Ending Slavery...in the Twenty-First Century
by Zach Hunter
Modern slavery takes many ugly forms. It can be anything from whole families getting into medical debt and having to work in a brickyard till they die; to little girls working in brothels; to kids being forced to roll cigarettes all day long. In fact, there are actually more slaves in the world today than there were during the entire transatlantic slave trade! You may be wondering how people become slaves.

Many think it all starts with a dramatic kidnapping, but that is rarely the case. Usually, it has to do with money, or lack of it. Sometimes a family allows a child to go with a trusted family friend who promises a good job to help meet the family’s needs. The child soon discovers this “friend” has sold them into slavery. Or, in some instances, a desperate parent will sell their child into slavery. Often the parents are misled to believe their child will have better living conditions and maybe an opportunity for a better education. Instead, the child becomes a slave.

I was reading some modern slave stories when I came across the story of a boy named Rakesh who lived in a village in India. He was sold into slavery by his own parents to pay off a debt.

Consider what that must have been like! If your parents got into financial trouble, they could probably get another mortgage on the house, sell some household items or a car, or borrow money from a family member or friend. Can you imagine parents actually selling their own kid into slavery to take care of a debt? If that happened to you, imagine how you’d feel about yourself and the value you had to your family.

Rakesh and many other children worked in a place where yarn was woven into rugs that were exported to wealthier countries like the United States. The kids were forced to weave rugs all day, squatting down with their backs against the wall. They didn’t go to school. They didn’t play with friends. They didn’t enjoy the freedoms we take for granted. The slave masters wanted children because they have little fingers that can weave the intricate patterns that bring a lot of money in rug stores.

Let me make it plain about Rakesh’s life. It’s not like he was working at a job he just didn’t like. Or had a weekend job where his boss wasn’t nice. If Rakesh didn’t show up to work on time, he was beaten with the iron claw used to separate threads. The claw was a heavy metal device with teeth (like a comb’s) on one end and a curved handle on the other end.

Rakesh worked in this situation for a long time until an organization called Free the Slaves joined with local rescuers to free Rakesh and the other children. (For more information, visit www.freetheslaves.com.) The rescuers built little thatched schools for the freed children where they could learn to read and write and begin to build a brighter future.

Rakesh is now head of the disciplinary committee at his school. If students get in a fight, he calls them to the front of the classroom and makes them apologize. He says, “You were beaten before by your slave master. Take advantage of this opportunity to make something of yourselves.”

This past summer I’ve been able to speak to nearly half a million people about slavery, God’s passion for justice, and how they can get involved in helping to end slavery forever. God has given me a spirit of peace as I speak up for others. I know I have courage that comes from him, and that he is the one who enables me to do what I do.

Some people seem to be afraid of an idea they call the “social gospel.” I don’t know everything they mean by that term, but I think they’re concerned that if we emphasize serving the poor and bringing justice as part of God’s calling for us, we’re saying living for Christ isn’t about holiness and trying to get closer to God. But I don’t see it that way.

Compassion is not some alternate gospel. Compassion is an overflow of the gospel—the Good News of Christ’s sacrifice. Compassion says we have embraced the relationship with God through Christ. It’s not that we have to earn our salvation by doing good things, but compassion and service flow out of us because we are filled with God’s love. If we don’t take care of orphans and widows, if we don’t care for the poor and hurting, how can we say we belong to Jesus?

From Be the Change: Your Guide to Freeing Slaves and Changing the World in Other Ways by Zach Hunter

Discover more about slavery past and present:

• 15-year-old Zach Hunter’s organization: Loose Change to Loosen Chains.
• How you can help end slavery: www.theamazingchange.com.
• The film, Amazing Grace, the story of William Wilberforce's battle to abolish the British slave trade. 
• The book William Wilberforce: A Hero for Humanity, written by the lead historical consultant for the film.