[This reflection by Michael Goble was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 25/Feb/2024]
When we first joined Horley Baptist Church 15 years ago, we noticed that a number of people, including the Minister, were wearing T-shirts displaying, “STOP THE TRAFFICKING”. We had previously belonged to a church which was mostly out of touch with the needs of those in our society and the world.
I was glad to go to the first Lent Course session yesterday looking at MODERN SLAVERY and to be reminded of the way that slavery and trafficking make a misery of the lives of so many people in the world today. During the past years we have become accustomed to demonstrators who have campaigned against slavery by attacking individuals in history who were involved in the slave trade. These attacks have also included organisations and colleges that were founded using funds from slavery, and even denouncing historical figures who have had such a positive impact on our country and society. Statues of those they disapprove of have been defaced or demolished to show their anger against slavery.
The surprising thing is that their indignation relates to events that happened hundreds of years ago and cannot change the injustice of those times. They have completely overlooked the fact that slavery exists today and that millions of ordinary people in the world are living oppressed, abused and miserable lives because of modern slavery. We have seen on television how Uyghurs in China are imprisoned and tortured in work camps, and also how thousands of people are enticed to Thailand for a better life and smuggled over the border into Myanmar. There they are made to live in a massive camp and forced to scam people in other countries. That is the slavery that should be demonstrated against if we are really against such injustices happening. But how can we as ordinary individuals, and as Christians, help in even a small way to fight this problem? After all we don’t expect to see such things happening in our daily lives or even in our church. Or do we?
A few years ago at Thursday Group a lady from Mauritius used to attend. It was difficult to communicate with her as she could only speak broken English. One of our group, George, was able to converse with her in French. He realised that she had come here to live apparently with family in Horley. They took away her passport and she had to do all the domestic work including looking after a young child so that they could both go to work, she always wore the same inappropriate clothes for our climate, and she was not allowed to go home. George was encouraging her to go to the police but she was reluctant to do this. As it happened she collapsed in the town, the police became involved, recovered her passport and she was able to go home. How many people even in this town and area are living in slavery?
At the course we were given a leaflet, Modern Slavery – Spotting the Signs. This poor lady showed a number of the signs and fortunately was rescued. We all need to know what to look out for and do ask Martin for a copy of the signs. If you are able to do so come along on a Thursday morning, or at least watch the first one led by Martin on line.
Slavery is not just a part of history, it is happening here and now, and when we spot the signs we should do all we can to get help for the victim.
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Contributed by Michael Goble; © the Author
