I am so excited to announce to my community what life is going to look like after the World Race. Jesus has been shaping my dreams and passions in big ways over the last 9 months.
Month 6 on the race I served in Phuket, Thailand. Phuket is home to a street named Bangla which is considered one of the largest red light districts in Thailand. Travelers from all over the world come to this street to buy temporary satisfaction. It was here that I began to love these women who were either trafficked, or there by “choice” because there was no other way out. It was there that my heart broke for not just the women, but for the people who purchased them.
I had heard about A21 through Biola when I was a student. I remember sitting in the stands at chapel listening to speakers from the organization speak about how they were fighting for these victims, walking them through both literal and spiritual freedom. Even back then, I admired all that they were doing to end human trafficking in the name of Jesus. While in Thailand, the statistics were no longer just numbers…they were faces, names, and more importantly, friends. This is when I felt the Lord telling me to apply. I knew my life would be different after the World Race, but I wasn’t sure how. He confirmed this next season in ways I certainly didn’t expect!
Following Thailand, my parents and I served in the red light district in the Philippines. They got to see with their own eyes the captivity these girls were in. As I was in those bars having conversations with these 16 year old girls, I was reminded again that this was where the Lord was calling me next.
What is A21? Christian author and global speaker, Christine Caine, and her husband Nick started A21 in 2008. Their heart is to end human trafficking because Jesus calls us into freedom. Some things that A21 seeks out to do is:
– Prevent people from being trafficked
– Protect and support those who have been trafficked
– Prosecute traffickers, and strengthen legal responses to trafficking
– Partner with law enforcement, service providers and community members to provide a comprehensive front against trafficking
This organization has 12 offices worldwide: Australia, Denmark, Thailand, Bulgaria, Greece, Norway, Ukraine, Netherlands, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the U.S (California and North Carolina). After being overseas for a year, I applied for their California office. This internship is 6 months long from August 30th-January 30th. My long term hope and dream is after this internship, to apply for one of their positions either in their California office or overseas. Because this internship is unpaid and full time, I am announcing to the public that after the Race, I will continue raising financial support for this position with A21. These donations will help pay for transportation, health care, food, and other basic necessities. Fundraising is definitely something I was nervous about because I know that to some people, sending donations to a missionary who is working in a local context like the U.S. (despite this being a global office) doesn’t seem as important compared to someone who is overseas. For a while, I allowed myself to believe this and was going to try and work 13-15 hour days when I got home so that I would have this internship and an income. Thankfully, the Lord spoke loud and clear regarding fundraising as a missionary in America! That is why I will be support-raising again for this next season.
So, thank you! Thank you for supporting me in this season overseas. Thank you for the prayers, words of encouragement, and walking through the many seasons of life the Lord has lead me through. I am so excited to announce where the Lord is taking me next, and am thankful that I have a community to write this announcement to. Please feel free to email me with any questions you might have!
Forever Grateful,
Caitlyn Duffy
A Call To Action: A21 from Caitlyn Leigh Anne Duffy on Vimeo.
