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Tag: Human Trafficking

  • Introducing Kelli from #TheClosetProject {Guest Post}

    Introducing Kelli from #TheClosetProject {Guest Post}

    I am thrilled today to have Kelli guest posting today. I told you awhile back about The Closet Project, and how I plan to participate. I still need to go through my closet of clothes, but today I wanted to take a moment to let Kelli tell you about herself and this project she’s been inspired to organize.
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    Hi friends! My name is Kelli and I blog at Eat Pray {read} Love. It is so nice to “meet” you!  I am so appreciative of Adelina letting me take over her lovely blog for a moment! I asked her to let me share with you a project that God has laid on my heart – but let me share a little about myself first! 
    This is me with my hubby. We’ve been married 11 years and have four sweet kiddos- ages 7, 6, 2, and 3 months. My husband is a church planter and we live in the South. I love to read, cook, go to the beach (obviously!) and watch movies with my family.
    And…. this is my closet! Glad we’re getting to know one another so well, so quickly!
    How about another one?
    #theclosetproject
    embarrassed for me yet?
    Please tell me I’m not the only one whose closet looks like this! With parenting four kids, being a preacher’s wife, co-leading a Bible study, homeschooling, blogging, and life, my closet probably gets the least attention in the whole house. It somehow always seems overflowing. With clothes I never wear.
    About two months ago, I felt God tell me to get RID of the excess and GIVE to those who need. I wasn’t sure just yet where he would have me give, but human trafficking has been on my mind so much lately. Enter Redeemed Ministries. Their focus is to help women in the Houston area that are enslaved in sex trafficking. If you’re like I was until last year, you may think that human trafficking is an international problem- which it is. 
    But it is also a US problem. In fact, one that hits very close to my home. And maybe yours too.
    Thus, The Closet Project was born. Women uniting forces- paring down to step up.
    Here’s the lowdown:
    1.) Pare down your wardrobe to what you actually wear.
    2.) Sell what you don’t. Take them to resale shops, sell them on eBay, have a garage sell, sell them to your friends!
    3.) Donate directly to Redeemed Ministries. 
    4.) Go to this form to let me know how much you were able to donate. ANYTHING helps! Seriously! Only have $5 to spare? Great, that is wonderful. Got a cool million burning a hole in your pocket? I’m sure Redeemed would be SO happy to receive that, too! 🙂
    Ladies, I really appreciate your time today. If you’d like to read a little more detail of the project, goals, etc. please click here. I’ll leave you with these words from the book of Matthew:
     â€œThe 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.’ (25:40). Let’s help “the least of these,” shall we?
    PS I’d be very grateful if you’d help spread the word by sharing this tweet —>
    Team up with  to help modern-day slaves and pare down your closet too.  
  • The Closet Project {Think About It}

    The Closet Project {Think About It}

    Today I’m throwing a challenge your way. Think about it, and if you feel like helping, act on it!

    While perusing facebook, one of the bloggers I follow – Eat Pray Read Love – sent out a search for help getting the word out about her Closet Project. Normally I love to jump into these little challenges, spread the word, get people motivated at changing their lives. So I was all set to hear more, when the words “human trafficking” bore down on me.

    Can I write about that here? On my nice clean, family friendly blog? I decided, quickly, that yes I could. Because it’s a problem becoming more apparent and talked about right here in America. It’s an ugly problem. One most of us might like to turn a blind eye to.

    Human trafficking.

    Surely not in America. That’s a 3rd world problem. There are charities and missions that go help them.

    And then we turn our heads, close our eyes, and miss that it’s happening right here. 

    The truth of the matter is, it’s all around us. Raising 3 daughters this scares me. So for me, and for them, I will be taking Kelli’s Closet Challenge. 

    What is the challenge?

    Simply put, we are “Paring down to Step up”.  Here’s what Kelli is asking –

    Go through your closets. Pare down. What don’t you wear anymore? Does it fit, will it ever fit again? Do you even like it? 

    Once you have a pile to remove from your closet, you can do two things. Try and sell the clothing and donate the money to an organization that helps stop human Trafficking.  Or donate them to a women’s shelter, or other organization that helps women in need. Step up.

    I will be attempting to sell my clothes, and whatever money I receive I will be donating to the International Rescue Committee.  Not only do they support anti-trafficking, but they also have campaigns to end child soldiers, domestic violence, Refugees, and many other Humanitarian causes across the globe.

    Think About It
    I realize this is probably not what you expected to read here today. It’s not something I thought I’d ever be writing about. But the more we turn a blind eye, the more we are allowing this crime and others like it seep into our homes.

    Human Trafficking is the bottom of the slippery slope. How did we get here? What are we doing to stop it? What are we unintentionally doing to aid it? 

    I can’t answer the first 2 questions I put forth, but the last one I have a pretty good idea. Just look at Hollywood. Have you read about or tried any of the new fad diets? As a teen, did you know someone that would do anything..ANYTHING…just to be liked?  I know I did (know someone that is…)

    How easy would it be to coerce a lonely teen into thinking they were loved, until slowly, they find themselves enslaved. Being pimped out, and unable to get out of it. It is estimated that 100,000 children are trafficked every year, with the average “1st time” age being 13 (source). That’s an average, meaning there are even younger children being exploited! These kids eventually turn into adults that still don’t know how to get out. They need our help!!

    Remember, going down is always easier then going up. So let’s band together and give a helping hand to those effected by human trafficking. We can be the ladder that brings some of these women and children back to the top of the mountain.

    I would love to hear your thoughts on today’s Think About It Thursday. Will you join me in Kelli’s Closet Project?

     If you need help finding a local group to donate to, let me know, and I’ll find one for you.