“Nothing happens just because we are aware of modern day slavery, but nothing ever will happen until we are.” —Gary Haugen, president of International Justice Mission When Elsa’s father died and her mother left, Elsa and her younger brother moved in with their elderly grandparents. They barely had the money to support themselves and buy food for Elsa and her brother, let alone pay for school. So making money to pay for their school fell to twelve-year-old Elsa. She took whatever jobs she could find, and somehow managed to keep her and her brother in school. After high school graduation, Elsa saw an opportunity to work as a nanny in Europe, but she needed a sum of money to cover the cost of getting a visa. She was vulnerable, and that’s when the traffickers came. Elsa accepted a job at a bar where she was promised good pay to start her new future. But she soon learned she was a slave—forced to give customers not just food and drink, but also her body. Her dreams of a better future were fading. She felt sad, scared, and ashamed.
Thankfully, Elsa’s story didn’t end there. She was rescued by International Justice Mission and the police and began a new life of freedom. She wrote: “A bird symbolizes my life because I’m not always caged. I’m not always trapped in one place.”1 Elsa is free now, but millions of other girls, women, boys, and men are still trapped, waiting for freedom. That is why this month I am donating all of the profits I make from any books I sell to three of my favorite freedom-fighting organizations: International Justice Mission, Joy International, and Rahab's Rope. You can visit my family's new online store here to learn more about my books and order them. Amos 5:24 says to “let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.” A few other ways you can stand for justice are:
And always remember, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it,” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). All for Him, Savannah Jane Footnote: 1 Elsa’s story is taken from the March 4, 2016 International Justice Mission update and ijm.org. The name Elsa is a pseudonym.
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Hi! I'm Savannah Jane...I'm the author of several books for children and young adults with a passion to encourage young people to live for Jesus. The third born in an amazing family of seven children, I was homeschooled all the way through. This is where I share encouragement for Christian girls, updates about my books, writing tips, book and movie reviews, and assorted other tidbits. Archives
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Quote"When I try, I fail. When I trust, He succeeds."
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