here & now

At a screening of the documentary At the End of Slavery in 2009, I was confronted by how little I knew about widespread injustice in the developing world and by how strongly I felt called to help. As I watched child slaves in India make bricks to pay off insurmountable debt and disturbingly young girls forced into Cambodian prostitution, I could feel the heat building in my face; I was angry that these millions of innocent children and adults had no advocate, no voice, and almost no hope.

After prayer and encouragement from family and friends, I decided to take a risk for this conviction.  Starting in June 2010, I am serving in Uganda with International Justice Mission, a Christian human rights organization based in Washington, DC.

International Justice Mission (IJM) works globally to protect victims of forced labor, sexual slavery, human trafficking, and other injustices by securing rescue and ensuring public justice systems work for the poor.  IJM Uganda advocates for victims of land grabbing, a dangerous rights issue exacerbated by the harrowing HIV/AIDS crisis.

In my fellowship, I explore and retell the stories behind IJM’s casework. I seek to connect with Ugandan media to raise public awareness of land grabbing and its victims. In my second year, I am helping to coordinate a branding and media campaign to frame IJM Uganda’s expansion and structural transformation initiatives.

If you have any questions about the fellowship or about giving, please let me know. I look forward to sharing my experiences in Uganda with you and am thrilled to have you join me in this adventure.