If you go out in the woods today

Becky's article on slavery in the world shook me up a little. Growing up I heard stories about people who were sold into slavery. Women were abused in deplorable ways, while men were exploited and beaten down emotionally and physically.

As a college student I heard stories of people being tricked into prostitution and some times even of servants who lived the lives of virtual slaves who escaped their slavery by jumping out of windows to their death.

Somehow the idea that people were being bought and sold never came up. I believe its the price of a life that has me so shaken. When the price of a 9 year old girl is a mere $50 USD, it makes me want to suddenly rush out a buy the freedom of as many as I can.

Freedom is a great ideal. Thousands of people flood the borders of the USA in hope of freedom. Countries riot and governments topple as people demand freedoms. Yet the plight of a little girl goes almost unnoticed. Does she dream of freedom? Does she even know what that concept means? Or has life's unfairness stripped that from her?

This is the world I live in. And I refuse to be blinded by products, new and flashy toys, or scare tactics. We must demand a better world. I do.

Stolen

I stole this strip off my sister. I thought it was just too funny.

The book

Almost two years ago now, my lovely sister made a book of her exploits for me. It was a tastefully done book that showed her snogging all the eligible men on our university campus. She gave the book to me as a reminder not to let her near eligible men ever EVER again.

Unfortunately i was in the middle of a move and somewhere along the way, it was lost. That is, until last weekend when my sister-in-law found it. She rescued it from my grandmother who thought it was one of her daughter's belongings. So now it is safe and sound and adorning our living room as a reminder to all our guests not to leave photographic evidence of snogging my sister!