GYMEA BAPTIST CHURCH IS MAKING A STAND TO STOP THE TRAFFIK
My name is Paul Summers and I am the mission Pastor at GBC. One of the many missional activities we have involved ourselves with is the Stop the Traffic Campaign in partnership with World Vision.
Currently 2.4 million people are trafficked each year, and 2.1 million are children, many of those children are subjected to the sex trade. We believe this is wrong and are seeking to make a stand against the slave trade today.
In 2007 we have made a stand through the following:
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1. AMAZING GRACE MOVING NIGHT AT CRONULLA CINEMAS
Two hundred and twenty people watched Amazing Grace, which is based on the life of William Wilberforce, one of the greatest slave liberators. During this night we:
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Signed 220 petitions to stop the slave trade today.
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Listened to Bruce Baird, out going Federal member for Cook, talk about the slave trade today.
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Raised $1145.00 which was donated to World Vision’s Child Rescue project
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2. VINE YOUNG ADULTS CAFE NIGHT
Fifty young adults crammed into Mozart’s cafe in Gymea for coffee, music and to make a stand against the slave trade.
During the night 50 petition Cards were signed and the voiceless slaves were advocated for, through some general awareness of this issue today.
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3. REVOLUTION YOUTH SLEEP OUT
Revolution youth group at Gymea Baptist Church recently set themselves a huge target of raising $5000 for World Vision’s partnership with the Stop The Traffic campaign.
Revolution youth was inspired by the campaign, which aims to stop human trafficking of children in areas around South East-Asia, particularly Cambodia.
Around 60 kids from grades 7-12, when equipped with pamphlets, information, and sponsorship booklets aimed to raise this amount by asking members of the local community, family and friends to support them in this huge effort. The youth asked for sponsorship which all led to one huge event - a massive sleepover in the church.
With 60 people crammed into the auditorium, the night was focussed on kids returning their sponsorship money with stories of loads of support from the community and a great response from their family, friends and kids at their schools.
Peter Keegan from World Vision paid a visit to talk about what actually happens to kids just the same as them in coutnries like Cambodia, and the huge impact that their fund raising would have on the lives of kids in the region. The youth managed not only to meet but surpass their goal of 5 grand with the final total of $5500. Not only did the youth manage to smash their target, but over 50 petitions were signed on the night that declared that the youth of Gymea were against child trafficking and were willing to make a stand to stop the traffik.
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Our stand against the slave trade today doesn’t end in 07 rather it is just beginning. We are working through how we can continue to make a stand against the slave trade in 2008.
........ So stay tuned - how you can get involved in 2008.