I learned 2 big things today: (1) I have the "amazing" ability to sleep through a fire alarm, and (2) slavery, as in - forced work on cotton/sugar/coffee plantations are a PRESENT reality. In 2010. I'm pretty blown away by both of them.
This morning I was awaken by my roommate jumping into my room and screaming for me to get out. The reason being was that the fire alarm had gone off @ 7am. (If you read my last blog post, you'll know I stayed up 'till 3 to reflect on my life goals - it was homework -_-) I didn't know what was happening, but when there's a possibility your life may be in danger, you do what you're told. I ran into the hall only to discover that the alarm in my apartment was the only one on. I stomped downstairs to ask the hotel to fix it so I could return to bed. Maintenance came and replaced our old one, and I was left to ponder the what if's of the situation. What if it had been a real fire? What if I didn't have a roommate? Would I be dead? If I didn't have a roommate that cared for my life, then yes, I very well may be. Kinda sobering, although one of the other girls pointed out that dying in your sleep would be preferable to a painful death. Note to self: must set and stick to a curfew. And get another alarm clock.
I also learned that slavery is a real and ever present evil in today's modern world. It completely blew my mind. When I think of modern slavery, I think of the sex trade, or at its most depraved, human and child trafficking for sex. But the same kind of slavery that exists in the 17th century STILL exists today - it's just not legal like it was then. Orphans in a Haitian orphanage that Kathryn's (our pastor's wife) sister-in-law works in are often abandoned there because they do not work well enough to produce enough crops in the the sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic. And apparently, the same kind of thing happens to support other coffee, rice and cotton plantations. It boggles the mind, but it does make sense when you look at the cheap prices of goods in N.America.
The Church has GOT to do something about this. We're called to seek justice and care for the orphans and the widows in this world, not buy the inexpensive goods that allow for this kind of oppression to flourish.
Speaking of slavery, I sometimes feel a slave to the shiny new things of this world. Today, our assignment was to find a community, go to where the people would go and take pictures that would be indicative of that community. I was all gung ho when we went to the Erin Mills Community Center, and I took photo notice of the affluence of the community and the demographics of the families there. Then... we went to the Erin Mills Town Center. The plan was simple: sit in the food court, notice people, take photos, pray for anyone/anything that needed prayer. THEN we passed by a Sushi place, and I twisted my roommate's arm into trying it for the first time, and then we got all sidetracked with chatting about culture, food, and a myriad of other inconsequential things and we never got around to taking pictures and praying. We wandered around the mall, not really overtly window-shopping, but definitely not listening to what God wanted us to notice.
My lesson of the day: when there are new fun shiny things to be had, I'll have a hard time focusing on God OR the people he wants me to see. So what is this? Just a residual effect of materialism? Maybe. Or maybe I'm just easily distracted.
Brett asked us a question today: what would life be like if we lived like EVERYONE mattered? I'm not exactly sure, but it probably wouldn't involve ignoring people so I could look at that cute dress over there. It'd probably involve more listening and looking, and saying/doing encouraging things so that other people know that THEY MATTER.
So, some prayer requests:
- Pray for groups that fight against labor & sexual slavery and strive for justice for those oppressed. A big one is IJM (International Justice Mission) who goes undercover to root out slavery and prosecute the perpetrators.
- Pray that I'll learn how to control myself and my sleep habits. This has already ruined many good things in my life, and my life is headed into the crapper if I can't get it under control.
- Pray that people in N.America will recognize their focus on new/matierial things. You don't have to spend money to be materialistic. Pray that God will work in their hearts so that they'll be focused on things that have more significance - to the world and for eternity.
Love you guys!
Joyce
Thanks for sharing Joyce. I knew about the sex trade, but didn't know that the plantation slavery was still going on to that extent. Fair trade products may be more expensive, but at least it gives those who must buy, a better conscience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminders, Joyce. Sometimes when things seem like they are too good to be true, then it probably is. Like when you go to the Dollar Store and see disposable cameras for $1 - we should be highly suspicious that such a great deal comes at the cost of exploiting another human being. You are right, slavery has not ended. Modern day slavery has just been removed to the other side of the world, so that it is removed from our consciousness. Our North American lifestyle is rich because others in the world are poor.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, when I read your first paragraph, the first thought that came to me was that you were actually working on a plantation as part of your missions trip. "Present reality" really threw me off. :)
Thanks for commenting! I wasn't sure people actually read my blog.
ReplyDeleteYup, I was pretty surprised to find that slavery still existed. It reminded me of when I was 10 yrs old and the Gulf War started and I was shocked; I thought wars were relics of the past and that the last one was WW2. Such naiveté.