Freedom Day!
Wow! What a weekend!
Saturday 19th April was Freedom Day in the city of Perth! 
The Salvos and other freedom fighters (world vision, ywam, and a myriad of others..) were out in full strength to walk for freedom in the city.
We blew up balloons, we banged drums, we raised banners and we walked in strength in an effort to allow people to see and hear the call to freedom, justice, mercy, love and the stopping of traffik.
And, we made Stop The Traffik / Salvation Army T-Shirts and looked fantastic while we were wearing them! The logo to the right on the front and a MASSIVE Red Shield on the back!!
During the walk, and the afternoon session in the City we gave out nearly 800 flyers with information about Trafficking, and an invite to a free* screening of The Jammed in Northbridge.
Many conversations were had, many children were excited by the FREE magazine! (KidZone’s galore!) and MANY of the people we gave flyers to during the day, came to watch the movie - and not just because we were offering food** (although that did seem to draw the crowd!)
An estimation of more than 80 people flooded an auxiliary room at the Perth Fortress Corps to watch The Jammed. More than half of those in attendance came through the flyers we gave out, or because of the young enthusiasts just outside the Corps bringing people in!
The movie is incredibly graphic and confronting, but there was opportunity for prayer, support and comfort after the movie, and there is much hope that people did not feel helpless, but through the info from the talk prior to the movie, and the resources available, feel strong to move forward in the fight for freedom.
In the lead up to the event and on the day, we made important connections with organisations and individuals in Perth who are already working for a traffik free world. In particular, a young enthusiastic representative from YWAM walked with us, stayed all afternoon in the city making incredible connections with passers-by and invited 5 of her friends to the movie.
There are some links here, to show you what these groups are up to;
Lost in Traffik (YWAM Perth)
Don’t Trade Lives (World Vision - STIR, Perth)
Thanks for listening to my recap. There will be more news soon about JUSTSalvosWA’s ideas/events and more.
Grace.
*The screening was technically free, but we encouraged a Gold Coin donation on entry, and raised a total of $275.80 for The Salvation Army’s Counter-Traffiking project in India.
**The free food on offer was Fair Trade, and Organic - and for some even gluten and dairy free!! Thanks Fair-Go Trading!
Freedom Day 2008
I just had a highly productive meeting hashing out some details for WA’s Freedom Day on April 19.
I went in feeling unmotivated and discouraged, I came out feeling excited and empowered! Praise Jesus!
Behind a loud-blowing brass band, we’ll be marching through Northbridge to the Murray St mall, in an effort to raise awareness about Traffiking and Exploitation. We’ll be hanging out in the mall for the afternoon to chat with people, hand out some Kidzones and invite people to come to the screening of “The Jammed” at 6.30pm.
The Jammed is an Australian film, that has one three Australian Film Industry Awards - Best Feature Film, Best Screenplay, Best Music. In recent news:
The Australian Catholic Film Office (ACFO) has awarded its 2007 Film of the Year to Dee McLachlan’s The Jammed. Director of the ACFO and jury chair, Jesuit Fr Richard Leonard said 2007 was one of the strongest years in many for Australian films.”The Jammed, The Home Song Stories and Romulus, My Father were among the best,” Fr Leonard said. “The jury felt that The Jammed was a singularly courageous piece of cinema. Even though the extremely violent world this film portrays means many people would not want to see it, that does not allow us to ignore the sex trade in women and children occurring in our nation,” he said.
The movie traces the story of three women brought to Australia under false pretences for sexual exploitation. The Jammed reveals not only the horror of modern human trafficking and slavery but also peels back the complex moral layers involved for everyone, including governments. Fr Leonard said it would be hard to think of a social issue which the whole Church is presently speaking with such clarity. “Pope Benedict’s statement on human trafficking for sex, his message to mark World Day of Migrants and Refugees, and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerants have strenuously called for all Catholics, Christians and people of good will to do everything they can to counter the causes and the evil results of human trafficking.” “The Jammed plays the role of raising our consciousness on this issue.” This uncompromising and confronting film illuminates a dark, tragic side of Australian society and thus makes a significant contribution to increasing people’s awareness of an under-recognised but important issue of faith and justice.”
Here is a preview:
A poster summarising the day’s events will be out shortly. Watch this space.
one+two+three+four+five+six
So a few things:
1. Jesus is amazing. And He told me some things tonight that made me cry but in a good way. If I seek Him, He will be found by me, if I seek Him with all my heart. Praise the Lord. He loves us. Oh, How he loves us.
2. We are the light of the world. Read: YOU are the light of the world. And your light CANNOT be hidden. Not, SHOULD not, CAN NOT be hidden. The Darkness has no choice but to run. So STOP putting the basket over your head! (I’m yelling this to myself really loadly)
3. Come down to JESUS CULTURE tomorrow at 9.30am to do some City Invading, or if you have no money but wanna get in on the Holy Spirit dance party action, come down at 5.30pm. 171 Rooks Rd, VERMONT (Just off Canterbury Rd - Victoria that is..)
4. The WA Police don’t like our ideas about Freedom Day, which means we’re going to have re-think our strategy a little. God grant us some more super-amazing ideas. Or tell those Police men & women to be nice to us. Plus, isn’t there something in the old rules that says The Salvation Army is allowed to gather in public anywhere they want to?
5. Our WA Social Justice group were talking about how we might need a bit of a budget for things we wanna tackle this year, even if for printing costs and the like.. I thought a nice starting figure would be $5000, so I put it out there, everyone thought it was a crazy optomistic number. Found out today the DC is willing to honour the $5000 for the year. Bring it!! I should make crazy suggestions all the time. So, $5000 isn’t that much, but God - please multiply it, so that we can to do our bit so that Your Justice can be seen.
6. Jesus is LORD.
