Weigh In 40

This is the 40th post in my weigh in series that stated back in September '09. It's also the first post of the "phase" in my quest to, quite literally, make less of me.

As I work towards reaching 210lbs by the end of 2010, I am making a plea for your help. This little community here has an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some people in need and help move closer to ending the atrocity of human slavery.

Through the generosity of a couple of wonderful people, we have the means to get to $1,000 in funds donated to Love146.org, an organization on the front lines of the fight against human trafficking. In the first 40 weeks, we raised $280. Between now and the end of 2010, these two friends have each pledged $210 towards the goal. The caveat is that we, the community here, need to raise matching funds.

That is, if we raise $210, then we can get $210 in matching funds for a total of $420. If we can raise another $210, then we can get the second round of funds for another $420. That would be a total of $840 being donated to Love146.org.

I know it doesn't seem like a lot compared to the numbers that show up in the fight against slavery today. You might ask, "Can $1000 help in a fight against the enslavement of 27 million people worldwide?" or you could be saying to yourself "Is it possible for a couple of people to make a difference against a criminal industry that generates $32 billion a year?".

The answer to both of those questions is "Yes!" But it is very hard alone. Love146.org can use $1000 and multiply the effect through their networks and existing programs. They can use any resources we can give to work on prevention and aftercare. That is, how to stop people from being bought and sold as well as how to restore their lives through love.

So here's where we are so far. The current total raised so far in 210 in 2010 for Love146.org is $155. So we are on our way. But we still need your help...

If you are interested in contributing to the cause, no amount is too little, then please contact me via a comment on this blog, email me at seekingafter@scbubba.otherinbox.com, or contact me on twitter (@scbubba) or facebook.

On the weigh-in front, I've had a technical difficulty. My wife caught my 18 month old son using the bathroom scale as a trampoline and now the numbers are not quite right. So, until I can resolve the issue (fix or replace the scale) I'll call this week even with last week at:

241.0

So, let's get going on our little part to end slavery now....

Photo credit to annais.

Weigh In #39

Well, today was the day. I weighed in this morning and the scale showed me:

241.0

That makes a grand total of 80lbs - my original goal. Woo Hoo!!!

But it's not a destination, it's just a waypoint. As a friend reminded me:

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. (Philippians 3:12 NLT)

 I'm still "in beta" so to speak. Just like I'm not done in my pursuit to be the person God created me to be, I'm not done working on my physical health.

Now I'm on my way to reaching 210lbs by the end of the year (210 in 2010). And while it's time to make the donations that were pledged as part of this goal, it is also time to start collecting pledges for the matching funds already pledged for Love146.org.

If possible, please help us raise money to fight human trafficking and help restore those already rescued and freed from bondage. Just let me know if you would like to pledge. Any amount is fine in this cause. Every little bit helps get to $210 and $420 so that we can double it for Love146.org.

Thanks for all the support so far along the way. I look forward to this next challenge.

Photo credit to The Library of Congress

Weigh In #38

Wow. Half of 2010 is pretty much gone by now. So that makes it June and June this year brings us the World Cup! And, aside from the US having some potential this time around (fingers crossed), it is so amazing to see the level of play that the national teams bring. Watching these guys play can be mesmerizing, thrilling, exciting, jaw-dropping, and heart-stopping.

It's no wonder that this is The World's Game....

On the flip side, there is a dark side to an event such as the World Cup. The Olympics and other multi-week events like this tend to have the same kind of ting going on. I'm talking about human trafficking and the sex trade.

Here is a quote from a Time magazine article earlier this year (read the full article):

Despite more than a dozen international conventions banning slavery in the past 150 years, there are more slaves today than at any point in human history. Slaves are those forced to perform services for no pay beyond subsistence and for the profit of others who hold them through fraud and violence. While most are held in debt bondage in the poorest regions of South Asia, some are trafficked in the midst of thriving development. Such is the case here in Africa's wealthiest country, the host of this year's World Cup. 

Now, I know that most of you are not anywhere near South Africa and probably aren't going over for the World Cup. But that doesn't mean you can't get involved. The trade in human lives isn't just something that happens "over there" or is being handled by "them." It is happening all over the place and is only being addressed when "we" step in.

Here are a couple of ways that you can get involved:

• The New Underground Railroad
• Human Trafficking 101
• Not For Sale
• Donate

Please consider helping out or getting involved. At least in some way...

In my quest to make life a little better for myself and others, I'm still raising money for Love146.org by losing weight. And since it's Friday, I weighed in this morning. The bathroom scale was happy to let me know that my weight this morning was

242.0

One more pound down and only one away from my "80-60-40" goal. And only one pound away from the start of "210 in 2010". If you would like to help sponsor me (all the money goes to Love146.org), please let me know (email, facebook, twitter, or comment on this blog).

Thanks in advance.

Photo credit to BossTweed.

Weigh In #37

A little Freedom Friday post (a little late) for you this time.

The picture above (courtesy of Rob Morris @ROBLOVE146 co-founder of Love146.org) is of the Love146 Round Home. Dr Gundelina Valazco (the Director of Aftercare for Love146.org) describes the Round Home concept:

My idea of a safehome is where we nurse the bird’s broken wing.  If we do well with our nursing, then the bird should be able to fly again and out of the safehome, and soar to the heights it was meant to reach. If it casts a glance at the safehome again, then it should be from above, among the clouds of its achievements.

 Love146 established the Round Home as a way to provide restoration and healing to girls freed from sexual slavery. Go over to the Love146 Round Home page to find out more about the amazing work being done there and some awesome pictures and video of the Round Home.

In my quest to help raise money for Love146.org and make a better life too, I weighed in on Friday morning. I'm getting really close to the original goal of 80lbs. This week's weigh-in was:

243.0

One more pound down. Two more to go. Then it's on to 210. Any help is greatly appreciated....

Peace.