Be The Change
Written by: Zach Hunter
Publisher: Invert/Youth Specialties/Zondervan
Themes:Anti-Slavery, World-Changing, Inspiration, Young Writers

Slavery is not something you think of as part of modern-day society. But chew on this: 27 million people are in modern-day slavery around the world (according to the UN and other sources). That’s more in slavery at one time then during the entire transatlantic slave trade combined. Astounding, isn’t it? But that’s the theme of Be the Change. Written by 15 year old abolitionist Zach Hunter, this book not only focuses on changing the world by eliminating slavery, but also by changing the world immediately around us. The book is absolutely full of quotes and facts about slavery and world-changing that I could spend hours talking about, but I won’t take time for that here.

I knew modern-day slavery existed before I read the book, but my eyes were opened to the atrocities still committed today. This book is not only great for you to read and be inspired, but for your middle school kids too. Each chapter includes discussion questions for both group and personal settings, as well as a chapter-by-chapter challenge. You could easily use it as a middle school summer curriculum in a discussion group setting.

So you may think, “Great, but how can I change things?” Zach presents two ways in the book:
1. Support free trade products. Choose not to buy products you may suspect are made in sweatshops or under unfair conditions. There is only so much you can do in this area, but it’s a good start.
2. Start a Loose Change to Loosen Change project. This simple project collects the loose change of kids, parents, and friends, and donates it to Anti-slavery organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.lc2lc.com.

I would highly encourage you to read this book, even if you just need an “encouragement boost”. I know it lit a fire under me to think that someone my age was doing something so big. To only think what we could all do together in this area.

Buy “Be the Change” at Amazon.com

To see some heart-wrenching statistics on slavery, click the “Continue Reading” link below.

17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the U.S. every year.- U.S. House of Representatives and the Polaris Project

50% of all victims of human trafficking are children.- U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations, U.S. Department of State

800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year.- U.S. State Department, International Justice Mission, Antislavery.org

$50 million is budgeted each year by the U.S. Government for efforts against human trafficking.- U.S. State Department
$19 billion is budgeted each year by the U.S. Government for efforts against drug trafficking.- White House Drug Policy web site

218 million children between ages 5 and 17 work (estimated).
126 million of those children work in the worst forms of child labor (estimated).

Finally, I would like to leave you with a poem written by Martin Niemöller, leader of the Confessing Church, one of the most vocal churches speaking out against Hitler’s policies:

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time
there was no one left to speak up for me.

Thanks to the Be the Change book for these stats. All stats and quotes are © 2007 Zach Hunter/Zondervan.