeautyFrmAshes

Cincinnati Union Bethel

Social service agency: early childhood education; the Anna Louise Inn (housing for women) and Off the Steets (services for prostituted women. (Cincinnati, OH) ***Not only for trafficked individuals, but they deal with it enough to be included***
website  · facebook · twitter: cinunionbethel

DACS United

Designers Against Child Slavery
website · facebook   · twitter: dacsunited

DNA Foundation

founded by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher – to eliminate sex slavery worldwide. “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls”
website  · facebook · twitter: dnafoundation

FAIR Fund

Preventing human trafficking of youth worldwide (Washington, DC)
website  · twitter: FAIRFund

Free Generation International

committed to eradicating human trafficking in Africa (Africa/US)
website  · facebook · twitter: FreeGeneration

Forsaken Generation

leading a national movement to end youth homelessness and child sex trafficking in the US. (New York)
website  · blog · facebook · twitter: forsakengen

Hagar International

organization restoring exploited women and children’s lives in Cambodia, Vietnam & Afghanistan
website  · blog · facebook · twitter: HagarIntl

Hookers for Jesus

Destiny Houses are a SAFE haven for ladies in sex slavery (Las Vegas, NV)
website  · blog · facebook · twitter: hookersforjesus

International Justice Mission

Head Quarters (Washington, DC)
website  · facebook · twitter: IJMHQ

Justice Campaigns
website  · twitter: IJMcampaigns

International Sanctuary

website  · facebook · twitter: isanctuary

Love 146

end child sex slavery and exploitation
website  · blog  ·  facebook · twitter: OfficialLove146

Rob Morris – President and Co-founder
website  · twitter: ROBLOVE146

Adam Young – of the Dayton Ohio Love 146 Taskforce
blog  · twitter: youngadamc

Made By Survivors

fights human trafficking and slavery with empowerment & education
website  · blogs · facebook · twitter: madebysurvivors

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Not only are they concerned with Cincy’s history in the fight against slavery, they are seeking to build up modern-day abolitionists (Cincinnati, OH)
website · blog  · facebook · twitter: FreedomCenter

Not For Sale

campaign for all justice seekers, united to fight human trafficking
website  · facebook · twitter: Not_For_Sale

Polaris Project

a leading non-profit organization committed to combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery. (Washington, DC) **They even have an office in Japan now!**
website  · blog · facebook · twitter: Polaris_Project

RedLight Children

website  · facebook · twitter: RedLightCC

Restavek Freedom

ending child slavery in Haiti
website  · facebook · twitter: RestavekFreedom

She Shall Go Free

To break all these sufferings, all these fetters of slavery.
blog  · facebook · twitter: sheshallgofree

Stop Child Trafficking

(New York, NY)
website  · facebook · twitter: SCTNow

Stop Modern Slavery

Washington, DC
website  · blog · twitter: DCSMS

Survivors Connect

website  · facebook · twitter: survivorconnect

Unbound Movement

A Modern Day Movement to end Modern day Slavery – in all it’s forms! (Cincinnati, OH)
website  · facebook · twitter: unboundmovement

Vision Abolition

dedication to prevention, rescue, and restoration (Arizona)
website  ·  blog  · twitter: VisionAbolition

Shopping

*Made by Survivors, mentioned above

Night Light Bangkok

business as a mission offering employment to women formerly in the sex industry.
website  · blog  · facebook · twitter: NightLightBKK

Nomi Network

leveraging the marketplace, fashion, and film to eradicate sexual slavery (New York)
website  · facebook · twitter: nominetwork

Stop Traffick Fashion

a boutique about restoration and change for survivors of human trafficking. (Cincinnati, OH)
website  · blog · facebook · twitter: stoptrffckfash

Individuals

Amanda Kloer

– writer on Change.org
twitter: endhumantraffic
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January 11, 2011

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