{"id":1124,"date":"2012-04-13T17:25:07","date_gmt":"2012-04-13T21:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/heavenlycreatures\/?p=1124"},"modified":"2012-04-13T17:25:07","modified_gmt":"2012-04-13T21:25:07","slug":"international-justice-mission-celebrates-15-years-fighting-oppression-not-for-puppies-but-for-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/heavenlycreatures\/2012\/04\/international-justice-mission-celebrates-15-years-fighting-oppression-not-for-puppies-but-for-people\/","title":{"rendered":"International Justice Mission celebrates 15 years fighting oppression – not for puppies, but for people"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UCMddMOrcn4&feature=player_embedded#!<\/a><\/p>\n

I wanted to share a non-animal story with you today, because it\u2019s so important to me \u2013 and if you\u2019re the compassionate reader I think you are, it will be important to you, too.<\/p>\n

This year, International Justice Mission<\/a> celebrates 15 years of seeking justice around the world on behalf of the oppressed, the abused and the forgotten. Their team\u00a0not only rescues people from oppression and slavery, but uses the legal systems in their countries to bring the perpetrators to justice.<\/p>\n

This is on my mind today because, as of late, I\u2019ve been inundated with puppy mill stories, pleas for help with abandoned dogs, and other cries for help in the animal world. Baby seals. Feral cats. Stranded dolphins.<\/p>\n

Which, of course, got me thinking. And you know that will either generate an interesting discussion or a boatload of hate mail \u2013 or both.<\/p>\n

Why do you think that in America we tend to get behind animal welfare causes but don\u2019t necessarily get as indignant about say, sexual slavery? I mean, just here in Rochester, NY in the last year we\u2019ve had several cases of people arrested for engaging in sexual slavery. Literally, oppressing young girls\u00a0\u2013 children \u2013\u00a0and forcing them into prostitution. The culprits\u00a0made a headline and were gone the next day.<\/p>\n

But a couple in Gorham wants to open a puppy mill,<\/a> and the nation gets in an uproar that lasts weeks. Why do you think that is? What is it about the puppies that incites people to action, while sexual slavery doesn\u2019t?<\/p>\n

These are just things I think about, not to judge but to wonder why things are the way they are and then\u00a0ask myself how I fit into God\u2019s plan for it all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

My friend Sam cautioned me a while ago to be careful not to engage in what\u2019s called \u201cOppression Olympics\u201d, where people pit their causes against each other to see who has the saddest or most tragic story. That is definitely not my intention at all.<\/span> I think God calls all of us to different causes and issues, and we have to be obedient to follow His leading. Animal abuse is a horrible thing \u2013 and often a precursor to the abuse of humans \u2013 and both are moral issues that people of compassion can\u2019t ignore.<\/p>\n

But I wonder what the world would be like if, rather than only\u00a0protesting puppy mills,\u00a0we shed that same harsh, public light on those who engage in sexual slavery \u2026 or\u00a0spent time, effort and dollars to\u00a0reach out to\u00a0those in desperate poverty \u2026<\/p>\n

Or maybe it\u2019s all tied together \u2026\u00a0maybe\u00a0activism in one area spills over to benefit another? Maybe people who have never considered standing up for a cause start with puppies and in a few years\u00a0end up rescuing girls from brothels in Cambodia?<\/p>\n

Or maybe it\u2019s\u00a0on a\u00a0smaller but no less important scale \u2013 maybe animal welfare advocates, for instance,\u00a0consciously buy products that are \u2018fair trade\u2019, thus helping to engage in the fair and humane treatment of workers on the other side of the world?<\/p>\n

Again, this is just stuff I think about, and\u00a0the IJM 15th anniversary video, it got me thinking more. <\/strong>I\u2019d love to hear your thoughts on how your compassion for animals does \u2013 or doesn\u2019t \u2013 spill over to compassion for humans<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to learn more about International Justice Mission, visit their website<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And here are some other justice organizations that I\u2019m either involved with or know people who are:<\/strong><\/p>\n