Eugene Cho

I care about justice and injustice. I don’t want to. I really wish I can just go about my own business but I can’t. Not just merely as an aspiring decent human being but as a follower of Christ, I am compelled – not by obligation but by the heart of God to care and seek to do mercy, love justice, and walk humbly.

Thankfully, there are others who are leading the way. This upcoming weekend, friends, folks at Quest Church, and I are teaming up with IJM.

Couple months ago, I wrote a post entitled, “F**k Human Trafficking. There I Said It.” It wasn’t my intent to be rude or crude but to simply say that 27 million people involved in human trafficking [of which 80% are women and 50% are minors] is not acceptable:

Is it possible that we as Christians just aren’t angry enough about injustices like human trafficking and slavery?  Perhaps, we’ve grown too desensitized, domesticated, and docile. I’m not trying to say this for the sake of the ’shock factor’ but I really believe there are times when the Church needs to have a deep[er] anger about the grave injustices of the world particularly when it involves the exploitation of children. Have we deduced our faith to convenient and self serving pleasantries?

Let’s challenge ourselves to go beyond the talk, blogging, status updates, tweets, and go deeper in our collective desire to make a difference. Here are some wonderful opportunities this weekend to be informed and equipped:

* Free Film Screening. Saturday, Sept. 19 7-9pm at Quest. We’re hosting a FREE screening of a new film from International Justice Mission called At the End of Slavery.

Just released in September, Narrated by Danny Glover, At the End of Slavery is a 31-minute documentary that takes you inside the ugly business of buying and selling human beings, from the brothels of the Philippines to the brick kilns of India – and, remarkably, leaves you with hope for a final end to this brutal trade. The film explores the link between today’s anti-slavery movement and the great historical battles for justice it follows, including the abolition of trans-Atlantic slavery and the victory of the civil rights movement in the United States.

* Quest Church Special Speaker. On Sunday, you are welcome to join our church community at the 9.15am or 11am service to hear an important sermon from Holly Burkhalter from IJM [Vice President, Government Relations].

* Advocacy Training. Later that Sunday afternoon [1.30-4.30 @ Quest Church], we are partnering with International Justice Mission for a very important opportunity to learn about Advocacy Training.

IJM has expertise about what it takes to end slavery and in trafficking, but the people who matter most to Members of Congress are their constituents. We need your help to urge your elected officials to support the Child Protection Compact Act of 2009 — groundbreaking legislation that seeks to eradicate trafficking children in designated focus countries.

At IJM’s Northwest Advocacy Weekend, you will receive training to help you exercise your political voice to make a difference for those who are suffering from violent oppression. After you participate in advocacy training in Seattle, IJM’s Government Relations team will organize meetings for you with your Oregon and Washington Senators and Representatives to put your advocacy skills to use on behalf of the oppressed.

The cost to participate in the Seattle Advocacy Training is $20. (If cost is an issue, please contact Mike Hogan at mhogan@ijm.org for a scholarship.) Register online now: http://tinyurl.com/IJMNWAdvocacy

Here’s a short trailer of the documentary we are showing this Saturday:

Filed under: , human trafficking, IJM, international justice mission