Ending Slavery, Empowering Women and Girls

I am one of those people that feels I need to read, watch and learn about every injustice out there.  Even if I am weeping uncontrollably and can't bear the thought....I still make myself learn about it all.  Masochist?  Maybe.  It's really more about feeling a fraction of the pain that some of these others have. 
A few years ago, I felt compelled to learn about the sex trade in Cambodia.  I read a lot of different articles and then found Somaly Mam's book, The Road of Lost Innocence, where she describes her life as a former sex slave and her now amazing role as rescuer to girls that are in the same situation.  I was shaken to the core by her story and by the untold story of thousands of girls that are enduring that life of torture everyday.  As a mom with a daughter I can't help but put my daughter's face on these girls when I read about them and imagine how hard I would fight for her.  Reading about the sex trade in Cambodia was not something I saw connecting me with others.  Yet it did.  One of my great friends, Jennifer, is in Cambodia right now along with her family and the rest of the Compassion 4 team doing amazing things for these women and children of Cambodia.  This is not the first time they have been, just last year she and her family lived in one of the poorest parts of Phnom Penh next to one of the brothels where the sex trade is alive and working all day and night.  While there last summer, for 5 weeks, Jenn met the wife of their driver, she was a seamstress and obviously like everyone in Cambodia, needed work.  So.....what did she do?  She decided to start a clothing line, Compassion is Cool, where the women and girls that need work get paid fair wages to do so and 100% of the profits are going back to Cambodia!  I have one of the button up shirts, and I love it....I love even more knowing that I am helping someone just by buying a simple piece of clothing. 
While in Cambodia, they spend tons of time loving the kids at the Hope for Cambodia orphanage and helping anyway they can.  They are doing a lot for the clothing line while they are there, as well....it has taken OFF in the past year....there is no doubt that God has big plans for this.   I am in awe and amazed by the ways that one family, one group of friends, one person....can make a difference if they just listen to what He has to say.  I would love to be able to fly to Cambodia and love on those kids myself, to be able to look into their eyes and tell them myself how amazing they are and that they are on this planet for a reason....and that reason is not to be objectified and treated like they were. 
Last night, I watched the special on CNN, Nepal's Stolen Children, it was amazing!!  I know that some people might not take these things seriously because a celebrity was the main one involved on the screen, Demi Moore, but in these situations sometimes that star power is what is needed to get the attention these issues deserve.  I have read about Nepal and the trafficking that goes on there....you should definitely pick up Little Princes.  Poverty is the main reason why children are trafficked because there parents are duped into believing that they are going to a school or to get work in a city.  There are of course, those cases where the parents sell the children themselves, and know exactly what is going to happen.  But in Nepal, a lot of women and girls are trafficked along with their children.  The traffickers and pimps use their children as leverage to get the girls to do what they are told.  I can't fathom the emotional damage that both the women and children have from this, along with the physical scars and damage.  On Nepal's Stolen Children, you hear the first hand accounts of some of these devastating stories.  Sometimes just seeing something like this or reading the books will encourage a person to do SOMEthing.  Whether that is buying a piece of clothing, a book or maybe even traveling around the world to take care of these women and girls themselves.

 Last year, before my friend left for Cambodia, she and her family created the Compassion is Cool page and they documented their trip.  They have since decided to have all of the news, pictures and updates on the Compassion 4 page on Facebook and the website.  But please go check out her pictures from last year if you want to see some amazing children and their journey they took. 
Now....head straight to the Compassion 4 Facebook page , Twitter page and website and take a look around at their trip so far this summer!  You can even purchase a t shirt....who doesn't love a good t shirt?!
If you want to check out Somaly Mam and her wonderful works then head to her foundation's website and Facebook page and Twitter.
The most you can do for these women, girls and children that are living this way or have been affected in some way?  Pray for them.....