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This morning, I spoke at my boys’ school about human trafficking. We encouraged all the students to wear blue, and they didn’t know why.
After hearing the meaning behind the color, I think they’ll wear blue for the rest of the month.
A World of Brokenness
Next week, I’ll go to the safe house to translate. Once again, I will be the language bridge between the psychologist and my friend from North Africa—rescued off the streets two years ago.
My friend came here to Spain to pick strawberries, but she was soon lured into human trafficking. She became easy prey—a victim of sexual exploitation. This precious woman didn’t know the Spanish language and the culture. She didn’t know anyone or anything. My friend didn’t even know where she was.
Vulnerable. Innocent.
Every time I go to the safe house, I stand face-to-face with the horror, the brokenness, the trauma, the suffering of human trafficking.
It’s ugly, it’s dark, it’s sad.
Raising Awareness
This month—January—is Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Here are some statistics from the United Nations:
People are trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced begging, forced marriage; for selling children and as child soldiers, as well as for removal of organs;
Women make up 49% and girls 23% of all victims of trafficking;
Sexual exploitation is the most common form of exploitation (59% share) followed by forced labour (34% share);
Most victims are trafficked within their countries’ borders – those trafficked abroad are moved to the richest countries.
Why Blue Hearts?
They chose blue hearts as a symbol of this battle for justice.
The Blue Heart represents the sadness of those who are trafficked, while reminding us of the cold-heartedness of those who buy and sell fellow human beings.
United Nations
No matter where we are in the world, we can all wear blue in honor of the many victims of human trafficking around the globe—men, women, and children.
And, there are many victims. Today, a friend and colleague from Diaconia shared some astounding statistics. There are more than 47,000,000 modern-day slaves of human trafficking in the world today, and every thirty seconds, a person is trafficked.
We must do something about this! We must do something to change these statistics!
Yes, we can all make a difference!
Besides wearing blue to help promote awareness, here are some other ways:
1. Purchase items made by women rescued from human trafficking through my online store, Cultural Threads, or Trades of Hope.
2. Read Habiba’s story—a rescued and redeemed woman. Listen and learn, then be a voice for her and the many “Silent Ones.”
3. Check out our new Strawberry Girls art/story project—raising awareness of the human trafficking line between Morocco and Spain.
4. Buy Our Journey to El Dorado.
5. Buy Mommy, What’s a Safe House? Now available in Spanish. Mamá, ¿qué es una casa de acogida?
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—“THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
Are you wondering how you can make a difference? What can you do about sex trafficking right where you are? Raise awareness! Wear something blue!
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
