Federal authorities say they broke up a global child porn ring

I don't have any words for this.... This breaks my heart.

Please read the article for yourself. I have no words for this: FBI busts child porn ring

Real men don't BUY girls

Sister Donna Fread is my new favorite person. She is super cute and speaks the truth; "Real men don't BUY girls." She works for Stop the Demand in the Seattle/Tacoma area which is working to Stop the Demand for human trafficking. It's that simple. The reason why there is a SUPPLY of girls being sold for sex is because there is a DEMAND from "Johns" (the individuals who solicit sex). To stop the problem, both sides need to be addressed. I've had plenty of naysayers say, "as long as men are men, there will always be prostitution." I hate it when people say this to me because they are basically say, "Collyn, just give up. Throw up your hands and stop trying because you'll never win." I don't believe this is true. In fact, this sort of attitude is kindling for my fire, passion, and righteous anger toward the exploitation of humans for sex. Oh and Ashton and Demi agree:

A team member passed along this article to me today:



This is further proof that human trafficking happens everywhere. These girls were runaways. Think about how many kids you knew growing up who either threatened to run away or did run way... I knew a ton! In the fantasy of running way, they probably pictured freedom from whatever they thought was oppressing them at home, not sexual servitude. I'm sure they never wanted the life they now have because they ran away. They didn't know any better because, yep you guessed it, THEY ARE CHILDREN! Children can't be held responsible for becoming victims of predatory people. The only defense against this sort of an issue is EDUCATION and AWARENESS. The men who bought these girls' innocence are all around you: The guy behind you at Starbucks, the man you work with, the men you pass in the grocery store. The more we all speak up that this behavior is unacceptable and offer them help (because they are obviously not healthy in the head if they are buying 13 year old girls), the quicker we can solve this problem.

It's as simple as SUPPLY and DEMAND.

Slave labor still lives right next door

You might think that the Emancipation Proclamation ended the argument for human beings to be enslaved in the United States, but it's been going on in plain sight for years ever since. Human trafficking is a VERY profitable business, so profitable that many drug traffickers are switching over to human trafficking. Unlike drugs, humans are a reusable resource and can be sold many times over then thrown away.


A friend sent this news story to me that is sadly not shocking. A group of 20+ girls were flown from West Africa to Newark, New Jersey and promised an education, instead they were bound to modern day slavery. The truth is that slavery could be right before your eyes. I look back to my life growing up in Southern California where my parents hired landscapers from Mexico to care for our lawn. My mom always had kind conversations with the organizer and leader of the group. She gave them water, food, lemonade and tried to make their day as enjoyable as possible. It wasn't clear that these men were being held against their will and/or not given the money they deserved. Anything could have been possible (and I'm not even getting into the possibility that they emigrated themselves into the USA illegally on their own will). It irks me that there is a slight possibility those men might have been slave laborers. My family works hard to promote social justice and doing what's right, but if you don't know the right questions to ask, you cold be supporting slave labor without even knowing about it. Who knows if those men were trafficked and it's my prayer that they weren't, but the thought of it is disturbing.


Please watch this short video of slave labor in a hair salon in New Jersey. I guarantee it will make you think twice about who you are paying for services and if they are actually getting money from it or not.

Punch Consumerism in the Throat (thanks Mike H!)

Merry Christmas to all!

As you probably are aware, the holiday season is upon us. It’s the season where you feel pressured to buy your family and friends something awesome, sip hot coco, and get all cozy by the fire. My biggest concern for this holiday season is the shift from a season of grace, peace, and goodwill toward all to a season of frantic consumerism. The malls are hectic, traffic is considerably worse (and that’s BAD in Seattle), and instead of smiling at your fellow man you pass right by emotionless like a consumerism-infected zombie. I would like to invite you all to take a new perspective on Christmas present purchases: purchase with a purpose. Make every gift you give benefit not just the recipient, but someone else as well!

I would like to highlight my favorite socially conscious businesses in this post in hopes that others will learn about new and awesome gifts to buy their loved ones.

1) Freewaters

My friends Dalene and Phil Hammer are currently in Africa right now to help build a well for Freewaters. They are a new company and will be open starting in February, so while they might not make a good Christmas present, they may be a great Valentine’s day present.

2) TOMS Shoes

I love TOMS shoes… really… love! They are cute (my personal favorites: Morroco Glitters and the Wedge). I love their social entrepreneurial business model and the way they give back to the world. Everyone should own at least one pair of TOMS.

3) Freedom Stones

Freedom Stones is an organization that is close to my heart. They operate out of Thailand (through the Pattaya Slum Ministries), Ghana, and Cambodia. They are supported by the Eastside Women of Purpose and are doing their part to help end human trafficking and poverty by creating beautiful pieces of jewelry.

These are my personal favorite because they go with everything.

4) Krochet Kids International

I just learned about Krochet Kids Intl. over the weekend and I love their ideas! The goods are reasonably priced and can really help make a difference in women’s lives in Uganda.

5) Kiva

Oh Kiva, how I love thee! This is a great organization that connects those in need with those who can give. Find an entrepreneur you want to support and choose the amount you would like to support them with. Once they have paid back their loan, you can re-invest that money to another entrepreneur.

6) Vittana

Vittana is great and I’ve been personally involved with the organization for about a year now. They are operating under a Kiva-type model but specialize in giving the gift of education. Here in the US, we can go to school regardless of our earning power through student loans. In the rest of the world where many aren’t bankable, this isn’t possible. Vittana creates a bridge between those who are poor and want to get an education and a brighter future. It’s a known statistic that the more educated an individual is, the more likely they will be to stay healthy, not have unplanned pregnancies, and give back to their communities.

7) Heifer

In many rural villages, a families wealth is directly linked to their livestock. A gift of a goat, cow, pig, llama, rabbit, etc. can change a family’s life! Plus they are pretty darn cute! Help support those in need by giving a Camel for Christmas. It’s pretty Biblical I think… Didn’t those three wise men ride Camels to welcome baby Jesus into this fallen world?

8) Foundation for Women Micro Loan Blend Coffee

This organization is run by the strongest and brightest women in San Diego. I had the honor and pleasure of meeting the founder of Foundation for Women and Elan Coffee two years ago and was blown away by their commitment to improving the lives of women all around the world through business.  Together they have worked to create the Micro Loan Blend Coffee. I can personally attest to how delicious it is because I drink it every morning. Also, it’s sold at a comparable price. It’s so important to make sure the coffee you drink is fair trade and organic because if it isn’t, its probably made by the hands of slaves, indentured servants, or children. The same goes for chocolate. Please support this wonderful organization by buying a bag now so you can enjoy your little cup of freedom and empowerment on Christmas morning!

9) Not for Sale

Not for Sale is an AMAZING organization that is pioneering the gift of freedom around the world. I had the honor of hearing Dave Batstone speak at an Anti-Human Trafficking conference in Seattle. He inspired me to keep trekking along in my journey of hope to end modern day slavery.

They are at the forefront of raising up modern day abolitionist around the world. They are wonderful at educating people about slavery, actions they can take, and how to educate others about slavery. Also, my favorite part of Not for Sale is how they are pressuring big corporations to be transparent about their supply chain so we can be certain they don’t use slavery to make their goods. This is much more common than you might think. Please check out Free to Work campaign for more information on this.

My goodness this has been a LONG post! Thank you for reading it and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! Merry Christmas to all!!

In Peace,

Collyn

Sex Slavery Lives in the Land of the Free

We generally don't like to think about the evils of the world... probably because it's uncomfortable and disturbing. I understand, but I also encourage you to look beyond your own comforts and realize that these terrible things like sex slavery happens in our own country with our own adult citizens exploiting own children. Turning a blind eye hasn't done anything to help this situation, but it has allowed the pimps to do their work under the cloak of darkness, shame, and pain. By not educating yourself on this, you're exacerbating the issue. I encourage you to look under that cloak and see the seedy underbelly of our failed social services, foster programs, poverty, and abuse. None of these issues will go away if we simply ignore them, but with some passion, education, and a spirit of hope, we can help change the way things are and improve the lives of thousands. It's a long and challenging road, but the way I see it is that there isn't any other road to travel. As long as a child is being manipulated, sexually abused, and robbed of their innocence, personal comfort shouldn't be your priority. These girls don't have the luxury of comfort or innocence because of their circumstance. I encourage you to FIGHT for them and say NO to crimes committed against them. This is a call to action. Be an advocate for the invisible, voiceless, and powerless.