If you haven’t heard, our ministry this month is ATL (Ask the Lord). Simply put, we gather as a team & ask the Lord what He has for us each day – whether it is as individuals or together. It has been awesome having time to spend with the Lord, seeking Him & waiting, listening to what he has for us on any given day.
We found a church that we’ve been loving – they have several activities or small groups planned throughout the month, so it has been awesome being part of the community & partnering with them.
Yerevan has been beautiful & sunny, like 95% of the time, except this one day. As a team we decided to participate in a “March for Freedom.” (Typically I would not join a protest or participate in a march; I like to have my opinion, but honestly prefer to keep it to myself). This time there was a small pull on my heart towards something that has a horrendous impact in our world.
Have you heard of modern day slavery? Here is a helpful website if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, or want to learn more. Because human trafficking isn’t something we see throughout our day, it often goes unnoticed & we might think it only happens in developing countries. Human trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation or forced labor happens every single day, in countries all around the world, including the Unites States & Armenia.
We joined about 40 other people during a silent march on Saturday, May 4th in Yerevan, Armenia. It was cold, rainy, & our tennis shoes were quickly soaked through. Some people wore tape over their mouths & others wore it on our shirts, saying: “stop human trafficking.”
While being uncomfortable & walking in the wet cold for two hours was my choice, there are millions around the world who have no choice in what they are forced to do, in fact, they aren’t even given a voice. We chose to walk in silence & got a window into what it was like to have our voices intentionally taken away.
I got the tiniest glimpse into the lives of people around the world who have their rights, voices, bodies, identities, & names taken from them by other people who think they have the right to own or exploit another human being. Next to my relationship with Jesus, the thing I value most is freedom: freedom of choice, freedom from bondage, freedom to express, do, & say the things the Lord created us for – to worship, love, & serve one another in the same way Jesus did.
I think Jesus really values choice too. After all, he gives us the ultimate choice – to follow him or to follow the ways of this world {Matthew 16: 24-26}. He never forces his preferences or his will upon us, he simply gives us the choice to follow him {Matthew 4:19}. He allows us to use our voices to build up or tear down. He graciously allows us to choose what we do with our bodies, our hands, our minds, our lives. Jesus only asks that we set aside our own will, take up our cross & follow him.
I am praying for those enslaved, for those whose voices & bodies no longer belong to them. I am praying for a renewed world that sees & walks the way Jesus walked & saw.
If you feel led to get involved or donate, here are some incredible organizations:
