Wow! It has been a whirlwind week! Our first big donations are pouring in! And I got butterflies over this race for the first time, which unnerved Rebecca since she's usually the nervous one! Haha...my head is usually too high in the clouds to worry about the details..afterall, that's what I have her for. My husband, too, is a planner, and I've realized that God is very smart about bringing people together to complement each other and make up for what one lacks. I'm so thankful for all the wonderful volunteers that have stepped in to do the stuff I can't! We have a beautiful new race flier, debuting this weekend, designed by the talented, Lauri Groninger! I'm so excited about that because I can't tell you how much I detest graphic design...yes, I'm an artist, but spending hours in front of a computer is sheer torture for me.
Our friend, Leslie McCleary very graciously offered to host a garage sale with proceeds going toward Run to Free 5k and the causes we are supporting. And the donations for that have poured in til our cup runneth over!
We've had a few businesses decline as well, and I expected that, but not really the reasons given why. So, why should we in Lawrence, KS, be concerned about human trafficking? Shouldn't we keep our donated dollars local? These are valid questions, and exactly why Rebecca and I are planning this race..to raise awareness. She and I had no idea of the horror of human trafficking. We had no concept of how widespread and organized it is. We had no idea that it was right here in Kansas. But when we heard the stories, a fire was ignited in our hearts that made it impossible to turn our backs. Because now, after hearing their stories, turning my back on the women who are forced into prostitution, turning a blind eye to the children who are handed over to sexual predators, and turning away from the men who are forced into modern-day slavery, is to side with the enemy. If I sit in my comfortable home and keep my focus limited to my very blessed family, then I am wasting the blessings I've been given, and I'm shirking the responsibility that comes with them.
So, what can two stay-at-home moms do? First of all, as soon as you find yourself asking that question, "what can I do, I'm just one insignificant person", know that that is a lie. A heart that is willing and passionate, can be used to move mountains. I begged God, on my knees, to let me be a part of stopping slavery. I told Him I didn't think I had any great talents or abilities, but whatever I had, to please use it to bring justice, freedom and healing to the oppressed. And what I got back was, "you love to run, do a 5k fundraiser". It was that simple. And then, because I know I'm a dreamer, and sometimes those dreams need to be bounced off a friend who will tell you if you're crazy, I told my friend, Rebecca..and she said, "let's do it". And now, when we talk to people about this issue and what we're doing, I see their eyes light up and they start telling me what they know about trafficking and that they felt like there was nothing they could do. So you see, a couple of willing hearts can make a difference.
I think raising awareness in Lawrence, Kansas is very important, because, hello! We're home to the University of Kansas. That makes our little community a very diverse one. Students from all over the world come to Lawrence...what an opportunity! These are the policy makers, lawmakers, business men and women, teachers, medical personnel and parents of their countries futures. What if we open just one student's eyes to what may be occurring in his/her country? What if they return with a more open heart and greater appreciation of the value of human life? THAT, can change a nation.
