By THERESA HOGUE
Gazette-Times reporter | Posted: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 12:00 am
Dani Warren and 'Dreamers Club' at OSU fight global trade in adults, children
Dani Warren firmly believes that every human has God-given potential to do great things. That's why she and some Oregon State University students who work with her at Dixon Recreation Center started a "Dreamers Club."
Once a week, she and the students gather to talk about reaching their full potential, but those local discussions evolved into their work to help halt a global scourge: slavery.
"Up until a year and a half ago, I had no idea that 27 million men, women and children are in slavery -. There are 2 million children in the global sex trade," Warren said.
She learned the facts about international slavery through the International Justice Mission, an organization dedicated to saving those currently in bondage and eradicating slavery wherever it exists.
"They are in the forefront of the fight," Warren said.
Warren has traveled twice to Mongolia in the past two years with a church organization that helps repair and support a small orphanage. Her trips to the impoverished region helped cement her resolve to get involved in social justice issues, and the International Justice Mission seemed the right place to focus her efforts.
"It was a realization of how much we've been given, and with these resources comes responsibility," she said.
The organization not only helps to rescue people from slavery and deal with its physical and emotional scars, it also is involved in bringing slaveholders to justice.
The path into slavery for the poor can begin with something as simple as borrowing money and being unable to repay exorbitant added-on fees and interest.
"Many poor people don't know their rights, and don't have (legal) representation," Warren said.
The organization began as a response to the Biblical mandate to seek justice and rescue the oppressed, Warren said, but it is not an evangelical organization, despite its Christian origins.
"If people know about this (issue), they're going to care, and they're going to get involved," she said. That's what she and her students hope to do as they hold three events this month to raise money and awareness about the International Justice Mission and the problem of slavery. Students Emily Rose, Kristen Schmidlin, Kevin Hopper, Ben Misley, Miles Dodge and Matt Castro have been working hard to organize the events.
"Dani has the most caring and loving heart of anyone I have ever met," Emily Rose said.
Rose said she was inspired to help Warren with the mission after hearing about the horrors of modern-day slavery.
"I feel incredibly blessed to know that me as well as the rest of the team is dedicated to justice in the world and following after God's heart of 'seeking justice, encouraging the oppressed, defending the cause of the fatherless and pleading for the widow,'" she said.
A number of sororities and fraternities also helped to raise funds for the International Justice Mission, and businesses around Corvallis are displaying coin collection jars labeled "Loose Change to Loosen Chains," which also raises money for the mission.
Today only, 50 percent of the cost of a meal at Papa's Pizza, 1030 S.W. Third St., will be donated to the cause. In order to donate half the cost, diners must have a flyer, which can be picked up at Parable Christian Supply store, 916 N.W. Kings Blvd.
A free lecture on social justice awareness is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at LaSells Stewart Center on campus. Speaker Jim Martin, national director of Church Mobilization, will address modern-day slavery. Participants are encouraged to donate their loose change to raise money for the International Justice Mission. Funds are also being collected to pay for rental of LaSells Stewart Center for both events.
A benefit concert will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 28 at LaSells Stewart Center. The concert features OSU's Divine, Casey Marvin, In Pursuit Of, and Debra Arlyn. Admission is $10, and tickets may be purchased at Parable Christian Supply and Gracewinds Music.
For more information, see www.ijm.org
AT A GLANCE
WHO: Dani Warren, 49
WHAT: Coordinator of facilities and technology for Dixon Recreation Center, advocate for International Justice Mission
FAMILY: Husband, James
HOMETOWN: Philomath