National Human Trafficking Awareness Day... Where were you?

Yesterday, 01/11/12, was Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

I was SHOCKED (and somewhat not surprised) that I didn't hear a thing about it on the news, on the radio, or read it on the paper...  NOTHING.  

It was as if the world had silenced itself.

But I became aware of this very day by following two AMAZING organizations that are investing every minute, resource and personnel to bring the issue of Human Trafficking to the forefront of our minds.

Sevenly's Purpose is to 

" learn the issues that break God's heart, engage with the people who are called to the issue, and create awareness and a funding movement that supports them in their efforts."

For one entire week, Sevenly promotes a specific cause, such as hunger, poverty, lack of clean water, medical, slavery, and others, by selling t-shirts.  Amazing designed t-shirts, by the way.  $7 of each t-shirt sold (thus, the name Sevenly), goes directly to the organizations with which they're partnering during that specific week.

I've been rocking my Girls Not For Sale t-shirt since then...

 I was totally moved by the work that

Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS) are doing.  According to the GEMS Facebook page, GEMS is the nation's largest nonprofit organization specifically designed to empower commercially sexually exploited girls and young women, ages 12-24.  They're based in New York state.  In 2010 alone, they were able to provide counseling, job training, access to health care, and crisis housing to more than 328 young women, and outreach to over 1,000 youth.  Please check out their Facebook page for more information, links, pictures, etc.  

Well, but Sevenly did not stop there.  

THIS WEEK ONLY!!  

Sevenly is working together with the Somaly Mam Foundation, a nonprofit charity committed to ending modern day slavery in North America and around the world.  All t-shirt/hoodie purchases will provide water, nutritious meals, medical and psychological aid to sex-trafficking survivors staying in a shelter in Vietnam.  

Watch this video... it broke my heart.  

I don't consider myself a hardcore humanitarian.  

But I KNOW that when I see the injustice that's placed on young girls, my heart breaks and I get a glimpse of what righteous anger looks like.  I get angry.  Yes, I do.  I CANNOT image the pain, the nightmares, and the scars that these girls experience as a result of the dirty abuse.  

I call it SIN.  

And God sees it as SIN.  

As a parent of a young baby girl, I ache even more.  If such acts were placed upon my very own child, I could not find human strength or grace to deal with such injustice.  In God's eyes, how can He?  I know God's heart breaks... He weeps.  And my prayer is that I would begin to see and experience what's like to see the world and the people in it, as God sees and experiences.  

So, next time you see me, I might be rocking one of my new wardrobe pieces...  

which one will you be wearing??

Disclaimer:  I am not, in any way, being sponsored or asked to share the messages of any of these organizations.  I am sharing my own thoughts and opinions about them.  All images/video were taken from their website.