We are Not For Sale.

Saturday morning, there was a gathering of people in Atlanta's Grant Park.  They arrived early, got their t-shirts, did some stretching, and prepared to run the 5k that was scheduled for 10 a.m.  Atlanta has a lot of 5k races during the Spring and Summer months and thousands of people around the city participate in them.  This race however, was different.  This race was inspiring.

As we go through our day to day's...let us stop and remember that there is darkness and evil in the world today.  There are places in this world where children are sold as slaves and forced to do unimaginable things daily.  Children like Gloria.  And it happens where we live.

This 5k Race was sponsored by Not for Sale, an organization helping to rid the world of the evils of sex trafficking.  Not For Sale is a Campaign of students, artists, entrepreneurs, people of faith, athletes, law enforcement officers, politicians, skilled professionals, and all justice seekers united to fight the global slave trade and end human trafficking. 

Children are not prostitutes, but that is exactly what they are made to be by the people in the sex trafficking industry.  Sex traffickers target children ages 12 to 17.  

Society looks at them as troubled and believe they are choosing to sell their bodies for sex, but this is not the case.  They did not choose this.  No child would choose to work in a brothel and be raped every night by grown men.  This must be stopped.  

You can help save these children by joining your local Not for Sale chapter.  People living in Atlanta can volunteer or work with local organizations like Wellspring Living, Living Water for Girls, A Future Not a Past, or Tapestri.  

You can do your part by praying for these children.  Pray for their rescue.  Pray for their safety.

You can train and run in the next race that Not for Sale has to offer.

Together we can make a difference and put a stop to this horrific issue.

Don't just sit there, educate those around you about this issue.  We can change this.

These people did.

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to photograph this race.  I was so inspired I have decided to join Not for Sale of Georgia's efforts to put an end to slavery.  For every shoot that we book this summer, $20 will be donated to Note for Sale of Georgia.  You can also make donations online.

Let's tell the world today that we are NOT FOR SALE.