I came back so encouraged. Encouraged by the amazing friends that I met. Encouraged by the tragic turned beautiful stories I heard. Encouraged by the motivated individuals of Uganda who have given their every day life to make a difference in a torn place.
A torn place, just like here in the States. It may not look like the same kind of torn but, indeed, they are both torn and in need of passionate people to change the ugly reality of human trafficking.
Everywhere you go, human trafficking exists. Small villages, big cities, suburbs, and everywhere in between. From the most unlikely places, that look like perfection, to the ones where you can point and almost be for sure that it is happening there. I saw differences in how human trafficking is perceived and the ways of going about the effort to end it.
In my mind there are three stages of fighting human trafficking. Of course there are details in between, but this is how I simplify a complicated issue.
#1 Awareness- This comes in many forms. Media (posters, radio, tv, or billboards), word of mouth, story telling, being a real life example of change. The list goes on......
#2 Meeting someone where they are at- Stepping into the middle of the circumstances to be a friend and show love in the middle of whatever situation someone is in no matter what.
#3 Aftercare- Providing a physical, emotional and/or spiritual safe place for victims of human trafficking to go to tell their story and continue living as they have been created to live.
That being said, it will be easier to understand what I learned.
In Uganda awareness is lacking. There are so many dedicated people that want to spread the word of the desperate state that human trafficking has caused but to bring awareness to the people that can legally and physically help is the hard part. The need is to create awareness for police, politicians, NGO's, and other people in leadership so that the amazing law that Uganda does have on human trafficking can be used properly and effectively. In hopes that it will bring the people of Uganda to trust the protection that they are most deserving of and understand the difference of culture and human rights.
Uganda has many NGO's that are doing very good work for victims of child trafficking and child soldiers. I did see so many good programs for kids that were truly changing lives. I was blessed to see and be apart of it.
Now, to compare it to the States. Again, I want to emphasize that the issue is in both places. It is in both places in a very big way. It comes across very different because of culture. In Uganda, in some ways its a part of culture and something that has just been there for so long. In the states, its hidden and made to seem like we got rid of slavery years ago, when in all reality its bigger than its ever been....EVER!
You may have noticed how human trafficking has become something that is talked about a lot in the States, so awareness is becoming more prevalent. Although we are not filled with aftercare programs, I do believe more and more are opening up. The 2 step is what I think we lack in the U.S. Someone to meet them where they are at, no matter where it is. The streets, a brothel, a strip club, a bar, whatever it is, no matter who it is....all people need to feel loved. They need to feel loved no matter what part of life they are in. So I come back with an urgency to do exactly that.
In every day life my goal is to meet people where they are at, hear their stories and love them because of their stories. I want to find myself in a place I normally wouldnt find myself, so that I can find people I might not have normally met, and hear stories I might not normally hear and love people I might not normally find to love.
I come back not feeling like I want to save people but feeling like I want to love like I have never loved before. I want to hear stories of heart break, and redemption. Stories that will change the way I think and act, the way I love and dream.
More thoughts to come....
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