2 | International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

I opened the newspaper yesterday to see the big-eyed face of a five year old girl staring up at me. The words “Don’t let me be sold into slavery” written across her body struck me deep.  It seems that adverts for humanitarian organisations such as this one is as close as many of us will ever come in to the slave trade. Yet it could be said that, indirectly, many of us actually benefit from some of the “milder” forms of slavery. An alarming number of the products we consume on a daily basis are bought to us through oppressive and coerced means. Of course slavery exists in extreme forms with more people being trafficked now then ever before in history, but also in situations where farmers and factory workers have a lack of freedom in their employment, and wages that mock their toil. If we think we can avoid it by turning over the page of the newspaper quickly, we are mistaken.
Let’s revisit some of the facts bought together by the Stop the Traffick coalition:

• At least 12.3 million people are victims of forced labour worldwide. Of these 2.4 million are as a result of human trafficking.
• 600,000-800,000 men, women and children trafficked across international borders each year. Approximately 80 per cent are women and girls. Up to 50% are minors.
• An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked each year.
• The majority of trafficked victims arguably come from the poorest countries and poorest strata of the national population.
• Trafficking is the fastest growing means by which people are caught in the trap of slavery.
• Human trafficking is the third largest source of income for organised crime, exceeded only by arms and drugs trafficking.
• It is the fastest growing form of international crime, already generating $7 billion per year in criminal proceeds. There are even reports that some trafficking groups are switching their cargo from drugs to human beings, in a search of higher profits at lower risk.

Screen it: A couple of years ago a film about abolitionist William Wilberforce was released, Amazing Grace. Make a night of it by either hiring a local cinema to show it or put it on the big screen at church. Collect donations in exchange for tickets, get some tubs of ice cream in and send the profits to The Salvation Army’s anti-trafficking programme.
Feature it: Take seven minutes in your church service/ youth group night, share some of the facts above and this five minute video from Stop the Traffick.
Change it: If you decide your church should get further involved have a look at The Salvation Army USA Western territory’s web page or for an example of a more local expression of action look at the Croydon Community Against Trafficking website.

5 | International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development

This is a great day to reflect on the role volunteering has in society and to celebrate the work of people who passionately and tirelessly invest their time and energy in to their community.  In reference to the importance of volunteer work in his local community President Obama once said

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. We are the hope of those boys who have little; who’ve been told that they cannot have what they dream; that they cannot be what they imagine.

Or as musician Ben Harper sings,

I can change the world with my own two hands, make a better place with my own two hands!

This day is a chance to celebrate that God uses simple men and woman to bring about a world filled with love, joy and peace.

Here are some random facts about the other benefits of volunteering taken from The Guardian:

• half of people (48%) who have volunteered for more than two years say volunteering makes them less depressed. 71% of volunteers who offer their professional skills and experience say volunteering helps combat depression;
• 63% of 25 to 34-year-olds say volunteering helps them feel less stressed. 62% of over 65’s say volunteering reduces stress;
• nearly half of all volunteers (47%) say volunteering has improved their physical health and fitness;
• 25% of people who volunteer more than five times a year say volunteering has helped them lose weight (20% overall);
• 22% of 18 to 24-year-olds say volunteering helps them cut down on alcohol. 20% of people who have volunteered for over two years and 19% of those who volunteer once a month or more say volunteering helps them drink less alcohol.

Celebrate it: If you rely on volunteer help in your line of work or community centre why not take some time to celebrate and thank people for the work they do. You could have an awards ceremony or perhaps just a large cake!
Do it: Find out the joys of volunteering yourself. Choose a subject that you are new to and discover new skills or choose an area you know well but can bless with your expertise. Be prepared to have your life enhanced by new people, knowledge and challenges.
Write it: Get a collection of cards and write to the people you know who do little things for the community. Leave them in secret places to give them a surprise dose of encouragement and energy for the next season.

Already the effects of this changing climate are causing the deaths of over 300,000 people every year and 325 million people are severely affected. It is the poorest people of our Earth who are most at risk now, and will be most at risk from any further changes to our climate. Not only that, but over 90% of climate-related deaths are due to changes to the environment which result in increased malnutrition or disease , rather than through the weather-related disasters that we typically associate with climate change. It is these people who will suffer most, yet they have contributed least to the problem – the average person in the world’s least developed countries produces just 0.2 tonnes of CO2 a year, whereas on the other hand the average person in the UK produces 9.8 tonnes – that’s almost 50 times as much! Basically, if you care about people, you need to care about the Earth, because at the moment our Earth, through our actions, is harming our global neighbours in developing communities throughout the world.

Sign it: Sign the international “I am ready” campaign that will be presented at the conference to portray a global movement of people who hope to see climate justice.
Feature it: The UK Salvation Army International Development Team have put together an excellent resource, Earth. There are videos, Bible studies, dramas and much more for you to get involved in climate justice. Click here for more info.
Pray it: Sign up to receive the daily Copenhagen prayer updates from Planet Prayer.
Shout it: Join with others who care on the streets of your local city. Marches are planned in most cities across the world on the 5th and 12th December. To find details of your local one visit this link.