The STOPLight

Know your kids are safe - no kidding!

It does no good to hope our young people are safe from manipulators and predators. That leaves them to the whim of chance. It is the vision of A-STOP to have young people be safe because many people working together with courage, faith, and loving persistence put the pieces into place that have them be safe. We believe that God the Creator blesses those who stand with the vulnerable, the weak, the disadvantaged. When we human beings choose to commit ourselves to their growing up healthy and whole, good things will happen.

So how can this be accomplished? First, we must face the reality that prevention work must be done on many levels if it is to be successful. A-STOP has put some pieces in place: The Stop Light newsletter, a Speakers' Bureau, the Wise as Serpents resource, partnerships with Christian women's groups, a national speaker. We have come a long way, but not far enough. But since each of us wants the youth we know to become whole and healthy adults, we all have a stake in prevention working. Here is the way we at A-STOP are thinking:

First, in a safe environment like church or school, youth need to hear that they are indeed being preyed upon and that they will need to find ways to confront the dangers they face. It is best if they hear this from someone who has been there, like our national speaker, Heidi Somerset.

A good second step is for local people -- teachers, pastors -- to talk with the youth about this, using Wise as Serpents as a resource to help them. Then people need to get involved in finding out what is going on in their own communities. Subtle mischief is influencing and undermining our young people. A-STOP has partnerships with Lutheran women's organizations in the Milwaukee area and western North Dakota, in which local women will find out what is going on in their communities. We have a part-time research specialist to help them ask good questions and discover reality.

Once people see what is going on, they can pray. Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive." We will make little impact on evil if we do not go to God in prayer. God is the source of light, wholesomeness, love, transformation. We ask people -- women, youth, parents, church members, adults in the community -- to pray for the destructive and constructive people and situations relating to youth.

Beyond this, there are deeper levels needed to keeping kids safe-no kidding. We ask churches to become Wise as Serpents congregations; to commit themselves to learn discernment, to be the source of wisdom and awareness among themselves and in the community. They will courageously and committedly address what needs to be addressed.

This step leads to the next. As a community starts to see the poisonous messages and people picking off their youth, it begins to respond. The church gives the leadership, and now the community comes alive.

If this happens, there will be repercussions and possibilities. People may want to change laws, advertisers might be more accountable for what they sponsor, local businesses might change some practices in order to keep good community relations.

As you read this, what do you think? We need your feedback. Do you want to get things turned around in this country? We ask for your input and support. Let's do work together that will raise our youth to a new sense of safety and a fuller sense of what life can be -- no kidding!

by Al Erickson, A-STOP director

In 2002 our organization changed its name to Adults Saving Kids. Prior to that we were called A-STOP (Alliance for Speaking Truths On Prostitution), STOP (Speaking Truths On Prostitution), or Grassroots Ministry Alliance.