The following weekend we were up in Lake George, NY for Jessie and Jeff's wedding. Unlike Amarillo, NY was not hot, but the day of the wedding was absolutely gorgeous. We get to spend time with the newlyweds in Boulder for a few more weeks and then they head down to Nicaragua to work with water.
Two weeks after the wedding I was down in Mexico City with iEpathize, hanging out with street kids and girls whom had been rescued from sex trafficking. It was pretty intense and definitely powerful. Until shortly before this trip I did not know that human trafficking hardly existed, let alone that it was a worldwide problem. Going into this trip I had also been recently struggling with feeling overwhelmed by there being so many worthy organizations out there, righting so many worthy causes. Which one was the most important? And where was my money really going? Was it possible that my small financial contribution could every make any sort of difference in the world? With so many choices and no idea where to start, I found myself giving small amounts to those who asked, but beyond that just feeling pretty stuck. If I can't save the world, then why even try at all?
This is how I felt, until this past week. Actually throughout the week we spent time with kids who were living on the streets, addicted to solvent (glue), even an addicted mother of a 5-month old baby, nursing her, herself sniffing all day long. We spent time with kids who had been driven out of their homes by parents who beat them, lived on the street, addicted to solvent, and found them one-month clean, living in a safe home. We also met girls who lived in a safe home for girls who have specifically been sexually trafficked. These girls have horrific stories, its hard to believe looking at them today. One girl for example, is eleven years old, and barely 4'6." Her story is so traumatic she doesn't even remember it, not even her name. She picked her own name when she arrived at the house, not too long ago. Also living in the house, along the 11-17 year old rescued girls, are 5 babies, ages 1-5, daughters of the girls, fathered by their pimp or client. Its awful.
I hate to say this, but even when we hung out with the girls, I could not make the emotional connection between who these girls appeared to be today, and where they came from. They just seemed too normal, and young, and pretty. And then the last day we were with them they performed a dance for us. There was something about the music, the dancing, the smiles, the tears, something about the life that radiates out of those girls that hit my like a freight train. Before I could control myself I was balling like I only had when I was younger. After the dance the girls gave us hugs and I hugged one of them for probably two minutes, both of us shaking in tears. It was so intense, overwhelming, sad, beautiful, hopeful and so full of truth. I knew that in those moments of watching those girls dance, that I had to fight for them, I had to fight for all the girls who were not yet as fortunate as them.
And so now I find myself, an advocate for iEmpathize (that is doing amazing things right now - please ask me, or look them up yourself) and fighting to raise awareness for human trafficking around the globe.
On a lighter note, I grew a sunflower! Sunflowers always remind me of our wedding... Speaking of our wedding, tomorrow Judd and I fly to Lake Tahoe to celebrate our two year anniversary this weekend! Judd has never been to Tahoe, and considering it is maybe my favorite place in the world, I cannot wait to show him how amazing it is. Until later!
