India 2013, and other travels
Thanks for seeking me out!
My name's Christine, if you don't already know me; and this is a space where I'm going to be pondering stuff as I head towards a fantastic trip in August 2013, called Women of Strength India, organised by Stop The Traffik. The trip will be my first real step into getting involved in the anti-trafficking movement, a cause that has claim on a big chunk of my heart. But as that develops, and around it, I'll probably be adding some other stuff. Some musings about how my self, my faith and the rest of this f*cked up world collide, trying to be honest and put stuff into words. There will probably also be coffee.
My name's Christine, if you don't already know me; and this is a space where I'm going to be pondering stuff as I head towards a fantastic trip in August 2013, called Women of Strength India, organised by Stop The Traffik. The trip will be my first real step into getting involved in the anti-trafficking movement, a cause that has claim on a big chunk of my heart. But as that develops, and around it, I'll probably be adding some other stuff. Some musings about how my self, my faith and the rest of this f*cked up world collide, trying to be honest and put stuff into words. There will probably also be coffee.
About my Women of Strength India trip
India 2013 is a small trip, organised by Stop the Traffik and Amor Ministries in California. Along with me, there will be 20 other women from all over the world travelling to India for two weeks in August, working with a bunch of anti-trafficking charities based in Mumbai, Bangelore and Kolkata.
What will we be doing? I can't tell you specifically, yet. But it will involve discovering the horrific poverty of India's slums and working amongst these gut-wrenching conditions to understand how the despair of poverty drives people into the arms of modern day slave traders. I'll meet rescued trafficking victims face-to-face and hear their stories. I'll help where I can, in rescue shelters, in education groups, in schools, to educate people and raise awareness about trafficking. I might be doing really physical things like building, repairing, renovating; I might be looking after kids whose mothers have died from HIV; I might be praying with people and asking God how He lets immense suffering like this happen, and asking for His healing. I hope that whatever we're doing it might be helpful; but I know that the person that will come away most changed by this trip will be me. I hope that this trip will tear at my heart and make me fight harder to wipe-out the fastest-growing industry in the world: the trade in human beings.
Read the full details of the trip...
What will we be doing? I can't tell you specifically, yet. But it will involve discovering the horrific poverty of India's slums and working amongst these gut-wrenching conditions to understand how the despair of poverty drives people into the arms of modern day slave traders. I'll meet rescued trafficking victims face-to-face and hear their stories. I'll help where I can, in rescue shelters, in education groups, in schools, to educate people and raise awareness about trafficking. I might be doing really physical things like building, repairing, renovating; I might be looking after kids whose mothers have died from HIV; I might be praying with people and asking God how He lets immense suffering like this happen, and asking for His healing. I hope that whatever we're doing it might be helpful; but I know that the person that will come away most changed by this trip will be me. I hope that this trip will tear at my heart and make me fight harder to wipe-out the fastest-growing industry in the world: the trade in human beings.
Read the full details of the trip...
Why am I going?
The thought of people around the world being sold into slavery, often by their family or people they know, trafficked across borders, working for no pay until they die, makes me sick. I've supported Stop The Traffik for a number of years now, read some books, listened to some seminars-- and everytime I come away knowing in my gut this is a cause I need to be more involved with, but always with the flaily-hands no-idea-where-to-start feeling. Hopefully, India 2013 will be a kick start.
I know it's not cancer, I know it's not something we deal with every day... But it makes my heart break. And call me naive but I believe if I want something in the world to change, it needs to start with me.
I know it's not cancer, I know it's not something we deal with every day... But it makes my heart break. And call me naive but I believe if I want something in the world to change, it needs to start with me.
Supporting me
The biggest thing I suppose is money. The cost of the trip is $1999, plus flights, spending money and possible extra excursion money. It's a lot. But, as said, I believe if God wants me in a place the money will show up-- it did in 2009, when I went to South Africa. That doesn't mean I should shouldn't ask for help, and save like crazy though.
If you want to support me financially, I have a GoFundMe page for the trip, where you can donate online. Or, if you want to hand me cash, thankyou! Or if you want to send a cheque, ping me an email and I'll give you some details.
This February, I did a sponsored Dryathlon-- giving up coffee and booze for the month, to help raise money for the trip. Maybe that doesn't sound too tough, but trust me, caffeine-free Christine is not a nice person. But it was all worth it, as I made £605-- double my original target! Thankyou so much for your generosity!
Prayer also means the world. I believe when we pray about something we can bring change-- I've certainly seen enough miraculous changes not to doubt it. So, if you're a Christian (or if you're not, whatever) and are happy to pray for me, and for my trip, that'd be amazing. I'll probably add specific prayer points into my blog as that gets going. Thankyou!
If you want to support me financially, I have a GoFundMe page for the trip, where you can donate online. Or, if you want to hand me cash, thankyou! Or if you want to send a cheque, ping me an email and I'll give you some details.
This February, I did a sponsored Dryathlon-- giving up coffee and booze for the month, to help raise money for the trip. Maybe that doesn't sound too tough, but trust me, caffeine-free Christine is not a nice person. But it was all worth it, as I made £605-- double my original target! Thankyou so much for your generosity!
Prayer also means the world. I believe when we pray about something we can bring change-- I've certainly seen enough miraculous changes not to doubt it. So, if you're a Christian (or if you're not, whatever) and are happy to pray for me, and for my trip, that'd be amazing. I'll probably add specific prayer points into my blog as that gets going. Thankyou!