share the stewardship magazine | issue 2 3
special issue on human trafficking featuring interviews with: Beth Redman Gary Haugen Christine Caine
transforming generosity
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editorial
We are Stewardship, a charity that effectively releases resources to support individuals, charities and organisations worldwide. Our mission is to enable you to live and give generously, advancing God’s Kingdom. We believe that generosity is transformational, for the giver and for the receiver. Our work inspires and supports a generous resourcing community, with transformational results. We are delighted to partner with you in your journey of generosity.
contact us PO Box 99, Loughton, Essex, IG10 3QJ 020 8502 5600 enquiries@stewardship.org.uk stewardship.org.uk You can contact the editor by emailing editor@stewardship.org.uk Editor: Craig Borlase Design: adeptdesign.co.uk Stewardship is the operating name of Stewardship Services (UKET) Limited, a registered charity in England and Wales no. 234714 and a company limited by guarantee no. 90305
It is possible to buy a child for £150. After ten men have raped the child the ‘owner’ has recovered his costs. After twenty, the owner has earned enough to buy another child. After forty, day one ends. Shocking? Yes, but I’m being discreet. I dare not elaborate in case children pick up this magazine. The world of human trafficking is far darker than all but a few truly understand. But in the darkness of trafficking, where human life and innocence are bought and sold, only Jesus offers an innocent life for free. In this issue we feature not death, but life. We look not at those who perpetrate evil, but those, motivated by their faith, who have committed their lives to restoring the broken, pursuing justice and seeking the end of trafficking in our lifetime. Two hundred years ago a slave cost £25,000 in today’s money. Why the astounding difference from £150? The massive increase in the numbers of slaves, a classic example of supply and demand. The more slaves, the lower the price, and while opinion today varies, many accept that upwards of 27 million people are living in slavery today. Two hundred years ago William Wilberforce, motivated by faith, stood against the incredible horror of slavery. Today people like Gary, Beth, Julia, Helen, Christine, Ben and others face a stronger and more insidious enemy. Yet, motivated by faith, they, and we, must stand against injustice, and bring Jesus to the darkest places. Michael O’Neill, CEO Stewardship
Inspired by what you read? Use your giving account to support the causes in this magazine. 3
ction a n i p i rdsh a w e St
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u n o ces the n n a t h g i r W e i b b m e e h d t Lent y e t i s D o r e n e g r u o What does Lent mean to you? A chance to kick your caffeine or chocolate habit? A time of spiritual preparation? Or perhaps it’s just a very long build-up to Easter Day. For some, Lent has developed a rather negative reputation – a six-week challenge to keep to strict, self-imposed rules. But this time leading up to Jesus’ resurrection is definitely not about sackcloths, deprivation and self-denial. Lent is an annual opportunity to grow in our faith, develop character and step out of our comfort zones. For some it is an essential part of the Christian calendar, an indispensable opportunity to do so much more than reduce our waistline. Last year, in an effort to experience Lent differently, over 5,000 people joined the 40acts generosity challenge. They chose to give out rather than give up, to choose to form new habits through performing simple acts of generosity. They smiled more, prayed more, sent thank you notes, cooked meals from scratch, befriended strangers, dusted off their bikes, shared jokes, arrived on time, bought coffee, shared personal testimonies and much, much more. How did it go? Read for yourself: 4
After driving as courteously as I know how all day, I went to the gym for a class and it occurred that the same principles apply. So easy to nudge people aside, get cross when they cut you up or block your view or show a distinct lack of spatial awareness. So much scope for showing a different attitude and learning to be gracious.
Helen
Thank you for the ‘Thank You note’ act the other day and the whole concept of 40acts in general. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant – especially the wide variety of wise contributors. Maybe this needs to continue all year: 366 (365) acts!
David
M ake Ha b i t return of 40acts challenge I am a teacher and after being introduced to this idea the whole school are taking part!
Gave the cafe at the gym money to buy coffee for the next person who ordered it. Really enjoyed today's act, and it led to a lovely conversation with my daughter about spontaneous generosity.
Bought three small boxes of chocolates on my way to work and then looked for people to give them away to. Chickened out of giving the first to the first person who smiled at me – will try again tomorrow! The second went to the bus driver, who looked so miserable that I delivered the chocs in a 'hit and run' fashion as I got off the bus – but I did hear him say thank you, so I hope they cheered him up! The third was for the first person to smile at me on the way home from work, which turned out to be my husband, who came out to meet me. What a fun act today's was!
Rachel
Debs
Vicki
Get involved!
For individuals:
For churches:
Join the 40acts challenge to take part in forty daily generous acts during Lent 2013.
Sign up at 40acts.org.uk to receive daily 40acts challenges and reflections from 13 February to 30 March 2013.
Download our free resource packs to bring 40acts to your church or youth group. Available from January 2013.
40acts.org.uk
facebook.com/40acts
twitter.com/40acts 5
Human Trafficking The numbers
1.39 million
90%
Victims of commercial
sexual servitude
worldwide
victims trafficked into EU member states that end up in the sex industry
0.001% 1-2% 8
Percentage of Victims rescued
proportion of Europeans
involved in trafficking
that are convicted Source: The A21 Campaign
Eight generations ago our ancestors ended the slave trade, yet today the numbers associated with human trafficking are staggering.
The countries
Top ten source countries for human trafficking into the UK - reported cases only*
UK 40
Vietnam
Slovakia
93
52 Eritrea
Romania
Nigeria
79
163
24
Czech Rep
Uganda 38
Albania
31
32
China
*Based on the number of NRM (National Referral Mechanism) referrals received from each of the top ten countries. Source: Home Office
61
Amount generated by trafficking for sexual exploitation
The money Human Trafficking is big business – even when compared to these global brands.
Amount generated by human trafficking
Shown are company net profits for 2011. Amount raised by trafficking is per year.
Microsoft
Google McDonalds Starbucks
$945.6 m
Nike
$1.9 bn
$4.9 bn
$8.5 bn
$18.8 bn
$27.8 bn
$31.6 bn
Source: CNN Money/The A21 Campaign
9
facing the cha Two members of staff of a charity working to
Gareth Russell
Jeremy Alford
Gareth Russell is Director of Partnerships while Jeremy Alford is Director of Operations – both at Hope for Justice.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced since joining Hope for Justice?
Gareth: My challenge is to ensure that the UK church is aware of the problem of human trafficking in the UK. People think it’s limited to Asia and Eastern Europe, but it is happening here and the Church needs to lead the way on tackling it.
What’s your professional background?
Gareth: I was Managing Director of a media company previous to this role, and have held various marketing positions before that. It’s all been a huge help as we prepare for audacious projects like 2013’s Latvia-Southampton Zoe Challenge cycle ride.
What have you learnt about God since coming to work for Hope for Justice?
Gareth: That the same God who was with David when he defeated Goliath, is the God who is working with and through us today. Our giant today is trafficking but He that is in us, is greater than He that is in the world.
What would you tell people is their role in the fight to end human trafficking?
Gareth: First, prayer. It’s the foundation of all we do; we have seen some very dark situations transformed as a direct result of our supporters praying. Second, become an Abolitionist. Abolitionists are our regular monthly givers. Their generosity means we can put more investigators into the field. More investigators, more rescues. It’s that simple.
Hope for Justice is an anti-human trafficking organisation working to uncover and abolish the hidden crime of modern-day slavery. They assist the police practically through intelligence gathering and rescue within the UK. hopeforjustice.org.uk 10
allenge combat human trafficking go head to head. Jeremy: The biggest (and most exciting) challenge for me has been overseeing the creation of our first Regional Investigative Hub and recruiting the staff that will take our rescue capacity to the next level.
Jeremy: I recently retired after 30 years as a police officer, during which time I was lucky enough to rise to the rank of Chief Superintendent. I served with the Met, Bedfordshire and, for the last ten years of my service, Hertfordshire Constabulary. Before joining Hope for Justice, I worked for a year in the Office of the Mayor of London on his strategy to combat violence against women and girls. Jeremy: I thought God worked in the darkest of places, but I didn’t really have evidence to back this up until I saw how He’s transforming lives which seemed utterly lost, through the work of Hope for Justice.
Jeremy: Everyone has a role. God might be calling you to work or volunteer for Hope for Justice. He might be calling you to join an ACTFORJUSTICE group, to raise awareness and funds so that even more people can be transformed from victim to survivor through rescue. Or it may be prayer, as we seek the end of human trafficking.
Hope for Justice 20104001 11
Can the Church and society really hope to tackle a problem like human trafficking? Craig Borlase spoke with Gary Haugen – a leader in the field of international human rights.
violent struggles “I remember the day it became really clear to me,” says Gary Haugen, president and CEO of international human rights charity International Justice Mission (IJM) that works in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. “Some friends who were working as missionaries in the Philippines told me that some of the fifteen-year-old girls they were supporting weren’t showing up for the programme any more. They had been abducted into a brothel and were being serially raped for someone else’s profit. And then they found out that the brothel was actually being run by the police. What were my nice missionary friends supposed to do?”
Once poverty and abuse slip out of sight it’s a little easier to pretend they don’t exist. 12
Gary Haugen visits Svay Pak, Cambodia.
13
We need to recover the dignity of praying and providing money. A lawyer by trade, Gary’s early work had already brought him into contact with police abuse in the US, apartheid in South Africa, the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines and the horrors of the Rwandan genocide. Common to each situation was the single, uniting theme of violence, particularly towards the weakest, poorest and most marginalised. Reflecting on the struggle faced by his missionary friends, Gary’s epiphany revealed that while the Church (and the human rights community) was good at meeting certain needs – like food, water, shelter and finance – there were too few engaged directly in the defence of those suffering because of deliberate, violent abuse. Why? After all, it hadn’t always been this way. Gary recites a long list of Christian-led fights against injustice, including the struggles against sex trafficking, slavery, child labour, abuse in prisons and the success of the Great Reform movement. Yet these achievements 14
14
Gary Haugen visits with children at the home of a widow IJM helped in Uganda. The woman’s home had been stolen, but IJM attorneys helped her recover it.
belong to a different age, a different century in the time before evangelicals began to view liberals – and their championing of social justice – with suspicion. These were before the days when Christians found positions of power and wealth and moved to better neighbourhoods. Once poverty and abuse slip out of sight it’s a little easier to pretend they don’t exist. Today, though, things are different. Today, the Church is waking up to both its responsibility and its potential to act as a force for justice. The question is, how do we prevent it from dropping back off to sleep? Gary highlights three ways in which this might happen. Firstly, those seeking to engage supporters must avoid talking about vague policies and massive statistics, presenting the issue in the abstract rather than the human. Yet we must also avoid communicating only the urgency and horror of a situation, failing to
explain the ways in which people can make a difference. Finally, there has to be more to social action than clicking a mouse: “We’ve talked about it, told our friends about it, clicked on it – which is all totally vital – but without taking on the responsibility (and the joy of being used by God to do something about it) we’re also likely to go to sleep.” That idea of engaging with the joy of being used by God – and not merely responding to the responsibility to act as an agent of justice – seems particularly pertinent today. As competition for supporters increases there is an assumption that a charity cannot simply ask supporters for prayer and money. But that’s not the way that Gary sees it: “I think we need to recover the dignity of praying and providing money. In many ways those are the great mysteries of God; they’re the most democratizing things that He has given for the struggle for justice because they are needed at all time, and they are also the things that everyone can provide. God takes that mysterious movement of faith in prayer and also generosity in giving and He turns them into kinetic energy in the world that actually releases people from slavery or releases them from oppression and abuse.” That ‘divine kinetic energy’ is mysterious indeed. It alone is powerful enough to take our money and mumbled prayers and transform them into the very weapons which can tackle injustice, protect the vulnerable and unpick the violence which tears us down.
ijmuk.org 20039952
F R 3 3
D 0 M
No Law Degree? No Problem. Gary Haugen on the ways in which anyone can take on the fight against violence. “There are so many ways for people to be engaged in the core struggle against violence. The UK, the US and other Western governments hate to engage other countries about the issue of sex trafficking or slavery because it’s an embarrassing problem which is disconnected from all the other priorities they may have for trade or geopolitical relationships. To raise the problem of human trafficking – when the only people who are being victimised are the most marginalised who have no political power – it’s just not very interesting. But most governments are continually trying to be responsive to what voters back home care about. If the voters apply enough pressure on their leaders to make this a priority, then countries cannot stay disengaged from it. “Likewise, in every neighbourhood there’s a shelter for battered women, there are children who are the victims of child abuse. Christians are not famous for engaging with those things right in their own backyard, but these are concrete, practical and community-based ways in which everyone can be engaged in a very hands-on and satisfying way.” 15
worship, justice and the third conversion Along with her husband Matt, Beth Redman has become a vocal supporter of the A21 Campaign, resulting in a single that reached number eight in the charts in March 2012. She tells Craig Borlase how – and why – it all happened.
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Beth Redman (right) with Julia Immonen
If charity singles have a formula, surely it is this: songwriter has conscience pricked and eyes opened to injustice, gathers fellowcreative friends to record a single which is then released along with an accompanying video with footage of singers looking concerned-butstill-stylish in the recording studio. If that is the formula, nobody told Beth Redman or the handful of friends who joined her to write, record and release 27 Million – a collective she describes as “the older, frumpier version of the Black Eyed Peas”. A little harsh? Maybe. But it points to a fundamental Christian lesson that Beth re-learnt throughout the process: “We can’t do it on our own. God has to breathe on it for things to happen.” It all started, as so many of the best Godadventures do, with a simple invitation. Would Beth speak at a conference in Northern Ireland?
Matt said ‘Go, I’ll have the kids.’ So I went knowing that something extraordinary was going to happen – that it wasn’t just that I was going to give a talk.” Once there, Beth met Christine Caine – evangelist and founder of The A21 Campaign, a non-profit organisation principally engaged in the abolition of human injustice in the 21st Century, with particular emphasis on human trafficking. “From the minute she started speaking I was on the floor. I was embarrassed and ashamed that there were 27 million slaves on the earth – and some NGOs say there could be as many as 63 million slaves in India alone. I had no idea about the scale of the problem, even though I read the newspapers. How had I ended up in this bubble?” It is a question that too few of us face, but as Beth listened, she felt an urge to do something about it.
“I’d just had our fifth child and he was only 11 weeks old, we were still living in America and I got this invitation. I probably leave the house about once a year to go and speak at conferences, but this was something I knew I had to do.
I had no idea about the scale of the problem, even though I read the newspapers. How had I ended up in this bubble? 17
I converted to a cause, to being a voice for the voiceless. From that moment on we haven’t stopped. “Christine wasn’t just firing statistics at us, she was talking about one girl, found in Eastern Europe who had been trafficked by her parents. Christine just told her story and as I listened I thought, it cannot be OK that children have no say in what happens to them, that they are raped and abused for profit. “John Wimber (founder of the Vineyard movement of churches) talked about three conversions that need to happen in the life of a Christian: a conversion to Christ, to the church and to a cause. That’s exactly what happened to me in that moment: I converted to a cause, to being a voice for the voiceless. From that moment on we haven’t stopped.”
That momentum led them to meet Sarah (not her real name), a Ugandan girl now living in Greece. “She had been sold by a family member, then trafficked out of the country. A lot of her journey was on foot and nineteen other girls had died along the way. She was then sold into prostitution, told she had a debt to pay off and that she would have to service 30 to 40 men a day in a 24-hour brothel. For three years she lived like this, deprived of sleep, malnourished, abused continually.” Eventually, Sarah was rescued by A21’s team. She was taken to one of their safehouses, cared for and loved.
The A21 Campaign works in several ways. It prosecutes traffickers and has been behind some landmark cases in Greece – widely recognized as Europe’s trafficking hub. It also works to raise awareness of the problem of trafficking, particularly among those most at risk. A21 workers travel to remote villages across Eastern Europe to inform people of the risks of taking up offers of work overseas from people promising a better life. Additionally, for those rescued from trafficking, A21 work to help rebuild their lives in safehouses around Europe. 18
“We met Sarah and she told us that before she was tricked and trafficked she was trying to get a job to raise money to go to nursing college. What was extraordinary was that when A21 found and helped to rehabilitate her she was able to get that dream back. She’s now at nursing college, where she always wanted to be. So it’s a story of tragedy to triumph, and I knew as we met that I had to tell people what she’s been through and to help them realise that this is happening to so many other girls.”
“There’s a great verse that has inspired us:
And so came the idea for the song, not because Beth believed that it would change the world through three minutes of radio-friendly pop, but because she knew that if – like her – people could hear about Sarah’s story, they could be inspired to help rescue another, and another and another of the millions more in slavery. If she could convert to the cause, why not get others to join?
“We can’t do it on our own and this isn’t our big idea. It’s the Holy Spirit that cares and makes it happen. That’s the only reason that you have this favour and fruit; that’s the reason you see the single going up the charts. It’s because the Holy Spirit cares about people. When God wants that message out there it will happen.”
‘When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break...’ Luke 5:4-7, NASB
Underpinning all of this is a sense that without God breathing on a venture like this, what hope does it have of success?
The A21 Campaign 20120195 19
hristine aine Speaker, author and founder of The A21 Campaign – on Church, human trafficking and dealing with colossal numbers.
Long before Joseph was known for his technicolor dream coat, he was a victim of human trafficking. 20
How have we allowed such a colossal abuse to go unchecked for so long? Human trafficking has been going on far longer than many people think that it has. Long before Joseph was known for his technicolor dream coat, he was a victim of human trafficking. Slavery, oppression, abuse and the devaluing of human life is not something new. However, I think that one of the reasons that this crime has escalated like it has, is due to the nature of it being something that is hidden in plain sight. Because of the manipulation, mental abuse and control, many of us encounter victims of human trafficking in our everyday life – we just don't realise it.
society. Imagine what would happen if we were fully engaged and fully awake to the potential impact we can make together. Ephesians 5:14-16 says, ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.’ When we are asleep, injustice and pain can run rampant across the earth, but we may not even see or know of the nightmare someone else is living. Once we’ve been awakened, we can see the evil and respond. We are up, alert, ready to take the first or next step, ready to make a difference.
I believe that the Church can and will play Most victims are not held by chains or locked a very vital part in the fight against human doors, most of them are held by fear and trafficking. threats. This enables traffickers to move and control victims virtually undetected. We have What makes you optimistic about our seen girls rescued out of sex slavery but too chances of winning? scared to testify or publicly admit their abuse While there might be an estimated 27 million because of fear that one of their family people in slavery on the planet right now, there members might get hurt. I've learned that you are 2.3 billion Christians. That is a ratio of 85 can even do a raid on a brothel where girls to 1. Not only that, greater is He that is in us are being held, and you can extend a hand of rescue to a victim, but she will not reach back... than he who is in the world. Enough said. out of fear. How does what you've seen through A21 both strengthen and challenge your faith? The more we learn about the shifting dynamics of human trafficking, the better we know how to I look at where A21 is today and I am in fight it. This is why prevention and awareness is AWE at what God has done! In less than five such a vital part of the solution. Now that we years we now have offices in seven countries, know – we must tell others. restoration homes in three countries and What part does the Church have to play in one national human trafficking hotline that runs 24/7. We have seen a record number of fighting this? traffickers convicted this year, been recognised I believe that the Church has a very key role to by the White House for our efforts in this battle, play in the fight against human trafficking. We, and continue to get more girls out of the the Church, are in every nation and almost clutches of traffickers on a regular basis. While every city around the world. We are in position often times the task set before us is quite and poised to make a global impact like never daunting, and the odds don't always seem to be before. Sitting in our church pews are teachers, in our favour, I have learned that the more we doctors, politicians, mechanics, students and step out in faith and trust God – the more He members that represent virtually every area of turns up in ways that we never imagined. 21
row, ride, live for freedom She’d never rowed, yet Julia Immonen and four others broke the world record by being the fastest all-female crew to row across the Atlantic. Ruth Leigh asked why on earth would she want to do a crazy thing like that. Julia Immonen is the Director’s Assistant in the News Department at Sky Sports. She’s also filled with a passionate desire to stamp out human trafficking and she’s using her love of sport to raise awareness of this heartbreaking trade. “I heard Christine Caine from The A21 Campaign talking about human trafficking at a conference,” Julia explains. “The scale of the problem horrified me.” Not one to let the grass grow, Julia spent several months researching trafficking then leapt into action. “An initial marathon for A21 turned into rowing the Atlantic, having never rowed in my life!”
Following her record-breaking Row For Freedom in 2012, Julia’s planning Cycle For Freedom, a 2,700 kilometre cycle ride over 27 days through 10 countries. “We start on 15th September, cycling across Europe from Bulgaria to the UK, cycling into London on AntiSlavery Day. Our mission is fourfold – we’re aiming to prevent, protect, partner and prosecute. By cycling through some of the source countries of human trafficking, we’re raising awareness of the situation.” There’s been immense support, as Julia explains. “We’ve got locals, politicians
and NGOs on board to help us educate people about trafficking. Recently, we met with the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and he’s given us full governmental and media support.” How has this affected her Sky Sports colleagues? “Over the past eight years, they’ve seen my life change completely. I was a prodigal daughter, but when I came back to faith, everything I knew of God dropped from my head to my heart and I was filled with a desire for justice.” “We need an army of Wilberforces to abolish slavery in our lifetime,” says Julia.
To join this army and follow the ride for freedom, visit give.net/rideforfreedom for news, updates from Julia and the team, and details of how you can start your own ride to support A21. 22
An initial marathon for A21 turned into rowing the Atlantic, having never rowed in my life!
23
, a d n a g U o t with love
rlase (eldest daughter of When she was nine Evie Bo a trip to Uganda to visit Share’s editor, Craig) took kkola – a school for friends who run Aunt Elvi Mi elsewhere. How was it? children too poor to study
Making new frie
nds
Our last night
The bike ride 28
es Selling cak
at school
Craig: Why was it a good thing for you that you and I went to Uganda last year? Evie: It was good because I got to help people, and that’s what I like doing most. Craig: Why is that? Evie: Because when you’re doing it – and when you’ve done it – it gives you that sort of happy feeling inside. Craig: When you were in Uganda, did you have that happy feeling inside all the time? Evie: Yes... although we did see a dead man lying by the side of the road when we drove past a coach crash. And I saw three dead dogs just left on a pile of rubbish. That didn’t feel very good.
What we’d collected
Craig: Yes, we saw some very different things out there. What was it like being the only white person in the school? Evie: I felt different, but it was a good different – because your difference can help other people. We’d been able to take all these pencils and pens and stuff that we’d collected at school. Craig: And you’d got people to join you in the sponsored bike ride and cake sales. What was good about getting your friends involved?
Coming home
Evie: It was great that other people were willing to help. Some of them brought their friends along too, which meant that we raised even more money. Craig: And has it changed you at all? Evie: Yes, it made me think more about what’s going on all around the world, rather than just being in my own little world with family and friends. When I was out there I had quite a few picture visions and it made me think that God has power to change all these things, and we need to trust Him to make these things happen. Craig: So would you like to go back? Evie: Yes, I’d love to go back to get more people involved and help more. People there have a really strong belief in God and they follow Him like none of us do. The church was such a great place to be.
Giving out pens at school elvimikkola.org 20122535 29
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