Scavenger Hunt: The History of Corn Row Braids

Compassion Scavenger Hunt

 

Assignment: 

Take a photo of a braided hair.

 

Reason:

Braided hair is common in the countries where we work.  Hair styling is also a

vocational skill often taught to teens in our sponsorship program.

 

 

I didn't think I would be submitting an entry for braided hair in this contest.  But tonight while we were at my daughter's gymnastics class I saw this cute little girl with her hair beautifully braided.  My daughter thought it was strange that I asked to take a picture, but I was able to tell the mother all about Compassion International and why I wanted to take the picture!

 

Just for fun I googled the history of hair braiding while I was waiting for her class to finish.  Here's some interesting information on it's history:  (Sources:  Here and Here) 

 

Origins of Hair Braiding

• Cornrow braiding can be traced to ancient African societies as far as 6th Century B.C. Sculptures and hieroglyphics were made to depict gods and people with cornrows.. In Africa historically braids could be used as a way to express religion, kinship, status, age and ethnicity, among other attributes.  The act of cornrow braiding displays a bond between a mother teaching her child to braid -- and this passes through generations.

Braids and Slavery

• When the people of Africa were brought to the New World as slaves, they were initially confronted with a loss of identify. As they traversed the Middle Passage--or the voyage by ship from Africa to America--their heads were often shaved for sanitary reasons. But their hair grew back, and with it so did the culture.   In slavery, many Africans brought back the braids both as a way to stay connected to their heritage and to assert their independence. The style also fit with the requirement that their hair be neat and tidy while working on plantations.  But it was not without improvisation. They didn't have the combs and herbal treatments traditionally used in Africa, so the slaves relied on bacon grease, butter and kerosene to clean and condition their hair.

 After the Civil War

• In the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, natural hair became increasingly popular and cornrow braiding was again sought after. Beauty shops specializing in braiding were established and voyages to Africa for first-hand teaching from African natives were taken.  Now it serves as a legitimate occupation for braiders who make a living from their talent such as working in hair salons or in cosmetology schools as instructors.

Scavenger Hunt: Compassion Calling

Compassion Scavenger Hunt

 

Assignment: 

Take a photo of a flip phone.

 

Reason:

According to the World Bank, three-quarters of the world’s inhabitants now have access to a mobile phone. To recognize this, take a photo of a flip phone, assuming you can find one. Nielsen reports that smartphone owners now make up the majority (61%) of mobile subscribers in the U.S. 

 

This is a picture of my daughter and her Disney Princess toy flip phone.  Finding an actual flip phone is hard to do these days.  Electronics are changing and evolving at an extremely fast pace.

I was shocked when I recently learned that our cell phones have most likely been made with slave labor. The problem lies in the minerals that are used to make our electronics. 

Tantalum, Tin, Tungsten (The 3 T's) and Gold

Actually, the minerals themselves are not the problem, but in how and where they are mined.  These minerals are located mostly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) - an area wrought with conflict.  To give you an idea of what is going on there and the terrible abuses of human rights:

• The war in the Congo is the deadliest since World War II (More than 5 million have died)
• The rebel forces are abducting boys as young as 7-8 years old.  They arm them with machine guns and train them to be child soldiers.  They are forced to  perform brutal acts of rape and warfare to support the cause of the rebel forces.
•  DR Congo is considered the worst place to be a woman.  An estimated 400,000 women are brutally raped annually.

The minerals mined under such war torn conditions are referred to as conflict minerals.  The sale of these conflict materials are used to fund this ongoing war in the DR Congo and to keep control of the mines.
 

I have a smart phone, but I was very slow in getting one.  In fact when I took my flip phone in for an upgrade the sales person laughed and told me he hadn't seen my style of phone in a long time.  That was 2 years ago and I am already eligible for another upgrade.  About 6 months ago, I was excited about the prospect of upgrading my phone.  But after reading about conflict materials it doesn't seem all that important any more.  I find it sad that we live in such a disposable society when so many others have much, much less than we do.  I have a phone that works and does everything I need it to do.  Do I really need to trade it in for an upgrade just because my provider tells me I'm eligible?  Now that I know what goes into making my cell phone, I'm thinking now that an upgrade can wait.  Maybe even until the salesperson will tell me they haven't seen my style of smart phone in a long time.

If you want to learn more or take action on this issue, please visit Raise Hope For Congo.
You will find a lot of great information on their website along with tools for you to contact electronics companies and ask if their minerals are conflict-free.

Not So Fun Fact:  Nintendo scores ZERO on the list of electronic companies and their efforts to use conflict free materials.  This means they have done next to nothing to shift their practices.


For more information about the contest visit:  Compassion Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger Hunt: More Than A Sewing Machine

Compassion Scavenger Hunt

 

Assignment: 

Take a photo of a sewing machine.

 

Reason: 

Sewing is one of the vocational skills taught to teens in our sponsorship program.

 

 

This is a picture of my own sewing machine.  It’s a basic machine.  It can’t do many of the things a fancier machine does, but oh the impact a simple sewing machine can have. 

 In many developing countries where poverty is extreme and communities are stricken with the AIDS epidemic, women are left widowed and young girls are left orphaned.  They are unable to provide for themselves or their families.  By teaching them a simple skill such as sewing, you can change the destiny of a young girls life.  By having a skill, she can become self-sufficient.  She can make clothes for her family and sew things to sell.  She can break the cycle of poverty. 

 

A sewing machine can also change a young girls destiny in another way too.  An organization called Dress A Girl Around The World uses the craft of sewing to make dresses out of pillowcases.  The dresses are then sent to little girls in Africa.  These dresses give the appearance that the girl is being well cared for and can be a deterrent for would-be predators. 

 
We recently began a group at our church making these dresses.  We had 13 women participate in our first event and finished about 15 dresses.  We plan to continue sewing them monthly.  We don’t know if it will change that girls destiny, but it is our hope and prayer that it will.  We imagine the smile it will bring to her face as she receives what may be her very first dress.

Fun Fact:  Isaac Singer built the first commercially successful machine. It was the first sewing machine where the needle moved up and down rather than the side-to-side and used a foot treadle rather than a hand crank.  However, since Singer's machine used the same lockstitch that Elias Howe had previously patented, Singer was sued and lost.  Since he lost, Isaac Singer had to pay Elias Howe patent royalties.

For information about the contest visit: Here



Compassion International Scavenger Hunt

I created this blog about 7 or 8 months ago.  I've found that I really enjoy blogging.  It's a great way for me to spread the word that human trafficking exists and for me to feel like I am doing something about it.  I enjoy being able to journal my thoughts about a book I've read or a movie that I've seen and share how it impacted me.  But blogging about such a hard topic presents it's challenges too.  It's hard not to get wrapped up in the enormity of the problem and end up feeling overwhelmed.  It can be challenging to be creative. 

I recently learned that anyone (even beginner bloggers like me) could participate in blogging for Compassion International.  Since extreme poverty and the plight of women tugs on my heart almost as much as human trafficking I thought it would be great to include occasional posts about those issues as well.  In fact, extreme poverty and oppression of women is a huge factor in why the trafficking rate is so high in some developing countries. 

About once a month they send you a topic to blog about.  This month would be my first time to participate and, as my luck would have it, they are doing something really fun.  It's a scavenger photo hunt!

I'm jumping in a little late since the contest started July 11th.  I certainly won't be entering every category, but it might be fun to do a few of them.  Join me!
Here is the assignment:

 Two years ago today we posted our first photo on Instagram.

And to celebrate, we’re going to hold a photo scavenger hunt for the rest of the month, complete with prizes. So, get your camera (or phone) ready.

Each scavenger hunt item can earn you two contest entries. Share your photos in Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, etc. and tag them #CompassionHunt. Then come back here and post the URL of your photo in the widget at the end of this post to get your contest entries.

 Courtesy of Compassion International: Here

The picture categories are all something that have significance to the work of Compassion International.   I already know what my first one will be!

• A Baby Scale
• Braided Hair
• Children Playing Soccer
• A Church Sign
• Flag of  a Country Where They Work (26 countries)
• A Farmer's Market or Food Vendor
• A Flip Phone
• A Food Stable Common To The Developing World (rice, naan, injera bread or tortillas)
• A Goat or a Cow
• A Sewing Machine
• Seeds or Grain
• A Stethoscope

Happy hunting!

How To Identify A Victim Of Human Trafficking

A victim of human trafficking may look like many of the people you see everyday.  Would you be able to recognize a victim of human trafficking if you came into contact with one?  The victims are not easy to spot and require us to Look Beneath The Surface.

 

The signs may not be obvious so it’s important to educate yourself to be aware of the red flags.  Many times victims are drugged, or they are simply too scared to run away so someone noticing and making the call can save their life.

 

According to the U.S. Department of State, approximately 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked annually across international borders worldwide.  Between 14,500 and 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the U.S. These numbers are only estimates as human trafficking is a hidden crime.  Many cases go unreported because victims are reluctant to report the abuse or are afraid to work with law enforcement. 

 

Victims that are trafficked into the U.S. generally come from Asia, Central and South America, and Eastern Europe.  Most people think that trafficked victims are those from other countries, but the truth is that approximately 62% percent of victims are Americans.   

 

They come from cities and small towns throughout the U.S., with runaways and at-risk teenagers, victims of abuse being the most vulnerable potential targets.

 

Anyone can report suspected trafficking cases.

 

Here are some indicators that may identify a possible trafficking victim:

• Accompanied by a controlling person or boss; not speaking on own behalf;
• Lack of control over personal schedule, money, I.D., travel documents;
• Transported to or from work; lives and works in the same place;
• Debt owed to employer/crew leader; inability to leave job;
• Bruises, depression, fear, overly submissive.

Asking the right questions will help to determine if the person is a victim of trafficking who needs help.

 

Key questions to ask:

• What type of work do you do?
• Are you getting paid? Anything taken out of your pay?
• Can you leave your job if you want to?
• Can you come and go as you please? Are you afraid to leave? Why?
• Have you or your family been threatened?
• What is the pay and conditions of employment?
• Does the person live at home or at/near the work site?
• Do you have to ask permission to eat/sleep/go to the bathroom?
• Are there locks on your doors/windows so you cannot get out?
• Has your identification or documentation been taken from you?
• How did the individual arrive to this destination if the suspected victim is a foreign national?
• Does the person fear that something bad will happen to him or her, or to a family member, if he/she leaves the job?

If you think you have come in contact with a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.

This hotline is open 24 hours a day/7 days a week. It will help you determine if you have encountered victims of human trafficking, will identify local resources available in your community to help victims, and will help you coordinate with local social service organizations to help protect and serve victims so they can begin the process of restoring their lives.

 

In cases of emergency, call 911.

 

For more information about Human Trafficking visit:

www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking.

Labor Trafficking: 7-Eleven Human Trafficking Bust Nets 9 Arrests

When I first heard about human trafficking, I thought it was something that happened "over there."  I imagined it as something that only happened in a third world country.  Someplace far from where I lived.  As I began researching, I was shocked to learn that it happens right here in the United States as well.  It is estimated that 100,000- 300,000 children are sexually exploited annually right here in the United States.

 

The majority (roughly 80%) of trafficking that occurs is sex trafficking. But what about labor trafficking?  Roughly 20% of human trafficking is labor.  And it too is happening right here in the United States.  The recent case involving 7-Eleven franchise stores shows that labor trafficking is occurring right in our own backyards. 
 

7-Eleven Human Trafficking Bust Nets 9 Arrests

—By Jonathan Dienst and Greg Cergol, NBC New York

 

Nine owners and managers of more than a dozen 7-Eleven stores on Long Island and in Virginia were charged Monday in a scheme to traffic in workers from Pakistan to work their stores, provide them with identities stolen from U.S. citizens and steal a substantial portion of their wages, prosecutors said.

 The workers were allegedly forced to live in housing provided by the franchise owners and pay them cash rent, in addition to the funds that were skimmed off the top of their paychecks when the store owners received payroll from corporate headquarters, authorities said.

 More than a dozen workers believed to have been brought to the country illegally were taken into immigration custody, though the scheme involved the hirings of at least 50 illegal immigrants since 2000, according to court documents.

 Investigators executed search warrants at about 30 7-Eleven stores across the country as part of the probe, including 10 on Long Island. Suffolk County police, federal Homeland Security investigators, IRS and NYPD officers were seen entering several of the store locations in New York Monday.

 Officials said investigators were checking more than 40 additional 7-Eleven stores across the New York area to see if there were similar abuses.

 The suspects taken into custody Monday face charges of wire fraud conspiracy, harboring illegal immigrants and aggravated identity theft. Federal authorities have also moved to forfeit the franchise rights to the 14 7-Eleven stores owned by the suspects, as well as the five homes where the illegal immigrants were allegedly forced to stay once they were brought to the United States.

 The stolen identities they were equipped with belong to victims from seven states, ranging in age from 8 to 78, and include three dead people and a Coast Guard cadet, officials said.

 In a statement, 7-Eleven said the company is aware of the raids and has been cooperating with federal authorities.

 "In bedroom communities across Long Island and Virginia, the defendants not only systematically employed illegal immigrants, but concealed their crimes by raiding the cradle and the grave to steal the identities of children and even the dead," U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said in a statement. "These defendants ruthlessly exploited their immigrant employees, stealing their wages and requiring them to live in unregulated boarding houses, in effect creating a modern day plantation system."

Read For The Cause: Kindle Books for $2.99

If you have a kindle or e-reader you may be interested in these books for just $2.99!

The White Umbrella: Walking with Survivors of Sex Trafficking by Mary Frances Bowley

 

 

Sex trafficking. We hear about it on the nightly news and in special interest
stories from around the world, but it occurs daily in communities all around us.
Every year, thousands of young women are forced into sexual exploitation. Most are
under the age of 18. The damage this causes to their emotions and souls is immeasurable,
but they are not without hope.

The White Umbrella tells stories of survivors
as well as those who came alongside to help them to recovery. It describes the pain
and the strength of these young women and those who held the "white umbrella" of
protection and purity over them on the road to restoration.

This book offers
principles and guidance to anyone with a heart for these hurting young women and
a desire to help. It is an ideal resource for individuals or organizations seeking
to learn what they can do to assist these victims in becoming whole again.

 

To purchase:  Go Here

 

 

 

Trafficked:  The Diary of a Sex Slave by Sibel Hodge

 

 

My name is Elena and I used to be a human being. Now I am a sex slave.
If you are reading this diary then I am either dead or I have managed to escape...

****

Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave is a gritty, gripping, and tear-jerking fictional novella, inspired by real victims' accounts and research into the sex trafficking underworld. It's been listed as one of the Top 40 Books About Human Rights by Accredited Online Colleges.

It is estimated that 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year - 80% of these are women and girls. (Source: U.S. Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report: 2007)

(17,000 words - 96 pages)

A recommended read by Kindle Users Forum!

 

To Purchase: Go Here

 

 

 

Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World by Tom Davis

 

Stuart Daniels has hit bottom. Once a celebrated and award-winning photojournalist, he is reeling from debt, a broken marriage, and crippling depression. The source of Stuart's grief is his most famous photo, a snapshot of brutality in the dangerous Congo. A haunting image that indicts him as a passive witness to gross injustice.

Stuart is given a one last chance to redeem his career: A make-or-break assignment covering the AIDS crisis in a small African country. It is here that Stuart meets Adanna, a young orphan fighting for survival in a community ravaged by tragedy and disease. But in the face of overwhelming odds, Adanna finds hope in a special dream, where she is visited by an illuminated man and given a precious gift.

Now, in a dark place that's a world away from home, Stuart will once again confront the harsh reality of a suffering people in a forgotten land. And as a chance encounter becomes divine providence, two very different people will find their lives forever changed.

To Purchase:  Go Here

Tom Davis is the author of Priceless (a novel about sex trafficking in Russia).

 

What Does Freedom Mean To You?

Our 4th of July celebration will wrap up this week with our annual viewing of the fireworks off of the lake. The town we live in has a festival/carnival every year and the fireworks are always on the Sunday that the festival ends. I’m still not used to the fireworks being on a different day than the actual 4^th, but we’ve learned to adjust. It’s actually been nice this year to spread out the celebrating. It’s given me a lot of time to ponder independence and freedom.


What does Freedom mean to you?

A simple definition of the 4^th of July (also know as Independence Day) is the day we celebrate our declaration of independence from Great Britain. It is a day where families celebrate with picnics, barbecues, parades and fireworks. We hang our American flags to show our pride for our country and the American tradition and for our political freedom.

We live in “The Land of the Free.” 

But unfortunately not everyone is free. It is estimated that 14,500 to 17,500 people, primarily women and children, are trafficked to the U.S. annually.

To a victim it of human trafficking, freedom means something altogether different.

It can mean something as simple as:
 

• A safe place to sleep
• Freedom to come and go as they please
• Being able to keep money they earn
• To make their own decisions
• To be called by their own name rather than one given to them by a pimp
• The ability to pursue their own dreams

There are a number of great organizations fighting for the freedom of those in slavery.

This July 4^th as we celebrate our independence, consider supporting one of those organizations through prayer and/or donations.

I often think about how a victim of trafficking can ever heal from the atrocities that have happened to them. I can not begin to imagine the amount of healing and restoration that needs to take place.  The Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Church recently said "The best gift you can give a human being is an introduction to a God who loves them."

I wholeheartedly agree! 

The bible tells us in John 8:32

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free

I pray that all rescued victims come to know the truth of Jesus Christ. That someone will teach them about the love and peace that comes from Him. That true healing and freedom can be experienced as they come to know the great love our Father has lavished on us.  That they will come to know Jesus as their own personal Lord and Savior.  And that by knowing Him they will  begin to experience true healing and to be set free. 

Free from the control of another human being
Free from physical abuse
Free from emotional abuse
Free to make their own decisions
Free to pursue their own dreams

They may never forget the traumatic things they have experienced, but I pray that they will come to know peace. The peace of God, which passes all understanding