Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Women To Go - Video
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Women To Go
Here's a video of the event in Israel:
From behind the window, I noticed several things. Within the first couple of minutes I realized that if I made eye contact with people it made them uncomfortable enough to slow down at least long enough for one of the volunteers to explain what we were doing. The next thing I noticed was how many people would glance over at us & keep on walking as if there were nothing strange at all about having women for sale in an expensive boutique in the middle of Chicago. It was interesting to see people's different reactions, everything from shock, to disgust, even to laughter.
On the street it was an entirely different experience. Some people pretended they didn't hear me talking to them, or quickly waved me away before I even had a chance to tell them what we were doing there. Others stopped as soon as they heard the word "trafficking" & immediately wanted to sign the petition. Some got angry at us. "Are you aware of the problem of sex trafficking in America?" I asked one family walking by. The man said, "I am, unfortunately," & continued walking. "Would you like to sign a petition to stop it?" I asked. The woman with him angrily turned around to me & pointed to the girl she was with: "She's FIVE," she spat at me, quickly flipping me the finger before ducking away into another nearby store. All of the other volunteers quickly swarmed me. "What did she say to you?!" "Did she really just flip you off?!" "It's okay hon, don't let it get you down!" None of them could believe how rude she was, & I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little shocked as well. But more than anything, her response & so many others' made me sad. Firstly, I wondered what sort of things a 5-year-old would be learning from her mother's behavior, but above all it made me sad that she didn't realize her own child could be susceptible to the horrible fate that we were all out there to stand up against. As they walked away, I began to pray silently that their eyes would be opened to the danger that's out there to girls even as young as five. Her response was the most unfavorable of the day, but I couldn't believe how many others ignored our efforts all together simply because they didn't want to take on the responsibility of knowing.
All in all though, it was a successful day, with pages & pages of signatures acquired - 643 total! And there were many positive experiences as well. One man who signed the petition was a former sex buyer; another woman the owner of a shelter for trafficked girls ages 12-18 in Taiwan. One of the other models even saw a man pointing to the girls in the window & explaining to his young daughters what human trafficking is, & the dangers they could face. It was so encouraging to see such positive response, & made the whole afternoon entirely worth it for us all. I've always said that knowing is half the battle, & there are hundreds of people out there now who know what trafficking is & how it looks in America. It may not seem like much now, but if it's all I can do I'm going to pour my heart into it! It was so wonderful to work alongside so many others who are as passionate about this horrible injustice as I am. It's definitely inspired me to be as involved as I can in any other event that helps people learn what trafficking is & how we can stop it.
If you want to know more & see photos & videos of the event, check out the Women To Go Facebook page.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
iPhone App Contributes To Trafficking?
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Radiant Cosmetics.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Overthrow.
Stones Cry.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Mobilise USA.
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.