Fight for Freedom

Hello Everyone!

Ok, I said I would share some information on sex trafficking in the US, so I am here to share what I have learned with you today.  I have gathered my information from various sources and will mention them as I go.  The one thing I can tell you at my first glance of these statistics and information I have in front of me is that it is a quickly growing crime here in the US as it is globally.  We are a country about FREEDOM which means there is no room for slavery here.  Let's stop it.

The NHTRC (National Human Trafficking Resource Center) has a HOTLINE (1-888-373-7888). The calls are typically CRISIS CALLS or TIPS. They are able to form some statistics from the information gathered at the HOTLINE.  The number of calls jumped from 7,637 in 2009 to 11,874 in 2010.  I have not found any #'s estimating this year's totals yet, but I will share them with you when I find out.

If you are like me, you are thinking 3 things about this happening here:

1.  Where could this be happening?

2.  What is the difference between trafficking and prostitution?

3. How can we stop it?

• One of the big answers to the "WHERE" question is TRUCK STOPS!  

The Polaris Project reports that the trafficking happens in 2 forms at truck stops across the US:

                 1. Many massage parlors in or near the truck stops are basically brothels.  This is where victims are forced to have sex 6 to 10 times per day.

                 2. Pimps moving the victims from city to city (stop to stop) is the other form.  These girls are sent to knock on truck doors.  The pimps get requests for business from the truckers by special light flashes from trucks, CB signals, and stickers on their trucks indicating they are interested in a girl.

I appreciate this quote:
"If you see a young person at a truck stop, think twice.  Children generally don't go to truck stops, if it seems wrong, it probably is.  Don't be afraid to speak up about what you see." ~ Krista Hoffman, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape

• To answer question #2..................It is trafficking and not prostitution when the victim is a minor, or when a controller uses force, fraud, and/or coercion to maintain control over the victim as it relates to commercial sex.  The controllers use things like debts owed, substance abuse, threats against family members, and many other forms of mental and physical abuse.  

• Let's stop it.  

          I think that awareness is the first step in stopping this from happening to these vulnerable women and children.  If you are reading this, you are beginning the process of stopping things. When we understand the problem, we watch for suspicious activity, educate others, and become a voice for the victims and those vulnerable and could become victims.

         

          Another key thing is to build a strong family yourself and be an advocate for the benefits of a God abiding family unit.  Creating strong, confident, educated, God-seeking children will help limit the number of victims these criminals can pull from, but it will also create fewer criminals (both pimps and johns).  With divorce and nontraditional lifestyles becoming so prevalent in our world and country, it is so easy for people to say, "whatever you want to do with your life and your children is OK as long as it makes you happy".  But the truth is, the way we live our lives has immediate and eternal ramifications!!!  Let's take raising our kids and creating our families seriously.    

        With all of that being said, the biggest way to stop trafficking is to stop the demand!!!  According to the ADVOCATE for HUMAN RIGHTS, "Demand fuels the purchase of human beings for sex. Demand is comprised of a culture that tolerates or promotes sexual exploitation; men who buy commercial sex; exploiters who make up the sex industry; and states that are complicit in providing safe haven for pimps and traffickers either as source or destination countries."

         I would just like to close this post by saying that I still view the United States as a country that values HUMAN LIFE. Our lives have value.  The biggest shock to me about Cambodia, after visiting there, is that there is little to no value for their own people ESPECIALLY children.  The first born daughter is expected to provide for her family.  Children are sold every day there.  We were even asked to buy children while there!  When a baby dies, he/she has no burial and is often thrown into the river.  As times get tougher here in America, we must hang onto what we should value most!  OUR GOD and OUR PEOPLE!

Here are some sites I used for sources:

www.polarisproject.org

www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org

There is also a great website to check out called:

www.truckersagainsttrafficking.com

Homesick for Cambodia

Hi everyone.  I am so sorry it has taken me so long to post something new.  I guess I am out of my post-trip fog and have found my way back to wife and mommy life again.  I will never quite see things the same after meeting the RAPHA HOUSE girls and staff, but I can incorporate my experiences and changed heart into my daily life by being sensitive and in-tune with what is really happening in the world around us.

My heart literally ACHES when I think about Cambodia and the people I met there.  I do feel homesick for them which is something I never would have predicted.  I very much thought I would feel a sense of, "check, been there - done that, now what?".  That just hasn't been the case at all.  Cambodia has a lasting grip.
 
Chad and I really do hope to go back together within the coming years.  He needs to relate to this "grip" and see what it really has to do with us. When you visit such a dark place, you notice God's light even more.  It made me want to shine my light there.  It is distinct, effective, and noticeable there.  I haven't been able to figure out how to work that out here yet.  We will wait for God to guide us in the way we should go.

The truth is, the darkness is world wide.

I thought I would share some shocking facts about the modern day form of slavery called HUMAN TRAFFICKING:

1. Trafficking is the world's 3rd largest business.  It comes after DRUGS and GUNS.  It is currently a $7 BILLION dollar business.

2. The UN estimates that 700,000 to 4 million women and children are trafficked around the world for purposes of forced prostitution and labor.

3. Victims of trafficking are subject to gross human rights violations such as torture, rape, forced abortions, starvation, diseases, threat of murder and torture to their family members.


4. Currently Cambodia's illegal sex trade is a $500 million a year business.


5 There are statistics for the USA alone that are mind blowing.  I will save those for next time.


For more facts:
www.raphahouse.org

Reflections: Part 2

Hi Everyone,

I am sorry that I am just now getting another post out.  It has been a bumpy landing back into my life as a mother, wife, daughter, and children's director.  However, I THINK I am back now.  God didn't just teach me a quick lesson in trusting, faith, and obedience then leave me to go handle someone else.  These lessons continue, and I am thankful since I am a very slow learner in these areas!

 I have been asked so many questions since I have returned, so I thought I would make this entry a little Q&A!  Feel free to comment with questions I didn't hit on too.

Q:  How has it been coming back here after seeing what you saw there?

A:  That is DEFINITELY part of the "bumpy landing" I mentioned.  Before I went, I knew coming back to my gluttonous world would be a challenge, and it is.  I keep comparing it to the death of my brother.  (I lost my brother, who was just 21 months younger than me, in a car accident 10 years ago.)  After he died, I was mystified and angry that the world seemed to be going on as usual.  I was mortified at how so many people seemed to act crazy about such small & unimportant issues.  I do feel a little frustrated at seeing people sweat the small stuff, but overall, it is different.  The fact is,  I couldn't do anything about his death.  He was gone, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.  In contrast, coming back from a culture that puts little value in human life and believes in a ridiculous religion has me frustrated, focused, and motivated.  I CAN do something about this.  My GOD is real, and I see how HE is the salt and the light in such a real way.  I want to be His salt and light, hands and feet, and love wherever I can.  These are my thoughts now that I am back.  While flying out of Cambodia, I watched in tears while half of my busted open heart stayed there.

Q: How do the girls end up in the SEX TRADE there?

A:  Desperate people do desperate things, and it is a HUGE problem in this region.  The girls are beautiful, and more than that, their families are living in poverty.  In their culture, the oldest daughter provides for the family.  NO PRESSURE.  So, the selling of a daughter with a promise of some of her wages, is very prevalent.  In some cases daughters choose to go willingly being promised a job description completely different. Selling children to child labor rings is prevalent in general.  See what I mean about the loss of value on human life?? When this trade first started booming it was mostly brothel situations; according to Stephanie Freed (US RAPHA DIRECTOR), it has all become more underground now which makes it harder to rescue the girls and prosecute the perpetrators.

Q: How do the girls get to RAPHA HOUSE?

A:  The government and organized freedom fighters have connections to RAPHA HOUSE and use them as one of their placements options.  They call and bring them girls as they are rescued.

Q: What do the girls do while at RAPHA HOUSE?

A:  At the safe houses the focus is on the girls healing.  Each individual girl requires different things, but they all receive counseling, schooling, and medical attention.  They also have justice fought for them if their case has those options.  After they get settled into their healing process, they begin to learn skills that can one day help them maintain their freedom and provide them an income.  They learn things like sewing, cosmetology, silk weaving, and jewelry making.  Once they are ready and old enough, they move to the Freedom Center where they hone in on these types of skills they need for their independent reintegrated futures.

I have to go now as it is time for me to pick up my kids, make dinner, and come back here to church to lead Wednesday night programming for the children.

I want you all to know that RAPHA HOUSE also works hard on the prevention side of this horrible issue as well!  I hope to share more about that soon.

Please pray for the girls and the STAFF.  The staff in Cambodia are Christians living in a 95% Buddhist country.  Meeting these heroes of my faith has definitely changed my life!!

LOVE TO YOU ALL!!!

   

Reflections ~ Part 1

Hi Everyone! We made it back to this amazing country where we have so much to be thankful for late Saturday night. Most of us cried our eyes out as we left Cambodia. As much as we were anxious to see our loved ones back home, leaving a place in such need AND the amazing friends we made, like Theara Sath, was like tearing our heart out!

I was super intentional on making notes of culutral differences in Cambodia with the plan to share with you all. I love learning about other cultures and maybe some of you do too:

1) In the rainy season, it pretty much rains every evening. It rained every evening while we were there. There was one night that it didn't rain until after we were in bed.

2)Very warm and very humid every day. The girls at the FREEDOM CENTER (Halfway House) did an Asian straighening thing on my hair, but it only lasted an hour in this humid climate! BUMMER!

3) It is beautiful. There were banana trees, coconut trees, palm trees, rice fields, and exotic fruits and flowers everwhere. The people live in such sad conditions that there is such irony in what we saw with extreme natural beauty and extreme poverty and filth.

4) Their potties are typically "squatties" with no toliet paper, trash cans, soap, or towels. To flush, you simply scoop up some water and pour into the toilet bowl that is inset into the ground. Voila! Needless to say, we used LOTS of germX. We were fortunate enough to have western toilets most places we visited. We only met a few squatties.

5) Their "napkins" for eating were basically sectioned toilet paper squares and I am not talking Charmin either.

6) There is very little sanitation in this country. There was trash on the ground everywhere. Trash cans were very difficult to find anywhere with the exception of the hotel rooms and airport.

7) They fish by getting into the water with nets. We saw lots of people up to their necks in flood water fishing away.

8) Most Cambodians seem to make their livings by selling something either from their shanties or in a market. Children are expected to work and sell things as well. The first born daughter is supposed to support her family.

9) The roads: There is no order to their driving. Most folks drive MOTOS which are a cross between a motorcycle and a moped. I think I saw ONE stop sign the entire trip. If you want to turn, you just honk and go for it. I am pretty sure that my attemp at driving in Cambodia should be considered a suicide attempt.

10) The food was ok. They eat a lot of rice, fish, and chicken. Pineapples, mangos, dragon fruit, fruits that I don't know the name of that we called eyeballs and hairballs, papaya, passionfruit, etc. My favorite things I ate that was Khmer was banana chips, passionfriut juice, and a very crisp pancake.

11) The coffee was not good. It tasted instant almost everywhere. I had a lot of hot tea! I also loved lime juice drinks. Fruit smoothies are everywhere and many team members loved them!

12) The electricity was pretty sketchy. It was not uncommon for the power to go off and on at any given time.

13) The government owns most of the land in the country. To own property, you have to be wealthy. Most families squat somewhere.

14) The water has a very different smell to it. After we got our clothing washed there, our clothes smelled just like their water. I don't even know how to describe it. It wasn't overtly offensive, but it was very strange. The smell of their cooking had a very unique smell as well. I am not sure if was the cooking oil or the gas they used to heat with that created the smell, but it take a lot of getting used to.

15) The inside of any building (business or otherwise) was very bare basic. The people really seem to appreciate very intricate and fancy details when it comes to furniture and sculptures, but that is it with decor. Walls in the evenings were usually decorated with live GEKOS! Gekos are everywhere there!

16) The country is 95% Buddhist. No matter the sad state of their homes, they all had these large decorative structures called SPIRIT HOUSES sitting out front. They would put food, flowers, incense and other offerings on these. Inside many business, they had a fancy set-up with a Budda on the floor where the same type of offerings are given.

17) In the towns, there was constant chanting and dingly music.

18) Throughout the country there was all poverty with a big fancy PAGODA (Buddhist Chapel) every so many miles.

17) There didn't seem to be any health codes when it came to restaurant cooking. We saw pots being washed with hoses in the back allies and thousands of things that would be instant violations here in the states. Because of God's grace, we only had a few instances of tummy problems.

18) Clothing for children is optional. We saw lots of naked babies and children. It's not like they need it to stay warm.

19) It is their custom to remove your shoes before entering any structure.

20) When you greet a Khmer, you put your hands together and bow your head.

21) The people loved having their pictures taken.

22) When you shop, bartering is customary.

23) The cows and chickens are a sign that your family is making it ok. They are the skinniest chickens and cows I have ever seen.

24) A fun thing for kids seemed to be riding water buffaloes which are everywhere!

25) They siesta in the afternoons. Most of them had a hammock for that.

26) Cobras are revered in the country. Almost every town has a huge cobra structure with either 5, 7, or 9 heads.

27) Many girls were wearing long sleeves, sweat suites or even turtle necks! I think this was all in the name of fashion. Girls will be girls everywhere. The children loved to wear pajama sets as daily outfits. They think they are quite cute and fashionable!

28) After struggles with my feet not fitting on the stairs many places, bonking my head mulitple times multiple places, and being rejected at a shoe market, I realized Cambodia is not designed for tall people!

29) You can get an amazing massage for $5!! I ended 3 days of ministry with one. I will have massage withdraws! The Thai massage was the best.

30) HUMAN LABOR and SEX TRAFFICKING is everywhere, on every corner, affecting nearly every family. It is rampant and a problem we should all be aware of as it is happening here in the USA more and more everyday. Men from all over the world fly into Cambodia just to have sex with young girls. Children as young as 3 are selling wears everywhere in Cambodia. These children are obviously slaves working for some labor-lord. Several of us were asked to purchase children by mothers! Things are desperate in Cambodia which causes the slave laborers to be continually successful.

Before I wrap up, I want to say personal thank yous to:
Chad Burghart (you are the husband God designed for me. Thank you so much for your support and being the best daddy ever.),

My mom and dad (Thanks for spoiling the family while I was gone and for not laying down in front of the airplane during take-off. I know you worried, but it was a trip meant to be.)

My in-laws (thanks for all the support and all the help while I was away. I am sorry I missed the birthday celebration.),

Susan Roberts (I know you serve the kids because you love them and it is one of your talents and gifts, but I whole-heartedly say prayers of thanks for you daily.)

Joshua Foster and Tyler Copp (You are very good boys. You make every Sunday bright and your willingness to teach these kids about Jesus is beyond impressive. I love you both!)

Jennifer Siebert and anyone else who likely stepped in and covered gapping holes I likely left behind! LOVE YOU!