Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc. – Randy’s December 2008 Update
“I don’t want to wear someone else’s despair.”
– Ashley Judd, on worldwide slavery
“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in an ocean.
But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
– Mother Theresa
Kelly Peacock has a growing passion for social justice, especially in righting the wrongs in the area of sex trafficking and slavery. In October, she organized a group of around forty people to see a documentary on this issue.
Park Community Church in Chicago reserved a theatre for one showing. The theatre was filled with 20somethings – all with a desire to learn more about this tragic issue.
I felt so proud of them. They have amazing hearts – desiring to authentically wrestle with some of the issues being passed down to them.
Here are some disturbing facts I’ve learned recently:
- It is estimated that 27 million people around the world are in some form of slavery (forced labor and sex trafficking).
- Many who are forced into slavery are laboring to provide products for the U.S.
- Worldwide, more than 1 million people are trafficked annually across international borders against their will.
- Between 14,500 to 17,500 girls, boys, and women are trafficked annually into the United States to be pimped out or sold for forced sex.
- Chicago is the 3rd largest hub for sex trafficking in the U.S.
- From what the numbers claim, we have more slaves in the U.S. now than in the days of slavery. Now they are sex slaves, hidden from view.
I had no idea. This is so disturbing to me. After the movie, I felt a mixture of emotions. One part of me felt compassion and righteous anger desiring to right these wrongs. Another part felt hopeless despair and even some apathy.
These kinds of problems seem so enormous. What can we do? Where do we start?
It reminded me of the story of the small boy who was found throwing beached starfish back into the ocean after a storm. When a man saw the multitude of starfish on the beach, he said to the boy, “There are too many, you can’t make a difference.” Throwing another starfish into the sea, the boy said, “I just made a difference for that one”.
Kelly desires to make a difference. She is continuing to become more educated on these issues and is seeking ways that we can get involved in putting an end to these injustices.
As she has been working to bring more freedom to people in bondage, she has also been going on a personal journey of finding more freedom from her own bondage, specifically the bondage of fear.
Kelly grew up in the church. As a youth, she became a model Christian. In some ways, it became her identity. With it, came lots of expectations. She placed high demands on herself. Her personal worth, value, and lovability became attached to what she did, how well she performed, and what people thought of her. Over time, fear set in. Fear took her captive.
Here is what Kelly wrote:
“I think one of the biggest things that has come to light through our mentoring has been a new taste of freedom from fear.
“I have lived in so much bondage to fear in my life – fear of failing, fear of disappointing, fear of rejection, fear of not being loved, fear of what I can’t control, fear of not having answers, fear of not being able to fix, save, and rescue people.
“Randy has helped me to start asking the right questions and get to the root or the core lie that is feeding into these fears.
“In naming them and identifying them, I have begun to discover a glorious freedom that I didn’t believe was possible.
“This fear has paralyzed me for so long and through this mentoring, I’ve started peeling back some layers of the onion (as they say) and God’s truth and healing has started to seep into the deepest places.
“As I continue on this journey, I am beginning to see myself live differently, love differently, release differently, risk differently, make choices differently, and trust God differently.
“And I have a feeling I’m only scratching the surface.
“Thank you for supporting Randy.
“Through your generosity , God uses him to touch young leaders who turn around and give it to countless others. Our community is different because of him!”
God has made a difference in Kelly’s life through your prayers and support. I’m certain God is going to make a difference in many other lives through Kelly. She’s an amazingly loving woman with a huge heart for God and others.
Please continue to pray for Kelly and everyone else involved in this ministry as we proceed on the journey of finding our unique roles in God’s redemptive plan for the world, especially around these tough issues that break our hearts.
In this Christmas season I’ve been reflecting on the fact that Jesus willingly entered our world of slavery, trafficking, brokenness, and fear. He brought immeasurable love, truth, grace, and freedo
m. I believe he still does. His “good news” is more expansive than we sometimes allow it to be. I wonder how we could better partner with him in his good news plan of bringing about the restoration, freedom, and abun-dance that he desires for us and the world he so passionately loves.
Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year!!!
Love,
Randy
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