Day 8 ~ "West Coast Rock Tour"

~ 8th Day ~

There were only 2 mission fields this day....Though much happened within both.

After a bowl of oatmeal, Kelley and I ventured to The Exodus Road office. Steve Leigh was already there, as well as Laura L. Parker (Co-founder and Vice President of this ministry that is run by God's matchless power). There were many things on the do-to-list and no time was wasted diving in.

There is something so peaceful, comfortable, warm and bright at this office where the focus is on something so disturbing, uncomfortable, cold-hearted and dark... This being human trafficking. There is so much good/right being done for something so bad/wrong.

When I walked into the office, the first thing my eyes fell upon was the tall, rectangular, wooden table that holds the precious "Freedom Rocks." There are 189 rocks on that table... each one representing a girl or boy who has been rescued from sexual slavery. Every one of these precious, innocent girls or boys has a name, but to keep them protected, their names have either been changed or "girl" or "boy" has been written on these small stones that represent a huge rescue.
It's a powerful visual to see right when you walk through the front door.

One can't help but be moved...
To a place of asking, "How can I help add more Freedom Rocks to the jar?"

Awareness. Prevention. Empowering Rescue. After Care. More Awareness.
(Repeat times infinity:)
This might not be the accurate sequence, but it's what I'll write.
We all can play a role... each one different but equally important.

If right now you are saying to yourself, "Is this what this whole post is going to be about?" The answer is no... but if you don't want to read on till the subject matter changes, then all I ask is that you play the vital role of praying for this organization and those still in slavery. Deep thanks.

For those of you willing to read on, I have a question for you:
"Have you, yourself, ever felt in bondage to something?"
(i.e. a marriage, a job, where you live, drugs, a lifestyle, alcohol, food etc.)
Invest the next minute(s) to really answer this honesty. It may have been in your past or you may be in bondage of it right now as you read this. Dare I say we all have felt trapped by something or someone. It's part of your story... it may have been a short chapter, it may be many or even a consistent thread weaved throughout your whole story.

To share chapters in my own story where I've been on bondage, I have to go back to a bridge in Santa Barbara, California... where I not only lived on the streets, but worked the streets. For those of you that don't know this lingo, I'm talking about prostitution. Yep, I'm mentally and emotionally going there, for this is one of the many ways I can relate to feeling the need to be rescued. We all have either been rescued or are in need of being rescued from whatever that ".........." is. The place under the bridge is where I'm willing to go, but I won't stay there long (for sake of myself and for your comfortableness as well:)

(Warning: This part is graphic)
I was addicted to and in bondage to crack (rock) cocaine.
Prostituting was what I fell into to feed my habit. I remember sitting up against the cement wall under the overpass bridge with the other 2 young women. There was a chain linked fence at the bottom of the dirt slope that went up to where we would sit. Men would either walk on the sidewalk on the other side of the fence or they would slowly drive their vehicles past us. They were looking at their options... 1 of the 3.
Choice make, one of us would be summoned. I don't need to go further in painting the picture, cause the part that needs to be framed is that I was in bondage to a lifestyle of darkness. I can emphasize with those in slavery... but what is different with my story and theirs, is that mine was a choice. There's is not.

These young girls and boys do not have a choice of breaking the chains of slavery/bondage because they are forced to be in it. They don't have the keys to freedom like we do. Most of the things we are in bondage to, we can choose to break out of... if willing and wanting.

But there is hope for these young, innocent ones too.
And The Exodus Road is courageously responding to this call to action.
They are willing to risk their lives for the freedom of other's lives.
These selfless people are going into the dark places to expose sexual slavery with the light of God. And with the gifts and talents God has given them, they are using them to fight this very real battle.

189 have been rescued and set free.
And more Freedom Rocks, representing another girl or boy, will soon be added to the jars... because just as the slavery isn't stopping, neither are the people at The Exodus Road.
Please visit their website at www.theexodusroad.com and watch the videos, read the articles and the blog, get involved, and be a part of a rescue. Go back to the question you answered before. Take your past or present experience with feeling trapped and in bondage and then think about the young ones who are in sexual slavery.
Both you and them can be set free... rescued.
Make the choice today to break the chains of your own bondage.
And choose to help in rescuing a boy or girl who doesn't have a choice.

Okay, here is where I highlight the amazing things that went on at the office this day, and then (as promised) change the topic. Thanks for staying through to this point! To speed things up, I'll just list the awesomeness, though the details of them deserve more words than...
1) Sat in on a stellar staff meeting.
2) Made a video of Laura giving an update report on a raid with myself scribing rocks that said "Free" or "Anna" in the background.
3) Laura and Kelley made a video about blogging for The Exodus Road.
4) Laura and I did a video about everyone being able to relate to being in bondage... and the blank rock in their office that represents the girl or boy still waiting for rescue. (And it's coming!!!)
*These 3 videos will be posted in the near future!*
5) The staff (and Isaac Leigh... valuable filming and editing volunteer) worked on checking off things on the long to-do-list of the day.
6) I found a comfy chair to scribe more "Free" and "Anna" rocks.
7) Seriously contemplated wanting to go on one of the raids in the future... Seriously. Though if I don't get a green light from God, my Rock and Rescuer, I would gladly volunteer a whole future summer or winter to work with this radical organization.

Quite a day... already.
And then the Leigh home became mission field #2, though it was I that was being ministered to. Every interaction and conversation with one or more of the Leigh's is memorable. And simply being at this peace-full house is a gift in and of itself. I wanted to go to the 5:45pm movie with them, but felt the need for alone time. Those two hours were spent writing. Then the silence and stillness was exchanged with the voices and pitter-patter of feet, which prompted a bigger smile on my face 'cause their house is better with the Leigh's in it! Steve, Kelley and I sat around the fire, talking and reflecting on the last couple days. One of their 4 sons, Isaac, joined us later to add to the stimulation. The fire was warming on a cool night, though the company warmed my heart on a much deeper level. I will miss them when it's my time to move on.

I believe this is a good place to give you all a big (cyber) Katie Bug hug and remind you that you are loved, valuable and have much purpose.
Stay encouraged amidst that which is discouraging.
Be a part of something bigger than yourself.
Open your heart to Jesus, the Rescuer.
Live in freedom today.
Love.

~Unshakable Peace, Freedom and Purpose~
cling to the Rock ♥
Psalm 18:1-2