The United States of America is the greatest country in the world. If there were one aspect of the history of this nation that every freedom-loving person regrets, it would be the African slave trade that began in the 1600’s and continued far into the 1800’s. This was a deplorable practice in which we still feel the repercussions today.

Today, January 11, 2018 in the United States is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Even though slavery, today, is illegal worldwide, more people are enslaved and trafficked today than ever before. It is estimated that 28 million people are enslaved in the world and it continues to get worse.

The U.S. Department of State’s website at www.state.gov: “What is Modern Slavery? For over 15 years, ‘trafficking in persons’ and ‘human trafficking’ have been used as umbrella terms for activities involved when someone obtains or holds a person in compelled service.”

As believers in Jesus Christ we have an obligation to care about injustice and the oppressed. Proverbs 29:7 says, “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.”

If you are like me you may ask, “How can I practically help fight injustice?” There are many ways to begin, but a few suggestions:

1. Become more aware of human trafficking. This issue has become better known today than almost any time in history. You can start by going to www.state.gov/j/tip/what/index.htm to find out more.

2. Connect to a Christian ministry who works in the realm of human trafficking. Personally, we partner with Women at Risk International (www.warinternational.org) and International Justice Mission (www.IJM.org) to have an avenue into helping to address this great need.

3. Pray with Fervency. Pray and ask God to minister to the victims of human trafficking and modern-day slavery as well as to bring to justice the perpetrators who continue these dreadful acts.

William Wilberforce, a British politician in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, was instrumental in eventually abolishing the slave trade of that era. He was the subject of the inspirational movie “Amazing Grace” and said of slavery, “We can no longer plead ignorance, we can not evade it; it is now an object placed before us, we can not pass it; we may spurn it, we may kick it out of our way, but we can not turn aside so as to avoid seeing it.”

“Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.” — Isaiah 1:17 (NKJV)

By William “Carey” Northington

William “Carey” Northington of One Master Ministries in Xenia can be contacted at www.OneMaster.org.