I come to you moved to tears by this great organization that the good Lord has brought me to and the great work they do. Moved to sorrow by the slavery infecting our world today and the diseased mindset that it’s ok. Moved to anger by disgusting racism and degrading prejudice. But IJM stands against these things, and they do so with all their might.
Recently I learned about IJM’s new campaign: “5 Weeks For Freedom” (www.5weeksforfreedom.org), which just kicked off in Mobile, Alabama. 15 people are bicycling 1800 miles from Mobile, AL to Buffalo, NY along the Underground Railroad to raise awareness, funds, and to ignite a fight to “bring hope to the millions of people waiting for freedom.” The journey began on the 28th of June, aiming to remember the tragedy of slavery in our own history and to connect it with the new faces of slavery today. Learning about it stopped me in my tracks and left me truly inspired. It reminded me of the importance of our work. It reminded me that they are raising awareness for something that I’ve seen with my own eyes. It reminded me that I’m on the front lines. My heart beats faster every time I realize that I’m a part of it all. I’m fighting for freedom; how silly that I should forget it so often right here in the midst of it! It’d be like a soldier in battle forgetting that he’s at war. But today I see the battle and I remember why I’m fighting. More importantly, I see that this is a battle we can win. We are well-armed with great passion, great dedication, and great love. We fight and someday, we will win. Praise the Lord!
So many lives have been lost to slavery, scattered across all time and all space. Dreams are continually crushed and hearts constantly trampled. The past five years have taken me on a journey to awareness, which usually turned into anger, and often dissolved into helplessness. I’ve shed so many tears over these tragedies (past and present) and I’ve shouted curses at these repeated offenses, as if my shouts could be heard by all the slave-owners in the history of time. It’s me vs. them, I thought. I vented until I lost steam and faced total silence. I’d be lying if I said my education/experience hadn’t jaded me a little bit. I used to feel jaded without solutions. When I learned about this new campaign (5 weeks for freedom) all my questions, fears, frustrations, and feelings of uselessness came flooding back to me. But this time, they come back as mere memory and not reality. The good Lord has built up a dam around me against these unwelcomed feelings. They crash and break against me: dammed and damned. Satan can take that deceit back, cuz I don’t hear his lies today. We are not useless, and I am not helpless. I have a voice. I’m raising it. And I’m joined by millions. Can you hear that noise? I pray every day for continued love and support, for motivation and inspiration, for blessing and for victory. We serve a great God – a God of freedom. I write to you now, proud to serve an organization like IJM, thrilled to seek a God like Yahweh, and excited that you are supporting me in this endeavor.
Please take the time to learn more about IJM’s 5 Weeks for Freedom by visiting wwww.5weeksforfreedom.org. Watch the intro video to find out more details on this awesome campaign and the support we are rallying across the USA. If you feel led, you can make donations by clicking on the “getting involved” tab. If you are in the area, which all of you OHIOANS are, check out the “events” tab to find events near you (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland). [And in case you were wondering, Ohio actually had more Underground Railroad stations than any other state! Doesn’t that make you proud to be an Ohioan??] If nothing else, please pray for this amazing journey and tell your friends to do the same!
Signing off prouder than ever to serve IJM,
Lauren.Susan.
5 Weeks For Freedom Prayer Requests: Health and safety of the bikers. Success of IJM’s events (those already planned and those still being planned). That the needed funds will be raised. That new relationships would be formed and that everyone can get excited about IJM’s great work.
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