One of our recent “DO something” conversations included a shocking injustice in our world: human trafficking (selling people as sex/labor slaves). The information is staggering. Overwhelming. And seemingly disconnected from my world.
But, during that conversation, Brainteaser left a comment that shook me - a comment that you don’t wanna miss. She told the story of her own sister-in-law’s near-entrance into human trafficking, and how she prayed/worked/begged to stop her from entering slavery. I was stunned to read her words - right here on my.com. Right here in my little corner of the interweb.
Today, Brainteaser is writing about how she won’t stop dreaming. Despite hardship. Despite difficulties. Despite the odds. She won’t let life break her spirit - and I think we could learn a thing or two from her.
Go.
Read.
Dream.
8 responses so far ↓
Sharon // September 15, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Goodness…we really don’t have a clue how well we have it in the USA.
I am so glad that she was able to step in in wisdom and help her SIL and her neighbor. I pray that they are finally able to get to help the one that they have not heard from.
Dear God please make a way where there seems to be none.
Thank you for posting this……
@ngie // September 15, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Wow - amazing story.
There are commercials on t.v. as well as posters and billboards up all over the country here in Bolivia warning people against becoming a victim of people trafficking. The stats also say that there are more Bolivians living outside of the country than there are within it, a good many of those are probably from trafficking.
ramsey72 // September 15, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I was reminded of this just yesterday while listening to a song Natalie Grant wrote after watching a show on human trafficking. It’s called “What are you waiting for” I think it could be your theme song for this month. The chorus says,
“So you wanna change the world
What are you waiting for?
Say, you’re gonna start right now
What are you waiting for?
Now, it only takes one voice
So come on now and shout it out
Give a little more
What are you waiting for?
LSOF // September 15, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Wow. I could feel your heart in this! I think it is awesome that in the depths of heartache and pain that you see around you…
you can also see HOPE! I almost want to cry right now, I am floored!
Thank you for sharing your heart on this, you are right, if there were more people that set their heart in the direction yours is…
it would be a better place to live!
brainteaser // September 15, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Hello! Good morning, friends.
I have a very good news. Just last night, we heard from my neighbor’s sister after more than a week of waiting since my neighbor and I made that call to the local and international agencies concerned.
We are all relieved to know she’s fine. Extremely relieved. It’s been six months since she left, and since then, there was no communication from her. And since that time, many of our fellowmen working abroad had come home — in a box, their dreams of a better future gone, their families crying for justice, not believing that their loved ones committed ’suicide.’ So we were all relieved to finally contact her, indeed.
The process was tough and frustrating, though. Our government office wasn’t that helpful. When my neighbor went to our government office for help, he was given a phone number to contact after one week. A week passed, so he started contacting that office for help, but no one was picking the phone. It’s a typical thing here, to have government phones that will be answered only after at least three days of trying constantly (I’m not exaggerating), but you would think that the office addressing the concerns of the people who the government labels as THE MODERN HEROES would always be available, right? More so because of the precarious situation our countrymen face in other countries. And also because our government depends heavily on the remittances of these overseas workers for our economy not to go downhill. But well, in my previous comment, I have quoted staggering statistics of deaths, so perhaps it’s too much to expect from this government of ours. (Come to think of it, I don’t even believe we have a goverment. Hmmm…)
I made that call again last night, first to the local agency, then the UAE agency. And I realized you should not speak very nicely if you want to get results. I don’t know what to call the tactic I used, but I tried to sound firm. I got series of frustrating answers, until we stumbled upon a phone number from the agency. We were told it was the number of the employer, so when I contacted that number, and told there was no person by that name there, I was firm in saying it couldn’t be because they are listed as the employers of my neighbor’s sister. They said it was a company number, not a house number. I asked for the company name, and surprise, surprise, it was the international agency’s number. I said, “so ok you’re not the employer. But still, you oughtta help me because we have been looking for a person whose application you processed months ago.” No, there was no way I was getting the person on the other line off the hook. He asked for the name, and started looking through their files. Then he was able to find my neighbor’s folder, gave me numbers of the employers, and the employer’s name.
I was very pleased that finally, we were getting somewhere. I said, “Thank you very much. You’ve been most helpful.”
The other person made me repeat what I said, disbelief in his voice. I said again, “Thank you. You’ve been most helpful.” Then I added, “so far.”
My, his voice became very pleasant to the ears when he said “You’re welcome.” I wondered, did I say something right?
I called up the first number. It was just ringing. Tried the other number. It rang. One ring. Two rings. On the third ring, someone said, in a surprisingly pleasant voice, “Hello?”
I asked to speak with my neighbor’s sister. He said, can you call again after 10 minutes? I’m on the street right now.”
My heart skipped a beat. For the first time, I did not get the typical answer, “no _____ here.”
“But is _____ there, sir?”
“Yes, she is, but I am not yet at home. Call again in 10 minutes.”
After 10 minutes, I grabbed my phone. I was re-dialling the number when it rang. I picked up the call and an unfamiliar female voice was on the other line. When I asked who she was, she said, “its _____.”
I just said “oh,” and for several moments, I was speechless. It was after sometime before I remembered to give the phone to my neighbors.
brainteaser // September 15, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Thank you so much for your comments. I had considered writing about other things for Mandy’s DOing. But it was dreaming that kept coming back to me.
Because it’s also very close to my heart.
Not only because I see some people around me who have given up on dreaming, nor because I know that it is one of the main things that are sustaining us in this part of the world, but mainly because I know firsthand the power of a dream.
I was there, once. My family started well but a series of misfortunes sent us rock bottom. Until it seemed that we could never get out of it, especially when my dad was diagnosed of pneumonia. We thought he’d gonna die. But we were a solid family, who believed in God. We prayed. We dreamed big. We worked hard.
I remember two Christmases in my teens when my dad was crying, because he couldn’t buy us a gift. Because he was sick. Because he was, well, pitying himself. He cried when my youngest brother, then 8 years old, led our prayer of thanksgiving one Christmas eve.
But that has come to pass. Because we dreamed. And we believed.
Dreams sustain us, if we allow ourselves to focus on them.
tam // September 15, 2008 at 6:43 pm
bt- this is beyond words. i dont know what to say to stuff like this. wow. i forget, as im all ’safe’ in my corner of the world that things like this are taking place this second, real and happening. sigh.
mandythompson // September 15, 2008 at 7:17 pm
I am absolutely speechless. My mind can’t comprehend what I’m reading. This is so far from my reality that I don’t even know what to do with it…