Serving Homeless Graduating Seniors

There are 35 homeless graduating seniors from area High Schools registered for a sponsorship program through Hays CISD. If sponsored, these students will get much needed assistance during the graduation season and additional help in transitioning to the next season of life. Half of those students have been sponsored. Austin New Church has committed to ‘adopt’ the remaining 17. Without sponsorship, many of these students would not get to enjoy the ‘little things’ that make graduation exciting and memorable. Your sponsorship will ensure each student receives: (1) Required inoculations for college, (2) senior pictures, (3) entrance to senior dinner and Prom, (4) a yearbook, (5) a gift card for clothing, and (6) a “Fresh Start Basket” including basic household and dorm needs.

ANC has committed to the remaining $4200 but we need your help. As a part of ANC or as a friend of ANC, we are asking for you personally, your Restore Group, your family, friends, or a group at work to consider sponsoring a student by donating $250 or helping sponsor a student by giving in $100 or $50 increments.

Click HERE to donate now.

This is yet another reminder to me of the great need that exists in every community. These are simple ways to help, but excellent opportunities to be good news. Good News to a homeless student or family. Good News to a school administrator, trying to help these kids in ways they can’t, often shouldering the burden alone, and Good News to all who hear what the church is about. Maybe you won’t partner with us. But I hope you’ll consider how you can serve the schools in your community.

Big News for Austin New Church

A message to the ANC Family:

Words cannot describe how amazing the last few years have been. I know I echo the thoughts of all the ANC staff when I say that it has been a joy to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with those of you who call ANC home as we seek to follow God wherever, whenever, and however He leads. It’s also incredibly refreshing to help lead a church that values transparency, authenticity, and humility as we seek to be good news to a city and region in need of good news.

Recently I’ve asked you to join together in prayer as we continue to seek next steps as a faith community. As we grow, we need to continue and be good stewards of the vision God has given us. We hope to continue and see people come to faith, find their identity in Christ, and find their purpose in His mission. We believe the greatest way to do that is to continue to equip and empower people to serve not only where they have been sent, but also where they are being sent. This recognizes a call to learn to be Jesus’ hands and feet to both our neighbors as well as to those in need… whether across the street, the tracks, or the ocean.

In answering this call, we believe that where we do “community”, where we “serve”, and where we “gather” for worship matters.

As I mentioned on two recent Sunday’s at ANC, we have been given the opportunity to join forces with a ministry in southeast Austin named The Well. Together we will serve a community called Dove Springs, which is one of Austin’s areas of greatest need. While The Well is a much smaller ministry than ANC, they have a very similar vision, and are excited about joining us and coming under our leadership to reach the Dove Springs area by becoming “ANC Dove Springs”. They have amazing partnerships already in the community with the River City Youth Foundation and the Dove Springs Recreation Center. They have a fantastic facility where they meet in the heart of the community. And in the middle of us searching for a place where we can (1) begin a new service identical to the one we have now, as well as (2) begin to invest ourselves deeply in the middle of need, and (3) serve in partnership with others already impacting a community… this is an amazing opportunity that certainly fits the bill.

As a friend of mine recently said, “So many churches are willing to go, but so few are willing to stay.” This is our opportunity to not only go, but to stay.

After a several months of consideration and prayer with both our board of directors and pastoral staff, we are in complete agreement that this is an opportunity God has placed in front of us to continue to be the church He has called us to be. I assure you that no rock has remained unturned. Not only does this answer the questions, “As we grow, how do we stay small? (for the sake of community)” and “As we go, how do we stay ONE? (for the sake of unity and mission)”, it helps us answer the call to serve our city in new and more sustainable ways. We’re literally moving into another neighborhood and adopting a model for church that is committed to being “sent”.

So how does this affect you and what does all this mean? Here are some important thoughts:

1) What will it look like? Our goal is to make the southeast (Dove Springs) gathering identical to our current Sunday experience. We will have live music and live teaching at both locations. You’ll see the same faces on stage, whether teaching, leading worship, leading communion, and doing the announcements as you do now. It might best be described as adding another service… but instead of a different time we’re choosing a different location. There will be one ANC staff, one ANC board of directors, one mission.

2) Where is this place? The location of our new gathering will be at the Dove Springs Recreation Center. The center is located 1.7 miles east of I-35 between William Cannon and Stassney. This is only a few miles away from our current location. For nearly half of you the new location is either CLOSER to where you currently live or EQUAL driving time from where you live.

3) What about the current ANC gathering? Our current location will stay the same. Same location. Same experience. It will now be called ANC South Austin. While we hope to go to one service at each location in May (at least through the summer), this is important for you to know. Each location will be equally valued, staffed, and led.

4) If I attend the gathering at this location, am I leaving ANC? No. In fact, this is what we believe to be the answer to staying (while going). While we need many of you to prayerfully consider attending ANC Dove Springs, attendance on Sunday will take very little sacrifice or change (it’s serving there that will take sacrifice). Some of you are already excited. For many, it simply makes sense. For others, you may desire to attend there for a season to help us make the transition. Some of you will serve there with your Restore Groups. Some will move there (believe it or not). But don’t panic, you’ll have plenty of time to both experience what’s happening there and come to a decision as to how God is leading you.

5) What are our next steps? We want to make sure that the community of Dove Springs understands that we are here in full support of them and their community. We also want everyone at ANC to know, see and experience the community first hand. With this in mind, we are planning a handful of things we hope will accomplish these objectives:

• We will serve with them: As a church we are partnering with both the Dove Springs Recreation Center and the River City Youth Foundation for their Community gatherings during the Easter season (For those of you not already committed elsewhere). These are being held the two Saturdays prior to Easter. Last year, with a simple egg hunt, they served over 1300 children from the community (More details to come on this).
• They will serve with us: On Easter Sunday, those from The Well will be joining us for our Annual Downtown Grillout and communion service with the homeless. It’s a perfect time for them to see who we are on such an important day (our 4th Anniversary by the way).
• We will worship together: The TWO Sundays following Easter we are closing the doors (Temporarily) at our South Austin location and will all worship together as one body in the Gym at Dove Springs Rec Center. This will be an amazing time together and the first chance we’ve had to worship together since we moved to multiple services. We are praying God moves as we come together in unity IN and FOR the community. We pray He opens our hearts and minds for how we are to respond personally.
• We will serve together: The following Sunday will be our regularly scheduled Serve Austin Sunday. As a part of our previous plans to expand SAS to Restore Weekend (Including both Saturday and Sunday projects) we will have additional projects serving the Dove Springs area. Some of you will serve there. Many will not. But it will be an intentional place of engagement from now on.
• We will start our new “normal“: The first Sunday in May, following Restore Weekend, will be our first regular worship gatherings at both locations. Time and details TBA.

6) Are we going to do this again? Yes. In fact, Our hope, is that as our church continues to grow, that we continue to move closer to where our people are as we continue to move closer to and into areas of great need. We hope ANC always has a culture that celebrates the opportunity to expand our ministry and bring hope to new areas. Imagine if there was a mid-sized ANC gathering of people committed to gospel community and mission not only in south and east Austin, but also in central and north Austin, in the Buda and Kyle areas, and maybe even San Marcos. Not only would we be able to maintain what we value about how we gather at ANC, but we’d be able to do so as a people committed to making disciples, “learning to do right”, loving mercy, seeking justice, and who value authentic faith community that understands and seeks to “speak the language” of their neighbors (understanding culture and context).

While we know that’s a lot to absorb, we ask you to simply pray for God’s will to be done as we put one foot in front of the other. Pray for His Kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven. And pray that God would lead each of us on how we should personally respond.

If you are involved in children, youth, or other ministries at ANC… expect your leader to contact you shortly with details on how we are proceeding. If you are currently serving regularly outside of ANC, keep going! We are thankful for what you are doing and are certainly not asking you to abandon your post for something new. But what we are asking is that we all worship together there for a couple weeks and a portion of us begin to foster these new relationships through serving the existing partnerships in the area.

There are so many more details. But for now, thank you. You’ve always been the church we dreamed of. And we know God is about to do something even more amazing in and through all of us.

See you Sunday,

Brandon

Why I’m attending Verge 2012

Recently I was asked by the Editor of the ABBA Connect and the Austin Bridge Builders Alliance to answer a few questions about Verge Conference. While at first it seemed like just another task to get done during a busy week, in answering them I was reminded how significant an event I really believe Verge to be. That said, I thought I’d share my thoughts here as well:

ABBA: What is Verge and how will it impact Austin?

Brandon: Verge is a Missional Community Conference. What does that mean? It means that as Church leaders we believe the greatest way to impact a city or community is through empowering, equipping, and releasing, missionary people with a heart for the Gospel back into their context. It means that we believe in making disciples marked by lives who are radically changed by the gospel, who literally become Good News wherever they’ve been sent (home, work & play) and where they are being sent (across the tracks, rivers, and highways).

I think the impact of Verge can be vast if we are willing to respond. There’s a huge amount of momentum behind the heart of Verge… but it comes with a radical shift in thinking… too often we settle with the heart of the idea instead of strategically considering how it could really play out in a city of over a million people. The questions remain: Are we willing to listen? Are we willing to use our influence, relationships, and resources for the greater good? Are we wiling to lay down our plan for His plan?

ABBA: Why should we attend?

Brandon: Leaders at Verge are going to put words to the thoughts people are having.  They are going to bring experiences, stories, connect it with Gospel, and challenge us to make it real in our context. As church leaders a better question is, “Why wouldn’t we attend?”

ABBA: How will Verge help churches connect with each other and our community?

Brandon: The greatest way to connect churches and community is through a unified mission. Jesus taught that when we focus on Kingdom, that HE would build His church. That doesn’t mean our individual churches… that means THE Church in Austin will be built up. What each of us pray for in Austin cannot happen through one expression of the local church, so the bottom line is not just connecting, but praying for a movement in our city. I think Verge will lay a foundation that each of us can build upon.

ABBA: Why are YOU passionate about this event?

Brandon: Two reasons: (1) I’m always excited about an opportunity to gather with like-minded thinkers and leaders with an opportunity to learn. This conference is filled with practitioners, not just theorists, so we’ll also come away with some strategy. And, (2) at the last Verge Conference… the Spirit simply showed up. Some would argue the Spirit literally fell on the room at one point. I don’t know about you… but I think if we need more of anything, it’s the Holy Spirit. I want to be a part of something where God’s movement is obvious, His leading is convincing, and his presence is undeniable.

Leadership is Dead

Here’s the most insightful leadership truth I’ve heard in a long time:

“In some people leadership is more than dead, it is non-existent. You see, those who lead for their personal status, wealth or ego have no true influence in the lives of others. They may have authority, but people are not following them with loyalty or respect. Leadership is dead in these types of people.”

It was said by Jeremie Kubicek, in an online interview with Tony Morgan. Jeremie is author of “Leadership is Dead: How Influence is Reviving It” and CEO of GiANT IMPACT, a leadership development organization who owns Catalyst and puts on the Chick-fil-A Leadercast event. In other words, they’ve got a pretty strong track record.

Here’s another good one:

“Leadership is power. You can choose to empower or overpower others. An empowering leader is a liberator who wants the best for other people. An overpowering leader is a dominator who wants people to do things for the leaders interest.”

I’ve known Jeremie since college. He’s always been someone I’ve admired, respected, and looked up to. Not as the typical CEO type guy, but I remember Jeremie as the solid, genuine, caring guy whose faith was obvious. Jeremie is a guy who lives what he writes.

With endorsements from people like Seth Godin, Matthew Kelly, and Scott Klososky, obviously his “grown up” peers agree.

If you’re a church leader, please read this book.

Good News through Community

Excerpted from Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture:

Jesus was clear that his followers were the salt of the earth, a light to the world, and a city on a hill that could not be hidden.  Being a visible city or a shining light does not mean that we should talk even louder when no one is listening to us or that we should wave our arms and jump around when we aren’t seen, just to get in someone’s face.  When we are “salt,” saltiness is part of our very nature.  If we are indeed “light,” we will indeed be seen in a dark world. Who we are can’t be hidden because light consumes the darkness.

These are images that define the nature of a community that becomes Good News to others. This is something we become because of what we believe, what we value, and what we do. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that when people encounter such a community that they will “see” our “good works” and then ultimately “give glory to your Father in heaven.”[i]

In a post-Christian society, this is what the church needs to become yet again, salt and light to the world. The unchurched community no longer expects much from church; in fact, they often expect the worst. They are jaded. Wounded. And confused. Yet people are still looking for hope, and no one else can offer what we have to offer them.  Our story made public, the visible witness of our lives together as a whole community, are integral to whether or not our message of hope becomes their message of hope.

To minister with influence in our current context, we must learn to locate the key differences between what our culture sees and what the Kingdom of God made visible has to offer them. The more the church lives in faithfulness to God and the gospel, the more visible God’s grace will be for all those who long for it. As Darrell Guder wrote in his book, Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America, “Churches that listen to sermons deploring crime may be faithful in attending to God’s call for right relationships among humanity. But the church that sets up victim-offender reconciliation programs and promotes equitable economic opportunities for communities where crime is the main escape route from financial despair is not only faithful but a remarkable light to the world, a city on a hill.”

Billy Graham, one of the most well-known evangelists of the twentieth century, understood that the cultural context was shifting. In an interview by author Gabe Lyons, Mr. Graham made this game-changing statement: “Back when we did those big crusades in football stadiums and arenas, the Holy Spirit was really moving- and people were coming to Christ as we preached the Word of God. But today I sense something different is happening. I see evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in a new way. He’s moving through people where they work and through one-on-one relationships to accomplish great things. They are demonstrating God’s love to those with love, not just with words, but in deeds.”

Summer Internship at ANC

We have two remaining openings for summer internships with Austin New Church and Restore Communities. Internships start May 28^th and housing is provided. Interns will have three primary responsibilities:

• Serving our non-profit partners “Music For the City” day camps with the under-resourced in East Austin providing mentoring, projects, and events for children in partnership with various Austin artists and mediums.
• Working with Restore Communities in planning the city-wide Serve Austin Sunday for July.
• Working with Austin New Church on a variety of other projects and summer initiatives.

We will be accepting resumes until May 8^th. If you are interested in finding out more drop us an email at info@austinnewchurch.com and let us know of your interest.

Why we Cancel Church on Easter (Part 2)

It was a beautiful day in downtown Austin. It’s amazing to be a part of a church and an Easter service where literally everyone who came… came to serve others. Here’s a glimpse at what the day looked like. Take the time to watch to the end so you can see the still shots (my favorite part).

It was an incredible moment to remember together that the one who was resurrected is also the one who resurrects. He resurrects lives, He resurrects marriages, and He resurrects hope. As a pastor, I gain incredible joy watching people get out of their skin to do something for someone in need. It’s almost as if you can see them changing right before your eyes. Today lives were changed. Hope was resurrected. And I believe Jesus was Glorified. As Christ followers we must believe and do our best to live the words of Jesus:

‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ – Matthew 25:35-40

Why we Cancel Church on Easter

It’s Easter this week and we canceled church. Well, not really. We canceled our Sunday morning gatherings and moved them downtown and outside to where we first met as a church. A few years ago a handful of people decided to “do” church differently that Sunday by grilling up hot cheeseburgers for some of the homeless who lived nearby. It wasn’t meant to fly in the face of traditional worship. It wasn’t meant to replace the idea of evangelism, disciple-making, exaltation, or proclamation… but it did come with the hope of focusing on the “incarnation”. We really didn’t know what we were doing, we just knew we were supposed to serve.

Easter Sunday 2010

This coming weekend is Easter Sunday. It marks the three year anniversary of Austin New Church. It’s normal for us to break from our regular scheduled Sunday gatherings to serve around the city… and no one time seems more significant than when we do it on our church’s anniversary: Easter Sunday.

It’s hard to explain really.

And it’s obviously not for everyone. But we love it. We’ve had a ton of visitors join us every time we’ve done this. We’ve had people return to the church. And we’ve had people come to faith on Easter. It’s been three years now of navigating the tension between communion and mission. We’re learning along the way. And each time we “stretch” ourselves and our traditions, we learn a little bit more. (Click HERE to Join Us)

Last year my wife wrote about our “Easter” experience downtown. It’s an incredible reminder of why we go back. I thought I’d share. It’s worth the read:

It’s Easter.

So between ages 0-32, I celebrated Easter the fun way: with bunnies, baskets, and expensive clothes. I mean, what better way to say “Jesus reigns” than dressing my preschooler in a $45 dress to show her off in the church lobby? (You’re welcome, Jesus. Be blessed.)

Now certainly if you asked me what my Easter priorities were, I’d become rather grave and pensive and say something about the resurrection. For crying out loud, I’m a Christian. But truthfully, between the outfit shopping, the Easter baskets, the egg ______ (dying, stuffing, hiding, hunting), the pictures, the lunch menu, and the gift buying, Jesus was nearly dead last in the running. I started thinking about Him right about the time the band started at church, and I thought about him a whole hour. Until the end of the service when I got distracted with lunch details.

That’s just true.

But for the last three years, Jesus has messed with me. Frankly, he’s managed to hijack all my usual holiday endeavors. I’ve always celebrated holidays with a Cultural Major and a Spiritual Minor, no matter what I said I cared about. Take Christmas, for example. I used to spend as much money as I wanted on crap no one needed and work myself into in a December frenzy and oh well. La de da. Now I can’t quit thinking about the poor and the sad and the disgusting consumerism cycle I’ve perpetuated and the heinous neglect of Jesus and the appalling nature of it all.

Then we got to Easter, or as God called it in the Bible, Passover. “Easter” is just a jaunty little name picked up from the Anglo-Saxon fertility goddess of spring, ‘Eostre’, who, as legend has it, saved a frozen bird from the harsh winter by turning it into a magical rabbit who could lay eggs. Hence: ‘Easter’, bunnies, and eggs. (Look it up.) Why are elements of a pagan religion associated with the highest holy day of the Christian faith, you ask? Oh bother. Can’t we all just carry on and dye our “Eostre” eggs in peace?

Anyhow, Jesus started asking me why I spent all my time and money and emotional energy on these worthless, even sacrilegious distractions. “You’ve been had, Jen” is kind of how he put it. I was lulled to spiritual sleep by the siren song of baskets and bunnies, patent leather shoes and chocolate.

When I take an aerial view of the typical American Easter, on one side I see Jesus on the cross, humiliated and mutilated, bearing the failures of every man and woman past and present, rescuing humanity once and for all through an astonishing miracle of divine redemption, splitting history in two and transforming the human experience for eternity. On the other side, I see us celebrating this monumental heroism with chocolate bunnies and boiled eggs, with Jesus as an afterthought. It just doesn’t make sense. (Insert some of you tossing this book in the garbage. Don’t mess with my Easter fun, you hippie chick.)

So since ANC constantly tries to sabotage itself by giving away too much money and cancelling church all the time to serve the city (“How will people tithe that week?!” asked a horrified pastor), we decided to rethink The Traditional Easter Service That Brings In More People Than Any Other Day Of The Year. It is our two-year anniversary as a church, and certainly we could stand more foot traffic, but I’m not sure the ultimate Passover is best celebrated by a high-attendance Sunday of people who won’t be back until Christmas Eve.

Easter Sunday 2010

We literally asked ourselves: What would Jesus do? Would he drop a bunch of cash on fancy clothes? Buy out the chocolate and plastic egg supply at his local store? Find the biggest church in town and spend twenty minutes in the lobby telling everyone how pretty they look? (These questions are rhetorical, dearest reader.)

Who in Austin might genuinely want to celebrate the resurrected Jesus and the astonishing hope he made possible, but might not feel comfortable in a church surrounded by beautiful people dressed to the nines? Who needs the beauty of the gospel spoken into their brokenness, but might not be welcomed into the gathering of the saints in the sanctuaries? It came rather quickly to us:

The homeless.

If Jesus literally came to proclaim freedom for the captives and good news to the poor, then Passover uniquely belongs to the bottom dwellers. So we cancelled service and took church downtown to the corner of 7th and Neches, where our homeless community is concentrated. We grilled 1300 burgers and ate with each other. Our band set up shop and we worshiped, then in a powerful moment of solidarity as the church, we all took communion together. It was a beautiful mess of dancing, tears, singing, and sharing. It wasn’t an “us” and “them” moment; it was just the church, remembering the Passover Lamb and celebrating our liberation together.

Easter Sunday 2010

Now, if we get one request over and over when we serve our homeless brothers and sisters, it’s this: “Do you have a bag?” (Could also be: Can I have that bag? Can I take that trash bag? Do you have a bag I can put this bag in?) So this was the perfect moment to give away seven out of my nine purses, which I might add, were almost all nice and roomy, just like the ladies want.
A few ANCers organized a clothes and shoes station from things they’d gathered. Others opened up their trunks full of hygiene supplies and such. Another group brought a bunch of reusable water bottles. I saw a different couple handing out bus passes. I stood smugly by, watching my friends give away their little things, knowing I was about to be Mrs. Popular and waiting for my moment. When the timing was right, when the ladies had a perfect view for maximum impact, I said:

“Hey girls! Anyone want one of…these?”

Cranberry red leather.
Green with gold buckles.
Chocolate brown bohemian bag.
Turquoise with short handles.
Burnt orange across-the-shoulder.
Shiny black backpack bag.

And one little purse I debated on bringing. It was a tiny little thing, hot pink crocodile by Gianni Bini. It was functionally useless but fashionably magnificent. Our street girls want the biggest bags possible, since they carry everything they own, everywhere they go. If I brought down wheelbarrows to pass out, they couldn’t be happier. So my little pink vanity purse was a wildcard, but at the very last second with a conspiratorial nudge from the Spirit, I threw it in.
Not surprisingly, it was the last purse left. What self-respecting homeless woman picks a hot pink purse that would barely carry her bus pass? She’s no fool; glamour handbags are only for women who have eight others and a house to stash them all in. So I was standing there with my one silly little purse left, when it’s rightful owner, the one for whom I daresay that purse was stitched together for in the first place made a beeline for me.

She had on her Easter finest, tights included even though it was nearly ninety degrees outside. Flouncy dress with – what else? – hot pink flower print. Hair done up in a bunch of sections with matching beads on the ends, floppy pink hat on standby. Leather dress shoes that had certainly seen better days but were polished to a sheen. Dainty little necklace on a ribbon and rings on four fingers to boot.

She was six years old. Her name was NeNe.

Never in the history of accessories has a purse better matched its owner. She slipped that hot pink number over her arm and didn’t put it down the rest of the night, not even to eat. Her mom took one look at me and no words were necessary; mothers speak a silent language. I took her picture and fussed over her beauty and breathed a silent thank you to Jesus for the nudge.

"NeNe with her new purse"

I serve a Savior who finds a way to get pink purses to homeless six-year-old girls.

Jesus is a redeemer, a restorer in every way. His day on the cross might have looked like a colossal failure, but it was his finest moment. He ushered in a kingdom where the least will be the greatest and the last will be first, where the poor will be comforted and the meek will inherit the earth. Jesus brought together the homeless with the privileged and said, “You’re all poor, and you’re all beautiful.” The cross leveled the playing field, and no earthly distinction is valid anymore. There is a new “us” – a ruined people rescued by the Passover Lamb who adopted us into his family and transformed us into saints. It is the most epic miracle in history.

This is why we celebrate. May we never become so enamored by the substitutions of this world that we forget.

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” ~John 13:1

Human Trafficking: Taking Action

I was thinking today about how excited I am to be a part of a church who has a heart for the underdog. I’m so thankful to partner with those who feel indignation when they see injustice. And I’m proud that we’re willing to move beyond education and awareness to making personal and collective sacrifices to do something about it.

Austin New Church has two major objectives in our near future regarding the prevention of Human Trafficking as it merges with our continued advocacy for the orphan: (1) Opening an Austin area safe house for aged out orphan girls and (2) working with our partners at Help End Local Poverty (H.E.L.P.) in Haiti to build homes there to do the same.

While contemplating our next moves I ran across this BLOG post from Chris Marlow, Founder of H.E.L.P., and I was reminded how important these tasks are. He writes:

My heart is truly broken.

I’ve just read multiple articles on human trafficking in Haiti. Some kids are being sold for $1.20.

What the … Okay, that’s kind of how I feel. ANGRY.

I love the kids of Haiti. I love Haiti. I truly believe that most Haitians are amazing people who are trying to do good, live, serve each other and survive.

I also believe that kids cannot be vulnerable. This is why we rescue orphans! They can’t be on their own, they need a community to watch over them, love them, protect them and ensure that they are safe.

Next week, HELP will lead a team of abolitionists from Austin New Church, The River Conference, Soma Austin and NewSong Church.( FYI: These churches and organizations are AMAZING and on mission.) Our goal is to pray, listen, learn and determine how we can fight trafficking in Haiti and care for orphans.

After reading article after article, after article, my heart is broken and my motivation is high.

In Isaiah, God gets upset at his people, because his people worship without serving the poor and the oppressed. God calls them to SEEK justice and CORRECT oppression! God calls His people to action. God calls His people to respond. God calls His people to Go.

To read the entire POST click HERE or to find out more on the efforts of H.E.L.P. click HERE.

Human Trafficking and U.S. Politics

Human Trafficking is a terrible reality. The statistics are so profound that we can easily move from ignorance to paralysis. While the most common steps might be to increase awareness, train leaders, or offer relief to rescued victims, some of the most productive and long term impact may be legislative. As President Obama said, “From every corner of our nation to every part of the globe, we must stand firm in defense of freedom and bear witness for those exploited by modern slavery.”

So how can we best do that? The International Justice Mission, one of the worlds leading abolitionist organizations, offers the following suggestions, urging our President to strengthen our government’s anti-slavery policies, institutions and diplomatic tools:

1. Provide funding and full-time staff to the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) to allow it to scale up and replicate projects that have successfully reduced the prevalence of labor or sex trafficking abroad.
2. Increase funding for victim relief and perpetrator accountability, and provide tangible support for police, prosecutors, and courts to deter this crime and secure relief for victims.
3. Urge Congress to include additional resources for the TIP Office when the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act is considered in 2011.
4. Insist that TIP Office diplomacy is amplified throughout the State Department and U.S. Embassies, and the concerns reflected in the annual TIP Report are raised at the highest levels.
5. Provide adequate funding in budget not only for fighting slavery abroad but also for confronting the crime at home. Increased resources to support survivors of labor or sex trafficking as well as for police, prosecutors and investigators, should be included in forthcoming budget.
6. Enforce current law that prohibits the importation of slave or child-made goods into the U.S.
7. Strengthen the TIP Office by making its coordinator the equivalent of an Assistant Secretary of State.

To find out more about IJM’s Justice Campaigns click HERE.