PREPARATIONS FOR INDIA

JANIS
Janis attended the first ASHA Forum Consultation in North America – a 3-night and 2-day conference hosted by the Asha Forum (www.asha.viva.org) and Fuller Seminary in Pasadena dealing with the global issue of children who have been sexually exploited or trafficked.

Some Things To Know About*:
Q. What Is Child Trafficking?
A. It is when children are recruited through force, deception or kidnapping, and transported within their country or across borders in order for them to be exploited. Most countries in the world are involved – they may be a source for trafficked children, a place where they pass through, or a destination for trafficked children.

Q. Where Is The Problem?
A. Every year at least one million children are estimated to be trafficked around the world and that number is growing. Hot spots include the Asian region – countries like Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. However, children are also trafficked across the world, in Europe, the United States and Africa.

Q. Why Does It Happen?
A. Child trafficking happens because there is a demand for children’s bodies and labor in a range of industries. Children are more vulnerable than adults, because they often do not know their rights and can be more easily tricked or coerced. Factors like war, family breakdown or lack of employment opportunities also make trafficking more likely. The situation is worse in countries where the rights of children are not adequately protected by authorities.
*[adapted from Justice for Children International, “Child Trafficking: What You Should Know,” and information from onebigvillage.com]


Some Basic Statistics on Human Trafficking*:
• Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation.
• It is estimated that at least 27 million people are currently enslaved around the world, many who have been enslaved through being trafficked. This is more than double the number of Africans enslaved during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.[emphasis added]
• UNICEF now believes that the number of children trafficked annually, internally and externally, is between 1 and 2 million.
• It is estimated that two children per minute are trafficked for sexual exploitation.
• Up to 50% of people trafficked are children. (estimate US State Department, 2006)
• In 2006, at least 600,000 to 800,000 persons were trafficked across transnational borders. (estimate US State Department)
• In 2006, 14,500 to 17,500 persons were trafficked in the United States. (estimate UN Office on Drugs and Crime)
• UNICEF estimates that human trafficking generates between 10-12 billion dollars a year in illicit profits for organized crime.
• In 2006, the profits will surpass that of the sale of illegal arms. The profits from human trafficking will be second only to the trafficking of drugs. (Europol)
*[Justice for Children International, “Basic Statistics on Human Trafficking”]

Aside from hearing more facts and heart-rending personal accounts of this evil, Janis also met a number of people involved with discovering and addressing the roots of this pervasive human problem in preparation for her studies in India.


MOVING & TRAVELING
We are in the midst of disposing of our household, wrapping up the multitude of loose ends with bills, changes of addresses, and paperwork for residence in India.

During May we have the following commitments:
Friday and Saturday May 11,12 Janis attends Hindu seminar on campus
Wednesday, May 16, Janis gives seminar on human trafficking
Thursday, May 17 Janis and Chuck report on new assignment in India to FMF
staff
Saturday, May 19 garage sale to dispose of final things
Sunday, May 20 commissioning service by our church, Mosaic
Thursday, May 31 WCIU Convocation service on human trafficking.

Our June travel is looking tentatively like this:
June 1, Carson City, NV
June 2, Sacramento, CA
June 3, Roseburg, OR
June 4-5, Eugene, OR
June 6-8, Tacoma, WA
June 9-11, Seattle, WA
June 12-17, Tacoma, WA
June 18, Portland, OR
June 19-20, Paisley, OR
June 21-23, Watsonville, CA
June 24-30, Santa Cruz [Band Barnabas annual conference]

We return on the 30th to stay the night with our son, Brandon, in San Juan Capistrano, who will take us to LAX on Sunday, July 1. Our plane departs at 1:05 AM July 2. We arrive in Delhi on the evening of July 3. We’ll acclimate for a few days, then begin on July 9 intensive Hindi lessons at East West Language Institute for a month.

Whew!