International Day of Peace
Guest Post by Abby Mortenson
“Universal flourishing, wholeness and delight…the way things ought to be.”
These words may not seem to fit within the narrative of our current culture right now, let alone the landscape of human trafficking and exploitation. But we at Free The Girls have a longing and a commitment to see that it would.
In 1981, the United Nations established the International Day of Peace as “a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace” and this year’s theme is called Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals. “It is a call to action that recognizes our individual and collective responsibility to foster peace.”
As we take a moment to think about this International Day of Peace, we think about the many barriers that survivors have to living lives of peace. We think about the many ways peace has been stripped from them and even after exiting exploitation, how trauma can steal one’s peace. And we recognize, as the UN encourages, that we have an individual and collective responsibility to foster peace.
So how do we do that?
First, we must understand what “peace” really means.
The true meaning of peace is not just the absence of war, but a deeper, more holistic word that encompasses more than just serenity. In Hebrew, this word is Shalom. A beautiful explanation of this word comes from Cornelius Plantinga who writes;
"The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. Shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight—a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom He delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.”
THIS is what we desire for the women in our programs (and for all survivors around the globe).
Universal flourishing.
Wholeness.
Delight.
Shalom: the way things ought to be.
This is why we’re committed to true freedom: women walking in wholeness in all areas of her life.
We’re so honored to walk alongside women who are choosing to step into peace as they heal through their past and work toward their futures.
We also recognize that the collective humanity has a responsibility to change the systems that allow for trafficking and exploitation in the first place.
According to writer Nathan Hunt,
“Shalom is the outcome of just systems, righteous living, equitable conditions, and reconciled relationships which are validated at the margins by the wellbeing and voice of the vulnerable. It is a vision beautiful and mighty, cast by God himself, but it is never to obscure present predicaments of injustice. Rather, the vision electrifies our bodies and imaginations with dissonance. It refuses the easy peace of the powerful whose call for order seeks to maintain a self-serving status quo. In situations of domination, shalom demands liberation. Shalom is “the abolishment of the structures of oppression and violence”.
It can feel like an insurmountable task, but the reality is that we can all make a difference and take steps toward a more just world that points back to shalom.
When we take into consideration one person at a time, one survivor at a time, one transformed life at a time, we can see that Shalom can be a reality.
We want to remind you of 3 simple ways YOU can help bring peace to survivors of trafficking and exploitation:
1) Join our Power to Choose campaign today and help create peace one life at a time.
3) Pray - tap our downloadable prayer card below.
