We're all in this together

Hey Folks. Here's an update on where I'm at, plus some thoughts on working together. 

First, the financial stuff. I'm about two fifths of the way there, thanks to the generous donations of many of you, and the good people at Paradise Alliance Church and at Church of the Sojourners in San Francisco. I hope to be a good representative of the people who raised and discipled me. I owe them a great debt. I've really felt loved and supported by my people. It's a pleasure to be sent in such a meaningful way. Letters are in the mail as you read. If you have donated, but haven't heard from me yet, THANK YOU! Expect a more personal message to follow. If you'd like to make a donation to help fund my work with International Justice Mission this year, just follow this link.. Like they say, anything helps. I'd be grateful for whatever you have to spare. 

This leads me to what I really wanted to talk about; working as a team. When I talk to people about what I'll be doing next year, usually they either stare blankly back at me, unsure of what to say, or they shower me with undeserved compliments about how great this thing is that I'm doing and how wonderful I am. I get that people are excited, and I'm grateful for their responses. But thinking about justice as this big heroic thing that only a few committed people get to do isn't the best. Let me clarify. 

I think that, for the most part, we're all in agreement that slavery is wrong. I'd even wager to say that most of us are willing to make some small sacrifices for slavery to be abolished. Essentially, we're all on the same team against slavery. So, knowing that we're all on the same team, I think we all have a part to play. Some parts are more appropriate for us than others. For instance, if I was a single Dad, it would be wrong for me to leave my kid behind and go do an internship overseas. If you are in college finishing your degree, it might not be right for you to quit halfway and starting investigating trafficking cases all on your own. Certain roles are not safe, helpful, or appropriate for certain people. 

But that doesn't mean that we don't all have a part. If I were a single Dad, part of my role would include raising my child to love justice, thinking carefully about what I buy and what businesses I support, and praying for the poor. If you're in school, maybe part of your role is getting your friends to think about slavery, educating yourself on the depth of the problem in your neighborhood, and meeting people who want to do something about it. My role isn't any better or worse than these roles. I just happen to have the availability, ability, and willingness to move overseas and work with IJM. That's what I have to contribute. But I'll be working a job, just like everybody else. 

It isn't about what you or I are doing to bring justice to the world, it's about what God is doing through his people. We're all on the same team, trying to help our sisters and brothers out of a bad situation. They'd do the same for us. 

Thinking of one tiny, isolated act of justice can seem depressing and insignificant when you're trying to decide whether to buy the $4 fair trade chocolate instead of the $1 regular kind of chocolate. How can this possibly make a difference in the long run? We've all been there. I think the key to fighting that inclination is to remember that hundreds of thousands of other people are making the same types of choices every day. Those add up. It's counter-intuitive, but it's important. The little things seem dumb at the time, but there is really no other way to do it. The way I see it, a lot of our big social problems can only be solved through sustained commitment to change playing out in the little things. In other words, the bucket will only be filled by many many drops. Remembering the big team is important. 

So, let's think of ourselves as a team. Ask yourself, what can I contribute? As with any team, you decide your level of investment. What can you contribute? Prayer and financial support will always be helpful. But maybe there are other roles for you to play. Heck, getting together with other people and just thinking about important things is huge. And, as a team, let's encourage each other and recognize the value of each player and what they contribute. Remember the big team.

I want to invite you to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Even if it's only in a small way. Join the big team. Let's do this together.  

This is what's happening

Somewhere in my life, I saw this written on a sign:

 1. Show up

 2. Be cool

 3. Take care of business.

This seemed pretty good to me, so I've tried to make a habit of it. Show up. Be cool. Take care of business.

We've got a lot of problems, the human race that is, but it seems like these three guidelines are a good place to start. 

The Bible says we need to show up for the oppressed. We've got to show up for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the alien. "Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress, and to prevent oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27) 

Seems pretty clear to me. So I'm trying to show up. 

Later this year, I'm going to start an internship with International Justice Mission, a Christian human rights organization that works to combat human trafficking across the world. I'll be joining one of their offices in south Asia as an intern for twelve months starting in September. While I'm there, I'll support their team as they rescue girls being kept as sex slaves and convict the people accountable. I'll be working in a large city in a developing nation, but due to the delicate nature of IJM casework, and in order to maintain confidentiality, I can't say where exactly I will be going. 

But I need your help in order to do this. The internship is unpaid, and IJM is a non profit organization, so I need to raise money in order to cover the costs of my time out there. International Justice Mission functions on the generous donations of good folks like yourselves. I need to raise roughly $17,000 to cover my costs for the next year, so I'm asking you to help us out. 

I don't like asking for money. But the way I see it is, if folks are willing to kick down $25 for mustache themed playing cards, then maybe they'd be willing to invest in justice for young girls in the developing world.

Listen, I hate guilt trips, and I know that every good cause wants you to give some cash. There are tons of good people out there doing good work, and choosing between them can be daunting. But here are three reasons why I think you should donate to this:

1. International Justice Mission is a great organization that is doing significant work for the developing world. This is a legit group of people that I am excited to work with. They have been supported by big firms like google, their work has been covered by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the New Yorker. IJM investigations have resulted in freedom for more than 1,000 girls and women held by force in the commercial sex trade. Not to mention their work against forced labor, sexual violence, and all of the other cool stuff they do. Check out their website to read more about how they operate.

2. Sex trafficking is evil, and we can do something about it. There are thousands of women and young girls, all across the planet, most of them poor, uneducated, and without access to legal resources, who are raped, every day, for money. I am choosing to be a person who does not tolerate this. There is a trend right now being recognized among aid organizations. It shows that investing in women reaps long term benefits for the communities and nations they are a part of. By making the law work for poor women, we can make lasting global changes. 

3. If you are reading this, you're probably my friend or someone I care about. I'm trying to show up. Knowing that my people are behind me on this is what will keep me going. Maybe you're saying to yourself, "Greg, I really want to help you do this, but I just can't afford it." No sweat dude! That's ok! If you are a praying person, send one God-ward for me when you think of it. If not, your encouragement, facebook messages, and friendship mean more than you imagine. I'll need money for rent, but I'll need your love to thrive. 

If you want to make a donation, head over to this webpage, pick "Greg Shafer" from the dropdown list, and act accordingly. Donations are tax deductible, so that's pretty great if you're into that. If you'd rather send me a check directly, or send funds to my payapl account, we can do that - just contact me. Keep checking back to this blog for updates regardless. If you want to talk with me in person or hear more about what I'm up to, send me a facebook message or email me at greg_shfr@yahoo.com. 

Thanks for reading this and thanks for showing up for me, let's work to show up for these girls. 

Love,

-Greg

Haha I love this kid.