Feeling Overwhelmed ...

Things are still wild for me. Somehow I forget each year that the Christmas holidays merge with work deadlines and travel to create the perfect storm of busyness. I am back in my hometown this week, enjoying the bliss of doing nothing or next to nothing with my family. My dad has the week off and that makes it even better. I'm observing my strict, self-imposed rule that when I am here, I act like I am here by disconnecting from the online world and my cell phone. These visits are precious and rare and all the other stuff will still be there when I fly home. Speaking of which ...

When I get back home next week, a flurry of work will be waiting. But by the second week of January, I ought to be back to a slightly saner pace and more regular blogging.

Here's one item of note:

The movie Amazing Grace is now available on DVD. Go rent it, or better yet—buy it, and enjoy the movie that opened my eyes to the modern issue of slavery.

Mostly Back to Normal ...

This is my first attempt to act like I am back on semi-regular basis. Had a work trip, which went very well, but then I was swamped with work more or less straight from Tuesday morning to Thursday night. Fortunately, some time to recover was offered in return, and I am working on that recovery presently. The wind is returning to my sails, thanks to some rest and encouragement. Being back at church after 3 Sundays away also helped.

Now that I am starting to feel like I live in this time zone, I'll try to appear here more often. We have a meeting of the Clapham Carolina Circle this week, and I hope that we'll hear good reports as some of our members have been able to get some ideas up and running. Perhaps we can put our heads together for a few more. ... And, of course, we'll pray that God will free slaves and use us to do it.

How Do You Keep Going?

This post doesn't really mean that I'm back. It means I am in the country again, but I have writer's block and am struggling to write what my publication needs right now. Not posting for so long has made me a little uncomfortable, too, as if I might begin to let this issue slip off the radar.

I've been wrestling with this thought: How do you keep going? When you're involved in a cause, how do you keep fighting for it passionately when the initial outrage wears off? When you're in the thick of things at home, at work, at church? How do you stay engaged?

Think about the amazing work that the Clapham Society accomplished. How did people like William Wilberforce keep it up year after year? Certainly they were all busy in politics, in church work, in their families and professions. Yet they fought seemingly unflaggingly for decades to see slavery abolished. When you read books such as Amazing Grace, you could get the impression that it was all abolition, all the time. But no one lives like that. What did they do to maintain that passion during the lulls of life?

So here's a question for the 10 readers out there: How do you keep the important things in your life from getting buried under deadlines from work, events at church and maintaining some sort of personal life? What brings you back to the most important things? And for those in the Carolina Clapham Circle, what can we do in our group to keep the fire burning when there's little action to take or we're pulled away by life's other demands?

Talk amongst yourselves. It could be a few days before I resurface again ...

Short Hiatus

Life and work being what they are these days, there probably will not be many posts for the next two or three weeks. Work is a cycle of lulls and madness. Add that to Thanksgiving and Christmas, and, well, life gets out of control if I don't cut back somewhere.

Please check out the links at right in my absence. Really, you should just read them anyway. : )

Thanks and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

-Burkinator

Go Ahead—Get Angry at God!

The other day I started writing a post about having a major argument with God during the past year or so. It was a struggle, so decided to set it aside for a bit. Then a friend of mine sent me a link to an audio clip from her church. Sara Groves spoke to their women's group recently about her own argument with God as well as how and why she is involved with ending slavery in the world.

You're probably tired of reading my references to Sara, but these days she's right on the money. Bear with me! Her introduction is aimed toward women, but hang in there because the stories she tells after that are powerful. She makes essentially the same point I was fighting to make about being angry at God about what we see in the world. Then she sings, so really, this is better than my post. I promise you I will never sing.

If you've ever been ticked off at the horrible things you've seen, I challenge you to listen to this audio clip. Then go have your own fight with God and see what He says. If you listen closely, He will answer.

Minnesota Nice

I once lived in Minneapolis, MN. It's a beautiful city for about five months of the year. Then the arctic winds blow in and make you think the whole earth is a barren, frozen tundra. Yet hidden away inside warm buildings, hiding from the bitter cold and stinging wind, are some of the warmest hearts I've ever come across. Minnesota nice is not just a cliché.

People there are pretty sympathetic and politically involved. Minneapolis is a fairly Democratic and liberal-leaning city, which sometimes drove me batty, but the upside is that most people root for the little guy, the disadvantaged and the oppressed and expect the state government to do the same. Nowhere is that better demonstrated than in the recent thrust to stop human trafficking in the state. U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose is my new hero.

Please click on this link to see what one inspired person can accomplish. Pray for this brave woman—I'd guess a lot of people don't like her much these days. Find out if there are any similar initiatives in your state. If not, start bugging your elected officials to find out why not.

Another Tale

A newspaper in the Philippines, The Inquirer, tells the story of two Filipinas lured to Singapore by the promise of a good job. They were deceived and then exploited. This tragedy is repeated on every continent. Yet I am encouraged that a national newspaper highlighted these cases and warned of the danger lurking behind these "too good to be true" job offers.

May more people hear these warnings and be rescued from the desperate circumstances that have made them so vulnerable in the first place.

Will This Matter in 10 Years?

"In the light of 100 years, will that little thing that annoyed you in traffic this morning matter? Will you even remember it in a month?" asked the speaker in chapel here at work today. One benefit of working for a Christian organization is hearing someone speak each morning about a Scripture passage. Our speaker today was looking at James 1:2.

His comment made me smile, because it was a close paraphrase of something my friend Jamie frequently said when we shared an apartment with a perennial kitchen disaster-making friend. Said roomie was rarely home, but occasionally she would appear, make a very involved meal for her fiancé, then disappear again. The resulting kitchen disaster would sit untouched for days. More than once Jamie and I gave in and did the dishes.

This irritated me to no end, but Jamie has a tolerance for people and their foibles that I can only aspire to. She'd sigh and say, "Will this matter in 10 years?"

I'd grind my teeth and say, "No. But it will matter in the morning when I still haven't read the six chapters of missions history for Dr. Smeeton's class!" Then we'd laugh, and I'd wash all the silverware that Jamie's OCD tendencies prevented her from touching, and she'd dry the dishes and put them away. The only aspect of that situation that still matters now—nearly 10 years later—is the friendship with Jamie that grew out of cleaning up multiple apartment disasters.

How many things do I get worked up about each day that will not matter in ten minutes, not to mention in 10 years and certainly in 100 years? There are plenty. The irritation that rises each Monday when I arrive home from work and see that once again the garbage man left my trash can in the middle of my driveway so I can't pull in. Little quirks we all have at home and work and church. The obsessive tendencies that everyone but me seems to have. The people who drive in the exit lane all the way to the end, then drive in the shoulder and cut in front of 500 cars in bumper-to-bumper traffic, who seem to think the rules of the road are for other people.

I could go on for years ... yet what do I want to be remembered for? For getting a barricade put in the end of the exit lane to make people obey traffic laws? Or for doing something that will matter in 100 years? Fighting something that makes God angry?

A lot of things vie for time and attention these days, but I am asking God to help me focus on 100 years from now. Some of these things are simple. I can stop complaining. I can express my gratitude for the life I have. I can find new ways to demonstrate God's love to the people in my life, which may sound small but is probably one of my biggest struggles.

Beyond that, I want to discover how to demonstrate God's love to the oppressed, the enslaved, the abused. I want to tell them that God hasn't forgotten them. That this wasn't His plan for the world. That He has a better plan, and in the meantime, He wants to take our pain, our brokenness, our weakness and turn them into something beautiful.

I am so thankful for the local Clapham crew, for people who have this same heart to reach out and do something that will matter in 10 years—or 100.

(Sorry if there are typos here. This was in my head, so I punched it out during a break before it ran away from me ... )

Sounds Like Good News ...

Sounds like the U.S. government is still taking trafficking seriously. I haven't taken time to look over this thoroughly, but I'm happy to read that the visa program for victims of trafficking is being strengthened.

Can you imagine what it would feel like to finally be free from your oppressors, only to be treated as a criminal yourself and be deported to your home country and treated as a leper by your family and friends? Or be snatched up again by other traffickers because your financial situation is even more dire than it was the first time around? This bill is important because it makes a distinction between people who are brought to this country against their will and those who are merely entering illegally.

Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?

If you live in the Carolinas and want to fight slavery, join us this week for the third gathering of the Carolina Clapham Circle. Visit my friend Bob's blog and fill out the information box on the left side of the page. He'll send you details about the meeting. We are eager to discover what we can do in our own neighborhood to fight this evil.

Talk About Crafty!

In case this isn't already obvious, slave traffickers are extremely slippery, deceitful people. This blog post is just one example of their wiles.

Lord, give us even more creative ways to stop the evil!

Great New Song for Free

Each week, iTunes posts one free song on their "Discovery Download" page. This week they are featuring a great song by Sara Groves, who I've mentioned recently. The song is called, "When the Saints." It's her response to the continuing problem of slavery.

The song won't be available long, so go to the iTunes store and find the "FREE on iTunes" section at the bottom of the home page and click on Sara's picture.

The entire album will be released next week. I've already ordered my copy.

Sara is one of few Christian singers who can talk about life without being preachy or trite. Even if Christian music isn't your thing, try this song. You won't be sorry.

"Uncoordinated and Inefficient"

"The fact that slavery—in the form of human trafficking—still exists in the 21st century shames us all. Governments, international organizations and civil society are devoting considerable efforts to counter it, but there is still an information deficit about the extent of this tragedy. Only by understanding its depth, breadth and scope can we design policies to fight it. This understanding still eludes us: efforts to counter trafficking have so far been uncoordinated and inefficient. This Report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is our first attempt to close the knowledge gap."

—From the Foreword by Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa Report, UN report on Trafficking in human beings: Global Patterns

A commenter on my previous post directed me to the UN site about human trafficking. It looks as though there is some good information. (Thanks, Tushar!)

Just looking at the introduction to the UN report on global patterns in trafficking, a phrase jumped out: "Efforts to counter trafficking have so far been uncoordinated and inefficient."

Today my prayer is that God will help each person fighting this evil to recognize ways to cooperate with other fighters.

Lord, prevent us from duplicating our efforts, fighting one another, wasting time and resources and ignoring the efforts of other people of good conscience. Open our eyes to new ideas and new allies as we seek to save the oppressed.

Another interesting point in the introduction is that there is an "information deficit." Within our local group, many of us are involved in some type of communications, mostly writing. This is probably not a coincidence ...

Some day, some print will come ...

This week has been busy. And this weekend will be just as busy. But perhaps early next week I will be back with something worth writing about.

In the meantime, did you know that in Google's blog reader application, you can set up a search for blog topics? Right now, I have one set to catch posts on human trafficking. It pulls articles from sources all over the world. They're usually heartbreaking, but it drives home the scope of the problem.

It's Everywhere

Slavery, especially in conjunction with the sex trade, is pretty much everywhere. I already knew this, but then this headline popped up the other day. Plovdiv, Bulgaria is one of the cities I visited on a trip to Bulgaria in college. Life is rough there, and there are plenty of vulnerable, financially desperate young women for traffickers to exploit.

Somehow, it's sadder when the location is familiar to you.

For Those in the Buffalo Area

The University of Buffalo has an exhibit. Wish I still lived in the area so I could check it out. Maybe one of ya'll will go and lemme know what you think? You know who you are ...

And I know how full your calendar is ... but come to think of it, I'll be there before it ends. How does Thanksgiving sound? Or Christmas? : )

Another Voice

Singer Natalie Grant is taking matters into her own hands when it comes to slavery.

Yay, Natalie!

Every person who joins this fight encourages me. I liked Natalie's music before, but I'm gonna have to get my hands on a CD now.

Deliver Us!

This past Sunday, my pastor talked about Moses and the burning bush. His message was definitely meant for me. I won't go into all the details, because that's not what this blog is about. The reason for mentioning it here is because the pastor pointed out that the Israelites, the people God chose to be His people, were in slavery for 350 years. And He allowed it, because He wanted to get their attention, to teach them to rely on Him, and to do something that only He would get credit for.

This may sound dumb, but my roommate and I came home and watched "The Prince of Egypt" (the animated story of Moses and how God freed the Israelites from the Egyptians) to give us more time to think about the pastor's message. As the movie rolled, I actually had a few original thoughts about a story I've known for years.

So much of the Bible deals with oppression and enslaved people. In several instances, it's God's people who are enslaved. When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, He said that He heard the cries of His people, and now He was asking Moses, the murderer-fugitive, to rescue them.

So no matter how long it seems to be before He acts in these stories, He always acts and He always does something amazing.

It's not any different today.

There Are No Words

I had a Friday evening free and the house to myself, so I decided to watch a movie called "Human Trafficking". There are really no words for what this movie did to me. The brutality of the sex trade and its insidious nature are portrayed so well that it literally made me sick. When the film ended, I was curled up on the couch, crying (which I had been doing for at least 2/3 of the movie). The idea that human beings could do this to other human beings is difficult for me to grasp, but I know it happens. It makes me want to do three things:

1. Vomit. It really is that upsetting. As a woman, all I could think was What if this happened to me or my sister or my friend? And how would you even begin to put your life back together?

2. Go find a place where this happening and bust out all the women. (I know that I am not equipped to do this, but if I ever got a chance ...) Actually, it does make me consider finding out if there are any local groups who reach out to women trapped in prostitution or help them deal with the issues afterward. On the way home from work tonight, I must have passed half a dozen strip joints--so sad.

3. Pray, pray, pray! This is a world wide evil, and we are all kidding ourselves if we think we are smart enough to bring it down ourselves. Only God can stop something this evil. Then there are the victims. How do you ever live a normal life after being exploited like this?! It seems that healing in these situations really comes by miracle only.

For the time being, I think I am done watching any kind of dramas about modern-day slavery. Another one might push me over the edge. If you want to get a feel for the real evil of slavery, especially the sex trade, this movie does that. But be careful; it is explicit and hard to watch.

Things That Make Me Angry

... and then reduce me to tears.

Tonight our local Clapham Circle met to pray, watch a short movie and brainstorm about things that our group could do.

The movie we watched is the sort of thing that fills me with rage and then tears. Even after reading a few books about the sex trade and what happens to women and girls all over the world, I wasn't prepared for how angry a dramatization could make me. The film was called Fields of Mudan If you're interested in this topic at all, find a way to watch this film.

And now for the post I've been trying to write for weeks.

Working as a writer for a Christian organization, I've been sent all over the world. Often, I go to third world countries and meet some of the poorest people in the world. I've been in sweat shops, orphanages, slums, homeless centers and soup kitchens. I've seen defenseless people firsthand. Some are defenseless because they have no opportunity to go to school or find a job. Some are defenseless because their families died or abandoned them. Some are defenseless because of the economic realities of our world that allow corporations to pay people pennies for hours of toil, all in the name of profits. I don't know for sure that I've seen enslaved people, but I probably have, as I have seen hundreds of street children and women doing whatever they could to survive.

After a few years of this, I got tired of doing nothing, of feeling helpless, of feeling guilty for not using my own resources and buying power to do something. But the problem always felt too big for me to make a difference. I've prayed about these situations and given some money, but it never felt like a complete response.

When modern-day slavery came to my attention, I had the same feeling. But I told God that if He showed me what to do, I would act. For months, this was just a thought in my mind. Eventually, I came across people who were also concerned. They were everywhere, even at work! Over the past few months, we've been putting our heads together and some ideas have come to the surface. There are local people for us to support. There are some ventures for us to consider. God is moving to do something and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Still here ...

No, I haven't disappeared. Just went home to spend time with my family for the week. TimeWarner Cable was having some issues in their area, so I wasn't able to get online much.

Welcome to any newcomers! There will be some new material this week, I believe, and maybe even the explanation of why I'm suddenly so passionate about this issue of modern-day slavery.

Thanks for dropping in!

An Open Letter to Sara Groves

Some of you gentle readers may identify with this letter:

Dear Sara,

Please stop stalking me. I know you are doing it. This is the only way I can explain how your music describes my life, down to the very detail; how, when I am at my lowest points and stonewalling God, your music points me in the direction that leads out of the funk without surrendering my intelligence; and why I have spent innumerable commutes to work and church listening to you with tears pouring down my face.

And now I understand that you are getting involved in the fight against slavery.

Copy-cat.

Seriously. Have you been following around behind me the past five years as I've traveled and seen the despair, the evil, the darkness—then witnessed how the hope of Christ rises above it all, giving peace and joy to the most destitute when I expect them to curse God and wish for death? You can't look away and do nothing, either?

This quality of yours is why I have loved every CD you've produced, since you brought "Past the Wishing" to your first concert at my college. How I wished I had $15 that night. How I mooched that CD off of people who did until I scraped the cash together for my own copy. And now, I pre-order your CDs ASAP. I am an online groupie. And I am thrilled to see that modern-slavery has pushed you to act. We're happy to have you on board. I'm pretty new here, myself.

Now, please tell me how you knew about my life now when you wrote "The Other Side of Something" album some 3-odd years ago. Still can't figure that out ... . Also, have you been handing your notes on me to my pastor? He's been suspiciously prescient lately, too.


Sincerely,
Burkinator

Letting Go of the Big Things

“I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.”
—Martin Luther

“The taking up of the cross of Christ is no great action done once for all; it consists in the continual practice of small duties which are distasteful to us.”
—John Henry Newman

Funny how when we fail to learn these two lessons—or just forget them—God makes sure we get the point. As I try to be obedient and take action about slavery (as well as deal with other situations in my life) I want to be so careful not to do what seems right to me and miss God's greater plans. Also, I need to remember that God works through small, daily acts of obedience as much as He does through the big, showy steps we would rather take. ... Especially when we think people are watching.

God, help us to recognize how the small and unremarkable tasks of life—when combined with faithfulness, obedience and reliance on Your Spirit—can accomplish more than our boldest, loudest declarations.

My many thanks to the bloggers from whom I've borrowed these quotes! You've inspired me.

Bear With Me ...

... I'm still finding my way through the world of the blog.

When I first decided to resurrect this blog and focus on the abolition of modern-day slavery, I had planned to chart a course for myself first, jot down some initial topics, write down a strategy. Instead, it took off almost immediately and took on a life of its own.

I still want to write about why I feel so strongly compelled to be involved in this fight. But that story will take time and editing I haven't stumbled across yet. In the meantime, here's what you can expect.

1. I will give suggestions to combat slavery that the average person can manage.
2. My day job does not allow me time to post as often as I want. Figure on 3-4 times a week.
3. Sometimes, something will make me mad, and I'll just fire off a response about the injustice.
4. My links will point you to organizations and bloggers that are making a difference (as far as I am able to determine).
5. I won't be able to reply to every comment, but they are appreciated and help me judge if the content is helpful and/or thought-provoking. Remember, bloggers are people, too, and we get discouraged by silence.


Deep thanks to those who have linked to and blogged about this site. Every mention helps and I'm honored that you think the site is worth reading. Let's hope I can keep the bar as high as it's been set.

A Fair Halloween

My friend Bob forwarded to me the following e-mail. This is a wonderful idea and makes me glad that I skipped the cheap, monstrous-sized bag of chocolate at Target this afternoon. The following suggestion seems so much better:

Halloween will soon be upon us. Chocolate is a favorite Halloween treat. But you may not know that MOST chocolate that arrives here in the U.S. comes from child cocoa laborers that work on family farms, even as slaves. The U.S. chocolate industry says it's working to end abusive child labor on cocoa farms, but so far little has been accomplished and their plan does NOT guarantee farmers a fair and stable price for their cocoa. There is a solution -- Fair Trade Certified Chocolate! Fair Trade guarantees farmers a fair price for their cocoa, so they can feed their families and keep their kids in school. Fair Trade does not allow abusive child labor or forced labor.

I want to share with you an opportunity to participate in making certain that farmers get fair compensation for their goods. Would you consider giving out fair trade chocolate with an accompanying note this Halloween? Click here to learn more. At this global exchange web site, you can even download Halloween cards explaining fair trade chocolate!

No one loves chocolate more than me!!! But as I consider more and more the abusive conditions under which the cocoa is harvested to give me a pleasurable treat, I want to make a difference in the process.

This Halloween campaign is a small, but significant, effort toward a day when all is REALLY fair in the world. Take a look at the website. And I hope you will choose to make a difference.

That website again is: http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/halloween.html
--------------

If nothing else, I will be making a trip to Trader Joe's before the kiddies ring my door bell.

UPDATE (9/27/07): I think the links had issues, but they should be correct now.

I Was Wrong

Wow. This blog rarely picked up hits. But in the last few days, there's been some real activity. This tells me that I'm just one of many who feel the pull to DO SOMETHING about slavery.

Do you feel helpless, overwhelmed, angry? I did when I first became aware of the scope of slavery, that it wasn't just in a brothel in Asia, but everywhere. It's probably here in this Bible Belt suburb. You know where this is going: "I'm just one person against a global evil. There's not much I can do!"

And that's where I was completely wrong. My friend, Bob, of Bob's Clapham Blog, had listed some organizations involved in this fight. Some were legal groups that work through the justice systems of various countries to free the oppressed. A few work in aftercare for victims. Others do job training or advocacy. The list goes on. And each organization is crying out for individuals to educate themselves about the problem and then do something—anything—to help. It became clear that one person could do a lot.

I am a print communicator and researcher at heart, so the natural place for me to start is by getting the word out. There might be something drastically different for you.

In the coming days, I'll begin putting up links to some of these organizations, listing some things to be aware of in your corner of the world, and explaining how I got here and where I hope to go. In the meantime, please visit the International Justice Mission's excellent site and the equally excellent Free the Slaves site. If you want more after that and I'm still not up to speed, Bob has more great links on his blog.

Will we ever see slavery completely abolished? Well, you've probably discovered that I believe in Jesus and His calling to minister to the oppressed in His name. I also believe that our world is hopelessly twisted and infected with an evil that will fight against good until the day Jesus returns to earth. As long as evil is in the world, some people will be so dark that they will enslave others. Right now, it's just too easy for them, and we need to make it much, much harder. This is part of my commission as a believer in Jesus. With His help, we can beat back this evil.

At the very least, if you pray, please pray about this issue. Pray for protection for the enslaved and for those who are literally kicking in doors to rescue them. Pray for the local group I've joined, that God will protect us from distraction, discouragement and disunity. Ask God to tell you if you need to act. Just tell Him your willing. He'll do the rest.

You can do something. It all starts with the step of willingness.

Slave Chocolate

When it comes to treats, nothing makes me smile like a block of seriously dark chocolate. So it broke my heart to hear that most of the chocolate for sale is produced by slaves, and mostly children at that.

Boycott chocolate? Will that solve the problem? Maybe not according to some articles I've read. (Click on this post's title to read one of the articles.) Still how can I eat chocolate when I know this? Just before I learned about "slave chocolate" a friend gave me a large bag of a favorite kind of chocolate. Each time I ate a piece, a mental image popped up of a child working in a field when he or she should be in school or out playing. Time to quit chocolate?

Enter free trade chocolate.

I thought it would be difficult to find, but the new Trader Joe's in town carries an affordable house brand of free trade chocolate, produced under standards similar to those that ensure coffee is grown and sold in a socially responsible manner. This means good growing practices, living wages for crops and fair worker policies.

Phew! I still get to hoard dark chocolate in my desk drawer, and it might even taste better ...

Quote

The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men.
--George Eliot

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

There is a desperate hope brewing behind this blog. A hope that there will be new readers from among old friends. Many of you have known me for years and we've connected again on myspace. You know that I get worked up about things that aren't fair. I can't help it. Firstborns have an overdeveloped sense of right and wrong.

Over the past few months, God has been pointing me to pick up a cause of ultimate "unfairness."
Would you believe that 200 years after the abolition of slavery in the British Empire and the end of slavery in the United States some 60 years later, there are 27 million people enslaved?

It's true.

It makes me sick. It makes me sad. And it ticks me off.

With the help of other like-minded folks, I am getting involved in the movement against slavery. Like William Wilberforce, the man who worked to end slavery in the British Empire, I know that God defends the widows, the orphans and the defenseless--through His people.

I am one of them, and it's time to get moving.

Very soon, I will blog about some things I have seen with my own eyes. To get you started in the meantime, I strongly suggest reading, "Amazing Grace" a Wilberforce biography (or at least rent the movie) and "Not For Sale" by David Batstone. See notforsalecampaign.org for more. If you live near me, let me know if you're interested in doing something on a local level.

If this isn't your thing, that's fine. Check back once in awhile, as I'll probably post on other topics occasionally.

If this piqued your curiosity, thanks for reading! I will only post when I've come across something worth mentioning. Please drop me a line if you find anything worthy of note.

Much love,
Burkinator

(FYI: trying to keep my name and location somewhat anonymous, so don't be offended if I remove comments that give away too much. : ) )

Like a good neighbor?

Not to start a fight, but I'm really confused. State Farm, one of the many insurance companies involved after Hurricane Katrina, et al, has just sent me a dividend check and a letter that essentially says, "We made a lot of money from car insurance last year, so here's some back."

Now, home policies and car policies are two different things, but how can a company that--from what I've heard--left a lot of people in the cold and complained about how hard Katrina hit them, be giving out cash to policy holders two years later? The money is all a part of the same company, no?

The check, although very welcome after a week's vacation, is making me queasy. Perhaps it's not accurate to say that it comes on the backs of Gulf Coast folks, but there's still a feeling in my heart that says this money should go to those who still are living in rotting homes. I will send my check to Convoy of Hope . During a church missions trip to Mississippi in February, we worked with COH. They are one of the organizations still doing work in the Gulf Coast, as well as assisting at disaster sites across the country and around the world. The folks we worked with were amazing ... tough, compassionate, bold and willing to fight for the defenseless. In short, my favorite kind of people.

So what, right? Well. If you are a State Farm policy holder who received a dividend check, or you just feel for those in the Gulf Coast, please find a similar worthy non-government group and make a donation. That's all the begging I'll do.

This concludes Burkinator's soapbox post of the day. It just bugs me that we're all getting back nickels and dimes that would mean so much more as a lump sum on the Coast.

Back and mostly rested ...

I am back in town for at least a couple of weeks. The break was good, and I now need to recharge my life, i.e. buy groceries, pay bills, do laundry, put suitcase away, check bank balance. Probably should do those in reverse order, but the eating seems so much more pressing after a week of constant buffets and good friends.

The break created enough mental space for me to sense a prompting to write more about slavery and the generally pathetic response of Western Christians to this and other human rights issues. Most days, I couldn't care less about politics. That hasn't changed, and in fact, I feel compelled to act because government so often fails those who are most powerless. The cruise (with its international staff working long hours to keep cranky Americans happy) reminded me that in the world's eyes, I am a rich, entitled, well-educated person who is only using a fraction of God's blessings to be His hands and feet in a world destroyed by sin.

It appears that more thoughts will follow this post once I've caught up to life again. Please join me in finding the way from pathetic to engaged. And comment a lot. I know that my logic isn't flawless, so challenge me. And if you want to join in this battle (for we are fighting true evil here) please, please, please comment. Many thanks to those who have read and sent encouragement.

In case you're wondering ...

I don't post here often, but I may start pulling some of my blogs from myspace.com and copying them here. Many of my friends from college read the blogs at myspace, but I realize that I could use this page as a forum for some of the more thoughtful posts--ones that aren't a personal update for friends far and wide.

Since this spring, this issue of slavery in our time has been at the center of my more serious thoughts. I know that I have to act somehow, so this blog is likely the beginning of my sorting through that process. The posting will be infrequent, but I'll try to post something here at least every couple of weeks.

I'm leaving for vacation this week, then a busy couple of weeks at work, then an extended trip to visit my family. They live hundreds of miles away, so I have to soak them up in chunks whenever I can.

This will probably be the final post until mid-October. Hope you'll check back then.

Impatience

Sometimes, I am so impatient. Life can be perfectly good some days, but I miss the bliss of the moment because I am waiting for something better I've planned. I get antsy with my job for no reason other than wondering if there's something better I could be doing. I miss out on what God is doing in and through my life now because I'm worried about the "bigger" things He might want me to do later.

Whenever one of these spells hits, it's helpful (at least for me) to think about impulsive people in the Bible. Abraham, Jacob, King Saul, Peter ... even Judas. While God restored some of these people after they forced His hand or tried to make things happen on their own, they still missed out on the better things He wanted for them. Abraham ended up with a domestic dispute between his wife and son and her handmaiden and son. We're still dealing with that one. Then we have Jacob and all the crazy plots, like tricking his father and swindling his brother. He spent years on the run for that one. Saul's impatience meant that he lost his kingdom, not just for himself, but also his descendants. Also, he died a pretty miserable death and lost his sons. Peter, well, where do we start? He did some wild things and is often used to illustrate just how stupid people can be. And Judas? Well, you know what happened there. It's the saddest story of all, really.

Looking back at a relatively few years on earth, God has pointed out to me some times when I really wanted Him to get me out of something--NOW! In the present it's obvious that back then God wanted me to have a specific experience, help someone or just learn to trust that He had a really good idea of what to do with my life. This is a lesson I still don't think has gotten through my thick skull.

Right now, as far as my calling in life goes, things are not perfect, but calm. Perfect time for impatience to set in. "God, isn't there something bigger and cooler I could do for you?" Suddenly all the opportunities given me at church and through my career look pathetic and insignificant. So I fight the temptation to be dissatisfied. Starting here, I am going to try to have a different outlook. That 15 millionth meeting at church won't be another thing eating up my time. It will be a chance to catch another piece of what God is doing now, not in five years. I am going to remember that every slow time and dark place has somehow polished my character and abilities and that none of them takes God by surprise. Finally, I will enjoy the good today God is giving me instead of rushing ahead to tomorrow.

Yes, this is maybe more personal a blog than I usually put out there, but it feels like doing so will make me remember these thoughts and live them out.

Anyone wanna join in?

Recent thoughts

I have accomplished nothing today other than finish a book I've been trying to wrap-up for weeks. It's great, but it makes me angry. Everyone should read it. It's called "Not for Sale" by David Batstone. It's about the global slave trade.

Some may remember the movie recently about William Wilberforce, called "Amazing Grace." It's the story of how the slave trade was ended in Britain. The sad thing is that there are more people enslaved today world wide than there were in the 1800's when Wilberforce and his group fought slavery. How many? 27 Million! This includes many thousands in the United States.

Who, you say? Probably just prostitutes, right? And they chose it? Wrong. Most women in the sex industry are coerced or abducted--foreign and nationals alike. And sex workers are not the only ones enslaved. The next time you order from your favorite ethnic restaurant, a slave may prepare your food. At the nail shop, that cute little Asian woman who does your toes could be a slave. That cheap labor that landscapes the lawns in your neighborhood or builds the new houses in town? That housekeeper in the hotel or "nanny" at a neighbor's house? They may all have been promised work visas to the US, a job, an education and money to send home to their families.

But often their passports are confiscated, their families are threatened, their wages are withheld, their lives are threatened, and their freedom is stolen. Those who wish to escape are warned that they "owe" money: transportation and lodging costs, etc. They are warned that the police will throw them in jail for immigration violations. They are warned that their families will pay for their disobedience. And they are often beaten, raped and imprisoned.

What can be done? First of all, we can pray. Second, we can look at our own communities with open eyes. Third, we can tell God that we are willing to do whatever He asks. Fourth, go to biblegateway.org and type in the words justice, mercy, captive, widow and orphan (orphans and widows are extremely vulnerable to slave traffickers). These words come up more than you would expect. And I think God is making a point.

That's as far as I've gotten. Fortunately, others with a heart to do something keep crossing my path. We're praying, talking and planning to see what we can do here in our world.

What can you do in yours? Will you close your eyes the next time an immigration bust airs on local TV? Will you ignore the suspicious behavior of the employees in the local restaurant? Will you drive quickly through "that" section of town and judge the woman on the street corner for the "choice" she's made?

I can't do that anymore. I'm praying you won't be able to, either.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
--Isaiah 61:1, NASB

For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. --Deuteronomy 10:17-19, NASB

Slow day?

So I thought that I was booked for at least half of today, but I had the wrong date. Minutes later, it looks like the time has already been filled up again. After two weeks of long hours and mind-bending editing at work, do I go out or stay home and curl up on the couch? Will couching just make me feel worse in the long run?

&^#%@$(*&!?":{\`~!%^!!!!

Times I Wish I Had a Camera ...

1. When I pass the "Brothers' Heating and Cooling" billboard on a 60º morning: Said billboard features a bright red LED of the current temperature and a picture of two goofy looking men wearing down jackets and earmuffs and saying, "Brrrr... it could always be better." I laugh every time, because it's rarely cold enough here for that billboard to make any sense.

2. When I pass the "MyTV12" sign: This one points to the infamous 485/77 interstate bottleneck and says, "My Traffic Jam." I spend a lot of time glaring at that sign while waiting to merge.

3. When a woman in a Subaru Outback-type, crunchy-granola-girl hatchback cuts me off in traffic: Her only bumper sticker? A blue box that says (in white letters) "Teach Peace!" She is doing a tremendous job of that with her driving.

Unfortunately, these moments often strike me while I'm driving, which does not lend itself to safe or unblurry photography. But use your imaginations and smile with me.

I suspect ...

A friend of mine gave me a card last week for my birthday. It read: "I once tried a dessert called 'Death by Chocolate,' but it only made me stronger."

I laughed, but not as hard as I did when I read her comment inside.

"I suspect you have already tried this challenge ..."