Trafficking in the US

Here's a video of an interview between Nicholas Kristof, NY Times reporter, and a former child prostitute. This girl was trafficked through a website called Backpage.com. Watch the video here. Also, Kristof wrote an article about this topic entitled Where Pimps Peddle their Goods. 

This happens in the United States.

We need to be known for love.

I read an article last week about the Justice Conference. I really like this story that Shane Claiborne, author of one of my favorite books, Irresistible Revolution. 


"At the recent Justice Conference in Portland, Ore., Shane Claiborne, a Christian activist for nonviolence and service to the poor, shared a story of his outreach visit to Iraq during the war.

"We were having a birthday party for a 13-year-old girl when bombs started falling, and we thought we need to end this party, but another girl said 'Our laughter is more powerful than bombs,'" Claiborne recalled. Later he said, "We need to be known for love.""

I want to be known for my love. 

Check out the rest of the article here. 

Getting rid of clothes

In the past couple of weeks, I've been pulling out stuff from my closet I want to get rid of. This week, I did had some time to do a good sweep through, and right now, I've picked out 105 pieces of clothing to donate. It's kind of sad to me considering I really do still have a lot of clothes that I'm keeping. I'm still considering if I want to get rid of more. I am excited to get rid of these clothes that I don't need and give them to the Rescue Mission, an organization that is close to my heart. I plan on continuing to go through my house and get

I have way more than I need, and I am thankful. 

Whole Gospel Living

I came across Stephen Baumann's (President of World Relief) blog. He posted this quote by Martin Luther King, Jr.

The gospel at its best deals with the whole man, not only his soul but his body, not only his spiritual well-being, but his material well being. Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion awaiting burial. – Martin Luther King, Jr, 1960

"What does the whole gospel look like?" He asked himself. "Love for one another. Trust and honesty. Productivity, employment,  and opportunity. Creativity and dignity. Healthy children. In short, peace, or shalom as the Hebrews call it." 


Powerful words. 


He also posted this on International Women's Day:

"In most of the world today, to be a woman is to be poor.  Women comprise 70 percent of the poor, 66 percent of those who cannot read, nearly 80 percent of the world’s refugees, and 75 percent of the sick.[1]  While women comprise half the world, they do nearly two-thirds of the world’s work and receive only 10 percent of the world’s income.[2]  They are the majority of the world’s farmers, but own a mere 1 percent of property.  Women care for most of the world’s sick, but are less likely to receive treatment when they are ill. Childbirth remains the leading cause of death and injury to women worldwide.  Women caught in war zones face rape as a weapon of the enemy and as the prize of the victors.[3]  More than 1 million girls are trafficked each year, many into sex slavery.  And then there are women that are simply not here:  economist Amartya Sen estimates more than 100 million girls are missing from the world today due to years of “gendercide” in countries like China and India.[4]

Wake up, oh world, for the women among us suffer."

Wow. Enough said. 

Justice Conference

The Justice Conference took place in Portland, Oregon a couple of weeks ago. These were some of the quotes from the conference.  Read what they had to say. Be challenged. 

“Jesus’ natural companionship is with those folks [the poor].” – Walter Brueggemann

“Women are the greatest untapped resource in the world.” – Lynne Hybels
“Don’t be afraid to lament.” – Stephan Bauman
"It doesn’t matter who you are. Everyone has something to offer the movement of justice” –Shane Claiborne
"If we’re going to address trafficking in our country we have to address poverty, racism & gender based violence.” – Rachel Lloyd
“Justice goes across racial and economic barriers – like the good Samaritan.” – John M. Perkins
“That you would no longer see us as the mission field, but as co-equal participants in life.” – Richard Twiss
“When you’re no longer asking ‘What’s mine?’ you start asking ‘What’s true, what’s right, what’s ours?’” – Rick McKinley

Praying Students

I was walking down the middle school hallway yesterday, and I saw my Pattaya Slum Ministries prayer card in the locker of one of the students that I taught about human trafficking. I told her I was really excited to see that card up in her locker.



I read this book to my students on International Women's Day. It's written by women who were in slavery and are now free and a part of a group called "Voices for Change", in conjunction with Somaly Mam. It's a really cute story, and it gives information about the endangered Indochinese tigers and life in Cambodia. You can purchase this book here. To find out more about the publisher, Dot-to-Dot children's books, visit their website.

Remember to pray for Thailand!

I made an announcement to the K5-4th grade students at morning assembly today about raising money so that I can buy supplies to teach kids about God in the Pattaya slums. I asked them to bring in coins or dollars and I asked them to pray for the kids in Thailand and for me as I go this summer.

During our prayer time today, one of my students raises his hand and says, "And we need to pray for Thailand!" I loved that.

Two stories

Two stories:
Here's a cool story of restoration in Thailand, thanks to the organization, Not for Sale.

Here's another story of how injustice is being fought in the United States.

Abolition International

KLove is talking about human trafficking this week. They highlighted an organization called Abolition International. It is an organization that was started by singer Natalie Grant. 

This organization has 8 different shelters and treatment programs in several several states. They also have programs in Greece, Moldova, and India. 

Courage House – California

Gracehaven – Ohio

Home of Hope – Texas

Mercy Ministries – Tennessee

The Hope Project – Michigan

Traffick 911 – Texas

Wellspring Living – Georgia

Providing aftercare is so important so that women and girls do not go back into a life of prostitution and slavery. Find out more about this organization and what they do here. 

After the project...

The first day after my dress experiment, I stared at my closet and didn't really like the feeling as I stood looking at all of my choices. I didn't like the fact that I had all of these clothes to choose from, after a month of thinking about people with few, if any choices (about what to wear and in other areas of their lives). I already started going through my closet and have gotten rid of 40 pieces of clothing. I'm still figuring out what I want to do with those clothes.

People ask me how I feel now that I am wearing the same clothes. Initially it was note a very nice feeling. I wasn't excited to wear different clothes. Well, I mean it was nice to feel a little cleaner, but having so many choices after a month of no choices felt strange. It's getting easier and more normal now, but I don't know if I want to forget that feeling. I want to be reminded of those who do not have choices...so I can pray....so it can drive me to do something more. I don't know what exactly that is yet, but I want to keep on learning. I want to keep on seeking what God has for me in the area of human trafficking. I don't want this to be the end. And I know that it won't be.

I am excited that my school is going to get involved with Pattaya Slum Ministries by helping me buy supplies to take with me when I go. Many of the people I work with have been really supportive about my passion for human trafficking and involved with PSM. My students always love when I talk about Thailand, and they have excitement about what is going on there and want to pray for what is going on there.

I am really excited to be able to go back to Pattaya in less than 3 months. I am praying for God to prepare my heart for what I will do there. I don't know what that is yet, but I am excited to learn. I'm excited to show God's love to those people. I'm excited to go.