Human Trafficking -- A Redemption Story

I had been wanting to post this story since Sunday, and I just found out that yesterday was Human Trafficking Awareness Day (thanks to my friend, Emily!)  So, that makes this post all the more timely.

So, as you probably know, our team volunteers at a local government-run facility for orphans and youth who have been removed from unstable home situations.  This particular facility previously housed a juvenile detention center, so many people still see it as the place for bad kids.  While part of our ministry there is to encourage and affirm the kids by pointing them to God's love, I also feel like another aspect of our involvement is to serve as a prophetic witness to our neighbors.  The fact that we willingly spend our time there and can speak of the kids beyond the typical characterization as "naughty" is quite remarkable to many people.  The kids who end up at this center mostly come from Gauteng Province, but some come from other parts of South Africa and even other African countries.

This story is about a girl, we'll call her Mary, who arrived at the center several months ago from a country in East Africa.  You see, Mary was an orphan in her home country.  I don't know the full story, but from what I've heard, a nice neighbor approached Mary and whoever was taking care of her and offered to bring her to South Africa for a better education.  Mary had been trying to attend school and take care of her younger siblings.  I'm sure the opportunity sounded appealing to Mary -- it was probably a bit scary too, but it was a chance at a new future! Or, maybe Mary didn't even know what was promised and was just told to go without asking any questions.  So, Mary went with this neighbor.  When they arrived in South Africa, Mary learned that she was actually part of a deal with an older South African man who wanted to take her as his wife. Mary is14 years old.  So, this neighbor who had fed Mary on hopes of a new life was now handing her over to this strange man -- not quite the future that Mary had imagined.  This is no way for a 14 year old girl to live, and Mary knew that.  So, she somehow escaped the man's possession and sought refuge at the Catholic church that she had attended with the neighbor when she first arrived in South Africa.  Oh yeah, one more thing -- Mary didn't speak a word of any South African language.  Why would she?  So, she found someone at the church who could translate to the priest and explain her situation.  The priest contacted the officials and thus, Mary ended up at the facility where my team volunteers.

The story gets better.  I met Mary after she arrived at the Center, but she was shy and hesitant because she couldn't speak the local language.  As I've learned -- if  you can't speak the local language here, it can feel like you're on a different planet!  You have no idea what's going on around you and you can't share your feelings, confusions, or questions with anyone.  And most of the kids who suddenly became her dorm-mates were probably unfamiliar with a peer from another country, so what could they do?

My teammate Luc and I went to the facility this past Sunday to support them as they resumed their regular Sunday church services for the kids.  Since it was the first Sunday of the year, several kids got up to share their testimonies of what God had done in the past year, or resolutions they were making for change in the new year.  And then, Mary came up to the stage.  Luc accompanied her because, by God's amazing providence, he also speaks the same language as Mary.  Ever since Mary arrived at the Center, Luc's presence has been like a beacon of hope to her -- I imagine a very real demonstration to remind her that God had not forgotten her.  You could tell Mary was still feeling shy, but there was also some spark about her, like something inside she just needed to let out.  She proceeded to tell her story, through Luc.  She arrived at the Center not knowing anyone or anything about the place.  She was totally alone.  Even though she had been in grade 9 in her home country, the staff placed her in grade 6 at the school on the premises.  She struggled, she said, because she couldn't understand what the teachers were saying or teaching.  The only thing she understood was math, because "the numbers speak for themselves."  She said the teachers were gracious, spending extra time trying to help her understand.  She reached out to another child and somehow, despite their lack of common language, they were able to communicate and help each other.  The smile on Mary's face continued to get bigger and bigger as she told her story.  You could tell that this was something she was meant to share.  By the end of the school year, Mary said, she had passed all her subjects and now she'll be going on to grade 7.  This is amazing!  I sat there, my heart welling up with joy and awe.  It was an encouragement to me, also still feeling like such a foreigner in this place, that Mary came and not only figured some things out, but learned how to thrive in such a strange new place.  That's a tall order for any 14 year old, not to mention all that she had experienced to bring her to that point.

It was only after Mary shared her story on Sunday that I learned the previous parts of her journey.  And that just made the latter chapter all the more amazing -- just think about what could have happened to Mary.  And although visiting the Center is not always filled with pictures of hope and encouragement, on this day it was.  Sure, most of the kids there wish they were with their real families, but Mary was experiencing the redemption of God on a daily basis.  He had taken her situation, with the deception, death, and injustice it carried, and was turning it into something beautiful, in a place where Mary could succeed and discover who she was made to be.  I was filled with hope as I thought about Mary's story and what else God might do through her.

Some good sites to check out regarding the fight against Human Trafficking:
International Justice Mission
Not for Sale
Slavery Footprint

Friends blogging about Human Trafficking:
Emily
Amanda

since we last spoke...

as i mentioned in my last email update, i have made the decision to join the innerchange team in soshanguve for three years! the decision making process was not as quick and easy as i thought it would be, but i know this is where God is leading me.  i felt like this direction was so clear and obvious before i left for my visit to the team but then i got there and there were no sparks, no instant clarity or parting of the clouds.  after much prayer and thought, discussion and processing, i realized that it was indeed what God had been leading me to.  i wondered why, though i had felt such a strong sense of God's leading before i visited, that same sense of clear direction was missing when i returned to the states.  in a moment of worship, i got in my mind an image of a young child learning to ride a bike.  the child rides, knowing and feeling the hand of her parent on the back of that bike.  and, at some point, that parent lets go.  the child must trust the steadiness that she felt when that hand was present and continue on riding.  she cannot expect to only ever ride that bike with that hand always there.  but the symbol of its closeness is enough to allow her to keep on pedaling.

so, three years? yes!  basically, innerCHANGE realizes that the best thing for the apprentice, the team, and the community is people who are committed.  in an international context, especially with language barriers, experience has shown that 1 year is only really a start to scratching the surface of real life among a team and community.  some days when i think about 3 years, it feels like a long time (one/ninth of my life!)  and other days, when i realize i've already lived in new orleans longer than that, it doesn't seem so long.

when am i leaving? after i have raised support!
no, but really, when is that? well....the next step in the process is an assessment with some other CRM and innerCHANGE staff members.  that is scheduled for march 31.  after that i can kick start the support raising process first thing on april 1.  no april fool's joke there! i will need to have at least two months of full support coming in BEFORE i can depart for south africa. so my goal might be around august-ish, but it is hard to say at this point.

the rest of my time of travelling was good!  from south africa, i flew to san francisco for the innerCHANGE orientation.  there i made some new friends, learned more about innerchange, and got deeper into the values and culture of the innerCHANGE family.  i also got to hang out with my wonderful aunt and good friends and mission year teammates heather and jessica!

then, on the tail end of a bad weather week in southern california (some people just can't handle their rain!!) i arrived in san diego.  i got to see andrew and although we didnt make it to the black market bakery, we had a good time driving up through orange county and andrew dropped me off in anaheim for the CRM training. (not sure if i have mentioned this before, but CRM is the umbrella ministry organization which innerCHANGE is connected to) i enjoyed some lovey hospitality, and made some new friends there too. we enjoyed a lovely january day on the beach!  our first part of training was a spiritual retreat to focus on the first thing of importance, our relationship with God!  the  rest of the time was really focused on support-raising training. it's kind of daunting to think about raising money, but i'm excited to see how God moves!

then, on the last leg of my trip, i made it back to chicago to see the fam! and also to see jessica get married! i had such a wonderful time, but it sure does get cold up there in the winter : )

then.....the SUPERBOWL!!!!!! who woulda thunk, when i planned this trip in november, that the saints would be in the superbowl???? i mean, they were having an amazing season, but really. come on. the saints?  but oh yes, the saints!  so, since i wasn't back with my new orleans family, my parents and i had our own new orleans style celebration in deerfield, complete with gumbo, bread pudding, and beads.  and then, you know how it ends, THE SAINTS WON!!! WHOOOOO DDDAATTTTT!  
oh man, if you're not from or weren't in new orleans on this most-apocalyptic day, you just cant understand.  i mean, i wasn't there so i can't REALLY understand but i know it was just absolute craziness. but in the most beautiful way (so i've heard!)

i got back to new orleans in time for the big victory parade, which had an estimated 800,000 people in attendance.  CRAZY!  after that, i got swept up straight away in the craziness surrounding the saints victory, mardi gras parades, and re-connecting with friends after being away for so long.  (i definitely believe that mardi gras is one of those things that everyone should experience at least once in life.  most of it is nothing like the bourbon street debauchery that most people think of.  just good, clean, fun.  and lots of plastic beads!)

after alllll that, i'm finally getting back to the normal craziness of life. i'm working a bit and preparing for support raising. i'm excited to share some opportunities for you to join in what God is doing!

and now for the rest of my thoughts...

check out some pictures from my time in south africa

activities

During the day on Thursday, I drove around with Anna and two of the carers who work at the home-health NGO, Mavis & Brenda. We visited patients all throughout the township. There are a lot of sick people in Soshanguve, whether elderly with high blood pressure and no access to medicine, or people struggling with HIV and tuberculosis. The NGO that petunia and anna work with is a home health program, so each of these patients gets visited at home and their health tended to. the neat thing about visiting these patients on Thursday was that while there was initially a specific “purpose,” there was also opportunity and openness to develop a real relationship. It didn’t seem like there was the typical distance between care-provider and recipient. i watched as the carers took blood pressures, checked blood sugar, laughed, listened, and prayed. and it was so hot that work was done by 1pm.

On Thursday evening it was my turn to cook for the team. Luc was very curious and interested in learning more about my Jewish heritage so I made some jewish soul food. First started with some chicken mirabella that my mom makes deliciously, then kugel and then finished it off with the classic aunt sal’s chocolate chip cake, fresh with chocolate chips delivered from America. The meal was a delicious success, although it got stretched out to two nights because on Thursday there was a big late-afternoon thunderstorm that knocked our power out for two hours, right as I was getting ready to start cooking the kugel. There were no complaints, though, that the cultural experiment lasted longer than expected.

On Friday, I visited the National Cultural History Museum which was very interesting and informative. I learned about the history of migration into South Africa, as well as some of the background one of the most diverse neighborhoods in pretoria.

Comparisons

It was amazing to me how many similarities I found between life in the township and my life in new Orleans. Life is full and vibrant, neighbors are friendly. Many nights I fell asleep to the music and sounds of a bar near the team house. Celebrations are public, as is mourning. Just like in new Orleans when people get a DJ for any sort of event, birthday party, wedding, funeral, in Sosh events like these—whether to celebrate or mourn—are public and open to the whole neighborhood. There is a high value placed on young women having babies and new life, though also risky living when people realize that longevity cannot be taken for granted. There are old women raising grandkids. The children in the neighborhood don’t have a lot of recreational options. Addictions and distractions from daily struggles are a regular part of life. There's a strong presence of “church” culture and a strong need for the gospel to be truly lived out. Unemployment is a big problem, and that also creates opportunities for informal entrepreneurship.

Of course there are differences too, even though many people are fond of saying that New Orleans is like a third world country. Some parts of Sosh have still not been declared fit for

human habitation, which means the government does not provide basic services, like water and electricity, to those informal settlements. Many people are living in tin shacks when people are sick here, they are just as likely to visit a Sangoma as they are to visit a clinic. Speaking of clinics, for a township of over 1 million people, ther are only 4 government run health clinics. South Africa has the highest rate of HIV in the world.

One of the things about returning to South Africa was seeing how it felt, compared to the first time I had been there. And it was very interesting. At first I really couldn’t believe that I had actually made it back! After all that time of wanting to return—then it was real! It took some time into my visit to really realize some of the differences between the first time and this time. First of all, capetown seems to be very different from the northern part of the country, near Pretoria & Johannesburg. The other main thing was realizing that when I studied abroad, I lived with all other international students, many American, and surrounded myself largely with university happenings and culture. Yes I was definitely in South Africa and taking advantage of that, but I still chose to cushion myself with what was familiar and comfortable. Reflecting on this reminded me of when I was in mission year and we were challenged to really immerse ourselves in the culture and the experience. We were challenged to remember that it is so easy to go into a seemingly difficult situation yet still try to protect ourselves with the “safe” and familiar things of life. And there is nothing intrinsically wrong with doing that. But, when we cling to what we know, we miss out on what is new all around us. And that’s what I can remember of my previous time in South Africa. I don’t think I was genuinely immersed in the culture—and I don’t know how much I could have been—and that is totally the opposite of this time. The circumstances are so different, the settings so disparate,yet the temptation to stick with the “familiar” is still there.

What God is doing.

In my debrief with Luc & Petunia, we talked about what we see God doing in Sosh. He is definitely using the skills and gifts of petunia and anna to meet with the sick and not only give them medical care but also offer prayer and compassion. He is using the team as a safe place for neighborhood kids to come and study the bible as well as have fun. He is using Luc to reach men in the community, many of whom would not be the church-going type. He is using the team to develop relationships that might seem unlikely, in order to bring people closer to Himself. God is using the team to challenge many long-held cultural assumptions; a married couple that enjoys spending time together, a father who takes care of the kids and a wife who is not above doing gardening or fixing the car. Even having a white person living in the house, working as part of the team, is such a strong statement of reconciliation in the post-apartheid era in South Africa.

Next Steps

When the conversation came to “next steps” I wasn’t quite sure what to say. The team has graciously and generously offered an open door invitation for me to join them in life and work in Sosh. at the same time, they confirmed and agreed that they trust that God is in control and that He has a plan for me, so that even if I end up not moving to Sosh, they are excited to see where God is leading me.

I really enjoyed my time with the team. I did not see the clouds part and an angel descend telling me my next directives. But I know that I did not end up there randomly. Honestly, I really missed my friends and family and it really began to sink in just how FAR I was from everything that I know. I feel like I am still in a discernment period as to what God is leading me to. Really, I feel like I’m competing with my desires for personal comfort. Can I put them aside for the sake of pursuing God? Seems like such a crazy comparison when I put it on paper, but it’s a real strong pull. this visit also showed me my fondness for answers—having them, knowing them, understanding reasons behind everything. In this case though, I need to keep seeking God’s face and not just his answers. I have to trust that there may still remain some unanswered questions when I make a decision. I am generally commitment-avoidant, at least until the last minute of the deadline. I would prefer someone else making the decision for me. In this case, there are so many reasons to not move halfway across the world. At the same time, I cannot forget all that God has led me through up to this point. As a good friend reminded me, “Don’t doubt in the darkness what God gave you in the light.” Or as I read in The New Friars “The ups and downs of your emotions are no basis for determining God’s will in this matter.” I am so thankful for the time that I had with the team. I will be participating in the InnerChange Apprentice orientation beginning tomorrow afternoon, and I’m hoping that that will help clarify things for me too. Please join me in prayer for discernment and wisdom!

Thank you for all your encouragement and support on the journey so far!

T -13 days!

SO i'm leaving for south africa in 13 days!! i cannot believe how quickly the time has flown (didnt i say that in my last post?? you think i'd get used to that by now, huh?) i'm really excited for the trip, but i feel like there's still so much to do to prepare. i know i've gotten many questions about this upcoming endeavor, so i'll attempt to answer some here...

you're going to south africa?!?! why?
short answer: i feel like God is leading me to and through this opportunity and i'm excited to see what will happen!
longer answer: for as long as i can remember, i've had a love and passion for africa. i studied abroad in south africa and since then have always wanted to return to the continent. when my job with the church came to an end, i was given the opportunity to explore any and all possibilities. i came back to innerchange, a ministry that i had explored more than a year ago. they have a team in soshanguve, south africa and i'm excited for the opportunity to join with what God is already up to down there!

how long will you be there?
short answer: this trip is just a short, two-week visit. hopefully in the spring i'll be ready to move on down there for a more long-term commitment.
longer answer: this visit will be kind of an exploratory trip. i'll get to meet the team, get a taste of the community, and meet up with some ministry partners who have already been doing God's work in the township. also while visiting, i'm hoping to get a sense for how long my longer commitment will be. at this point, i think it will be at least a year, and it could be several years beyond that. we'll see!

but what will you actually be doing??
short answer: excellent question. as i like to say, sometimes there are more questions than there are answers =)
longer answer: i'm not quite sure of what my specific role will be. this time of visiting the team will give me a good chance to just be present and see where God is leading me to fit in with what is already going on. it is a challenge to my instinctive desire to always wanna do-do-do to have this time to just be and see how God may be leading me to fit in with the work He's already got going on. i'm also encouraged by the fact that the team leaders hvae read my application and we've had several conversations and given their knowledge of the community and its needs, they see a fit for me there. this adventure has been confirmed and affirmed from a lot of different directions, so I'm grateful for the faith-building exercise!

what next?
short answer: six weeks of travels and then back to new orleans.
longer answer: i'll be in south africa for approximately two weeks. then i head to california for innerchange trainings--first in the bay area, and then in so-cal. then i'll head to chicago at the end of january for my friend's wedding (!) and THEN back to new orleans just in time for mardi gras! at that point, i'll need to put my focus on raising support in order to join the team in soshanguve full-time. the cost is about $1200 per month, which covers the various living expenses, including health insurance and funds for continued training. once i have most of that raised or pledged i will make plans to return to south africa for the long haul!

like i said in a previous blog post, i really like details, and knowing what is gonna happen, step-by-step. well, this adventure is just not like that but i know that God is leading this adventure, so i don't have to worry.

what's next! part 1 (read this one fourth)

so, if you have been following along like some diligent readers that i know, ahem, then you are on the edge of your seat awaiting installment number four where i tell you all of my big life plans. well, i am not one for long-term or big life planning (which i learned from dave ramsey recently is a sign of immaturity. good to know.) but the time has come to take some steps forward.

the short story is: my plan is to move to south africa, to join the ministry of InnerChange in the Soshanguve township outside of Pretoria!!

the long story: if you know me, then you know that ever since i studied abroad in capetown, south africa, i have wanted to get back there. i have devoted time and energy to various social issues happening in africa and remain very passionate about the continent and its people. over the past 6 years, since i returned from study abroad, a few different opportunities have come up that could have brought me back. and each time, something didn't quite connect, and i was reminded that we have to submit even our most noble, service-minded desires to God's bigger plan (because He's always got something better in mind!)

then, when i got in the car accident that derailed the trip that i THOUGHT would open up doors of opportunity for me to get closer to going to africa, i really wondered what God was up to. would i ever get to africa, i wondered? if so, when?? that experience really taught me that instead of pursuing my own expectations and desires, the always more-satisfying route would be to trust the One who makes the plans for me.

as things at the church started to change, and i was charged not just looking for a job, but with really, actively pursuing God's call for me, i was reminded of InnerCHANGE. I first came into contact with InnerChange last summer, when i met lyndy. one of my mission year teammates was friends with lyndy in san francisco, and told me to meet up with her when she came to new orleans for the summer. one day, lyndy just happened to show up at st. roch and an instant friendship was formed! lyndy was down here with another guy to do some scouting work for innerchange, to explore the possibility of someday having a team in new orleans. we connected easily right away, especially over our common desire to see God's kingdom come among the poor. she kept telling me to check out the innerchange website and i kept avoiding it, mostly because i had a feeling that i would really like it--and i didn't know what i'd do with that knowledge!

well, i finally did and i was right (well, actually lyndy was right).... learning what innerchange was all about was like reading the secret desires of my heart, made public and carried out by other people around the world! i couldnt believe it! a christian order among the poor.....sharing the gospel in word and deed.....relationships are foundational....a joyful spirit at pursuing life among the poor....living in intentional community...commitments to humility, simplicity, purity, service, prayer... (sounds a lot like mission year, but with the intentionality of nurturing people to make a lifestyle of ministry among the poor, not just a year-long experience) i was immediately faced with the deep sense that, having read this and gained the knowledge that a ministry like this existed, my life would never be the same. i didn't know what that meant or when it would take effect, but i knew God was at work. at the same time, and for all my wondering about how i ended up in New Orleans, i had a feeling that God was not calling me to leave the city just yet.

a year later, and beginning to see how God was moving things around and creating new opportunities for me, i refreshed myself with InnerChange. at the time i had originally explored it, there was talk about the potential of bringing a team to new orleans, but that wouldn't happen for a while. this time i noticed there was a team in south africa. i contacted innerchange and began the process of exploring the possibility of my joining. whereas in so many other situations it seemed there were doors that continued to close, with innerchange it has really felt like i am being led through this process and that i am not just taking these steps on my own. Every step of the way has held encouragement and affirmation.

as for the actual team in south africa, it is led by a married couple named luc & petunia. i have had several conversations with luc and am very excited about getting to see what this team is up to. there is a great need for medical care in the township, as there are only 4 clinics to serve over 1 million people. petunia is a nurse, and this is her primary route of service. the team has other things going on and has partnered with other local churches and ministries, but one of the things that is exciting is being given the chance to "pioneer" something new. so many people want to know what i'm going to DO while i'm there. and that is a good question! i've been encouraged, though, to push back with the challenge of going there and allowing myself to see how God might use me to serve. I want to balance the desire to DO with the need to sometimes just BE amongst people and really spend time to discern the best fit between need and skills. i am confident that God is at work not only in me, but in the hearts of the team, confirming these steps and reaffirming this desire for me to move in this direction.

as for logistics, the plan is to visit the team in the next few months and then start with the InnerChange orientation in january. beyond that, i will be raising support and continuing to prepare for the move to south africa. i like details, but i can tell the Lord is at work, so i am not stressed or anxious!

I am so excited and thankful for this opportunity and look forward to sharing more with you as the adventure continues!