by author: Kathryn McRitchie

A guest post by Kyle Schroeder, friend of Sari Bari, about his Freedom Drive

When I was a kid The General Lee came to my hometown with the circus. It was then that I learned there were more than 200 orange cars used in the filming of the Dukes of Hazzard television series. This means that at least one reality of the early 80’s TV show was a steady stream of vehicles moving in and out of body shops for repair after being used to outrun crooked authorities or jump medium sized bodies of water.

This makes sense to me now because every week, my family watched the airborne auto nearly fold in half at touch down. Yet every time a cut away shot followed quickly with Kentucky cousins shaking it off and leaving the leap site at full speed in a completely unscathed Dodge Charger.

More, or less, dramatically (I am not sure), Gary Haugen, director of the International Justice Mission, in his book Just Courage, remembers acting as a charger for his children when they were afraid and unable to sleep.  ‘With a running start I would throw myself into the oblivion of their bedroom. Enveloped by the dreaded darkness, I would freeze in the middle of the room. My children, clutching stuffed animals waited breathlessly in the hallway to see what the terror and darkness would bring. Each time, — nothing. So they would line up, giggling over the anti-climax, and rush in themselves. What they needed was someone to charge the darkness first, and then quite marvelously they found their chains of fear melting away.

In 1995 I made a commitment while in Southeast Asia, to remember the poor. 2006 was my introduction to the movement to end contemporary slavery. And truthfully, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time out in the hallway paralyzed by the fear of darkness, stunned by the measure of harm one human being can do to another, and no less surprised by my own capacity for self-deception.

I am embarrassed by this, because God is greater still. Our heavenly Father, through the mystery of Christ, has charged the darkness. He has named His children the light of the world, calls them to live lives of justice and asks them to walk with Him in humility.

For so many, myself included, Sari Bari has been a humble expression of this light in our world of darkness, a garden in the desert, beautiful color glowing from the ashes. It is the rarely arranged marriage of both bravery and safety.

Earlier this year I sent an email to Sarah Lance in Kolkata describing a road trip I was planning to take in an old Volkswagen and asked if Sari Bari would help customize the interior of this 1964 survivor Beetle. In May, I received four really bold door covers hand-sewn by a precious woman named Bida. Formerly bound and abused in the commercial sex industry, Bida has a new life now and any person that climbs into this people’s car sees her name. They are surrounded by the product of her courage and reminded that our Father came into our sister’s room to charge the darkness.

On July 27, 2011 we are taking the road trip: Four cylinders in support of four organizations fighting against people selling people, ‘Miles,’ the world’s first abolitionist spokescar will travel 2,700 miles to raise 2.7 million dollars on behalf of the estimated 27 million people enslaved in our world today.

Text ‘FOLLOW’ to 50555 to receive trip updates. Text ‘SLUGBUG’ to 50555 to give $10 dollars to the fight against human trafficking. Visit sttfreedomdrive to follow the story that stops traffick.

$10.00 donation to Word Made Flesh. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must authorized by account holder. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 50555 to STOP. Text HELP to 50555 for HELP. Full Terms: www.mGive.org/T.  Word Made Flesh has agreed to distribute all proceeds from the Freedom Drive equally among The Salvation Army, Not For Sale, International Justice Mission and Word Made Flesh.

‘Miles,’ the world’s first abolitionist spokescar, is not affiliated with or endorsed by Volkswagen AG or Volkswagen of America, Inc.

We are delighted to introduce you to Suti Sana, a business of freedom in Bolivia.  Their lovely bags are now available at saribari.com.

Here is their story…

Eight years ago in El Alto, Bolivia a naive gringo couple started visiting the dank, dim brothels in the main Red Light District.  As they got to know the women there, they offered to help however they could. Many of the women folded their arms over their chest and cynically asked, “How do you plan to help us?”

Through the years, the answer to that question has developed into medical and legal assistance, hospitality, small loans, and most of all friendship. And all of these efforts have culminated in the inauguration of Suti Sana.

Suti Sana is an economic and therapeutic option to prostitution in El Alto, Bolivia. Suti is an indigenous Aymaran word meaning “name,” and sana means “healed” in Spanish. Within caring community, women can finally experience holistic transformation of “healed names” and identities.

Women enter the Suti Sana program for six months of training, rehabilitation, and education. During those months, the women participate in individual and group therapy, economic and nutrition classes, devotions, and training in sewing on industrial sewing machines. After six months, the women can enter Suti Sana as full-time employees.

All Suti Sana bags are made of aguayo, an Andean wool cloth that symbolizes life in Bolivia. In El Alto, women carry their fruit, vegetables, and even babies in this durable woven material. Each bag is made from 100% pastured sheep wool and may contain natural inconsistencies.

Get your Suti Sana bag here.

Hello, Friends of Sari Bari!
We hope this summer is off to a good start for you and those you love.  Things are going well with Sari Bari, as the prevention unit gets off the ground.  Thank you to all of you who have helped make that possible. Continued

Hello, Friends of Sari Bari!
We hope this e-mail finds you well, wherever it finds you!  There are many exciting things going on at Sari Bari these days!  With over fifty women employed at our first two units, we are quite busy.  Also, we are excited to open a third, prevention, unit next month, with a focus on employing young women who are at risk for, but have not yet entered, the sex trade. Continued