Not For Sale

I just spent an absolutely inspiring evening listening to David Batstone (a fellow Westmont College alum, by the way) talk about the Not For Sale campaign. If you have not heard about this, you must check it out. We studied this briefly at Light of the Canyon in 2006 in connection with the release of the movie "Amazing Grace." But, to my shame, we did not do a lot of follow up on it. I think we will in 2009. The campaign is a modern-day aboltionist movement. Upwards of 27 million people (mostly children) are enslaved all around the world, even in the United States (even in my area of sunny Orange County, California). As David Batstone told stories of slavery and exploitation that people must endure, he challenged the audience with the question, "who speaks for these people?" He challenged us all to - in our own way - become abolitionists. We do not have to travel to dark corners where people are being bought and sold. But, we can find ways to support organizations like Not For Sale, or International Justice Mission, or some other organization onvolved in freeing people from captivity. We need to stop thinking about what we cannot do, and begin to think about what we can. They don't know it yet, but I am going to challenge my church's youth group to get involved in the abolitionist movement. Maybe we will sell bracelets and stickers that say "Not For Sale" and send the money to the campaign. Maybe we will do something else. I don't know. But, we will do something. And, after I get the youth involved, I am going to get the church involved, as well. This is a righteous cause if ever there was one. Check out David Batstone's book. It is a great read. And then visit the web site. Get involved. I am not for sale. You are not for sale. Nobody should be for sale.