Team Abolition Summits Mount Bierstadt: Raising Awareness about Human Trafficking

It’s inevitable that we’re stopped as we climb Colorado’s 14ers and wear our red “Abolitionist jerseys.” Some ask us questions about human trafficking, while others say, “I like your shirt.” This always is an opening for one of us from Team Abolition to ask what they know about the trafficking of human beings throughout the globe. Many times our team finds other followers of Jesus wanting to know where they can get involved. Some, believers or not, are already involved and we swap information about upcoming events, documentaries or ways to get the news out.

Regardless, it never ceases to amaze me the amount of networking that takes place in the midst of a strenuous climb up or on the precarious descent down one of the 54 mountains over 14,000 feet in Colorado.

This last Sunday five of us gathered at 4:30 am (You want to summit around noon as storms can arrive in an instant. With no trees you are the tallest thing on the mountain thus making you an excellent lightning rod) and drove the 120 minutes past Idaho Springs to arrive at the trailhead of Mount Bierstadt, which soars a glorious 14,060 feet above the most stunning beauty I have ever seen (though the same could be said for the top of any of the mountains I’ve ever been on.)

Being a level 2 (out of 5) we know that there will be a bit of scrambling at the top, so we are all prepared with gloves for handling the rocks. The trail begins above tree line, meaning we begin our climb where “the air is already thin.” The hike itself has a 2,850 feet elevation gain and is 7 miles in length. All that to say, it is one of the easiest 14ers in Colorado, though each has its own set of challenges and should be respected.

On this climb we ran into a group and swapped information so they could join us for The Justice Run (www.thejusticerun.org) in Littleton, Colorado on Sunday, September 25 beginning at 9am. Team Abolition is showing up in force to run in the 5 and 10k races, which benefit The Justice Project, which focuses on the restoration of victims of human trafficking.

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Team Abolition raises both awareness and funds through sponsorship for Just24, the justice initiative of 24-7prayer. Freedom Chiropractic and Artisan Decorative Finishes are the main sponsors of the group.

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Facts on Human Trafficking per HumanRightsTeam.org

*Trafficking is estimated to be a $7 billion dollar annual business.

* Traffickers recruit women and children through deceptive means including falsified employment advertisements for domestic workers, waitresses and other low-skilled work.

* Victims of trafficking are later used to traffic other women and children.

Please join us in prayer for the victims of this horrible trade

Father, we ask for your mercy in regards to this horrendous trade. We ask that you would reach your hand in and not only save but also restore those affected by human trafficking. Amen

~Thanks for reading,

Rebecca

Rebecca Dunning is an award winning writer who lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and three children. She not only loves to read and write but also enjoys hiking, climbing mountains 14,000 feet or higher, traveling the world and about anything else out-of-doors. Ms. Dunning is a regular contributor to The Gazette, Pikes Peak Parent and FreshInk. Rebecca is also the author of two children's books: The Real-Life Princess and Beetle Hunter as well as her first novel, The Awen: Book One of the Sacred Oak Series.