More Than Rice to be Made into Movie

Production has begun! They are already writing the beginning of a movie script. Its quite a process to get to this place!

Aaron Au of Title Card Pictures and Quadrant 2 Productions has already produced a short film on human trafficking, and knew he wanted to find a great story that would be strong enough to make a successful movie. Its fairly difficult to transform a book to film. More than rice is about 225 pages. A movie script is about 90! Showing the story as well as speaking the story is totally different than reading it from a book.

When Aaron started his search he discovered there were books about human trafficking but, none that he felt was a strong enough story to do an entire movie on. In his search on the Internet he came across MTR and downloaded it immediately from amazon then spent the nite reading it. He fell in love with my Gabriela and knew her story was the one he had been looking for. Nothing happens over nite in movieland but if all goes well we should be seeing a full feature movie within two years!

Its truly a fairytale come true for me! MoreThanRice.com came out in Oct 2010, and I signed a movie contract July 2011. That’s definitely a miracle!

Thanks so much to all my friends, fans and followers who have bought and shared More Than Rice as a gift, written on my Facebook Fan page, Re-Tweeted me or shared a YouTube video. You have helped make it possible. Aaron Au found me and More Than Rice on Twitter so thanks to all my loyal Twitter fans who helped make that happen! Stay tuned to my Twitter account @PamalaChestnut for the latest. Marketing by M3NewMedia.net

More Than Rice Novel Headed to the Silver Screen

Holocaust Suffering

Consider for example the persecution of Christians in the 1st – 4thcenturies, the Holocaust, slavery in the U.S. and the mistreatment of Native Americans, just to name a few. Such suffering always issues a call for reformers, abolitionists and visionaries. I believe we face the same dilemma with human trafficking today, don’t we? But I am convinced each of us can do something to contribute to the solution. There is power in ONE voice even if you think what you can do is small or insignificant. There are 30 million known sexual slaves in the world today; we must do what we can. Below is a list of starting points for you to get involved and be a voice for those who have none.

1. GET INFORMED
Scour the Internet for information to equip yourself with the facts; freetheslaves.net, A21campaign.org, www.MoreThanRice.com.

2. SPREAD THE WORD, EDUCATE, AND INFORM OTHERS
Memorize statistics about human trafficking to inform your friends and areas of influence. Use social media to spread the word.

3. USE YOUR TALENT
Use what you do best to make a difference!
Write a blog; paint a picture, display it publicly; use sports events to raise awareness and funds; write a song; create a short film and post it on www.youtube.com

4. LOBBY POLITICIANS LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY
Two good resources for information and a winning strategy is www.ijm.org and www.polarisproject.org.

5. ORGANIZE AN EVENT
Connect with any of the web sites mentioned in this article and find out specifically what they need. Your event could be a walk-a-thon, a 5K run, a musical concert, etc. and conclude the event with a powerful, informative presentation about human trafficking.

6. SPONSOR THOSE AT RISK
Because poverty is a major contributor that can lead to human trafficking, sponsoring a child or woman in poverty-stricken areas that are also ranked as high origin countries for trafficking can help make a difference.

7. VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME BY JOINING A TEAM OR FORM A TEAM OF YOUR OWN
www.notforsalecampaign.org is a campaign of students, artists, entrepreneurs, people of faith, athletes, law enforcement officers, politicians, social workers, skilled professionals, and all justice seekers united to fight the global slave trade and end human trafficking.

8. MOTIVATE THE MEDIA
Encourage your local newspaper or television station to cover stories about human trafficking, as well as what your community can do to help stop it. Take the initiative; don’t assume they know the facts. Offer your research to help generate a story that is newsworthy. Ask your bookstores and libraries to carry books like More Than Rice, on human trafficking.

9. HELP VICTIMS ESCAPE
Leave local rescue hotline numbers in public places around your city. For ideas and free downloads visit http://nhtrc.polarisproject.org/.

10. PRAY
Last – but certainly not least – is the greatest weapon known to mankind – prayer. Pray with passion as if one of these victims was your own family.

Pamala Kennedy Chestnut on Twitter
MoreThanRice.com

Pamala Kennedy Chestnut 6/05/11
From recent trip to Mexico City

With President Calderon's Wife Margarita-Los Pinos, Mexico

On May 25-26 at the request of President Felipe Calderon of Mexico I was honored to be a part of a Human Trafficking delegation in Mexico City.   I learned that President Calderon had invited CEO’s of companies, International rescue organization leaders, Major business owners and educators—I felt like I was there on assignment. I may elaborate on this more as there is certainly a story to tell so you will know why I was there—but that’s for another blog post.

The amazing thing I realized once we were all together is—these individuals were all on assignment—to end human trafficking! President Calderon’s purpose was to showcase what his country is doing to crack down on human trafficking and to keep the momentum moving in that direction by reaching out to various leaders of  different organizations and agencies.  He also told us about the changes he has made since taking office in Mexico and how his administration is cracking down on human trafficking and crime and wanting to make serious, long-term changes.

The President shared with our group that since taking office in Mexico:

• Crime, (21 homicides per 10,000; in USA he named 15 cities where that ratio is 40 per 10,000)

• Of the 38 most wanted cartel leaders 20 have been executed, and the other 18 are being targeted.

• He has built 100′s of new educational facilities.

• Added the LaRed values and principles mandatory for all federal police weekly.

• 100′s of New hospitals, search and rescue teams for human traffic victims.

• Raised the standards for the entire justice system employment.

His speech to us was informal and off the record…so I can’t tell you most of what he said, but he asked for our suggestions in each of our areas of expertise, if we had anything to add.

With President Calderon's Wife Margarita Zavala in Mexico

Was able to speak to the President about the respect issue that I blogged about prior to my trip: new blog: “Domestic Violence/Human Trafficking-Change Only Comes by Respect”which is what I shared with President Calderon. He listened and agreed heartily! One of his cabinet members requested that More Than Rice be translated into Spanish for distribution in bookstores and high schools. We will keep you posted on this. Please pray about this request.

I also got to speak several times with Margarita, his wife. She is sweet and humble, and pictures do not do her justice, she is beautiful! She did take a photo with me, by her request, since there were supposed to be NO pictures of she nor the President that day. She told her staff she wanted one for me; you will see it attached. She signed my name tag, it reads: “Pamala, Thank you for your job and for your love to Mexico.” Margarita Vazala…(I will also frame this)

However the most moving time for me was when I got to meet about 16 young girls who were rescued from human traffickers and were living in a halfway house that a congress woman has established. They stole my heart, especially one. She was about 11, and breathtakingly beautiful! She hugged me tightly with tears running down her little brown face and said, “I will miss you!” Of course I cried and cried for her later! These were not teenagers, but children ages 7-12! How can we sleep at night knowing about this horror? I want to do more, pray that I will know how to!

Mexican Children Perform Skit to Show the Tragedy of Human Trafficking:

Now for the not so spiritual stuff: The Presidential lunch itself! It was FABULOUS! I did save the small descriptive menu that was beside my plate to frame. I will give highlights. Everything was served on silver and fine china, flowers from all over Mexico decked out the white canopy covered tables, nestled in the gardens near Los Pinos residence.

Menu

Tower of fish ceviche with mango and avocado (I could have had 2 of these!)

Chicken mixiote wrapped in a cactus leaf with roasted cactus and potatoes

Chocolate decadence, coffee

More could be said, but enough for now. Thank you so much again…It was an experience I will treasure for all of my life.

Excerpt from a Tweet: Dear Friends, WOW! Everything that you prayed for certainly came to pass. I had a perfect trip there and back, no glitches at all.

Customs was a breeze, I always felt safe.
Together, we CAN make a difference, Pamala

Image via Wikipedia

Domestic Violence or Human Trafficking-Change Only Comes by Respect

Pamala Kennedy Chestnut 5/22/11

Whether it is domestic violence or human trafficking; It all comes down to respect…

Sojourner Truth (c. 1797-1883), evangelist, abolitionist and feminist, is remembered for her unschooled but remarkable voice raised in support of abolitionism, the freedmen and women’s right. I quote from this address delivered at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio.
…” Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me. And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me!”
Sojourner Truth was a woman who was born into hard circumstances. She was black, and a woman, and in the early 1800, there was pretty much no respect for either. Her mama loved her, but couldn’t save her from the impending life of prejudice and slavery. SojournerTruth admitted to loving her thirteen children, but love alone could not change a thing in their tragic future. The people around Truth did not respect her race nor her gender.

Thankfully a lot has changed for both in the U.S., but certainly not everywhere. There are still places that discriminate without conscience, against being born into a lower caste, or economic position, and it is especially difficult if you are born a woman! As human beings we need to stop saying that we love others while we continue to disrespect them. When people start respecting others, as well as themselves, equality is possible. Self respect and confidence can change a lot for the victim, as well as the discriminators.

Throughout my life I have worked to help others have respect for themselves and others. I truly believe respect in any relationship, or culture is more important than love. Yes, you heard me right! “Pamala, how can you say such a thing?” you ask. Because, I have witnessed time and again, people who proclaim and demonstrate passionate love for each other still hurt one another continually. I strongly believe it is because of the lack of respect for each other. Just because couples, parents, friends and families, have a deeply committed love for their loved ones doesn’t mean they respect them. Respect is entirely different. You can actually respect someone without loving them; making that relationship healthier than some of your love relationships.

Complicated? Yes, but allow me to explain the difference. Love is a feeling, an emotion, an attraction, connection or affection. Webster says, “to feel tender affection for somebody such as a close relative or friend, or for something such as a place, an ideal, or an animal… to feel romantic and sexual desire and longing for somebody.”
Respect? Webster says, “to esteem, a feeling or attitude of admiration and deference toward somebody or something; consideration or thoughtfulness, to pay due attention to and refrain from violating something, like respect the law, respect another’s privacy. to show consideration or thoughtfulness in relation to somebody or something.”
Check out the two different definitions, Love can certainly make your life more emotionally balanced, but respect can make your entire life more balanced. In the giving and having respect, you become considerate of others, you cannot abuse because respect keeps you from violating that which you respect, it holds value. When we value something or someone, we keep it safe. Have we forgotten that lives, all lives deserve the chance to feel safe, valued, be respected?
Whether it is a mother beating her children black and blue, a husband verbally abusing his family through fits of rage, or society teaching by example that it is acceptable for little girls and women to be bought and sold for sexual exploitation, or forced labor; it could all be diminished substantially if respect would be demonstrated.

Oppression of Women

Respect is irrefutably necessary for equality to reside in our family, our community and nation in which we live. I believe it must start being taught daily in our homes, schools, churches, as well as in our governing systems. Respect must be taught by word…and deed. It has to start with someone, Sojourner Truth had something to say in the 1800’s, what about you? Do you respect yourself enough to stand up for yourself and speak the truth to someone who is being disrespectful of you? Do you respect and place value on the rights and feelings of others? Let’s start with ourselves, it’s a start! Pass it on.

Follow Pamala Kennedy Chestnut on Twitter for more up to the hour updates and news in her travels. And to read excerpts from More Than Rice on Twitter see them here. Thank you for praying for me this week. I will fly to a large nation and meet with the President and a task force about the problem of human trafficking in his nation.

Related articles

• We Can Change The World… (originalapplejunkie.wordpress.com)
• On The Road Again with Pamala (morethanrice.com)
• Women Shake Free From the Status Quo & Abuse in More Than Rice (morethanrice.com)
• Marian Wright Edelman: Ain’t I a Woman? (huffingtonpost.com)

Pamala Kennedy Chestnut’s More Than Rice is a moving testament to the power of women to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and the conditions of abusively patriarchal societies and practices.

Women Oppressed

Finally from Pamala: I’m going to a large and influential country by invitation of their President to talk about the problem of human trafficking.  Thank you for your prayers for me as I undertake this awesome endeavor.

Related articles

• Role of Women in Other Cultures & Human Trafficking (morethanrice.com)
• Victory! Washington D.C. Brothel Closes Permanently (news.change.org)

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Pamala Kennedy Chestnut’s More Than Rice exposes the shocking treatment of women in many Asian cultures through the evocative fictional portrayal of three women in a Malaysian brothel.
5/8/11

Gabriela Mendoza is only seventeen years old when she is captured in the Philippines and taken to Malaysia, where she is forced to work in a brothel.  It is not only through the story of Gabriela and the other girls while they are in the brothel that is shocking to readers, but also the narratives of each of the girls who Gabriela meets, whose treatment and conditions before coming to the brothel represent lives of tragedy, all based in real cultural norms of other societies.
Perhaps the most heart-rending of all of the tales is that of Maylin, a Chinese girl whose arranged marriage results in disastrous consequences.  Her sad tale begins before her birth, when her mother refused to have a sonogram, as many Chinese women of her era did—In hopes that the one child they were permitted would be a male.  Although her mother accepts her as a daughter, her father remains bitter that she is female and Maylin is a great disappointment.  Maylin’s family arranges a “very appropriate” marriage for her just before her seventeenth birthday, which will ostensibly restore honor to the family, as her parents hope for a grandson from an honorable family.

More Than Rice is a shocking expose’ both of human trafficking and the low regard in which women are held in many cultures.  Through the abuses and injustices that her fictional characters endure, Chestnut raises awareness for the many women who are relegated to similar lives throughout the world, victims of their culture, providing readers with a thought-provoking social commentary.

Stay tuned for More on Twitter @More_Than_Rice

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Rosa Parks-The Power of One

There is a great story in the Bible that tells the story of more than 5,000 hungry people needing food… ‘here is a boy with 5 loaves, 2 small fish…but how far will that go among so many hungry people? ’That’s all the food available to the crowd that day. The servers had quite a challenge, where do you get food for 5,000 plus, in the middle of a desert? The boy gave his lunch to Jesus, he blessed it, and it was more than enough! wow!

·         In a way, we face the same dilemma don’t we?
·         There are 30 million known sexual slaves in the world through human trafficking!
·          We have a limited ability to change that.
·          What can you, the average person really do?

Below is a list at the very least YOU can do:

1.      Get information and pass it on
2.      Saturate your area of influence, big or small
3.      Choose one organization and support it
4.      Get creative, start a Book club and read More Than Rice, or other books on trafficking,raise money through sewing group, get involved in your community, blog information, Connect people, start a new organization, DO something with what you have to give.
5.      …I wrote a book…that’s what I have. I traveled to several 3rd world countries years ago.I saw injustices that made me want to do something! I’m a pretty good storyteller…so I wrote a book, More Than Rice, that’s what I have, and a passion to inspire others, I am a simple light, choosing to shine in the world that I have influence in. You can choose to do the same!
6.      You never know what can become of what you have to give. Recently I have been asked to advise THE President of a very large and powerful nation. I will meet with he and his wife, and cabinet members later this Spring. So one thing for certain that YOU can do is pray for me the entire month of May. It’s dangerous to go into the world of cartels and drug/human traffickers, to say the least!!! Please pray for me.
7.      Don’t say, I’m just one…what can I do?
8.      There was one Abe Lincoln
9.      One, Jesus, God’s Son
10.    One Billy Graham, Mother Theresa etc.
11.   I leave you with this simple vow I made when I was 15 years old…

“I am only one, but I am one, I can’t do everything, but I can do something. What I can do I ought to do and by the grace of God I will do!”

The question I get again and again from my readers, people I meet on the street and other concerned people is: “What can I do, what can my church do to make a difference and change human trafficking?” I get this question from church people and from people who are not a part of any church. People want to make a difference.

1. Find the organizations that are making a difference and follow them online. We have a list here.

David Batstone, the Founder of Not For Sale Shares what Churches can do:

2. Get connected on Social Media with Abolitionist Groups & Organizations

Do a Twitter Search to find out who is talking about #Trafficking. Search the hashtag # “trafficking” Follow those who are making a difference and Re-Tweet them.

3. Put trafficking events on the Church calendar and announce it from the pulpit and put on the Church website and the newsletter.

4. Host a Human Trafficking Awareness Seminar or Conference

This can create  awareness plan to bring in law enforcements, victims rights advocacy groups and abolitionists who are on the front lines rescuing slaves and prosecuting predators.

Churches Can Host Conferences Like This One Pamala Speaking in KY

5. Start a Book Club and Write Book Reviews on Blogs and Amazon

This is a great start to help change the world and end human trafficking. You can visit our blog post here where we give you 19 more things you can do.