Christine Caine was the single most passionate speaker to grace the 2010 Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit.
She was absolutely captivating as she energetically paced back and forth on the platform, emphasizing each point she made with both gesture and words. It seemed she never even stopped to take a breath, nor did she lose our attention for even a second. She began by saying “I want to stir you up today.” And that is exactly what she did.
Christine’s passion is for bringing hope to the hopeless and fighting injustice, specifically the injustice of human trafficking. She recently founded an organization called the A21 Campaign. This signifies abolishing injustice in the 21st century. A21 exists to rescue and minster to victims of human trafficking, an organized criminal industry that affects every nation. Trafficking in women is the second largest organized global crime today, generating an estimated $12 billion USD annually. The A21 website describes the harsh reality for a typical victim with these cold hard words.
“After a trafficking journey that typically involves deception, rape, beatings, and constant threats, victims are often forced to live in confining and unsanitary conditions. Once formally put to work, human trafficking victims can be forced to service from 40 to 110 customers in one day. Malnutrition, sleep deprivation, as well as emotional and physical abuse become day-to-day normalities. In addition, forced abortions and the contraction of STI’s, Hepatitis B & C, and AIDS are ever looming probabilities. Life for a victim of sex trafficking is hell on earth. This injustice is the reason The A21 Campaign exists.”
It is estimated that there are 27 million slaves worldwide. Of these, 80% are women and children. There is more slavery today, than at any time in human history. Most poignant was that although the numbers of young girls and women enduring this harsh reality are staggering, Christine kept driving home the fact that each and every one of these, is an individual in a hopeless circumstance, and tragically, only 1-2% are ever rescued. She has, through A21, enlisted the assistance of businesses and churches all over the world to raise money and raise awareness, and she has organized volunteers who are rescuing these victims, one precious life at a time.
Wisdom for the heart just seems to describe what we received from Christine Caine. In roughly 45 minutes this woman shared a vision of leadership that raised the bar more than a few notches. If anyone in the room thought that what they were doing had some special far reaching importance, after hearing Christine speak, they were no doubt humbled beyond words. I know I was. I am still captivated by certain phrases she used, describing a shift in global thinking as “divine re-calibration”, and ending her sentences with bullet point thoughts like “…one human being at a time” and … “every bit of light that we can carry into the darkness matters.”
For me, hearing Christine Caine speak, gave entirely new meaning to the words “Injustice” and “Hope”. I urge you to respond to this wisdom for the heart. Educate yourself on the subject of human trafficking. Your awareness of the problem is, in itself, a step towards the solution. I also urge you to visit the A21 website for downloadable resources and a list of 21 ways to help.
Blessings & Adventure,
Lynn “lynnibug” Rios
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Jeez Lynn I thought I was old enough and knowlegeable enough to be aware but I had no idea of the scale of the horror of human trafficking.
I will look into A21 as you urge us to do
I thank you Ian! I had no idea myself, and the thought of it just makes me sick!
Lynn, what a great article! When I was reading your article all I could think of was that movie “Taken”. I will do the best I can to help this cause. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your willingness to do something, anything Gerry. I felt as you did when I heard her talk about it…how can this go on and get no press?
nice nice
very nice