How on earth did that happen so fast? So much happened, and now that we are a couple of weeks removed, I have had time to reflect on what we experienced, learned, and came away changed by. I know each student could give you a different perspective, so I really encourage you to seek them out and ask about their experience.. I know they would love to tell you about it, and they have some really cool stories.
First of all, I know what you're all thinking... "I only saw you post pictures of fun things you did. Did you really do any work at all?"Yes, yes we did. I realize that on social media, it might look like we went on vacation. And we did sight see. A lot. I credit that to my totally great planning skills. HA. That was a joke. But really, we did serve, and these students served SO well. I'm a proud mom for sure.
P.S. (I'm going to skip talking about our touristy stuff... You can go to the hashtag #WBCNYC15 on Facebook or Instagram and see our fun stuff.)
Friday, March 20th (Travel Day)
To begin this, I just want to point out that being the inexperienced public transport traveler that I am, and the #1 tourist in the entire world, made for a really great combo. If you would like to hear any of our funny traveling stories or hardships, hit me up. We have plenty.
All I will say about our first day traveling are these things: Delta tricked us into thinking our checked bags would be free. Thanks, Delta. Our flight was delayed because of SNOW in New York, which is magical but it was COLD. We got to NYC at around 1 AM, took a hour and a half shuttle/subway ride to Chinatown, and walked about 15 minutes to our housing (complete with rats... my favorite part). Went to sleep around 3:30 AM. :)
All I will say about our first day traveling are these things: Delta tricked us into thinking our checked bags would be free. Thanks, Delta. Our flight was delayed because of SNOW in New York, which is magical but it was COLD. We got to NYC at around 1 AM, took a hour and a half shuttle/subway ride to Chinatown, and walked about 15 minutes to our housing (complete with rats... my favorite part). Went to sleep around 3:30 AM. :)
Sunday, March 22nd
Got lost on the subway, walked half an hour to Reedeemer Presbyterian, Tim Keller was NOT there (minor setback :( ), ate lunch, walked around Central Park and Upper Manhattan. and met up with Raleigh, our leader for the week. We ended up on the same subway car as him, and I didn't recognize him. He proceeded to help us until we got outside the subway station, in which he told us who he was and that he wanted to see how we treated a stranger on the subway. A real trickster, that one. We passed the test, by the way! Raleigh explained to us what we would be doing for the week, which was working with different organizations in NY that fight human trafficking (in more words and more awesome than how I just put it). We went to Whole Foods for groceries, which was just a hilarious and wonderful experience all in itself.
Okay, can't forget to mention Lucky's Burgers. If you go to NY, go to Chinatown and eat this. You will never regret it.
Monday, March 23rd
Our first day! We met up with Raleigh that morning to get more detailed instructions for the day, and to have our devotion. Our instructions were to split up into two teams, prayer walk, hang up signs, and take notes about different areas of Chinatown. We were specifically studying/praying for the Asian massage parlors in Chinatown. Many of these massage parlors are brothels in disguise. We were to pray, and look out for signs that these places could actually be brothels. There were certain things to look for, so we took notes about each place. Some looked less sketchy than others, but there were some that were literally a door, a camera, and a buzzer, All I can say is that the people that are working in these establishments need your prayers. If you can't do anything else, pray that justice would come for these women and men bonded in slavery.
We hung up Chinese signs in businesses around the massage parlors, basically for awareness of human trafficking. We were rejected some, but others let us hang them up.
A challenge we had for the day was to eat lunch for under $5. It was easier than we thought, but not for reasons that we knew of until later. A lot of the commerce in Chinatown is so cheap because of human trafficking; everyone raves about the great prices, but it's cheap because labor is cheap. A lot of what is made is made by women and men in slavery. That is basically why much of the food and souvenirs are so cheap there.
All in all, it was a tough day for me. Prior to this trip, I knew that human trafficking was happening, even in the U.S., but the reality of it was still tough.
Tuesday, March 24th
This day, we prayer walked through the 3 largest train stations in NYC: Port Authority, Penn, and Grand Central. All are hubs for girls coming into trafficking, so we prayer walked and hung up English signs in businesses near the train stations. This was a difficult task for the day, because it seemed, at times, that we weren't doing much of anything. We were feeling pretty discouraged, but Raleigh reminded us that night at our debrief that sometimes, we don't get to see the fruit of our work. Sometimes our purpose is to do the work, and we may not know the outcome right then. But, every step is important in the journey.
Our challenge for this day was to eat ALL fair trade items. This one was tough, but felt so rewarding. All the items we consumed for lunch/snacks were fair trade, which means that slavery was not a part of these products being made. We were also challenged that night to figure out our slavery footprint. You should do it too! It's really eye-opening to all the things we purchase and don't know where they come from. (www.slaveryfootprint.org)
***I should add that Raleigh had us take water bottles and cereal bars everywhere we went, even on our touristy days. Anytime we came in contact with a homeless person, a couple of us were to offer them a cereal bar and a water, and they were to sit down and eat with them. We prayed for them and gave them a map of free meals offered in NYC. Guys, the students did SO amazing with this. If you had a child on this trip, you need to be PROUD. They were each so caring and considerate. I am apparently horrible at noticing homeless people, because almost every time they pointed someone out, I hadn't seen them. Great leader skills, as you can see. Anyways, I was so proud that they had no hesitation when it came to doing this. It made for some really humbling, awesome experiences. Brag session over.***
Our challenge for this day was to eat ALL fair trade items. This one was tough, but felt so rewarding. All the items we consumed for lunch/snacks were fair trade, which means that slavery was not a part of these products being made. We were also challenged that night to figure out our slavery footprint. You should do it too! It's really eye-opening to all the things we purchase and don't know where they come from. (www.slaveryfootprint.org)
***I should add that Raleigh had us take water bottles and cereal bars everywhere we went, even on our touristy days. Anytime we came in contact with a homeless person, a couple of us were to offer them a cereal bar and a water, and they were to sit down and eat with them. We prayed for them and gave them a map of free meals offered in NYC. Guys, the students did SO amazing with this. If you had a child on this trip, you need to be PROUD. They were each so caring and considerate. I am apparently horrible at noticing homeless people, because almost every time they pointed someone out, I hadn't seen them. Great leader skills, as you can see. Anyways, I was so proud that they had no hesitation when it came to doing this. It made for some really humbling, awesome experiences. Brag session over.***
Wednesday, March 25th
This day was very cool. We worked with a organization called New York City Relief, and their specific ministry, The Relief Bus (http://www.reliefbus.org/). They feed the homeless every week, in different areas of NYC. We got to help serve bread, soup, and drinks, along with first-aid and toiletry items to the homeless. We talked, laughed, prayed, and learned from these sweet people who live on the streets of NY. One couple shared with me that they had been living in a tiny storage unit for the last few weeks, having to obviously hide from the storage unit owners. What was even more remarkable to me was the love these two had for each other. They had been married only a short while, but were the most in love people I have ever met. And it wasn't a mushy gushy love either. They straight up LOVED each other. They cared for and watched out for each other. He said that colors were brighter now that she was around. I told them I had never felt that way about someone, and she said "Ashley, it'll happen. Never settle for someone who doesn't make your world better. Wait for it, cause it's worth it." If you know me, you can guess that I started crying at this point. She let me help her sew her bag, and I never saw them again. I won't forget em, though.
Thursday, March 26th
Our last day working with Justice Ministries! We got to serve at an after-school program called Operation Exodus, in Washington Heights. Most of the kids there have grown up in either really bad home situations, or really bad neighborhoods. This program gives them a place to be after school. We helped cook food, tutored the kids, hung out with them for a bit, and we got to share with them about Williams (through PowerPoint, which was just a win-win for everyone). They had lots of questions, and I know our WBC students really enjoyed hanging out with them.
Raleigh reminded us that night at our debrief that the reason these kids are susceptible to human trafficking is because they are vulnerable. They have had to grow up so fast, and many of them are easily swayed or convinced of things. The work that Operation Exodus is doing (https://www.facebook.com/operationexodus) is seriously awesome.
As we ended the day in our final debriefing session, I began to think about how these students, and myself included, could continue fighting human trafficking. Although I know that sketchy things go on here in Northeast Arkansas, it's not a bustling area with lots of public homelessness or prostitution, to only name a couple of things. I realize that there are lots and lots of needy people in NEA, but it's different. There aren't brothels on every street, there aren't subway stations with homeless people in each corner, and there aren't people being thrown into slavery every day. It's different. So how could we keep fighting human trafficking where we were at?
Raleigh kept saying all week that Jesus stood up for the vulnerable. The poor, the needy, the hurt, the downcast, the vulnerable. Jesus loved them, and that is our example. And that last day was when I finally understood. No matter where you are in life, there will be vulnerable people. Here in NEA, there are lots of poor people. Lots of people mixed up in drugs. Lots of kids who need families. Not all of them may be at risk for human trafficking specifically, but what if they are? By caring for the vulnerable, we fight human trafficking.
Who knows? There may be a girl who turns to prostitution because she has no where else to go, and IF she had been adopted or put into a good foster home, she may not have gone down that path. Who knows? What about the man who has been making his girlfriend have sex with his friends for money? Maybe if he had a mentor growing up that poured into him, made him feel like he could accomplish great things, and opened his eyes to opportunity, maybe he wouldn't have turned to trafficking. These are hypothetical, but are completely possible and could happen even here, in Northeast Arkansas.
The point is this: As Christians, we are called to care for the vulnerable. It may look different depending on where you live, or what job you have, or what your family situation is, but it is our calling. Pray that God would give you encounters with vulnerable people, and pray that he would give you wisdom and understanding to help those people. Look for opportunities to serve in your community, and be open to being just a stepping stone in the journey. You may not always see the end result, but the steps to the destination are just as important as the destination.
"And behold, a lawyer stood up to him to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the Law?" How do you read it?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live."
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise." Luke 10:25-30
If you would like more information about human trafficking, or if you would like to learn more about ways you can help, visit lmpgexperience.com. It has tons of resources, and is very helpful! You can also visit polarisproject.org and change.org to find out concrete ways you can fight human trafficking: by contacting representatives in your local, state, and national government.
Raleigh reminded us that night at our debrief that the reason these kids are susceptible to human trafficking is because they are vulnerable. They have had to grow up so fast, and many of them are easily swayed or convinced of things. The work that Operation Exodus is doing (https://www.facebook.com/operationexodus) is seriously awesome.
As we ended the day in our final debriefing session, I began to think about how these students, and myself included, could continue fighting human trafficking. Although I know that sketchy things go on here in Northeast Arkansas, it's not a bustling area with lots of public homelessness or prostitution, to only name a couple of things. I realize that there are lots and lots of needy people in NEA, but it's different. There aren't brothels on every street, there aren't subway stations with homeless people in each corner, and there aren't people being thrown into slavery every day. It's different. So how could we keep fighting human trafficking where we were at?
Raleigh kept saying all week that Jesus stood up for the vulnerable. The poor, the needy, the hurt, the downcast, the vulnerable. Jesus loved them, and that is our example. And that last day was when I finally understood. No matter where you are in life, there will be vulnerable people. Here in NEA, there are lots of poor people. Lots of people mixed up in drugs. Lots of kids who need families. Not all of them may be at risk for human trafficking specifically, but what if they are? By caring for the vulnerable, we fight human trafficking.
Who knows? There may be a girl who turns to prostitution because she has no where else to go, and IF she had been adopted or put into a good foster home, she may not have gone down that path. Who knows? What about the man who has been making his girlfriend have sex with his friends for money? Maybe if he had a mentor growing up that poured into him, made him feel like he could accomplish great things, and opened his eyes to opportunity, maybe he wouldn't have turned to trafficking. These are hypothetical, but are completely possible and could happen even here, in Northeast Arkansas.
The point is this: As Christians, we are called to care for the vulnerable. It may look different depending on where you live, or what job you have, or what your family situation is, but it is our calling. Pray that God would give you encounters with vulnerable people, and pray that he would give you wisdom and understanding to help those people. Look for opportunities to serve in your community, and be open to being just a stepping stone in the journey. You may not always see the end result, but the steps to the destination are just as important as the destination.
"And behold, a lawyer stood up to him to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the Law?" How do you read it?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live."
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise." Luke 10:25-30
If you would like more information about human trafficking, or if you would like to learn more about ways you can help, visit lmpgexperience.com. It has tons of resources, and is very helpful! You can also visit polarisproject.org and change.org to find out concrete ways you can fight human trafficking: by contacting representatives in your local, state, and national government.
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