so let hope rise, and darkness tremble in your holy light, that every eye will see Jesus our God, great and mighty to be praised

chills straight down my spine every time

little hands

dhonnobad

Dhonnobad = thank you in Bengali. Thanksgiving = my favorite holiday of all time.

This was the first Thanksgiving that I have spent not in Columbia since I was 4 months old. I have millions of memories with my sisters and cousins over the years and I was really bummed to be gone for it this year and to be in a country where it isn't celebrated. However, I think that being away from the normal tradition enabled me to spend a lot more time reflecting upon what I truly am thankful for. We didn't have the workday off, but I got a change to really think during morning devotions about how grateful I am that God has provided for me so abundantly during this past year. These verses are a great reminder:

Colossians 3:17 "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through him."

1 Chronicles 16:34 "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever."

Colossians 4:2 "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."

1 Thess 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances."

So I wrote a thanksgiving list. It was so fun to spend time doing, and I really want to make more of a habit of writing down what I am grateful for and what I really appreciate. Gratitude is a very fulfilling feeling. A few that definitely made the cut:

• My salvation. The gift of life I have been given by my Savior, the hope that it gives me, and the ability I have to live in freedom because of it.
• Forgiveness. The forgiveness of my own sins and the capacity to forgive others.
• Being in a place where I can practice my faith openly.
• God guiding me through my senior year of college, graduating from one of the best universities in the country, and placing me in this city.
• God's continuous provision for me and my family of every monetary and material need that we have.
• Two parents and four sisters who love me deeply despite my faults, are there for me, support me and encourage me.
• My current opportunity to see God working to bring restoration and hope to girls in this city.
• My mom's cooking
• The overabundance of wonderful relationships I have- whether it be any of my incredible friendships- my girlfriends, guy friends, special relationships with several women who have guided me and loved me along the way, precious babysitting kids, etc. Words can't express.
• Creativity 
• The word hope, the concept of it, and the fact that it's my middle name!
• Opportunity
• Music
• The Internet- it makes communicating with the other side of the world essentially effortless
• Hot showers.

These are just a few things, but I really want to emphasize how special this Thanksgiving was, even thought I was dreading being away for it. I managed to get some pictures from the day. The two highlights were all the homemade food AND the game of charades. More specifically, Vic getting my selection of Lady Gaga and his fabulous interpretation.

But first, Aimee and me at work, waiting for the festivities to begin:

All purpose flour. Obviously called Maida. Very tricky to track down.

Making angel biscuits!! I knew I had to do this for it to really feel like Thanksgiving.

Clearly very excited about my successful completion of a from-scratch recipe, haha. Note the kurta! And please don't note the excessive frizz. I hope think it's a shadow?

Turned out perfectly!

Robin and I decided that they look like big kisses. So Feb 14th is going to involve a batch of pink ones!

Our homemade stuffing. It was completely made up and totally delish.

The spread of yummy food!! Thank you Hyatt for the turkey!

One of the best parts: Skyping with my family in SC. I am so glad we were able to do that!!

Christmas is less than a month away? What?

smorgasboard

Beautiful friends! I have had lots of random photos on my camera and have been waiting for the perfect post for them. So here we go. 

1. Flat complex #2: I am done moving I think! This is the entrance to my flat. I took this at night so it looks a little scary, but there are tons of guards and it's actually really cool looking in the daytime. 

2. Hilarious sign #1: Every Petrol station has "Pure for Sure" on it, and if I know you well enough to have shown you my fav SNL skit "Mistress #15 (16? cant remember)" you will understand why I love it so much. Furrr Shurr.

3. Random Billboard #1: Just for my BFF. "Pole dancer at night, mother by day. Whatever you are, Be Pure." xoxox

4. Stopping traffic episode #2: No rickshaw accidents this time, but another traffic stopping incident nonetheless. Robin and I were trying to cross this enormous intersection and were looking frightened and helpless, so what did we do other than flirt with the police? After arguing over exactly who got to stop traffic for us, this sweetie pie won and got to escort us across. What's up.

5. Celebrity sighting #1: At our new fav club (named Venom, naturally), we met this famous British model and DJ, Lauren Pope. She was loving our Americanness. And she looked even more like a Barbie in real life. We gave her some cookies so she didn't die.

6. Cow eating trash on the side of the road #435,892:

7. I love peacocks #1: The Swissotel had gorgeous artwork everywhere. It was all so fun and colorful. This was my favorite.

8. PACKAGE #1: I have the best friend in the entire world.

9. Non Masala Flavored Ramen Noodles Existing in India #1: Every normal flavor of Ramen noodles. And a Christmas CD and tons of other treats. I am SO excited...still grinning.

“on the one hand, we are called to play the good samaritan on life’s roadside, but that will be only an initial act. one day we must come to see that the whole jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life’s highway"

-martin luther king, jr.

Isaiah 1:17

I haven’t posted much about my actual work and have decided that it’s time to fill everyone in. Over the past two months I have definitely adjusted to the culture at our office and have really enjoyed learning a lot and taking in what’s happening in each department. If you aren’t familiar, the basic way that we work is as follows: first and foremost, we need to get the girls out of oppression, and this is done entirely in conjunction with local law enforcement. From there, the lawyers and advocates deal with the perpetrators, taking them through the local public justice system, going to bail hearings, trials, meeting with the appropriate people to make this all happen the right way, etc. The girls are immediately sent to aftercare facilities where they are nurtured, counseled and taught valuable skills. The equivalent of the Child Protective Services places the girls in homes where spots are available. Some of the homes are public government homes and others are privately homes run by NGO’s – some Christian and some secular. We have a special relationship with one Christian home which houses about 19 girls. This is the place where I have visited the girls and gotten to know a few of them.

So what am I doing? I am the first Communications intern that our office has had, and so the beginning of my time here was spent in lots of meetings where we were working on defining my role in the office. I am working with the Community Relations team, and their job is primarily to work in church relations, educating the local church on the issue of sex trafficking and injustice in the community. For example, this weekend we are hosting a conference for principals of local Christian schools and colleges. As far as action points for the attendees, we are suggesting that they get involved as prayer partners, sign up to receive regular updates, volunteer at our aftercare facilities, or sign up to be independent witnesses. The latter is a huge opportunity for local people to be involved in this process: each time there is a rescue operation, it is the law that there be two female independent witnesses there to testify in court. Therefore, if a woman signed up to go, she has a very powerful experience to share with her friends.

I am also working for each department to push out as many stories as possible about what is happening here in the city. Press releases, case stories, news from the field, sentences, victories, etc. I am working with another intern from a nearby city to build on our current media relations so that in the next few months every rescue will be published in the newspaper. I also have been producing many pieces (fact sheets, newsletters, updates) for the Director, researching, updating contact information, editing pieces, etc. Every day is different. I have interviewed some of the staff in the office and have been blown away by their dedication to this cause. I am lucky to see people working hard every day to ‘seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.’

My coworkers are remarkable. I have never been around a group of people so grounded in their faith and so brave. The work takes courage. The advocates work terribly long hours in court, researching, writing briefs and making sure that our cases are progressing. They are working in a broken justice system and have to deal with disappointments alongside victories. They are exceptionally patient, as most cases take several years to come to trial. The aftercare social workers are literally faced with the effects of brutal injustice daily. They have enormous uphill battles with some of the girls initially unreceptive to care and help. They also get to see God working to restore the lives of girls who are able to overcome their past. From my very limited experiences with some of the girls, I can’t ever get over how strong they are. It is hard to think the situations they were in before their rescue, but many of them are well adapted to life in the home. They are going to school, watching movies, learning skills and giggling just like any teenage girl would.

If I have learned anything for certain while I am here, it is that the Enemy is very real and that the battle is happening now. He is actively out to destroy our work, impede upon our success, and keep these girls in abuse and captivity. He is out to instigate tip-offs, to produce injustice in the courts, and to keep the perpetrators free to destroy lives and traffick more girls. The only way to battle this is to face the Enemy head on and trust that our God is greater than all forces working against us. We must believe that God is present in the heat of the battle and that he will enable us, give the girls strength, provide a way out for them, and use us to go to the darkest and scariest places in this city and give hope to those who are helpless. Boldness, patience and prayer are what gets this team through.

I have seen freedom come to several girls since I have been here. As I have learned more about their stories, there is no way for it to not break my heart. I have met and read about girls who were trafficked by their fathers, brothers, or a complete stranger who they trusted to give them a job. They were allured by the promise of getting out of poverty, of earning something for their families, of being independent. Some were taken as young as age 12 and were in captivity for several years, enduring endless emotional and physical and sexual abuse. Some were beaten, some were never paid, some were put on drugs. A few girls were abused so violently that they couldn’t even stand up at the time of rescue. I have seen men trading petty cash in exchange for the innocence of girls who they push into dirty rooms. I can’t help but to compare it to my charmed and privileged life and struggle with how I got dealt the cards I did when so many other girls had this happen to them. I don’t have the answer to that, but I do know what my response is.

Even in the two months since I have been here, I can say with confidence that the fight for justice is now something that will forever be a part of me. As a Christian but also as a human being, I can’t simply live knowing what I know and seeing what I see without doing something about it. I’d definitely encourage anyone who wants to know anything else to drop me a question because I’d love to talk more about it!

Love you all so much!

staycation

What a weekend!! I am so glad that I got a chance to get away without even leaving the city. I had a fabulous time with Robin and her parents and am so thankful that I got a break. It was so crazy the treatment we received! At the Swissotel, we were brought drinks upon check-in and were greeted by the general manager. He also had welcome cards hand delivered to our rooms! Friday we went swimming and got iced coffees at the edgeless pool, went for a wonderful dinner and relaxed in our room. Day two began with an incredible breakfast buffet- smoked salmon and everything! and then we headed for hotel #2.

Oh my goodness.

So, Robin's mom is the tutor of the GM of the Hyatt's son, and they seriously hooked it up. Presidential suite! Personalized letters waiting for us in the room. We spent afternoon at the pool, relaxing in our room, watching Paranormal Activity and getting ready for another fab dinner.

When we got back, I went with Vic again for a quick trip to the village to take some pictures with the local kids. It's so fun. They know him well around there, and at one point some kids saw him and then this entire herd of them started running towards us, posing for different shots and getting candy from me. This one little girl came out with her pet bird and put it on my shoulder!

I love being able to experience the joy that these kids have. I definitely want to make more of a habit of going to the village on the weekends- the children are absolutely gorgeous. I have also been thinking lately that I would really like to get more involved in the community while I am here. Mother Teresa's Home for the destitute and dying is close by and I am going to inquire this weekend about volunteering there. My supervisor was telling me how important it is to really let the city change you, and to experience all you can while here.

Another thing I am going to do is try out a....you know, laughing society. That's right folks. Check it out. One of the other interns and I are going to try it at 7 am one morning this week. Apparently a big group of people meets at a park and LOLs for about an hour. It is supposed to be really good for you, and we all know how contagious laughter is. I will HAVE to get some video footage of this to share with everyone.

Anyways, it's a new week and I am so thankful to be here. Work is going so well- in fact, I am going to give an update about details there soon once it gets approved so that I can blog about the heart of the work here and fill everyone in. I can't believe I am missing Thanksgiving for the first time EVER! but we are going to have a little celebration here with the interns. I love you all so much. Have a wonderful Monday!

getaway

I have been in this city for almost two months, taken at least 45 freezing showers and slept for about 4 hours every night. It was time for a weekend away. So, I am with Robin and her parents for three days of 5 star hotel hopping. I have never felt so clean/fabulous/relaxed and this is only day one :)

happy birthday seester

To my beautiful Heather, my most faithful friend and continual source of encouragement and inspiration, Happy 24th birthday. Seems like yesterday we were dressing up, fighting over dolls, sharing clothes in high school, going to cross country meets together, analyzing boys late night in your bedroom, and tearing up UNC's campus. I'm so sad I can't be there, but know that I am so thankful for YOU and am so glad that God brought you to the Gillespie family 24 years ago so I could have an awesome older sis. I hope you have some time to celebrate the right way and take a break from the books. I love you so much!

even there your hand will guide

My roommate shared this song in morning devotion the other day and I loved it so much.. Enjoy!

Though I fly to distant lands

Carried by the dawn, lifted on her wings

Though my heart grow slowly cold

And my eyes behold dark and dreadful things

Though my legs should strain to run the race

On the path unmarked, in the lonely place

Even there your hand will guide

Even there your hand will guide

Though my enemy press in

And my courage fail as a crumbling wall

Though the mountains blaze with fire

And the ground beneath me quake and fall

I will turn my eyes to Christ, my Lord

Who calms the sea and turns back the storm

Even here your hand will guide

Even here your hand will guide

Though the gates of death loom grim

And the darkened road leads ever down

Though the path grow ever dim

And ten thousand scheme to do me harm

I will follow Christ, my captain bold

Who has vanquished death and sin untold

And will guide me safely home

He will guide me safely home

hunger

I would dare to say that no one I know personally has ever been in a situation where they had no access to food. Even in my own experiences, I have always been around an enormous excess of it. I eat what I want to and throw the rest out. The only times when I haven't had it have been during my silly extreme crash diets and have opted out on purpose. Needless to say, I have absolutely no idea what it is like to go hungry.

So I find myself in this new city, new country, new culture and environment where the concept of constant hunger pangs is a reality for millions of people. All I have to do is walk outside the walls of my flat, where there are families living down both sides of the street under tarps and in make-do houses. Children on the other side of the wall are skinny and malnourished, with no access to healthy food, dental care, medicine or proper clothes. Families on the other side of the wall put their children to sleep at night on the floor, in the heat, in the same clothes that they wear every day. This boundary between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' is distinct. The wall is a very present reality. But what gets to me more than anything is that so many people in my neighborhood, in my community and in my reach, don't even have food. There are kids right outside my window that spend the day looking through dumpsters for anything to eat. How do I deal with it? I don't singlehandedly have the resources to solve the problem entirely, and I am here working primarily to help a different issue. But that doesn't change the fact that children on the other side of the wall are hungry, and that mothers are going without so that their kids can eat.

I pulled out my Bible to remind myself of what God has to say about this. I see Deut. 15:11, which says 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor in your land." I see 1 Tim 6:18, which says that am 'to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share." I am working through how I can best answer that call and contribute to these people here. People who are human beings with the same needs as me. There are some homeless people I see every single day who are in my direct pathway, and I never want to get to the point of numbness that it doesn't break my heart. I am also big on the concept of putting my faith into tangible action, and I know that giving food or money for food is a way that I can show Christ's love to those who are not as fortunate. I know that God has called me to serve others and to joyfully give of what I have, and I am working on figuring out how best to do this. Where do you even start?

cold showers and mosquitos

I must begin by saying that this is not a complaint post. Quite the contrary- it is actually meant to show you that even I, Miss Priss herself, can get over things that I once would have said were bare minimum living standards. Hopefully this will be entertaining to those of you who never thought I could do this :)

With that being said, today I would like to highlight the two current issues that my roommates and I are facing: cold showers and bed bugs/mosquitos. BOTH of which will be non-issues here pretty soon, once we find a competent repair guy and the weather gets colder.

I will start with the showers. About a month ago, our hot water heater broke. We have tried several times to get a repairman to come and fix it. The first two times he was a no-show. The last two times he has come, informed us that it is in fact broken, and promptly left. Brilliant assessment. So needless to say we are stuck with the cold showers, and I'm not talking your typical cold shower. I am talking freezing, goosebump producing, heart-racingly cold showers. So, this is how it goes. I get up at about 7:15, eat my imported Honey Bunches of Oats, spend about 5-10 minutes preparing for what is to come, and then I man up and decide it's time. I turn on the water. My body quickly turns into an icicle. My fists are clenched. Frigid tears running down my face. Jogging in place to keep my blood flowing. Wash and run. Wash and run.

Onto the mosquitos. It's interesting how different they are in every region. The mosquitos in North Carolina are super super fast and are hard to catch. The mosquitos I remember at camp in Ontario were really slow and subsequently easier to get to. I don't think it matters how fast or slow the mosquitos are here, because they are everywhere. I am starting to wish that I had actually filled my anti-malaria prescription. There is truly nothing like falling asleep to the perpetual feeling of bugs crawling on you and waking up with welts. I think maybe it's because my room is the closest to the front door. But regardless, its OOC. Out of control.

For your visual pleasure: Katherine's feet after an especially brutal attack. Who wants to visit?!

obama

"That one is mine and the other a stranger is the concept of little minds. But to the large-hearted, the world itself is their family." {from the Panchantra}

Here is the transcript of his address--

"behind every great work of God you will always find someone kneeling in prayer."

- dwight l. moody

sold

I read this book cover to cover this past weekend. It was a quick read, but I found myself having to take a couple breaks to process what I was reading. It is the story of Lakshmi, a 13 year old Nepali girl who was trafficked into India and sold by her step-father so that he could have extra gambling money. The entire story is written in diary entry form from her perspective and is one of the most moving stories on this issue. I found myself extremely saddened, infuriated and compelled to act. Patricia McCormick did extensive research in both Nepal and India and Lakshmi represents a collection of true stories based on her findings. Definitely, definitely, definitely pick it up and start reading.