I spent the weekend sleeping in TJ’s dorm room and talking about ideas for the future and dreams of making changes. He is currently a junior at Southwestern College and it was fun to walk back into a college dorm after being away from one for several years. I’ve known TJ for a little while, but the more I go to Phoenix, the more I get to hear about his ideas and dreams for what is to come. I’ve enjoyed hearing his stories and his passion for rescuing people around him.
We talked about what it was that got him so fired up and he began to tell me about Streetlight. He told me that Phoenix was one of the top cities for child prostitution and sex trafficking in the US. I’ve known about this issue for quite some time and even had the chance to work with some nonprofits in the States, but as he rattled off more facts specific to Phoenix, I was blown away. It’s just scary to think that this issue that we think occurs predominantly overseas, is quickly rising on our own street corners and neighborhoods.
TJ told me that there are less than 100 beds nationwide that act as safe places for these girls to come and heal. Streetlight is launching a couple homes in the Phoenix area that will almost double that number. The dream is to have Streetlight homes in every major tourist city in the States. This is such an incredible vision and it has already made some crucial strides in sponsorship and awareness.
As our conversation continued, there was one thing that broke both of our hearts. I shared with him a quote I heard not to long ago that says, “Compassion is seeing people rushing downstream and doing what you can to rescue them. Justice is fighting your way upstream to discover what’s throwing them in.” The thing that broke both of our hearts is how calloused our culture has become towards compassion. Not everyone can be the one fighting for justice, but any of us can extend compassion, and we need others to pull that weight.
I asked TJ what some of the long term justice aspects of this vision were and he had a list of them. Not only is this organization extending compassion by creating these centers with beds, but they are fighting for justice by trying to rewrite some of the laws that are not prosecuting the victims and turning a deaf ear to the ones buying services.
One thing that I’ve discovered is that “justice people” are also super high on extending compassion. Almost so much so that they are often busy trying to rescue individuals, that they can never fight their way upstream to stop the source. I feel like TJ is one of those people, but I can see a little frustration that comes when other people won’t jump on board. It can get exhausting and you begin to question everything. This is why injustice reigns supreme at times.
I need to make a bold statement. Their are injustices happening all over the US, not just overseas, but we as a nation just watch as victims float past us. Our nation is great and it extends a ton of freedoms, but injustice is still a huge player in our daily lives. We’re too entertained. We’re too stuffed with delicious food. We’re too consumed with out personal social life. We’re too educated with very little experience. We’re too focused on our own paths and people are dying because of it.
I know, one more thing to think about each day. But how much of that stuff that’s already on the schedule is completely meaningless? I spend at least an hour a day watching one of my favorite tv shows that I’ve already seen every episode of. One time I wrote down everything I did in 30 minute increments for an entire week. I cried when I evaluated it and saw where my “precious time” went.
Maybe you’re not as careless as I am with your time. But if you have the chance to schedule somewhere to pour out your compassion, I guarantee you that Michael Scott couldn’t even make you smile that big. In doing this, you’ll begin to pursue something of value and see why people like TJ are so passionate.
