It matters.

Have you ever heard someone talk about something that makes them really really excited? I know I tease him, but when Tim talks about his course, especially when it's something that he hadn't understood and then it all clicks, I love to hear the excitement in his voice and the way his eyes light up. In reality I don't think it matters too much if people understand him, or are interested too, what matters to him is that he can convey something that makes him passionate. I can think of lots of other examples too, this is just a small one and of course I know that Tim gets passionate about lots of other bigger issues than a mathematical concept but that was an example that I thought of.

People who know me well will know that I can get very excited and passionate about social issues such as Fairtrade, Stop the Traffik, the environment, ethical clothing. Maybe it bores you to hear me talk about it over and over, maybe it makes you feel guilty that you don't care enough, maybe it excites you too to do something about the horrendous state of living that the majority of the world have to deal with. Whatever you think about the whole thing, please please read this post because this matters. Not just to me, not just to a few others, but this matters to the whole world. This matters to real people. This is a matter of life or death. Probably death.

A few weeks ago in church I was asked to read a prayer. The prayer was the story of a young 15 year old girl from Bangladesh called Sabina. She was abducted and taken away from her family by traffickers who smuggled her into India and sold her as a prostitute. Every day men took advantage of her, they used to tie her with ropes and beat her. Eventually she managed to escape and is now back in her village in Bangladesh, but is shunned by her people because of the stigma attached to prostitution. I stood at the front of the church holding a big metal chain as a symbol of the slavery in the world today and I do not exaggerate when I say that I could not get through that passage without crying. I had to pause so many times and it took so much effort to say the words. Saying the words made them real and it breaks my heart to know that our beautiful world is one of fear and loathing to so many people.

There are so many stories like this one. And so many ways of finding out about children like Sabina. Try these websites for more information... www.stopthetraffik.org, www.tearfund.org
This should not be happening. I know you've heard it before, but 200 years ago William Wilberforce started a movement that led to the abolishment of slavery and it was a huge achievement and move forward for humanity. What a terrible thing it is then, that so many hundreds of thousands more people today are still slaves. Children are trafficked into prostitution, illegally forced labour, the drugs market, forced to become soldiers. I found out recently that over 50% of the chocolate produced in the world comes from forced labour. Slavery. You are eating chocolate Easter eggs that are made in slavery. Think how many people refuse to buy eggs from battery hens because it's cruel. Well, how much worse then is chocolate made by 'battery children'? I saw a poignant poster last week that read "All children love Easter eggs. Except the ones who are forced to make them."

There is so much that we can do to stop this. And knowledge is the beginning. Ignorance is no excuse and it certainly is not bliss. We, as the rich 'north' have all the means and resources at our fingertips and I know I could never forgive myself if I didn't care enough to find out. And act. Stop the Traffik sends petitions to the government. Sign one, it's on the website you don't even have to pay for a stamp. Fairtrade makes chocolate. So it's more expensive... what matters to you? Children's lives or stretching your bank balance as far as it will go? I saw on the news the other day that Topshop has started a fairly traded clothing line called Global Mamas and it is more expensive but initiatives like this will only follow through with consumer support and power. You know what I'm trying to say. Find out which companies are known to be unethical and don't buy from them. We have so much power with our money and there is no excuse for not using it wisely. All you have to do is a simple google search and so much information is right there in front of you.

In 2000 world leaders promised to half world poverty by 2015. This year is the half way point and May 20th is Blow the Whistle Sunday. If you're a Christian then God has given us a challenge which is written in the Bible: 'act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God'. Do you yearn for justice? Do you want mercy and freedom for the world? Are you humble enough to change the way you live to do something about it? Does any of what I've said, and what other people say on this matter touch something inside you? This is not just about Christians being 'nice people'. This is about fighting for our world. Fighting for all those millions of people we will never meet but by our actions we can either keep in slavery, or release to the life of freedom that they deserve.

I know that I 'bang on' about things like this. You know why? Because they matter. People matter to me and I constantly wish there was something more that I could do. But one thing I know for sure, slavery was abolished once, the government approved it. It can be done again. Help me and thousands of other people around the world to do it again. The only reason Wilberforce succeeded last time was because people fought with him.