Emancipation Day also called Freedom Day is celebrated on June 19. It’s an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War. It’s our country’s second independence day and newest federal holiday signed into law in 2021.
You might think slavery is a thing of the past. But according to the International Labour Organization located in Geneva, nearly 50 million people on this planet are trapped in slavery. About a quarter of those are children. Sadly, more individuals are held captive today than ever before. And that number continues to increase. Ten million more people are trapped in slavery today than five years ago!
Wikipedia states, “Since slavery has been officially abolished, enslavement no longer revolves around legal ownership, but around illegal control.” Modern slavery includes: forced labor, forced marriages, human trafficking, domestic servitude and more. Some are born into slavery. Corrupt governments even allow slavery because it can be profitable. Total annual revenue of traffickers is over 150 billion dollars. Slaves are even cheaper today. Before the civil war, American slaves were sold for about $40,000 in today’s money. The average price of a slave today is a mere $100. And lest you think slavery no longer happens in this country, an organization called Walk Free estimates that more than 400,000 people in the USA are living in conditions of modern slavery. So while we celebrate freedom on June 19 and July 4, keep in mind there are more slaves in this world today than any time in history.
Please pray for those held in bondage against their will. Also pray for those caught in the bondage of sin. LifeTalk Radio exists to spread the Good News that freedom can be found in Jesus. We need your help to continue to share this Gospel to a greater circle of listeners. I invite you to partner with us to let the world know there is a remedy to the slavery of sin. Please give now and help those in the bondage of sin to find Jesus through the air waves. Help LifeTalk Radio connect people with Christ. LifeTalk Radio pays tribute to FREEDOM. Watch our short 1-minute FREEDOM video.
