September 1, 2015 Now that I've been here for a week, here's a little insight into what life is like here for me. Last week, we had orientation on culture and went to various important sites in the city with local Indian students our age, which was so fun. Over the weekend, we watched a Bollywood film together and hung out as a group.There are 17 students in my program, 7 girls and 10 guys. All of the girls as well as four of the guys go to school in DC, which is fun. I live with host parents who have two married daughters, both of whom live outside of India. Uncle runs a photo studio that's been in Pune for 100 years and in his family for four generations, and Auntie manages the home and helps maintain the studio. She's a very good cook and constantly offers us more food than we can handle- definitely learning to politely say no and above all, don't waste food. Auntie and Uncle call themselves “foodies” and enjoy all kinds of dishes. We live on a street corner on a busy intersection. Since honking is basically the rule of traffic law here, there is constant noise- all day and night, not more than ten seconds go by without hearing the clamor. They have a small shrine in their kitchen to Ganesh and a few other gods where Uncle prays in the mornings, burns incense, and leaves flowers every week. It’s weird switching from living alone (no roommate this summer) and independently in DC to having attentive parents waiting up for us on weekends and providing dinner every night again in college, especially since in collectivist India, the family is a unit. Uttaraa said in her whole life, she has never thought to ask for "alone time" when she's with their family, because that isn't an important or necessary thing for them. Coming for an individualist culture very aware of introverts and extroverts and different people's needs, it's a real adjustment. My classes are awesome, definitely my favorite thing here and the reason I came. I am taking Contemporary India, Public Health, Gender and Indian Media, and Social Justice. Contemporary India has been fascinating, learning about the political and social history of how India as we know it today was formed and studying issues in the current news. Public Health is a subject I've been interested in for the past few years but haven't gotten the chance to study, and my professor has a background in health in tribal communities as well as women's sexual health, so it's awesome to understand the state of those issues in India, as well as learning about traditional medicine (yoga, ayurveda, homeopathy). G&M so far has been a background on the state of affairs for women in India, so that's been awesome as well. And my social justice professor is amazing, we've had great discussions on the philosophy of equality and caste and religion and rule of law. They're really exciting. I have class every day from 8:30-1:30, and then I'm done. It's definitely strange being a junior in her first semester and not having many responsibilities. I get fed three times a day, I go to two classes every morning Monday-Friday, and other than that, there's not much required of me. I don't have many friends I can meet up and do things with other than my classmates like I do in DC, and I don't know this city well enough to just explore freely on my own. But with the help of offline map apps and local friends that I'm starting to make, hopefully that will change soon. Much love to all the pieces of my heart that are far away, I miss you lots.
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Tuesday, August 25
I've been in India almost two days now, and am re-adjusting to several things that are familiar from my time in Nepal, as well as adjusting to many things that are new to me. I arrived late Monday night into the hot but beautiful Mumbai airport. After getting in to the airport and collecting my bag, I sat with Abhishek, the assistant director of the program and chatted while waiting for some other students. While waiting, a herd of photographers started running to take pictures of someone leaving the airport. Abhishek let me know that he was a Bollywood star, just back from his honeymoon. We made it to our hotel and met Uttaraa, the Pune program director, and most of the other students. The group seems great and Uttaraa is one of the warmest and most dignified women I've ever met. From what I've heard and her first impression, I know she'll make me feel at home here. One of the reverse culture shock re-entry moments that hit me coming home from Nepal was in a grocery store with Avery. He asked me to pick out a juice for us and I freaked out, seeing a huge aisle of dozens of options. In Nepal, we had one option and drank one brand: Real™ Fruit Juice. There's Real™ Apple Juice, Real™ Mango Juice, pretty much any kind of fruit. This morning before leaving Mumbai, I had Real™ Orange Juice and it made me so happy. I've noticed so many similarities in the culture to Kathmandu/Nepal, but this is a very different city. I'm readjusting to seeing cows, goats, pigs, and dogs roam free on the streets everywhere, to swastikas being a normal building decoration all over the city, to Hindu practices being built into the cultural and political life of the nation. Nepal was easier in many ways; there was a smaller team with whom I had a lot in common so we got to know each other deeply very quickly, the area I was staying in was a very international area of a capital city, things were cheaper and closer together around town. This new city brings some familiarity; my senses recognize I am in South Asia. But it also brings a whole set of new challenges. Living with hosts instead of several fellow Americans in a tourist hotel with everything we needed at stores down the road is a huge learning opportunity. Uttaraa mentioned the other day that we cannot learn anything in our comfort zones, and each step brings me out and into new lessons. When I was in middle school, I read Mitali Perkins’ novel Monsoon Summer, about half-Indian American teen Jasmine who travels to India for the summer to volunteer at an orphanage and wears salwar kameezes, rides rickshaws, and learns to dance Kathak with girls her age. This semester, I’m living my middle school dreams (including the end of the book where she returns to her boy love in America) and experiencing what India is really like. This week, we have orientation to the culture and exploration of the city! Can't wait to see Pune with the group. I am headed to Pune, India for the fall semester in FIVE DAYS and it's getting real! Over the last several months, I've been getting asked the question "why India?" a fair amount and over the last week or so, really doing some thinking about why I am going. For those who know me in college or who have known me pretty well since high school, choosing India is no surprise. I say my love for South and Southeast Asia traces back the trips I was able to take through church groups to Cambodia and Nepal, 2011 and 2014 respectively. But I have had a love for all things Indian and dream of going or living there for a lot longer in my life. Honestly, this probably comes from scenes and description of India in the movie A Little Princess, various Bollywood films I've seen and obsessed over, and having several close Indian friends who hosted vibrant family parties. It grew from a simple admiration to a sense of missional calling to South Asia and a deep heart for the region's culture, history, and people following my two trips. Since junior year of high school I have thought that living in South Asia for 1-5 years in a nonprofit/missionary context would be a part of my future and hoped that studying there for a semester would help provide insight into what that would be like. Study abroad is pretty much a given for students at my university and especially in my major, in the school of international service. I definitely had to consider my reasons for going and ensure I wasn't just doing what I was "supposed to" do, or for a fear of missing out. For me, it was India or nothing- there was never another program I considered. After further research, I decided it was the perfect opportunity- I'll be in a program called Contemporary India taking classes on social justice, gender, Indian culture, and public health, as well as an internship with a local nonprofit and a visit to Nepal. I'm so excited for all the new insight and experiences this semester will bring- and let's be real, too stoked to finally own a sari. #Sarinotsorry #seeyousoonPune Being in Nepal taught me so many things, but one thing that I definitely was inspired by the staff to do was live simply. I was very intentional about it when I was there- I only brought one small suitcase with a few outfits, I didn't wear makeup the entire time I was there, I put away my phone at meals and in marginal times to engage with those around me. Coming home, being at AU, dating Avery, whatever the cause: I found myself making changes in my outlook on the world and behaviors.
About six months ago, I announced on Facebook a challenge I'm doing for myself (https://www.facebook.com/becca.lamb.7/posts/10204461085783870?ref=notif¬if_t=like) to not buy new clothes, shoes or accessories for a year. This means I can thrift and borrow, but no money spent on anything new. My goal in doing this was to unlearn consumerism (to an extent) and teach myself generosity and gratitude. I was examining the ways I spent money and realized that I continuously bought new things that really weren't worth much to me and I didn't need, but instead I could be spending the money on gifts for others, financial support to missions, or classes like yoga and dance for myself that would truly make me happier and better. It was a wonderful thing to announce and certainly felt good at first. I can't say that it hasn't been hard. Making this change right before "consumerism season" (black Friday sales and Christmas shopping) was certainly a great exercise in self-restraint. It helped me refocus my spending from myself to others, which was really rewarding. Soon thereafter, I read the Relevant article, The Socially Acceptable Sin." The author writes about gluttony, but I think a lot of the same messages can be applied to consumerism. He calls us out on our American addiction to excess. "If only we would feast on an infinite God who offers fullness of life, rather than these lesser tables with the far milder flavors of money, sex, food and power." I think "stuff" can very easily be added to that list. If I'm saying that I believe that God is enough, that I don't have to worry about material provision, if I trust him with my money... but my theology is not lived out in my finances and the things I value, what is it worth? Here I am in May, having not purchased any new clothes/shoes since October, and I'm loving it and have learned SO much! I've thought a lot about "fast fashion" and the ethics of clothing. I took a class on commodity chain analysis this past semester and definitely see sustainable and ethical supplying with much greater importance now. Rather than shopping for cheap, imported, ethically sketchy clothes like I used to- I want to only buy used or certified ethical, sustainable, slave-free. This has been a conviction of mine for a long time, but only recently have I lived it out in the way I shop. I've also given more money to others, spent more money on fun and recreation instead of cheap clothes, and not purchased things just because I was bored or wanted them. I really think about my purchases now, and the difference between "want" and "need". Also, not shopping for new things doesn't mean I haven't bought clothes. I've loved supporting thrift stores and finding things I like/fit is so much more exciting when it's one of a kind :) I've also found some awesome websites/apps for reused stuff! http://www.vinted.com/ - I heard about this a few weeks ago from a youtuber and I'm obsessed! I've gotten four things on here, all for less than $10 with super cheap/fast shipping and great quality. Just put in your sizes and search for what you want, rather than going to a new store! www.liketwice.com / https://poshmark.com/ and https://yerdle.com/ are also great re-sale websites! Yerdle sells anything from clothes to home goods and has the anti-waste and anti-consumerism, "more joy, less stuff" philosophy that I love and has challenged me to buy reused things for almost all purchases I make (other than food & essentials.) Whether I'll start buying clothes new again in October or not, I know my perspective on materialism and the necessity of things, especially new things, has changed forever. If you're thinking about taking up a similar challenge for yourself: 10/10, would recommend :) Luke 12:34 Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be. A year and a half ago, I was in a new long distance relationship, my first real serious dating relationship, and everything was peaches. People asked about how it was going and I was over the moon- he was perfect and everything was perfect! Long distance was the greatest thing invented and everyone should do it. Turns out, that fun time known as the honeymoon stage didn't last, and long distance isn't actually the best way for relationships to happen. Who knew 2,500 miles between you and the person you love isn't super fun, right? But I've also learned that it's not impossible. It takes more than aphorisms like "love knows no distance" to get you through, so here's some wisdom I've gained about how to fight for love and make it last. A little bit of my "credentials" for this post- I've only ever dated long distance (weird, I know) and while it hasn't always been great, I've been with my bae Avery for a year and a half. I'll also be sharing some advice from my friend Kelsey, who's been dating her man long distance for four years, California to Australia. Avery and I are very different people and have seen those differences expressed in fights, struggles, doubts, storms in our relationship over the past six months or so, and learned a lot about how to talk through them in healthy ways. To forgive is divine If you're relationship is going to make it in the long haul, you're going to forgive each other of a LOT of faults. It's always good to express frustrations and feelings where you have them, so you can talk through problems and not leave them buried. But forgiveness is an absolutely vital discipline to learn to have a functioning and long-lasting relationship. Everyone comes from somewhere. Learning about someone in a dating relationship, I've learned, is more than just learning about their personality traits and beliefs and values but learning why they are that way. Rather than holding differences between the two of you against him/her, try to understand why they feel that way and the things that have shaped their beliefs. A favorite pastor of mine talks about the relational value of mystery in the other person- they are a complex and unique individual who you can spend a life time learning to understand. Pursue them as such. Forget the formulas. As ironic as it is to say this in a blog giving relationship advice, you've kinda gotta forget others' formulas for success and figure it out as a couple on your own. For a while I'd see friends and say, wow, they've been doing this for this long and they never fight? or they're still in their honeymoon phase and never get tired of each other? or they're this far along and I'm behind... I must be doing something wrong. But the wisdom is tried and true, comparison is the thief of joy. There is no right or wrong way to date or timeline/formula to follow. Just because you're not exactly like that one "perfect" couple you know, doesn't mean you're doomed to fail. For long distance relationships specifically, whether new or old or just for a season, here are some important tips I've found to be helpful in "normalizing" the distance. Keep a date night, like you would if you were together. Skype sessions are often squeezed in between classes and meetings and sleep, and we can only talk for so long before one of us has to go. So to have normal, relational time, we try to have a least one night a month where we have "date night"- no other plans, no interruptions, just time for the two of you to talk and enjoy each other. Make it fun: dress up, "share" a meal, prioritize loving and quality conversation. I haven't always had this perspective, but lately it's been very helpful to think about how if I was physically with Avery, I wouldn't let people interrupt our dates and I would make them a priority and make myself look good for them. I've gotten used to saying to friends that I can't do x or y because I'm skyping Avery, and planning for it. It feels weird at first but it's the kind of commitment I would have to him if he were here, and he's no less important, so it actually helps things feel normal. I respect our relationship's importance and want to protect our time together. Do things together. Read, watch movies/podcasts, play games. Your shared experiences while apart are very limited. I get tired of just telling Avery about what I'm up to and hearing about his life instead of actually sharing memories we both have. Doing things like reading through and discussing a book together, watching sermons from each other's churches, praying together, or watching the same movies really helps bring us together around something in common during our time apart. Here's the most recent book we read together, Loveology by John Mark Comer. Find ways to be spontaneous. Do things unplanned sometimes! Kelsey shared with me, "it's always going to lack in a long distance relationship because we can't just pick up the phone and head out on an adventure whenever we feel like it." But with enough creativity, we can work surprises and fun spice into our relationships. A friend of mine had a pizza with a note delivered to her boy on the other coast. Flowers or gifts are great. Send things to each other- handwritten letters, printed photos- my favorite is Avery's shirt he sent me recently, the one he wore on our first date. Get creative! Always have a plan for your next time seeing each other. Countdowns are great, aren't they? Whether it's two weeks or six months or a year, put flights and visits on the calendar so you have a sense of where you're going and how long you have to make it without them. Seeing a countdown wind down to zero builds anticipation and makes waiting worth it. And on that note, have an end in sight. Long distance can't last forever. As Kelsey says, "Talk about the future. It's going to come up eventually in the relationship so it's good to decide if you're both on the same page, both want the same things, etc. and compromise. It's hard to say that, "you have to come here" or "I have to go there" but discuss what would happen if that time were to come up and a decision needed to be made?" Commitment can be scary and long distance requires a lot of trust to promise you want someone in your future enough to keep them in your life with miles between. But it brings closeness and security in a special way. As my friend Sarah said on her instagram the other day, "long distance romance is comprised of the daily and deliberate decision to love each other despite the difficulties of being apart." LDRs are hard. They're messy and painful and it's okay to miss your SO (and good to tell them you do). But love is always a decision, and this is another reflection of that powerful promise. And so does Elsa of Arendell. I don't know what this whole summer time sadness thing is about- summer is sunshine and less work and lots of good things- but winter definitely makes happiness harder. Cold definitely bothers me. Some say 1 in 20, some say 1 in 7, but a good number of Americans deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal depression for me often comes around with daylight savings time: darker colder nights earlier, shorter days and cold mornings make motivation scarce. Knowing that winter's going to be around till who knows, April, doesn't help. And given the amount of long distance close relationships in my life at the moment (parents in the Middle East, boyfriend in LA, brother in London, best friend in Arizona, big in Kenya), loneliness just feels harder when it's cold. I don't have people to cuddle with or my dad around to make me a fire and smother me in blankets. College is hard. In so many ways. Right now, I'm academically pressed in all my classes, from learning advanced grammar in a foreign language to literally crying over my gender and racism readings because of the amount of suck in the world to pushing my research skills in my research methods class and at my internship. It's hard being alone. Emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, it's just a hard stage of life. I mean, I guess most of life is pretty hard, but it's such a transitional time. You're away from everyone who's known you your entire life and are learning how to be independent. It can be hard financially, as time and resources are limited and deciding whether to buy all your books or warm enough clothes or good food is sometimes a real thing. I have come to understand the importance of taking breaks from diving into the suffering of others- not going to every documentary screening or following all the terrible news stories around the world is not ignorant or apathetic, it's sometimes healthy and necessary. This is hard when you're studying human rights and women's studies, or in other words, getting a degree in suffering and worldsuck. My class readings have been particularly demanding and depressing, compounded with SAD and the weather. Practicing self care is helpful. Getting a good meal, doing yoga, using a happy lamp, limiting social media time, cleaning your living space, working out- all things I know I need to do to feel better. There's plenty of things to be sad about, but the world is still beautiful. There's great things like tea and yoga and Enya and books and fire to help us get through winter. Mainly tea. This is so important. In the wake of Jennifer Lawrence's stolen photos, I was very proud to see the internet community calling the leak what it is, a sex crime, and not placing blame on her for her autonomous decision to take these pictures for herself and those she chose to share them with. However, I was so disappointed and sad when reading her response. A lot of it was good, she said she didn't have to apologize and she absolutely doesn't. However, she stated that she was in a "loving, healthy great" long distance relationship and "either your boyfriend is going to look at porn or he's going to look at you".
Reading this, my heart sunk. The message that sends to me is that I have to send my romantic partner naked pictures of me if I want him to stay happy with me. The message this sends to my boyfriend it's okay, normal, and necessary for him to look at pornography if I don't send him naked pictures. The message this sends to all the young women and men who look up to Jennifer Lawrence is so far from true and so detrimental. I'm in a loving, healthy, great relationship, and it's long distance. I choose not to make naked pictures part of our relationship. And that's normal, that's okay, that's good. Porn kills love. I found this campaign (fight the new drug) after a friend of mine posted about it, combatting the normalization of pornography. http://blog.fightthenewdrug.org/post/86544381321/porn-hub-vs-pornkillslove-a-leading-hardcore This is not the first study I've seen on the harmful detriments of porn, but it was a powerful reminder. Porn rewires our brains to prefer things we see online and decrease our interest in physical intimacy. Looking at porn causes one's partner to feel like they're not enough, and causes the user to lose interest in what's real. It leads to infidelity, dissatisfaction, divorce. Not only that, but it damages satisfaction in sex and can lead to sexual dysfunction. It's incredibly addictive and makes us want more, new, wilder fantasies. It destroys marriages, sex lives, spiritual health. Not only is it harmful to users, but it is heavily linked to trafficking. It's often the first step towards men normalizing sexual violence against women and a huge cause of demand for prostitution. And the porn industry is filled with abuses of drugs and violence to coerce actors into performing well. So many are coerced or participate in pornography against their will, which is something we should be as angry about as we are about Jennifer Lawrence's high-profile photo leak. Viewing or struggling with pornography is not something I am unfamiliar with. I know how many people are affected by this- it's not something to be taken lightly and is a huge issue to overcome. At retreat last weekend, Lennon Nolan said that sin will always take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you're prepared to pay. This is something I care deeply about as a feminist, as a human rights defender, as a Christian. Sin isn't something God keeps us from because he wants us not to have fun (he actually wants us to have a lot more fun...) but something that actually does hurt us. We lose out in so many ways by looking at porn and especially in our online world where porn is easier to access than ever before, we need to take a stand against it for our friends and the ones we love. I love living here. I love that I can get an email invitation on Wednesday afternoon to come to a congressional meeting on Thursday morning, and be able to say yes. It is a special and wonderful thing to see democracy work.
I almost had to think about whether I would go. Waking up early on my day off, short notice, metro at rush hour... I spent about two minutes in consideration before saying to myself: This is why I came to Washington. This is why I'm here- to seek out and seize opportunities like this. To see the law being made. To be where the action is. This morning I got a glimpse of what is probably nothing new to most of my classmates: Weekday AU before 8am. The intern life. A few dozen of my peers and I, dressed in our business best, riding the shuttle to the metro with coffee (or tea) in hand. Packing out the red line to Glenmont along with many other young professionals, reading the news. As I walked to the Rayburn House building with Cindy (from DC Stop Modern Slavery, who I'm volunteering with here), she told me about how God has called her here to Washington, and called her to pray for congress. I was inspired, encouraged, and excited as we walked into the hearing. Other staff and interns were there from Polaris, Shared Hope International, and other groups. The bill under consideration is HR 5411, which can be read about here: http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF14/20140911/102647/HHRG-113-IF14-20140911-SD001.pdf It calls for survivor led, trauma-informed best practices to be developed for healthcare providers to identify and assist trafficking victims, as those in healthcare clinics and emergency rooms are often the first responders for victims but currently aren't trained to help. We sat for two hours while experts shared and answered questions, the panel including a survivor and founder of Breaking Free, women from Health and Human Services, the Indiana Wesleyan center for the Study of Human Trafficking, and two medical professionals. The testimonies, facts, and stories they shared were heartbreaking. They went over the myriad of trauma that victims go through, from physical ills to psychological and emotional distress. Forced abortions. Anxiety. Infections. Panic attacks, suicide attempts, dependence on drugs, and it goes on. But it was also incredibly encouraging, because it was happening. Because my congress, my representatives care and are taking action on something so urgent and the steps they take can really change things. And the fact that I was able to sit in the room and watch it happen just made me think: this is democracy, working. It makes me so excited. So many moments throughout my morning when I thought, this is why I came to Washington. This is why I'm here. When I first came, I was an overly politically excited young activist, and since coming to AU I have stepped away from the "politics" of Washington to an extent-it's messy, driven by money and partisanship, and I'd rather just live in my SIS world and work for a faith-based NGO, right? I've been politically disillusioned, despite my hopeful idealism when it comes to international human rights. But today a bit of faith was restored again. I've been reminded that there is work I can do here on issues that matter to me through the democratic political process. So thank you, Cindy, and Rep. Renee Ellmers, for a beautiful day on Capitol Hill. Today’s officially the one week mark from leaving Kathmandu. Next Monday, we’ll be flying through Istanbul and on to Chicago, then home on Wednesday. It feels strange to be leaving so soon after I feel like I’ve got this city down- I know, I’ve only been here over a month and I’m far from independent here. But I know my way around. In this city with no street names, I recognize landmarks everywhere I go and can get from place to place on my own. I’ve got my hangout spots and favorite coffee shop where the staff knows me by my order and can speak to the locals with broken Nepali.
One small victory that I celebrated today- going the right way around a stranger! Let me explain. When you’re about to run into someone in the street, you go one way if they go the other way, you avoid them. And since the walking streets of Kathmandu are so busy, this happens quite often. I don’t know if it’s a which-side-of-the-road-you-drive-on thing, but my default is to go right to avoid someone, while I have noticed that the Nepalis’ default is to go left. This normally equates to collision. But this morning, upon almost walking into a stranger, I moved to the left (as did they) and I kept walking, happy that I had finally figured it out. So many small cultural things like were confusing at first, but I love learning to understand, follow, and blend in. Instead of a nod, they bob their heads side to side to show agreement. I find my head bobbing in conversation with kids now. There’s things you can learn in Lonely Planet about how to fit in and avoid major faux pas, but some things just come with time. For the first time, I really feel blended in to another culture and like I can make a home on this side of the world. I am aware every day of the limited time. I want to spend the next week invested in the people here, the natural beauty of this place, in my team and leaders. But I also know the deep longing in my heart to continue to wander and to someday establish roots here. I have loved the chance to get settled in to the life here of Sunday night rooftop worship, team movie nights and laser tag, Saturday children's home talent shows, lentils and rice, hills and valleys, mud and monsoons. Thanks for following me on this journey, and thanks to all those who've given me the opportunity to be here. Jaimasihi, Becca This week, we have spent time as a team back in Kathmandu visiting and volunteering with different ministries in the city to learn about their work and support them, The abuse and sale of human beings is a complex problem. And for as deep and multi-faceted as the problem is, the solutions are just as complex. Wherever in the world you see people working to fight trafficking, you'll see people working in prevention. Intervention. Protection. Rehabilitation. Legal, financial and psychological help. Governmental advocacy. Fulfilling physical and spiritual needs. Business and employable skills training. And no one organization can do it all, so it's so important to have different groups with the same goal working together to fill different necessary roles in the process of restoration. We have visited and learned about many inspiring organizations and ministries dedicated to many aspects of the solution. We spoke to the founder of Women LEAD, a leadership training and empowerment organization that helps young girls question the patriarchal cultural traditions they grew up with and gives the necessary skills to become leaders in government and business. We visited Beauty for Ashes, a beautiful business that employs survivors of sexual exploitation and teaches them sewing and jewelry skills and builds community. We have worked with Iris, a homeless ministry and Agape, an outreach to girls working in the sex industry here in Kathmandu. We visited Mercy Works today, a wonderful organization that takes in orphans, abandoned or abused children, and gives them homes and family. They have a preschool-8th grade school for all their students. Mercy Works also helps widows and their children by giving them fair trade work and a community. They have sustainable business ventures, a woodshop, a vegetable garden, a covered sports court... it was so so cool walking around the grounds and seeing all the wonderful things that have been set up for these precious people who would otherwise be rejected from society. As the girls on the team and I spent time with the girls at Mercy Works, jumping rope and singing songs from Frozen, I noticed all their radiant smiles and thought of the joyful future they have now, thanks to this redeeming opportunity. Each child that finds a home here is a break in the cycle. Each abandoned, abused or exploited girl that comes to Mercy Works and is educated and given trade skills and the joy of Christ is one more victory for freedom in our world. The team will decide on our individual projects soon (one or more ministries or areas of THI's work that we will hands on work with for the remainder of the trip) and start those in a few days. I am so excited about so many things that are happening here and can't wait to step in to be at least a small part of the beautiful picture.
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Becca LambChristian, feminist, idealist, wife, poet, abolitionist, dreamer, adventurer. Archives
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