But the ones close to my heart work for the International Justice Mission (IJM). I didn't know such an organization existed until I worked at DCSResearch. This is their mission statement from their Web site at http://www.ijm.org/
International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems.
Their job is hard. And it's not just the pressures of what they do and the subject matter with which they deal. Whether they fail or have fleeting moments of victory...they still have to do it every single day. And I believe they can only do so by the gracious strength of God.
I graduated from college with a degree in Sociology of Crime and Deviance. My Senior Capstone had to deal with sexual victimization. My heart was broken and beaten by the numerou accounts I had read. I poured with hatred for the perpetrators and the cultures that protect them. I didn't continue because I didn't believe that people could know what I know and actually do something good with it.
As weird as it may sound, I wish I had stumbled across the International Justice Mission during my college career. If I had known about IJM before then, I believe I would have been able to continue my studies on sexual deviants and not be defeated by them.
Or at least not give up so easily.
My heart breaks for the victims they rescue all over the world. My heart breaks for the people (in this group and elsewhere) that work to make a better world for those who have been ignored, oppressed and exploited. My heart breaks those who are still enslaved and for those who struggle to hold onto hope.
My heart breaks.
But it also rejoices that God has not given up on these innocent people, and has chosen this group of people to help His children. I may not be able to work for IJM, but I know that I can pray for them. In midst of the ugliest places of humanity, they still can bring hope.
There are heroes everywhere. But these heroes have a special place in my heart.
1 comment:
So what's stopping you?
I was 31 before I decided to go back to school to be a nurse.
You may not realistically be able to become an Olympic ice skater in your lifetime, but there are still a million opportunities out there once you figure out which one you want to pursue. Don't let the daily grind become the reason for staying where you are unless you want it that way.
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