Real Talk: June 2, 2021
Real talk:
The last several months have been really hard for me. The more I've learned about human trafficking (HT), the more I've felt 4 emotions: anger, sadness, thankfulness, and hope -- anger that so many don't even believe it's a real issue; sadness that so many are hurting; thankfulness that I met Mari so she had that support many don't; and hope because so much is changing and mountains are moving. It's a weird mix of emotions, but I can't describe it any other way.
A huge contributor to my knowledge has been the podcast "Consider Before Consuming" by @FightTheNewDrug. The guests they interview...I can't put in words how much their stories have opened my eyes, moved my heart, and given me hope that something can change. For the first time, I knew people were talking about it, people were acting on it, and people actually cared. With Mari, it was only the two of us, no one else seemed to see her, no one else cared about anything she was going through. The podcast and the testimonies give me hope that people like Mari are seen and there will be change.
Another blessing I've gotten from FTND's podcast has been connecting with some of their guests on social media and knowing them on a deeper level than can be discussed in an hour-long interview. Someone I specifically appreciate is Elizabeth Frazier (IG: @hero_bands). Her willingness to open up about her life -- the highs and the lows -- has really moved me in ways beyond words. Also, with my Hero Bands, I've been able to share my story, encourage others, and help many know that they aren't alone.
That isn't to say it's all been positive. Over the last few months, I've also met with more survivor-warriors (a term inspired by E, as she said she prefers the term "warrior" over "survivor" because it's a lifelong battle) and to be put frankly, it's been harrowing. Talking with Mari was my second encounter with HT and I didn't know much beyond that. After meeting more survivor-warriors, having more in my life, it's broken my heart even more to know the pain they live through day-in and day-out on a personal level. To know how lost and alone many of them feel.
But that's also what drives me. Something I tell people when I talk about HT is that it's actually my secondary goal to raise awareness about HT; my primary goal is to raise awareness about the *lack of aftercare,* the lack of support available to people once they have gotten out. The lack of support to help them not feel lost and alone. The need for more people to not just care about the headlines "## people rescued in Operation ____," but also what happens to the people after the headline. I'm aware many organizations do focus on that, and I'm thankful for them, but I've met too many people who never got that support to believe it's enough. Heck, my years with Mari, alone, show me that what's being done isn't enough.
I want to show you what the Hero Bands I've gotten say and how they give me encouragement:
• "God Only Knows" -- Referencing a song by for King & Country (IG: @forkingandcountry). It says that even if no one else understands how I'm feeling, what I've been through, what I'm going through, God knows and God can reach me where I'm at.
• "Fight For Mari" -- This may feel self-explanatory, but it's more than just the name of my blog and my social media. It's a reminder and a kind of push for myself for when I feel overwhelmed and feel like HT might be too big a war to win: keep fighting, if for no one else, Fight For Mari.
• "OUR" -- this is for Operation Underground Railroad.**
• "Fighter" -- In partnership with Fight The New Drug, this is for the fight against porn and the fight against human trafficking. This is close to my heart because like far too many, my life has personally been affected by porn and its harmful effects.
• "Be Brave" -- This was actually for a specific purpose. I'd been wanting to start the conversation about HT at my church ministry for several months, but I always found myself backing away from going through with actually getting people together and creating the discussion. I'd encountered struggles with creating conversation about it with my ministry on multiple occasions over the last year and I was hesitant to try again. But finally, I just looked at my band, told myself to Be Brave, reached out to a few people, got a group started, and got the ball rolling. It has and it's not slowing down!
If there are 3 words I could use to describe the period of life I'm in, it's the 3 words on the band not shown in the collective photo: "WE WILL RISE." It's the three words that had me sobbing uncontrollably when I heard the song "Together" (also by FK&C), it's on the band I shared in my first post on my Instagram page. "WE WILL RISE" says, "we're gonna go through some stuff. It's gonna be hard, it's gonna be painful, it's gonna be scary. But in the end, we will make it out. In the end, we will rise."
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