In case you haven’t seen it, there’s an article in yesterday’s Washington Post about the White House advisory council of religious leaders calling for new measures to end human trafficking worldwide. Their 36-page report, which was released April 10, calls for a global fund to address human trafficking and urged a new labeling system to help identify consumer goods that were not created with slave labor.

Presiding Bishop Kathryn Jefferts Schori participates in this Council and is quoted in the article saying that she and other council members think such a fund “would encourage coordination and participation of philanthropists, governments and both religious and secular nonprofits to work toward abolishing modern slavery.”

The Episcopal Church has been active in the conversation about ending modern day slavery, including:

• A recent human trafficking forum,
• Focused policy discussions sponsored by Episcopal Public Policy Network during Lent, and
• Encouraging participating in Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11

This is an important conversation that people of faith across our church can meaningfully impact through prayer and action. Visit the website, www.attackingtrafficking.org for resources on what your faith community can do to help bring an end to this ongoing tragedy.

Prayer for Human Trafficking
Almighty God and heavenly Father, You have created us, Your people, to do Your work in Your world. Be with, protect, and comfort all those who are in situations of fraud, force, and coercion, especially those ensnared in human trafficking and those who minister to or care for them. Through Your Holy Spirit, open the hearts of this country and the world, and enliven all our minds as we remember those who are sold in our midst, and inspire us to proclaim the freedom You offer to all through Your well-beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with You and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns. Amen.