Give It Up For Freedom

How did you learn about IJM?

I don’t remember how I first heard of IJM, but I have been receiving periodic emails from them for a few years now, telling of encouragements and of prayer needs in the key areas where their staff are working.

I remember reading a few years ago about IJM inviting MPs and other influencers in Ottawa to a screening of “Amazing Grace”, the story of William Wilberforce’s fight to end the slave trade in Britain and its territories. That was a movie that impacted me deeply, so I have prayed periodically for IJM for a while, but no more engaged than that.

Why are you passionate about issues of injustice?

As I grow older, I am very impacted by Scriptures that talk of God’s hatred of injustice, and of His heart for those with no voice, no status, and of His passion to see people set free from every kind of slavery. When I was younger I don’t think I even noticed those Scriptures! Now when I read stories such as the ones that IJM tells in their email communications, my heart is broken for these people who through no fault of their own have become victims of such terrible abuse.

What have you learned from your justice journey?

My justice journey has made me aware of just how huge the issue of slavery is. It’s not confined to one or two countries, not confined to small groups of indebted people, not even confined to the so-called developing countries. It’s even here in Canada.

But I was shocked to read of how many of the products that we use every day – without thinking about it – actually are at risk of having involved slave labour somewhere along the supply chain. That was disturbing – and I haven’t yet figured out how to do life without things like a computer and a smartphone (at-risk products)!! However, it’s alerted me to the fact that I need to be more discerning as a consumer.

For many months now I have been researching the plight of widows in developing countries, and have discovered how many of them and their children end up as slaves because there are no means of supporting themselves when the father has died. And I keep hearing God’s call to us to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke. It’s not optional. It’s God’s heart. And my privileged status as an educated and financially-self-sufficient white female means that I must do what is in my power to help set free those who are tragically disadvantaged.

What was one of your favourite moments from Give It Up For Freedom?

A favourite moment? Probably the first time I told someone what I was giving up and why, and shared a bit about the prevalence of slavery in our so-called progressive world. Their response was to say without any hesitation, “I’ll sponsor you”. And they whipped out their wallet and gave me some money right away. That experience was repeated several times, which made me realize that people don’t give to this cause because they don’t know, not because they don’t care.

I am blessed to be in the demographic that has always given to worthy causes: that’s one of the values we seem to have grown up with. And the majority of my contacts are people who are themselves very invested in giving to charities that they believe in, and volunteering. In fact, many of them are so invested that they sent me their apologies for being unable to stretch their dollars any further to give to this one.