Slavery may seem like something that is only seen in history books, but to most it is shocking to hear that there are still approximately 27 million men, women and children bounded in slavery. The organization known as END IT is promoting the End it Movement for their “Shine a Light on Slavery Day,” Feb. 27. The movement is a nation wide fight against bondage, which is endorsed by several Christian organizations such as World Vision, Love 146 and World Relief.
Promoting this movement has been encouraged by wearing a red ‘X’ on one hand, Feb. 27. This symbolizes that slavery still happens today and that people will not stand for it. The motto for the movement is, “End It, Shine a Light on Slavery.”
While many students at FC were unaware of this campaign, Shannon Martens, ’15, heard of the movement while watching the live streaming of Passion, a Jesus centered conference evoked in bringing a revival for this generation. She was intrigued of the movement and wanted FC to be involved in supporting it too.
“It’s basically just an event put on by Louie Giglio, the pastor at Passion church in Georgia, and Chris Tomlin,” Martens said. “They’re starting this fight against slavery. The event was helping raise money for the movement and I became so intrigued by supporting this cause was because I have heard about it the past three years while watching Passion and so I think more people need to know about it because its a really big deal.”
Campus Bible teacher, Robert Foshee, was excited to be a part of this campaign and hopes that the student body will take part in the day. Foshee highly regard the movement seeing the importance and impact it can have.
“I think its important to support this movement at the school because other organizations like World Vision see the importance of it,” Foshee said. “I think its also important to raise awareness, that it’s not a history lesson, it’s an every day thing for some people. As believers, we should be praying for that and praying that they become released because the Bible talks about helping the widows and the orphans and those that can’t help themselves and I think this a category of pople that need to be helped.”
During the Tuesday chapel, Foshee showed the promotion video for End It, Feb. 25. The video featured boxers training for a fight and narrator stating that in brothels, factories, mines, street corners and homes there are slaves being held captive in plain sight around the world and even in America.
This video inspired many FC students to stand up and draw an X on their hands in support of ending slavery. Maddie Lugunbill, ’16, was touched by the video and is excited for the End Slavery Day so she can stand behind the movement.
“I think this campaign is really interesting,” Lugunbill said. “I know that me and my sister will support it by drawing the red ‘X’ on our hand. I think its great to make people more aware of it because we learn about slavery in History and stuff but people don’t really know that it’s still going on today.”
This writer can be reached via Twitter: @han_avila.
For more features, read the Feb. 25 article ‘Bee’ writer visits publications, imparts helpful knowledge.
