In this episode of The Just Life, Benjamin Watson sits down with Gary Haugen, Founder and CEO of International Justice Mission (IJM). While many view poverty simply as a lack of resources, Gary argues that for the world’s poorest, the primary obstacle to survival is actually unchecked violence.

From his upbringing in a "bubble" of affluence to investigating genocide in Rwanda, Gary shares his journey of discovering that justice is not optional, it is essential to living out the Gospel. They discuss the staggering statistics of modern slavery, the lingering impact of colonialism on justice systems, and how enforcing the law can break the cycle of poverty.

Gary Haugen is the CEO and founder of International Justice Mission (IJM). A graduate of Harvard and the University of Chicago Law School, Gary formerly served at the U.S. Department of Justice and directed the U.N. investigation into the Rwandan genocide. He is the author of The Locust Effect and Just Courage.

Key Topics Discussed:

The Bubble vs. The Real World: Gary’s transition from a comfortable childhood in California to confronting racial tension at Harvard and apartheid in South Africa.

A Lesson from Desmond Tutu: A powerful story of witnessing Bishop Tutu confront Dutch Reformed Church leaders about the sin of apartheid.

The Rwanda Investigation: How investigating mass graves after the 1994 genocide revealed the desperate need for protection systems for the poor.

The Poverty-Violence Connection: Why traditional philanthropy often fails if it doesn't address the "bullies" who steal resources from the poor.

The Economics of Slavery: Understanding that slavery is a low-risk, high-reward crime fueled by a lack of law enforcement.

Colonial Legacies: How colonial powers built justice systems designed to protect regimes rather than citizens, and the current efforts to re-engineer them.

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