I had to write an essay for a scholarship application tonight. I don’t know if I’ll use it yet and it’s still unedited, but I’m going to post it because I’ll be talking about this subject more. This week I’m swamped at school, but next week I’m hoping to get into it more. It’s a new ministry/passion of mine and the story I’m writing currently is on this topic, and I want to start getting some of that up here, too. By the way, since this essay is going to be important and needs editing, I’ll take as many fresh eyes as are willing to critique it for me! It could only be a page long, which is where it is now and it was hard to include what I wanted to say about it since so much space was taken explaining what my subject is. I also needed to have some positive angles in it, so let me know and give me ideas and tip
Did you know?
Fact: approximately 18,000 women and children will be trafficked into the United States this year from other countries. Fact: 50% of those victims are under 18. Question: do you even know what I’m talking about? There are numerous organizations attempting to raise awareness of this appalling issue, including www.freeforlifeministries.com, where I got the above information. Yet, despite all these efforts, the word doesn’t seem to be spreading anywhere. So, let me explain what has become my latest—and greatest—passion.
Human Trafficking is modern-day slavery. Women and children are kidnapped, tricked or sold by their families (usually due to poverty) into prostitution. There, they are beaten, raped and forced to have sex. Their pimps prevent them from escaping their new lifestyle.
And yes, as I said before, this is happening not only in Third World countries, but America. I bet you thought everyone was free here, didn’t you? Not quite.
What is my role in this? It is my mission. I have recently decided to start raising awareness of this atrocity. I believe that if people are educated on this subject, it can be defeated. I see your churches sending missionaries overseas and know innumerable people sponsor foreign children in poverty. Our people are sympathetic like that. We’re giving. But here is a mission that touches your own beloved shores. Do your part to get involved! I have started. I applied to work over the summer as an intern for a trafficking awareness program. Sadly, I was not one of the students picked. But I’m not stopping. I have continued my rigorous research on this topic, gotten in touch with people who deal with it and talked to others about sexual exploitation.
My main goal, however, is something I’ve been working on as my own side project while trying to balance my hectic life: I’m writing a book. My novel, The Other Side of a Wheat Field, deals with a girl in America who is trafficked. Because I am a writer—and intend to make it my career post-college—it only made sense to me to write about my new passion and maybe someday raise awareness even more through it. This is my dream. I want to write, but beyond that, I want to write with a purpose; to use my talents to touch others’ lives. I know that we live in a world that can be as bleak and ugly as this tragedy. But I also know that the good far out-number the bad. So, help me stand. Let’s get rid of this! Remember what Louis Armstrong said and let’s, once again, make this place a wonderful world!
To my blog readers: If you are interested in looking up more information on this, here are other websites:
www.thehomefoundation.net
www.notforsalecampaign.org
You can also search YouTube by typing in “Human Trafficking” to see some amazing videos.
Let’s raise awareness!
~Emily
Filed under: Works-in-Progress, writing | Tagged: editing, Human Trafficking, my ministry, my passion, raise awareness, Scholarship Essay | Leave a comment »
Today is Tuesday. This is the day I choose to focus on the subject of Human Trafficking here at Footsteps. There’s really only so much a person can say about Trafficking. Eventually I just start repeating myself! (If you’re new to Footsteps, and would like to see what I’ve said about this issue in the past, click on the “Topics” drop-down on the right sidebar and go to “Human Trafficking” or “Stop the Traffick” or click on the “My Cause” tab at the top of the page.) One new thing I’ve been doing in regards to Trafficking is watching a plethora of different videos on the subject. Seeing other people’s emotional works is an inspiration to me. I’ve found one video that I would like to share with you. It’s a new organization I stumbled upon. Their website is Love146.com. They are an organization specializing in Aftercare and Prevention. In other words, they train safe houses how to best care for children rescued from sexual exploitation and they speak out about prevention of Human Trafficking. Here is their promotional video.
Footsteps of Life 