07/10/2024
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Cambodia 2024
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For a few years I had the chance to work with young women who had experienced sexual harm, everything from trafficking to systematic sexual abuse. We did yoga, we exercised, we walked, we talked and sometimes cried. During that same time I also began to study how trauma and its related shame affects our brains, bodies and behaviors. It was all game changing. My life became different and I'm grateful to still call some of the women friends.
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90% of the young women I worked with had been told either in words or actions that they were literally not worth more than what their bodies could financially provide. Specifically, their sexuality.
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They were also led to believe that whatever bad stuff happened to them along the way was either of no consequence, or their fault anyway. That's why I rebuke the notion that people choose to be trafficked, or choose "to stay", or choose to be abused. How does a young woman break those chains on her own?
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Freedom is possible, I will never discount that notion, but it's way more difficult and expensive than most people will ever know.
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God was the only reason I got to be in rooms with those young women. He will be why I ever get to be in sacred rooms. I'm not an expert, a licensed therapist or an academic, but I sure could relate to the young women. And they knew it. My secret sauce (then and now) is equal parts my testimony and my YES. I'm also wise enough to know that prayer is everything because I'm certainly not the answer.
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Going to Cambodia allows me to lend my YES to AIM's freedom work. It also blesses me to support my friends who are doing the work there. The trip is so worthy of the time and the money I raise.
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Check out "Don't Look Away" by Don Brewster. Don and his wife Bridget are AIM's founders. The book is incredible.
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Swipe ππ½ππ½ for Venmo to donate or use the link in my bio.