Flying High Against Human Trafficking

by Linda Campbell, Regional Press Officer(SA)

Retired Salvation Army Minister Major Alice Gabriel took to the skies to raise money for the Salvation Army’s fight against Human Trafficking.

Major Alice (61) who has been a Salvation Army Officer (ordained minister) for 39 years, successfully completed a sponsored paraglide in Switzerland.

“I co-ordinate the Home League (weekly friendship group) meetings at our Corps (church) on a Monday afternoon and for a particular meetings I had chosen to show a DVD from our International Development Department, highlighting the work we are doing with victims of Human Trafficking around the world” she explained. “I was so moved by the plight of the young children, that I had to help. One young girl was sold by her sister to Traffickers in Italy. She was rescued and brought back to her village by the police only to be sold again four days later by her Father. Some of the children could be sold for as little as $300 and forced to see up to 8 men a day” recalled Major Alice.

Friends were quick to sponsor Major Alice in her challenge and nerves weren’t even a problem on the day; “I just kept thinking of those little children and what they were going through – it made a paraglide seem like nothing and so that was my motivation the whole time.”

When the day approached Major Alice was taken to the centre astride a motorbike pillion! Next she was kitted out in hiking boots, jacket, helmet and harness before driving 2600 feet up a mountain to the paraglide launch point.

After a small delay as the wind kept changing direction, Major Alice assured the instructor she had people praying and God would do the necessary!

Sure enough the wind changed and they started running. “I looked back after 10-12 steps and saw the parachute begin to lift and only a few steps later we were air borne.”

“We weren’t soaring, not rushing, but gently, smoothly, gliding high above the land, the lakes and the mountains, just above the trees” she remembers with a broad smile.

Next was a big surprise when the instructor gave her the controls – two plastic cords. With a pull to the left they turned left and Major Alice was firmly in control!

“All too soon it was over and we had landed on the ground” said Major Alice.

But that was just the beginning. Major Alice’s adventure has raised over £1,000 for The Salvation Army’s work against Human Trafficking.

Defined as the illegal movement of people (men, women and children- who account for 50% of all victims), against their will, trafficking takes place within national or across international borders, for the purposes of exploitation, in the form of commercial sex, domestic service or manual labour.

Estimates suggest over 2 million people are trafficked annually across international boarders, making this the third largest criminal industry in the world after drugs and arms, generating between $7-12 billion (USD) annually.

“The Salvation Army is at work in 111 countries and so is well placed to speak out and act against this horror” explained Duncan Parker, Head of International Development.

“The Salvation Army is passionately committed to stopping this evil and are already very active in the areas of prevention, education, awareness raising, advocacy and care provision for victims around the world, including here in the UK.”

“Major Alice’s money will help us develop education programmes, warning local and vulnerable villages against the potential threat of so called offers of a better future.

It will help fund accommodation or safe houses where we support victims and help them talk about their ordeal and piece their lives back together, providing ongoing practical and emotional support” said Duncan Parker who has first hand experience of The Salvation Army’s work in this area.

There are many ways in which you can support The Salvation Army’s work against Human Trafficking. Learn about the realities of Human Trafficking, raise awareness, encourage action, pray and raise funds. A series of resources and information are available on the web at www.salvationar,y.org.uk/id or by contacting The Salvation Army International Development Department at 020 7367 4777.

A number of weekly activities such as the Home League (Mondays at 2:30pm) meet at the Salvation Army hall in Albert Street and offer a warm welcome to all. Learn more by contacting Majors Graham and Judith Daniels (Salvation Army ministers) at 028 9127 5100.