Don’t Say It Can’t Be Done

Believe it or not, slavery still exists. Find out how one teenage abolitionist fights this evil of global proportions—and how you, too, can make a difference.

by Sandy Feit

Zach Hunter describes himself as a “painfully normal teenager” with a messy room to prove it. And while he may qualify as normal according to certain measuring sticks, the 16-year-old has a résumé impressive for a person of any age. Already a published author of two books, the high school junior is the national spokesperson for Amazing Grace, the 2007 film about William Wilberforce’s successful crusade in the 18th and early 19th century to dismantle Britain’s slave trade.

As a middle schooler, Zach first learned about slavery in history class. He recalls, “It made me really angry to think that people could own other people, and I was kinda wishing I had been born earlier.” When his mother, Penny Hunter, was working for International Justice Mission, he discovered that such exploitation still exists. He remembers thinking, Oh! I wasn’t born too late. I can still do something. And “do something” he did—Zach created Loose Change to Loosen Chains, a campaign that has raised awareness about human trafficking as well as many thousands of dollars to fight it. Boosted by exposure on the Internet, LC2LC caught on and grew quickly as students around the globe became aware of Zach’s efforts.

A few years later, Mrs. Hunter served as director of The Amazing Change, a social justice campaign inspired by the movie Amazing Grace. An executive at Walden Media had heard about “a kid named Zach who calls himself an abolitionist” and, not realizing the connection, asked Penny to try and locate him. “So that worked out nicely,” notes Zach with an ironic smile.

The film introduced him to the work of William Wilberforce, whose victory for human rights further fueled the teen’s zeal and confidence. It also launched his speaking career, which subsequently led to book deals with Zondervan. 2007 saw publication of Be the Change—Your Guide to Freeing Slaves and Changing the World, an outgrowth of the LC2LC campaign. Drawing on biblical and historical stories of oppression, the book poses questions to stimulate a mindset of courage, influence, and leadership; each chapter concludes with practical suggestions, such as showing compassion, identifying personal strengths, and visiting Web sites to learn more about ending exploitation. Zach’s second book, Generation Change, was released in 2008, and he’s currently writing a third, on the topic of passion.

Combating a Worldwide Evil
The young abolitionist often wears a whistle around his neck. When asked about it, he describes Falling Whistles, an organization that raises awareness and support for children kidnapped into the Congolese army and made into soldiers. The smallest—usually those under the age of 7, who are too weak to carry a machine gun—are placed on the front lines and given whistles to startle the enemy and absorb the first round of bullets. Zach explains, “Their only choice is to feign death or die.”

This is one teenager who doesn’t mind doing his homework—he’s now quite knowledgeable about modern-day slavery—from its history, causes, and manifestations to its “hotspots” and the many networks battling for its demise. The problem is vast. Zach cites estimates that 27 million people are currently enslaved, whether kidnapped for the sex trade or by rebel forces, sold to pay for medical needs, or bought to line someone’s pockets. And, while many people assume the issue is limited to faraway locales, Zach’s hometown of Atlanta, GA is actually known as a major hub for human trafficking.

Regardless of the specifics, every instance of slavery is dreadful. To emphasize the point, Zach holds up iron restraints much like those used in our country 200 years ago. He points out, “They’re not an historical relic. Somebody actually earns a living making these today. It’s hard to believe. You think it’s the free world, but you can go in and say, ‘I need shackles for my slaves’—in 2008.”

Today, children as young as five wear these restraints while rolling cigarettes for their owners. Too large to be physically effective, the chains are nonetheless psychologically effective. Even if they don’t lock, they tyrannize simply by reminding that there is someone more powerful. According to Zach, the slave rebellions showed that “when victims discover freedom is a possibility, that’s the greatest weapon against oppression.”

Despite the enormity of the challenge, the teen believes that human rights abuse can be eradicated in a reasonable time frame. But he qualifies his conviction: “I don’t think I can do it; I think that we can do it. It would be ridiculous to think that one person or even a few people could. But if everyone set aside their differences, a lot of people with a few unlikely leaders could end slavery in my lifetime.” Asked to describe his plan, he says, “Using my influence to get other people to use theirs—and their resources.”

And in fact, LC2LC has been influential in directing people to support four of the organizations that fund the grassroots efforts in various countries (www.ijm.org, www.freetheslaves.net, www.love146.org, and www.rugmark.org). Funds raised through LC2LC are used to educate and inspire abolitionists, emancipate slaves, provide for aftercare, and prosecute slaveholders. The campaign’s financial impact is clearly significant. One organization recently reported receiving $90,000 in a three-month period—donations that were directly attributable to Loosen Chains.

Influencing a generation
Zach is in demand internationally as a speaker, and it’s no wonder: his generation is inspired by one of their own who’s proven that idealism can be compatible with realism. In addition to speaking in Australia and Germany, he has crisscrossed the States, addressing schools and youth groups of various religions. Urging peers not to let anyone dampen their zeal because of age (1 Tim. 4:12), the young activist is proof that date of birth makes zero difference when you’re about God’s business.

But as much as Zach is an inspiration to his generation, he is also inspired by them. “There are a lot of teenagers out there doing things—not just about the cause that I’ve been associated with. That’s what Generation Change is about.” Through story, statistics, and a comfortable, easy-to-read style, the author writes about what he considers today’s major issues, including poverty, justice, truth, kindness, gratitude, and patience. The book also offers practical suggestions, based on what young people are already doing to make a difference in the world. In fact, though his age group is often referred to as “Generation Y,” he prefers to call them the Peace, Love, and Justice Generation. “But,” he says, “instead of doing it without God, as the youth of the 60s tried, this time we’re doing it with God.”

What the Bible really says
While people of all faiths are obligated to help the oppressed, Zach notes that “especially followers of Jesus need to be carrying out the mission of Jesus—helping the poor.” A follower of Christ since age four, he recognizes the authority of Scripture: “God wrote this book called the Bible, and that’s a great way to hear His voice. It talks about everything you need to know.”

Not all believers, however, see God’s Word as a mandate to join the cause—some still interpret verses like Colossians 3:22 as allowing slavery. Zach disagrees: “The Bible talks so much about freeing slaves. It’s God’s Word; He never contradicts Himself. If you look at the context [of that verse], it’s saying that because there was slavery at the time, if you were a believer in Christ and you happened to be a slave, you needed to be the best slave you could be. In other words, if you are a bricklayer, an accountant, a writer, whatever you are, be the best you can be. It’s as simple as that.”

Christians also frequently challenge him on why he focuses on emancipation over evangelization. In response, the young abolitionist holds up Christ as his example. “The Bible,” he explains, “talks about how we’re supposed to serve the oppressed and the poor and the hurting and the hungry. Jesus met people’s physical needs before meeting their spiritual needs. Just picture this: If a lady walked through a soup kitchen where you were volunteering and asked for food, would you hand her a Bible? Or would you meet her physical needs first? [Evangelizing] is about earning the right to be heard and showing what Jesus was really like. Then you will have credibility when delivering the gospel through words.”

Ephesians 5:16 is another biblical principle Zach strongly believes in following: “Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” (NLT). “For me,” he says, “there’s no time for bad literature, bad music, bad movies. If you’re going to do anything, do it right.”

A Message for His Elders
Zach’s primary audience is his own age group. However, when asked if he also has a message for the older generation, he replies, “There are a few things I would say—respectfully. People think of teens as selfish and materialistic, which we are, but we can make a difference. And there’s a lot of good happening.

“There are those who are cynical about the new justice movement, saying it’ll burn out. If you really want to encourage my generation to do something, don’t say that we’ll fail. I don’t know if that’s supposed to be some kind of ‘reverse psychology’ thing, but it doesn’t work. It doesn’t motivate us.

“Set high expectations for us. Whether you’re a youth pastor or a parent or teacher, if a teenager comes to you with a crazy idea for doing some good, don’t act as if what they’re doing is impossible, even if it sounds impossible. I’d like to encourage the older generation to really believe in us and work with us.”

To purchase Generation Change visit our online bookstore.

BONUS: 10 Ways to Get Involved
Want to do something now that will make a difference? Here are some ways you can help in the fight for justice.
Read more.