"I can see you moving back to the states but then falling in love with a man from Israel and debating whether to stay or go back with him to his country." This was James' quote to me as our team sat around at 11pm on Christmas eve talking about where we see eachother in the next 5 years. Right away I made a funny face and asked why the heck he thought this is where I would be in the next 5 years. I don't think I have ever mentioned Israel while being on the race or that I am attracted to the men that are from Israel (not saying I am not, just that it never happened). I still think he was joking. "I can see you moving back to California and doing hair still, but in a different way. You won't see it the same, you will enjoy it but one day you will get tired of what you are doing and want something different." This is what Brant says, a little more realistic. "I can see you moving back to California and doing hair but working with battered woman. Either starting an organization or something." Shayna says.
Although I never know what's going to happen to my future, I immediately disregarded James' idea (sorry James 🙂 ) but really started to think about what Brant and Shayna said. The past few months I have been able to already see a lot of my passions in different ways.
This month in Thailand has been the most incredible experience that I know for certain I will come back to. This past weekend our team of 8 girls (plus our squad leaders KK, Tess and Erin) were blessed with going to ChiangRai for what we thought was going to be a weekend to ride elephants, explore and shop. Instead it involved all of those plus MORE! Brittany's aunt who lives in Idaho and works for an organization called "Destiny Rescue"found out that we wanted to go visit there for the weekend. We didn't know much about "Destiny Rescue" except that it had something to do with Sex-trafficking and later was told there is also something they do with salons and hairdressing. Sounds like my kind of thing, I thought. Brittany's aunt didn't seem to waste any time because we were then told that she wanted us to go experience it so she would even pay for all of us girls to stay in a hotel! What?! Comfy beds, hot showers?! That alone sounded more than incredible. (We get more than excited about the little things on the Race).
Upon arriving in Chiangrai we were welcomed by Tina, the hairdresser and the one in charge of the hair program for Destiny Rescue! I still had no idea what this meant, but I was so excited to find out what she does! I knew it had to be good because it involves hair and rescuing girls from the sex-trade.
On our gorgeous boatride back from riding elephants (bucketlist checkoff!!), Tina and I sat together and chatted more about what she does, what this organization is, and we got to share something special about our hearts. Every 26 seconds a child is brought into the sex-trade. Thailand is #1 in the world for sex-trafficking. The girls begin being trafficked from as young as 4 years old. Them and their families are tricked/brainwashed into a better life, more opportunities, an education, more money, freedom, and then get caught up in the lies of hurt, deceit, and chains. It's just their reality, normal.
It makes me sick to my stomach.
What would you do if your daughter was selling themself? Most say they would do anything and everything to get her out, they would fight for her. What makes it any different than your daughter and someone elses daughter, they are still a daughter of someone; we are all God's children. He will do anything and everything to get a daughter out. None of us deserve to be trapped like this. We are ALL loved and cherished.
The thought of getting these girls out of the trade and letting them know that they are loved, they have a future, they are worth it, they are beautiful, it brings me to tears almost everytime I think about it. I am passionate about kicking the lies these girls have been brainwashed into and seeing them be set free. I want them to know that even if they didn't have a dad or man in their life that loves them that God, our heavenly daddy, loves them UNconditionally and there is nothing-I mean nothing that can make Him love them less or more. He loves each and every single girl with a burning passion that we don't even understand ourselves.
Most of these girls that have been caught up in this slavery are from hiltop tribes and have never accomplised anything, they are thought of as worthless, and not good enough. To see these women be set free and to know their worth and to train women to become hairdressers watching them accomplish many things makes me excited!
With these passions built up inside of me I can see, as Shayna and Brant said, myself going back to California or Seattle and doing hair, but in a different way, with a different purpose. I can see myself starting an organization/non-profit and/or owning a salon (my homebase) where I partner with like-minded people. I have a ton of ideas and feel like it can go anywhere! I have no idea what the future holds but I can say that being in Thailand has stirred my heart in more ways than one.
Find what you're passionate about and do it passionately
Please be praying for the ministry Destiny Rescue and lighthouse ministry has for getting these young girls out of the sex-trade and getting them on their feet to have a future in the Destiny God has created for them to be loved and cherished and to pursue passions and new gifts and talents they have =)
