RIJI Green's holiday campaign sale- Freeing Families from Slavery

RIJI Green is having a holiday campaign for International Justice Mission (IJM). IJM is a non-profit organization combating modern-day slavery by prosecuting the perpetrators, providing aftercare for victims, and promoting functional justice systems. RIJI Green's holiday campaign goal is to raise $45,000 to fund IJM's 10 rescue operations freeing families from slavery. Its 21st century and slavery still exist victimizing men, women, children, and families.

How are families enslaved? When a family member such as a father, the head of the household gets sick and has no money to pay for a doctor, they would go to a loan shark. The family would ask for a small loan, which equates to $20.00US so the father could see the doctor. The family would sign a document promising they will repay the debt by working for the loan shark, but what they don't know from being illiterate is the interests and fees are so high, they could never repay their debt. Therefore generations of family members from grandmothers to granddaughters are enslaved. This is common in places like India, Pakistan, and others. In America, when we have debt, our credit scores goes down, but our livelihoods and freedom are not at risk.

In the spirit of justice and holiday giving, RIJI Green is starting our holiday campaign by donating 50% of our profits to IJM from now till November 22, 2009. RIJI Green will give 15% of our profits to IJM till the end of the year.

Will you please join RIJI Green's campaign to free families from slavery in 2010. Your purchase will have an echoing effect in creating a slave free tomorrow. At one point in America, one out of every eight Americans was a slave. History has shown we can overcome slavery. Will you join the movement to end 21st century slavery and make history? Shop and Empower survivors of human trafficking at www.RIJIgreen.com

The Hope of Healing and Restoration through Economic Empowerment

I met Victor Joseph, the president of Agape International Ministries at The Protection Project symposium. At the event, Dr. Joseph shared his research on human trafficking in India and the possibilities of survivors' lives restore. I invited him to be our guest blog to share his findings with you. I hope you will find his work insightful and encouraging. Enjoy.

"For many years, I have agonized over the human rights violations and suffering of young victims of sexual trafficking in India. Women and children are often victimized through corruption, abuse, and torture, making them the most neglected and vulnerable individuals in Indian society. At a young age, instead of playing with their peers, they are forced into sexual slavery and must experience severe brutality.

Vulnerability from economic desperation leads young girls into human trafficking. Girls are sold into brothels as early as the age of eight, with most of them coming from poor families. Traffickers approach their family and offer financial assistance to help get them out of debt. Parents are told by these abductors that their daughters are going to a rich family as housemaids or to the city to work in factories.

Trafficking of persons is a crime against humanity because each and every person deserves the opportunity to live with dignity and with a sense of self-worth. When that dignity is stolen, we must do more than protest – we must prevent that dignity from being stolen from others in the future. Self-worth and independence cannot be achieved if there is no serious attention given to economic self-sufficiency. Hope comes from a sense of self-worth and liberty. These victims need to experience freedom in their lives—freedom to be economically empowered, self-determined, and self-expressive in order to receive forgiveness and embrace the future-mindedness in their lives. During my research, I found that victims desire to stand on their own feet through financial independence. It is a part of regaining their lost self-worth, self-esteem, dignity, hope, and future mindedness. Many of these girls would say, “You can conquer my body, but you cannot conquer my mind.” Agape International Ministries is determined to help these girls regain what is stolen from their lives.

For more information on human trafficking in India, you can read my research publication, which is now available at www.agapeim.org. Please help AIM financially so that we can help rebuild the lives of these innocent girls whose lives are completely shattered and stolen at a very young age. You may make a tax-deductible contribution payable to Agape International Ministries, P.O. Box 221, Valley Forge, PA 19481-0221."

I hope you will read Dr. Joseph's excellent research publication and consider supporting Agape International Ministries. I hope you will also join RIJI Green to restore survivors' lives through economic empowerment. Please consider shopping and empowering survivors of human trafficking at www.RIJIgreen.com