I've decided to start a new blog. Sometimes I just need a beginning to get me inspired :).
http://wesingwedance.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Love Protects.
"Love146 works toward the abolition of child sex trafficking and exploitation through prevention and aftercare. Love146 trains aftercare workers, multiplies safehomes, aids socioeconomic development programs in high risk communities and provides a voice for these victims of modern-day slavery." - www.love146.org
Through the words of Jared's and my pre-marital counselor and visits to the 146 website, this issue has become my heartbeat in the last few days. As believers in Christ, we are called to rescue the perishing and care for the dying - I cannot think of a better way.
Love146's website is a powerful tool for raising awareness about the issue of human sex trafficking and gives plenty of insight into other ways to research and fight against this international travesty. According to their site, around 1.2 million children are estimated to be trafficked per year. That's two children per minute. According to research conducted by the U.S. government, over 800,000 people are trafficked trans-nationally per year, not to mention the millions trafficked within their own countries. It is estimated that 80% of victims are women and girls, up to 50% are minors. Estimations reveal that approximately 27 million people are currently being trafficked around the world, the majority for sexual exploitation. Trafficking is one of the largest illegal markets in the world, second only to drugs. The total market value of human trafficking is estimated to be $32 billion, $28 billion of which comes from sexual exploitation.
American is not exempt. "The organization to End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking in Children for Sexual Purposes believe that 45,000-50,000 persons are trafficked into the U.S. each year, 15,000 of them are children."
An example of this? Craigslist's "Erotic Services" section is a frequently used utility for pimps and pornographers to market and sell children as prostitutes. (www.love146.org)
This is a world-wide issue. Really, it is deeper than world-wide. It is a battle in the spiritual realm, and there are ways we can fight it. Above and beyond all - pray in faith. If our hearts' break for these precious girls, how much more does their Father's in heaven?
I implore you to visit Love146's website and see how you can fight against this horrendous injustice.
"Love protects. Love defends. Love restores. Love empowers." - Love146
Visit the site, watch the video, be stirred and shaken.
Love.
Through the words of Jared's and my pre-marital counselor and visits to the 146 website, this issue has become my heartbeat in the last few days. As believers in Christ, we are called to rescue the perishing and care for the dying - I cannot think of a better way.
Love146's website is a powerful tool for raising awareness about the issue of human sex trafficking and gives plenty of insight into other ways to research and fight against this international travesty. According to their site, around 1.2 million children are estimated to be trafficked per year. That's two children per minute. According to research conducted by the U.S. government, over 800,000 people are trafficked trans-nationally per year, not to mention the millions trafficked within their own countries. It is estimated that 80% of victims are women and girls, up to 50% are minors. Estimations reveal that approximately 27 million people are currently being trafficked around the world, the majority for sexual exploitation. Trafficking is one of the largest illegal markets in the world, second only to drugs. The total market value of human trafficking is estimated to be $32 billion, $28 billion of which comes from sexual exploitation.
American is not exempt. "The organization to End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking in Children for Sexual Purposes believe that 45,000-50,000 persons are trafficked into the U.S. each year, 15,000 of them are children."
An example of this? Craigslist's "Erotic Services" section is a frequently used utility for pimps and pornographers to market and sell children as prostitutes. (www.love146.org)
This is a world-wide issue. Really, it is deeper than world-wide. It is a battle in the spiritual realm, and there are ways we can fight it. Above and beyond all - pray in faith. If our hearts' break for these precious girls, how much more does their Father's in heaven?
I implore you to visit Love146's website and see how you can fight against this horrendous injustice.
"Love protects. Love defends. Love restores. Love empowers." - Love146
Visit the site, watch the video, be stirred and shaken.
Love.
Friday, February 15, 2008
i'll always have more questions than answers.
first, i am listening to the soundtrack from the recent movie "P.S. I Love You" which jared and i liked very much. i'd recommend it highly, especially if you have an inkling toward ireland, romance, and/or becoming a part of the film you are watching. we thoroughly enjoyed it. also, the soundtrack is worth the $9.99 on itunes.
now.
today i had one class - communication and women's health. however, we learn about health issues that affect men as well as women, and today we discussed AIDS. the article we read was by communication researcher Elizabeth Dow who was analyzing another article called "1,112" by Kramer, a gay-rights activist in the 1980s. in order to understand gay liberation, our professor told us about an event called Stonewall which occurred in 1969. for more information on the event itself, visit the following website. http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/eresources/exhibitions/sw25/case1.html
as soon as she began talking about this event which, evidently, opened the doors for a magnificent push toward gay liberation in the united states, i was taken aback. why had i not heard of this event before? is it because i was home schooled? was i just sheltered from historical events not in line with conservative politics? i decided against this as jared, who attended public school, had no idea what i was talking about when i told him of the event. is it because we live in texas? do we simply avoid discussing the "liberation" of groups we disagree with?
now, hear this. biblically, i am not in favor of a gay lifestyle. i am not promoting the gay movement. i disagree with the lifestyle, but i love the people as i would any one else.
historical movements such as this should be discussed. why do we try to act as though gays are just now coming out? no! they've just finally been allowed to! am i necessarily in favor of this? not the issue. the issue is that we are learning "american history" from an extremely biased perspective. can bias be avoided? probably not. can truth be told? yes.
let's tell it.
now.
today i had one class - communication and women's health. however, we learn about health issues that affect men as well as women, and today we discussed AIDS. the article we read was by communication researcher Elizabeth Dow who was analyzing another article called "1,112" by Kramer, a gay-rights activist in the 1980s. in order to understand gay liberation, our professor told us about an event called Stonewall which occurred in 1969. for more information on the event itself, visit the following website. http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/eresources/exhibitions/sw25/case1.html
as soon as she began talking about this event which, evidently, opened the doors for a magnificent push toward gay liberation in the united states, i was taken aback. why had i not heard of this event before? is it because i was home schooled? was i just sheltered from historical events not in line with conservative politics? i decided against this as jared, who attended public school, had no idea what i was talking about when i told him of the event. is it because we live in texas? do we simply avoid discussing the "liberation" of groups we disagree with?
now, hear this. biblically, i am not in favor of a gay lifestyle. i am not promoting the gay movement. i disagree with the lifestyle, but i love the people as i would any one else.
historical movements such as this should be discussed. why do we try to act as though gays are just now coming out? no! they've just finally been allowed to! am i necessarily in favor of this? not the issue. the issue is that we are learning "american history" from an extremely biased perspective. can bias be avoided? probably not. can truth be told? yes.
let's tell it.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
a little dab of research.
been enjoying a slow new year's day after a late, fun, rummikub and conversation filled new year's eve. the Lord is good and He is filling me with curiosity and hope for what the Church is going to look like in our generation. here are some thoughts of others whom i wonder alongside.
I Like Jesus...Not the Church by Dan Kimball
Read the whole thing to understand the title/point. And I like the Church as God intended it to be, just to clear the air.
http://outreachmagazine.com/library/features/MA07ftrILikeJesusNottheChurch.asp
Compassionate Care by Andrea Bailey
Love the hurting. Care for the dying.
http://outreachmagazine.com/library/stories/nd07storiescompassionatecare.asp
I Like Jesus...Not the Church by Dan Kimball
Read the whole thing to understand the title/point. And I like the Church as God intended it to be, just to clear the air.
http://outreachmagazine.com/library/features/MA07ftrILikeJesusNottheChurch.asp
Compassionate Care by Andrea Bailey
Love the hurting. Care for the dying.
http://outreachmagazine.com/library/stories/nd07storiescompassionatecare.asp
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