DAY 14 - Thoughts after 14 days

Encouraged.

I've had several conversations about modern-day slavery and human trafficking this past week that have given me a joyful perseverance to press on through this month with boldness and fervor. 

One of my favorite conversations was with my younger cousin, Gianni.  He's in his first year of college and has hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement.  On Sunday, when I began telling him about the plight of our own country and the world, some of the first words out his mouth were, "SO WHAT CAN WE DO?"  We discussed the options of prayer, financial giving, educating oneself, raising awareness, becoming involved in an organization that actively fights against the oppression., etc.  Our conversation turned to poverty, and we began exploring the option of a family mission trip to Guatemala to help the Treasures that work in the garbage dump of Guatemala City.  I could see his heart for people in need through his eyes.  As I was leaving, Gianni reminded me to send him the link to my blog.  I just got a message from him on Facebook and it says this:  "I saw your blog and I was at a loss for words. I went on the Not For Sale web site and looked through it. How can I contact them so I can get physically involved. I want to make a difference."  he has already emailed Not For Sale and 5 Stones to see how he can get involved with the fight against slavery and trafficking.  I'm excited to see how his life and those around him will be changed because he's asking the question, "What can I do now that I know that slavery is fully in existence today?"

I always appreciate the conversations I get to have with my friend, Sarah.  She's insighful, wise, and thinks critically about topics and situations.  Often times I leave a conversation with her and have thoughts that challenge my thinking or encourage me to explore different avenues.  When she asked about my pin, I told her some of what I know about slavery and trafficking.  As we continued to discuss the topic of child labor specifically, she raised the question, "What if child labor is common to the culture?  What if children are needed to work with their families in order to sustain a living?"  The question that follows is, "Should we then object to this?  Should we refrain from buying products that are made by children?"  I have asked all of these questions myself, and have formed some opinions.  I would, however, like to research more about child labor and the practices of different cultures.  My desire is to promote justice while at the same time respecting cultural values.  Currently, my greatest opposition to child labor is of course, forced labor.  I do not want to support practices in which children are forced to work in unsafe and/or unfair conditions where they are sometimes beat because they do not make a quota.  Secondly, I would like to see children spending their days in school getting an education rather than working.  Maybe I will take an entire month to research this.  Stay tuned for more thoughts about this throughout the year.

Courage.

As the days go by, I've noticed myself having more courage when it comes to sharing what I know about the issues of modern-day slavery and human trafficking.  At the beginning of the month, when someone asked about my pin, I would respond by asking them if they have heard about the issues and then say a few words.  I try to gauge how interested a person is in hearing the answer.  For some, I know they are just curious about why I have a bright colored button on my dress that says DAY ___ and then once they find out, they are ready to move on with their day.  For others, like Gianni and Sarah, they want to have a dialogue, digging deeper and responding with action.  I think over the past few days, as I have interacted with more people who truly want to know about this issue, I have been able to release my true passion and share more knowledge.  It makes me think about the link between encouragement and courage.  I'm thankful for those who continue to encourage me to be courageous in my advocacy for those who are enslaved.

Balanced.

Last week, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the heaviness of these issues.  I've been spending hours researching, reading, and talking about horrendous evils.  One night I dreamt I was kidnapped and sold.  I decided the next day that I needed to find a balance.  Too much of one thing is not good.  I have learned that I need to incorporate humor and fun into my weeks, and also focus more on stories of hope.  It has created much more of a balance.

Dirty.

I have not washed my dress yet.  I'm about half way through the month.  I don't think I'm going to wash it.  Some people are grossed out by this.  I'm okay with that.