Be The Change

I just finished reading a book written by a 15 year old boy entitled Be the Change: Your Guide to Freeing Slaves and Changing the World by Zach Hunter. This young man has a passion for seeing the oppressed find freedom. At this young age, he started a program called “Loose Change to Loosen Chains” which encourages youth in particular to get involved in helping to free modern-day slaves. He wants us to be advocates for the voiceless: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9
Here are a few facts he mentions in the book:
27 million: Number of people in modern-day slavery around the world. (U.N., Amnesty International)
17,500: Number of foreign nationals who are trafficked into the U.S. every year. (U.S. House of Representatives)
91: Number of U.S. cities with reported cases of human trafficking. (Freetheslaves.net)
50: Percentage of all victims of human trafficking that are children. (U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations and U.S. Department of State)
800,000: Number of persons trafficked across international borders each year. (U.S. State Department)
$50 Million: U.S. government budget for efforts against human trafficking. (U.S. State Department)
$19 Billion: U.S. government budget for efforts against drug trafficking. (White House Drug Policy website)
218 Million: Estimated number of children working between the ages of 5 and 17 (International Labor Organization)
126 Million: Estimated number of children who work in the worst forms of child labor (one in every twelve children ages 5-17) (UNICEF)
“God has a plan to help bring justice to the world--and His plan is us.” Gary Haugen, President of International Justice Mission
Luke 4:18-19 The spirit of the Lord is upon me. Because He annointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. To set free the oppressed. To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.

Zach speaks of his passion all over the U.S.A.: at music festivals, concerts, churches, youth groups, and TV. He wants to be part of the change. Do you?

What is “Loose Change to Loosen Chains” all about?
“‘Loose Change to Loosen Chains’ is a student-led campaign to rescue victims of modern-day slavery.” It emphasizes three steps to get students involved in raising funds:
a. Educate family, friends, and community on modern-day slavery
b. Collect change through various activities and drives
c. Submit funds and success stories

How do these people find themselves in slavery? Sometimes they’ve borrowed money to pay a debt, such as a medical bill. They end up being in debt to the lender, ending up in a rock quarry breaking rocks by hand, making bricks, rolling cigarettes, cutting gemstones, or trapped in brothels. They are often beaten or threatened with violence if they try to leave or aren’t producing what they should.

Several organizations work to put an end to slavery, rescue victims, provide legal advocacy, support aftercare and restoration services for people coming out of slavery, and educate people about the global problem of slavery.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Henry Horton State Park

Wilhoite Mill and Village were developed in the mid-1800's and were home to a three-story inn, post office and a mill and dam. The mill operated for more than a century. The wooden structures were destroyed in the early 1980's leaving only the metal gears and wheels that remain today.
Oak-hickory is the most prevalent type of forest in Tennessee which comprises nearly 3/4 of all forested land.
The Duck River runs for almost 270 miles and runs through Henry Horton State Park.

Can't Get Enough of the Amish Countryside