Today, January 11, is the Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the US. In an effort to raise awareness, 47 women began a climb of Mt. Kilamanjaro early this morning. You can follow their climb at http://thefreedomclimb.wordpress.com and learn more at www.thefreedomclimb.net.
May we all commit to learn what we can do to help release the oppressed now.
For those of you who call yourselves Christians, followers of Christ Jesus: God did not call us only to attend church on Sundays and hang out with our "Christian" friends and show off our religiosity. In fact, Jesus (Yeshua) came to do just what was spoken of Him in Isaiah, "Adonai (the Lord) has anointed me to announce good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim freedom to the captives, to let out into light those bound in the dark; to proclaim the year of the favor of Adonai and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn..." If this is why Jesus came, then shouldn't we follow after Him and take the Good News of Jesus to every single person we meet?
To those of you who do not call yourselves Christians: Would you be so opposed to a Jesus that does the above? For this is who Jesus is! And yet many of His followers have failed miserably by becoming religious and consumed with self. Read for yourselves about who Jesus really is from Scripture. Start out in the book of John in the Bible. Do not look to the Christians around you, look to the source of it all. Ask yourselves these question as you read: what did Jesus say it took to follow Him? What did it look like to be a follower of Jesus? My guess, is that you will be surprised at the greatness you find in Him. Then, I ask you, make the choice about whether He is worth you giving your life up for Him.
I have decided. We, Scotty and I, have decided to follow Jesus and to give everything up for Him. We will not settle for a Christianity that does not fulfill Jesus' mission. We will follow Jesus to the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives and those in darkness. We know that no matter what happens in this life, it is worth it to know God intimately and His Son, Jesus (however that works with Him being God and God being One). We do not have all the answers (obviously), but what we do know, following Jesus is worth everything! We will not represent Him perfectly. Therefore, everyone must be looking to Jesus for themselves and other true followers need to be holding us accountable to look as much like Him as possible.
To all: Sometimes, we think we have it rough. Think on the following words from two of the women climbing Mt. Kilamanjaro that I pulled from the climb's blog:
What the Lord Has Been Speaking
Below is a letter that was sent to the Kilimanjaro climbers from a fellow climber about what she felt the Lord was speaking to her:
Dear Kili-climbing sisters!
With less than a week to go until we depart for Africa, the Lord said to me today, “It is time to move your eyes from yourself (your packing, shopping, and stressy self) and refocus them on Me and why I called you to make this Freedom Climb.”
When I know God is speaking, it is time to pay attention! Here’s the rest of what the Lord was speaking to me…
This Kilimanjaro trek is a powerful prophetic symbol. You-the climbers-are meant to symbolize the victims; Kilimanjaro symbolizes the towering “mountain” of pain, evil, injustice and woundedness that dehumanizes millions of trafficked and enslaved victims daily.
Every hardship you will face step by step and breath by breath on Kilimanjaro is meant to mirror the life-threatening extremities of the trafficked and enslaved for whom you climb.They are deprived; you, too, will face deprivation. They persevere through extreme conditions; so will you. They receive no comfort; you will sacrifice your comforts for their sake. Their unclean bodies ache and sweat and hurt and shiver; yours will, too. They are forced to live one moment at a time and you will only make this climb one step at a time. And the same God who gives the millions of victims breath and life, sees their pain, holds their hands, and whispers His hope into their darkness will likewise be present with you.
This trek is meant to break your heart for what breaks Mine. I will do this in you by taking you beyond the limits of your own human strength, wits, and abilities. When you summit Kilimanjaro, you will not be able to credit yourself, but only give glory to Me. You will make it because I will carry you. That heady joy of freedom as you stand on the roof of Africa will serve as a symbol of the joyous release and victory I have in store for those who are now in bondage!
I will call many of you into active engagement to overcome and destroy these evils as you return home. Be ready for a life change.
I love you and that is why I invited you to make this climb. I didn’t ask everyone; I asked you and you said YES. I am so proud of your willingness to follow Me up this mountain that I made with My own hands. This will be a radical journey of faith and risk, but I knew what I was doing when I called you. I never make a mistake. You were meant to be on this Freedom Climb and I will be with you every step of your way. Now surrender your “me” stuff. Lay all of it down at the Cross. Ask Me to give you My heart, My perspective, and My strength and I will do it.
Refocus the eyes of your heart on Me. It is time.
Grateful to God for each one of you. See you all soon!
JoAnn Hummel
JoAnn Hummel
Another fellow climber’s response was this:
After reading JoAnn’s Spiritual Journey of our trek to the roof of Africa…couldn’t help but share. My purse was stolen from my car….Gone are debit cards, $150 cash, wallet, financial records, pictures, etc, etc. While I read about laying aside the “ME” stuff, I was broken & humbled as a strong connection was revealed to me…. Instead of:
· A purse taken out of a car….
· A young girl is stolen from her village!
· Cancelling debit cards w/ a phone call…
· A young girl cancels her lifetime friendships!
· Losing pictures of precious family members…
· She loses her entire family!
· Being violated by someone reaching into my car…
· Her innocence & virginity are stolen by evil, calculating, criminal minds!
· Fear that a criminal has my home address…
· She now has no home and lives in the constant reality of being held captive!
· Having a glimmer of hope that my money will help pay rent or food
· Her reality is that money spent is for someone’s greed and selfish pleasure at her expense every day!
· A purse taken out of a car….
· A young girl is stolen from her village!
· Cancelling debit cards w/ a phone call…
· A young girl cancels her lifetime friendships!
· Losing pictures of precious family members…
· She loses her entire family!
· Being violated by someone reaching into my car…
· Her innocence & virginity are stolen by evil, calculating, criminal minds!
· Fear that a criminal has my home address…
· She now has no home and lives in the constant reality of being held captive!
· Having a glimmer of hope that my money will help pay rent or food
· Her reality is that money spent is for someone’s greed and selfish pleasure at her expense every day!
PS. My purse was stolen at the very instant I was doing a Newspaper photo shoot about our climb….and thankfully my passport was not in my purse.
Looking forward & looking UP!
Looking forward & looking UP!
-Susan Kaspar
