On a more serious note...

Today I became more passionate. This topic has never felt so close to home, I admit I've been living blindly. The Bay Area is a great place to live, but there's so much I don't see, in my spoiled, middle class, suburban lifestyle. It's trickling into my city, the fastest growing global crime. It's weighing like an anvil on my heart. Sex slavery. Now, I could call it "human trafficking" which is what it is, but I think you can agree that it doesn't sound as serious.

Sure, we've all seen the movies, signed the petitions, run the 5k's, liked the "stop human trafficking" posts on Facebook. Hell, some of you even repost! Congratulations. Stop kidding yourselves. This nightmare is spreading like wildfire. Liking a post, "bringing awareness" (although great) is not fixing the problem. Get involved.

Slavery exists here in the Bay Area. I got a call this morning from my husband who is working in a pretty bad part of Oakland, where he is bombarded by soliciting prostitutes on a daily basis. Of course, as a loving, wife, hearing about these occurrences made me uncomfortable, which I now admit, is an incredibly selfish emotion. 

Johnny was leaving a job site this morning and, as he was walking to his truck, a girl approached him. I say "girl" because she could not have been older than 16. Having a new baby girl himself, he felt his heart break. He did not feel disgust, but urgent sympathy. After immediately declining her "offer," he continued to walk to his truck, but noticed the shivering, barely covered body. He began to offer her his jacket, praying he could show her some Christlike kindness. Before she could answer, her huge pimp turned the corner. He violently strutted towards Johnny, angrily cussing him out. Fearing for his safety, he thought it best to lock up his tools and drive away.

That's when he called me, trying to process his sadness. I could hear the angst in his voice as he pondered what he could have done to help. She was a child. He saw her as someone, a treasured being. I'm insanely proud of him. Would you want to be seen talking to a prostitute? Why not?

After I hung up the phone, I had a very different slew of emotion. Anger, sadness, urgency, hope, excitement. It's time to get involved. 

A few months ago, we did a 5k for human trafficking in the Phillipines, and while that is great, it's happening here. Now. These are our daughters, nieces, foster children, friends. Young girls are being targeted, introduced and hooked to dangerous narcotics and then sold. Purchased. Slaves. Are you angry yet?

I urge you to pay attention, get mad, but most importantly, take some freakin' action! A quick google search will provide information, resources, and  opportunities to help! Remove the rose colored glasses. This is happening under our noses! 

I don't know yet the extent of what I can do, but I vow to you, the Gillespies are getting involved.