freedom fair

When I met "Star" in Thailand, she was 16 years old and full of laughter. But when you got to know her a little bit more, you soon could sense her great self-doubt, emotional scars and vulnerability that she carried as a result of being sold when she was 2 years old, and starting at the age of 12, was forced to be a sex slave for multiple men, multiple times a night. And you heard about the terrible nightmares that she now suffers from... She was rescued at 15 and put in a safehouse. She was lucky. She has an uphill battle to climb, but now she has hope; a hope for her future and a hope that comes from above.

That is what we want for every child, woman and man that is caught in the bonds of slavery: hope. There are 27 MILLION of them worldwide forced to work as prostitutes, toiling in the fields or factories, as a child soldier, in someone's home or as a bride. Most of those slaves are under the age of 18. That is why we are having the Freedom Fair.

THIS Saturday (on the same day as Allendale Day), we will host an ALL DAY event to raise awareness about modern-day slavery because we CAN do something. And slavery does not just exist "over there". It also could exist down the street from you... I've personally known about 3 separate trafficking incidences in north Jersey in the past 6 months.

MAIN EVENT at Holy Grounds Cafe 6PM - Midnight: Live music by Thomas Torrey, Grant Reitzel, Blue Was a Bear, Dan Harney, FLEECE and more! Special guest speakers from Restore NYC (www.restorenyc.org) and LOVE 146 (www.love146.org)

ALL DAY from 10am-midnight: Jewelry and Handicrafts on sale made by human trafficking survivors, Art Exhibit, Info on human trafficking, representatives from organizations fighting injustice: Polaris Project, World Vision, The Emancipation Network and more!

Raise Your Voice! Take Action! Come Learn!

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Isaiah 58