All we need is LOVE

Life has a four-letter theme. It's simple. It's LOVE. I'll prove it...

First, the impression that strikes me again and again this year, though a series of losses and health scares, is "Life is short." It really is. And though it's trite it's so true that every day is a gift . . . No time for grudges, regrets, or not following your dreams. The lesson I keep learning is LOVE -- love life, and love those around you with all you've got for all the time you've got, knowing that it's precious and fleeting.

LOVE is not just a component of the Christian life -- it's the heart and core of the Bible -- and thus, it's the very ESSENCE of life:

John 3:16 NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 15:13 KJV
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

The Greatest Commandment
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.
35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

* * * * *
What, then, shall we conclude? I hope the answer is obvious.

- LOVE God, above all. (After all, He first loved us!)

- LOVE life. Treat it as a precious gift. Here today, gone tomorrow.

- LOVE the people in your life -- your family, first and foremost, your friends next, and yes, even your enemies.

I have a keychain that says "Live the life you LOVE." What I've concluded from all this is that Life is too short NOT to LOVE!

Who can you love on today?

** This post is dedicated in loving memory of Laura (Grubl) Gillette, who left us early for glory on Oct. 20, 2011. **

Read about Laura's brave & inspiring fight against MDS here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lauragillette/journal

Can't get this song out of my head lately:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NJqUN9TClM&ob=av2e

LOVE,
Val

What Can We Do? Thoughts on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Hopefully you have read the Tribute to Nimmi I just posted on this blog, and the photos I posted on Facebook. I could not have received the sobering news of her passing on a more poignant day: National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

You probably know by now that 100s of 1,000s of women, girls, and innocent children (boys and girls alike) are trafficked for sex slavery and other forms of inhumane labor all over the world, every day, every hour, every moment. Finally, the media has latched on to this issue and the outrage that is long overdue on this issue is growing.

But beyond the head knowledge, and after the outrage, what can be done? Many of us have spent time thinking about this issue, perhaps even spilling tears over it. But what next? Have you stopped yet to think about how we can change the reality of these staggering statistics?

The sheer numbers projected about human trafficking in this day can have a paralyzing effect. Some feel too far removed to reach out and save the Nimmis who are chained to brothels in India. Some may quiver at the thought of the dangerous and elaborate criminal networks in place that are masterminding and driving the sale of humans with a bloody iron fist, motivated by a greed most of us cannot comprehend. Others just may feel too overwhelmed by it all.

Take heart! Jesus came to remind us that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) Together, we can do so much to take a stand on behalf of our brothers and sisters who are in chains. We who are free are tasked to hold out hope to the hopeless, and to be a voice for the voiceless. (Prov. 31:8) And remember that in this task, we have the Great Redeemer fully on our side -- for "the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." (Ps. 34:16) Rejoice, because if He is for us, who then can be against us! (Rom. 8:31)

Don't waste time feeling guilty or burdened over what you can't do, which is a great temptation and trick from the enemy. Instead, focus instead on what you can do, which is always something! There are many ways we can shine a light for those in the darkness:

1. PRAY -- I encourage you to cry out to the Lord using Psalm 34 in specific prayers for the victims of human trafficking, those who have been rescued and those who wait for rescue, for the traffickers themselves, and for those who do the Lord's work in saving those who are crushed and brokenhearted. Examples:

• Oh God, deliver the victims of human trafficking from all their fears;
• May Your angels encamp all victims of human trafficking;
• May Your ears be attentive to their cries for help;
• May those who are rescued from slavery be able to "taste and see that the Lord is good";
• We know Your face is against those who do evil;
• May you cause the hearts of those traffickers who buy and sell the innocent into slavery to "turn from evil and do good";
• Condemn the foes of the righteous & bring swift justice to the oppressed;
• Be close to the broken-hearted and save all those who are crushed in spirit;
• Deliver the righteous from their troubles, and protect their bones so that not one will be broken;
• Redeem all those who take refuge in You, and bless them so that they lack no good thing.

2. GIVE -- Whether it's your time, talent, or resources, there are over 500 anti-human trafficking organizations (and growing) across the U.S. and even more globally. Chances are there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer with a local organization in your area -- by donating clothing to victims, answering a help line, helping at a fundraiser, or anything in between! What's more, by way of donation, you can mobilize the hands that rescue & restore victims of human trafficking even when your own hands are too far, or too busy, to reach out. What a privilege that we can participate in equipping this good work, even from afar!

Here are just a few of my favorites:

• Bombay Teen Challenge -- the organization I visited in India that rescued and restored Nimmi before she went on to be with the Lord. I have seen first-hand the amazing work these passionate people are doing, and love the fact that many of the staff have been rescued and restored themselves. I fully support Deveraj in his "Good Night, Red Light" vision to "work himself out of a job" by eradicating sex slavery in India, and I hope you will too! Bombay Teen Challenge is financially supported in part by it's U.S.-based partner, Jubilee Campaign USA, and donations can be made online or through the mail.
• Tiny Hands International -- I've had the privilege to meet some of the passionate people behind this faith-based organization that does some really innovative (and dangerous!) border-prevention work along the Nepal-India border.
• Shared Hope International -- founded by U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith back in 1998, SHI has a long history of fighting against human trafficking. Recently, SHI joined forces with the ACLJ, a constitutional law firm I clerked for during law school.

3. EDUCATE YOURSELF & OTHERS -- Something really struck me in India when Erin and I asked the director of Bombay Teen Challenge what needs to be done to fix the monumental problem of human trafficking in India. He said simply that nothing will be done until the hearts of the people of India are outraged, and thus motivated to change. If ignorance is bliss, it's education that fuels outrage.

Rev. Deveraj pointed out to us that the average taxi driver in India on any given day can tell you precisely how many Bengal tigers are left in their country, thanks to a billboard campaign to save the endangered species. They will even get misty-eyed over the dwindling numbers of tigers . . . while speeding through the red light districts, where thousands of their own daughters are dwindling each hour thanks to the pillaging of their bodies and the spreading of HIV/AIDS. Oh, the bitter taste of irony.

So whenever you find a website, read an article, or hear a story -- e-mail it, post it, Tweet it, Facebook it . . . you can even talk about it (the old-fashioned route!). The bigger and louder the buzz about human trafficking, the more people will start to take notice -- and eventually, act.

And if all else fails, do it for them:

We have to remember these kids are way more precious than a Bengal tiger, right?!

A Tribute to Nimmi

Nimmi is a beautiful young woman I met in March 2010 when I visited Bombay Teen Challenge just outside Mumbai, India. Her smile could light up a dark room. Bright joy and quiet peace radiated from her very being, almost casting a literal glow. Of all the women I met and interviewed at Ashagram, the facility where BTC houses, educates, and rehabilitates the precious lives rescued from the streets of Mumbai, Nimmi is the one I’ll never forget. In fact, when I reflect back on my 2.5 weeks of travel across India, Nimmi jumps straight to my mind, and it’s usually her story that I recount to friends or family.

Nimmi and I are close to the same age and share an active, healing relationship with the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. We are sisters in Christ Jesus. Our life circumstances, however, could not be more different. Hers could not be more tragic.

With a soft and beautiful voice that seemed to float across the air, Nimmi volunteered to tell us her tale. To most people, the horrors she recounted only exist in our worst dreams or the most twisted movies. But for Nimmi, it was all too real – a living nightmare, one that lasted for most of her life.

Nimmi grew up in Nepal, a country that borders India to the north. Like her neighbors, Nimmi’s family was desperately poor. Nimmi was the oldest of the six children in her family. Each day presented a fresh new struggle to eat, to survive. One day, around the age of 12, Nimmi was boarded onto a train to Mumbai, India. Nimmi expected she was being sent to work as a housekeeper and send money back to her family. She was right that the purpose of her being separated from her family and sent away was to earn money for her family. But she had no idea that for the next five years of her teenage life, she would be confined to the caged walls of a brothel in the bustling red light district of Mumbai and her body would be used and abused in unspeakable ways by hundreds of men.

Nimmi discovered that her mother had sold her for 50,000 Rupees (a little over $1,000 in U.S. currency). Nimmi would never see her father or brothers and sisters again. I asked if she ever saw her mother again. She said yes, that her mother came every year to the brothel in Mumbai. “To visit?” I asked. “To collect the money I was earning,” said Nimmi.

When she first arrived at the brothel, Nimmi resisted, crying and screaming, “No! No!” But she was pulled by her hair, beaten, and forcibly raped. She even tried to escape once. After that, she was locked in her room. Any time she resisted, she was beaten.

“Did the police ever come?” we asked. Sometimes, she said. But the girls would hide. Some would be taken to the station and punished. And sometimes, the police would come in to sleep with them.

At some point during her years of slavery at the brothel, Nimmi contracted HIV/AIDS. She did not discover that she had the deadly disease until she was able to escape and taken to a clinic for blood testing by Bombay Teen Challenge (BTC).

Nimmi explained she came to know about BTC when they came to visit the brothel and share with them. She learned about the church downtown led by Rev. Deveraj and she attended with a friend, where she learned to sing and pray. The brothel owner found out and threatened, “If you leave this house, I will break your leg.” So Nimmi stopped going to church until she was finally able to escape the brothel three years later with the help of BTC.

When we asked Nimmi what she wanted to do with her life now that she was free and living safely at one of the shelters run by BTC, her face lit up. “I want to work with kids and give mother love to the children in the street.”

Nimmi had a son herself, who lived nearby at the Jubilee IV home run by BTC – a special facility set up for the children rescued from the streets or from the brothels where their mothers suffered in slavery. Most of these children are HIV positive. Erin and I stayed at this home with the children, where we read stories, shared meals, and learned lots of lively dance moves.

Until she could get herself on her feet and afford her own house for her and her son, Nimmi was learning a new trade through BTC – sewing. She worked alongside other women with similar stories of rescue and redemption and made beautiful clothing. She learned a lot more than how to sew, too. She talked about how her relationship with Jesus Christ has changed her life and brought healing – she used to be very thin, but said now she’s gained weight. “I am very happy,” she told us. An unnecessary statement, I thought, because her smile said it all.

When I think about the thousands upon thousands of human trafficking victims across the world, I think of Psalm 34 and take comfort in the fact that "the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (v. 16) When I think of Nimmi, I recall verse 5: “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”

Truly, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (v. 18)

Today, I received the following e-mail:

Dear All,

I am grieved to share this news with you. One of our girls, Nimmi Tamang (25 years old), has gone to be with the Lord. We had the privilege of having her with us at Ashagram for the last 4 years. She was one of our bright girls and graduated from our TC program in 2008. She also received an award from us for 'Best Girl in Campus Life'. She then continued to study God's Word and was walking closely with the Lord. She was loved by everybody and has truly been a role model and a blessing to all of us.

The heartrending part of her life story was that she became a victim of human trafficking at the tender age of 13; she was brought from Nepal and sold in Mumbai's red light district. By the time we found her and rescued her she was already HIV+. However she fought a good fight for the last 3 years but during the last several months Nimmi was in and out of hospital. Recently her health suddenly deteriorated and her body stopped responding to medications. Sadly, she breathed her last yesterday.

There are many more Nimmis out there in cages (red light areas) and if we do not move with a sense of urgency, by the time we find them, it will be too late for some of them. This is the reason we have launched the Stop Sex Slavery campaign on 8 November 2010 to say "Enough is enough; we cannot tolerate this anymore. They are our daughters!"

Today we conducted a proper funeral for Nimmi. Her friends and BTC staff were present and we had a Spirit-filled service with a message of eternal hope.

We will never know how many more girls have died in the red light district and were discarded even without a proper burial. Tonight, as I am writing this to you, not far from my house, the dreams of a little girl like Nimmi are being shattered. This very night, not far from my house, the innocence of a little girl is being violated again and again. This very night, not far from my house, a girl has stopped hoping and believing that anyone will ever come to rescue her. She has hoped for too long and no one has come and now it hurts to hope any more. She has accepted the fact that no one cares. Is she right? If we do care, then why have we allowed the wheels of human trafficking and sex slavery to keep turning and turning so smoothly? The traffickers bring the girls in and we fight to get them out and the traffickers continue to bring them in. I will continue to fight to get them out as long as there are innocent lives being taken. But we have to break this vicious cycle.

I want to work myself out of this job. We must stop sex slavery and must stop it now. There is only one word for this - STOP! Let us free our children to be children. Let them run and laugh and dream and grow. Let us free them from the chains of sex slavery.

I write this with a very heavy heart. Dear friends, please keep us in your prayers. Thank you for all that you have done for Nimmi for the last 4 years and also for the other girls. Your prayers and support has helped us to move on.

We thank God for Nimmi's life and her commitment. We believe that we will surely see her one day.

In Christ's love,

Devaraj and the BTC family

I rejoice in the fact I got to know Nimmi and that she trusted me with her story. I took these photos of Nimmi during our interview (see more here). Like Deveraj and all of BTC, I feel blessed with the knowledge that I'll see her again in heaven.

Even the righteous have many troubles, but take heart --

the LORD delivers her from them all. ~Ps. 34:19

One Week Countdown to "Window to India"!

Hey guys!

We hope you are getting excited as we are busy gearing up for what promises to be an incredible evening next Thursday night when we present "Window to India" at Calvary Church in Annandale. It's just off the beltway at the Little River Turnpike (exit 52A). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and event will start at 7.

It will be a cozy environment with coffee, tea, and pastries ... live music ... traditional Indian dance performance ... plenty of pictures and video from our trip ... and real-time ways you can engage with these serious issues in India. Oh, and Erin and I promise to wear our sparkly saris. ;)

Bring your friends, co-workers, family, and anyone you can grab off the street! We are expecting a full house and unforgettable night.

See www.jubileecampaign.org for more details. Even if you can't make it next week (which will break our heart), we'll post resources on our website after the event so you can still get informed.

Best,
Val & Erin

PS: Below is a copy of our promotional poster. We have extra copies of these and postcards to distribute so let us know if you'd like to help by advertising them at your workplace or hair salon or favorite coffee shop ... Contact us at:

valeriepayne@jubileecampaign.org
erinweston@jubileecampaign.org

Thanks for your support!!

Window to INDIA . . . New logo!

Now we're looking official!!

The web guy for Jubilee Campaign (http://www.jubileecampaign.org/) helped us out with a logo for the Window to India event, coming up on Thursday night, April 29. Stay tuned for updates and details on Jubilee's website too! We really, really hope you all can make it! Erin, Jessica, and I had a big planning meeting this week and all the details are coming together for the event agenda -- and it promises to be one incredible night.

I won't give too many surprises away just yet, but there will be music, singing, worship, hopefully some traditional Indian dance, videos, photos, some audience interaction/discussion, and plenty of great resources to take away on how we, as the modern Church, can use our minds and reach out our hands and arms for the Causes of Christ around the globe . . . Specifically, in INCREDIBLE INDIA!

Mark your calendars and please invite your friends, co-workers, small groups, family -- it's an open audience and we hope to have a full house!

Thanks to Calvary Church for parterning with us to host this significant event. They have been great! As a preview, Jubilee Campaign will also be presenting at Calvary Church's innovative Human Trafficking "forum & fair" on Sunday, April 11, 2010. See flyer below -- and see you there!

Now to Him who is able to do immesurably more than we ask or imagine . . . To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! ~Eph. 3:20

Save the Date! Thursday, April 29, 7-9 p.m.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Window to India
Date: Thursday, April 29, 2010
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Place: Calvary Church of the Nazerene
Address: 8220 Little River Turnpike / Annandale, VA 22003

Consider what your life may have looked like had you been born on the other side of the world. Would you have the freedom to go to school? To eat? To worship?

In urban Mumbai, home of the world’s largest slum, there is a strong chance your own family might have sold you into slavery if you had been born in a shanty town like 50% of the city’s impoverished population.

In rural Kandhamal, you and your family, like 50,000 others, may have fled to the forest when your home was burned to the ground by your neighbors due to your Christian faith.

How does the Church in America respond to the living horrors faced by our brothers and sisters across the globe?

Two staff members of Jubilee Campaign USA, a local nonprofit that advocates on behalf of persecuted Christians, will share their experiences investigating Human Trafficking and religious persecution from a recent visit to India. Please join us for a night of prayer, worship, and discussion to learn how the Church can view these global issues through Christ’s eyes & respond effectively in love.

Visit http://www.jubileecampaign.org/ for more info.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Evening, morning, and noon, I cry out in distress & He hears my voice." Ps. 55:17

We're back in the USA!

It's my third day back in the office after our trip and since Erin is sitting here uploading our photos and videos, it reminded me that I never updated the blog that we made it back - sorry! We made it back to the USA (blessedly) on Friday, March 19 around 10:30 a.m. I cannot tell you how great it felt to be back in the country, especially after I had gotten pretty sick the last few days we were there. The newfound appreciation for all things America -- from our Constitution to religious liberty to bathrooms and trash cans and breathable air to everything in between (including a variety of food). The culture is an overwhelming world of difference between here and India -- I don't think I can even put it to words. But there are hundreds and hundreds of photos to sort through (I took over a thousand the day we went through all the villages in Kandhamal alone), and I have a happy save-the-date announcement as of today that I will post shortly.

More reflective thoughts to come later. In the meantime, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the prayers while we were gone. They were definitely heard! The Lord protected us and brought us home safely.

"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere." ~Prov. 15:3

Orissa

Well, we made it safely through the Kandhamal district in Orissa and visited about 5 Christian villages that had been affected by the violence in 2008 -- we saw the burned homes and churches and interviewed the families. Every village gathered in its entirety to meet with us and they were so receptive and loving. It really was a wonderful day, possibly the best of the entire trip. The roads were rough and it was about 6 hours in and 6 hours out so it made for a 19.5 hour day. The vans were really comfortable, though, and we did not hit any issues that slowed us down -- just one brief incident where we rounded up and headed out quickly from one of the villages that was closer to a big market. The hope and faith of the people was remarkable. I captured some great images and we also had a videographer who taped our Q&A sessions with the villages.

Yesterday we had meetings with a long table of lawyers (that made me happy :) -- some Hindu and some Christian -- who are handling the cases being filed against the perpetrators, and heard about their various difficulties and struggles ... namely, coordination, which was interesting to hear about. We brainstormed creative solutions for them and hope that at the end of our 8-hour long day of meetings, some progress was made.

Today we are having meetings with some of the major government leaders in Orissa, trying to get in under the guise of talking about promoting cultural tourism. It should be really interesting. We may get to meet with the Foreign Minister and Governor. Our 2-hour flight back to Delhi is around 9 p.m. tonight. Then three more days of meetings and we will be headed home! It has been a lot of long nights, early mornings, and not much internet time, so we will have more updating to do when we get back.

In the meantime, thanks for your continued prayers. Erin and I have both been feeling under the weather here and there but not enough to slow us down -- we are managing just fine.

Much love,
Val

We're Alive ... And well!

Sorry all - we haven't had internet access in about 4 days but just want to quickly say we are doing great & have loved our time at the Jubilee Homes. Tomorrow we'll meet with Deveraj in downtown Bombay and fly up to Delhi. Our bags have been located -- Praise the LORD!! -- and we will hopefully get them tomorrow. In the meantime, we have been rocking the Indian clothing we bought at the market a few nights ago. We are soaking in all the sights, colors, sounds (mostly horns honking) ... and interesting smells. We have survived both the food (it's been great!) and the chaotic driving. (There are cows and people and carts that randomly cross the street at frequent unexpected moments.) We have really bonded with the kids, the girls, and today, the women. We have managed to charge our equipment (computers, cameras, videocamera, iPods, you name it) and today captured some incredible testimony about their experiences being trafficked into sex slavery. We look forward to sharing it all with you when we return.

We will update our blogs more fully from the U.S. Hopefully we can write again from Delhi, where we will be from the 9th-12th and the 16th-18th. Thanks for your continual prayers for our safety! ;)

Love & Blessings,
Valerie & Erin

Safely Arrived!

We have safely arrived to Mumbai absent any flight issues or delays ... but also absent our luggage. We think it's left in Delhi (we flew DC --> Delhi --> Mumbai) so please pray that the 2 bags will be recovered quickly and sent to the Jubilee Homes. It took many confusing conversations between the two airports in Delhi and the two in Mumbai (domestic and international) to try to track them down, and we're still not sure. Especially pray for Erin's because she lost her baggage receipt/ticket. Fortunately we both have some basic amenities with us & Deveraj said he would take us to buy Indian clothes today!

We stayed at a hotel in downtown Mumbai last night. Our driver from the hotel was very nice even though we were not able to get very far in conversation. The language has been a bit more of a barrier than we expected, but we are getting around. Erin found a SIM card for our phone last night so she was able to let our hosts know we arrived. A driver from the Homes will be here shortly to pick us up and drive us out there ... Thus our India Adventures are about to begin!

Taking off!

Dear DC: We are leaving now. When we return, we expect the snow to be gone and the ground to be fully visible. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

Dear India: Get excited because here we come!! See you in about 22 hours...

Love, Erin & Val

PS: Dear Mom & Dad - try not to worry :)

One Week Mark: Prayer Points

As Erin and I reach the one-week mark until our travel to India on March 3, here are some of the prayer points we hope to lift up with some friends tomorrow night during a send-off get-together ... Please join us!  In light of recent developments, the biggest overall request is for SAFETY, and specifics follow:

General requests:

* for last-minute details & logistics to come together

* for smooth & safe travels

* for uncomplicated digestion of Indian cuisine - especially that Erin will encounter satisfactory vegetarian options as we travel

* for us to be able to stay on (preferably under!) budget 

* for protection from pickpockets & others who may seek to take advantage of foreigners

* for our time at the Jubilee Homes -- that we may be able to bless and encourage those there and come away inspired

* for wisdom and discernment during the second part of our travels to a potentially dangerous area, particularly whether to stay the night 

* for angels to guard us everywhere we go

* for successful scheduling of the meetings by the Coalition leader we are traveling with

* for favor in the meetings we will be attending with various diplomats and prominent policymakers -- to understand and accept the message conveyed

* for integrity and accuracy in our advocacy work

* for the fruit of our labor -- impact & effectiveness

Personal requests:

* for spiritual rejuvenation (something Erin and I have both discussed as a need as of late);

* that God will meet us both in a personal way while in India to renew our spirits and speak to our hearts afresh;

* that we will accept and embrace whatever He puts before us during our journey;

* that we present ourselves as open vessels for His purposes; 

* for God to supply and sustain us with energy & meet the various needs that arise;

* that we openly love & serve those we encounter with ready and humble hearts; and

* that we come away with a deeper understanding of the Indian people and culture and return full of vision and passion about ways that we can convey what we experience to others in a meaningful way ... one that might impact eternity.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~Eph. 2:10 (NIV)

The Countdown Begins . . .

In less than one month, Erin and I will be boarding the first leg of our 19-hour flight to India. Our travel dates span from March 3 through the 19th. Please keep us in prayer as we begin to prepare and work out the nitty gritty details . . .

*that my visa (pending) will be approved
*that we can orchestrate all the miscellaneous travel details such as lodging, etc.
*that any divine appointments we should have will line themselves up in the coming weeks
*that details will come together for an excellent post-trip fundraising event for the Jubilee Homes, celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Bombay Teen Challenge and raising awareness for human trafficking issues in India

And join us in praises!

*that we booked our flights (afer a few headaches) & final agenda is confirmed
*that my mom graciously is allowing me to borrow her Cannon camera so I can hopefully take some inspiring photography home with me from the trip and somehow use it for God's glory
*that God has opened doors for the advocacy half of our trip that have been closed to certain others seeking to do the same

A special request: We covet your prayers that God not only goes before us and makes straight the path, but also places a hedge of protection around us and our travelmates as we embark on some rather dangerous investigave reporting and high-profile advocacy. I can't say too much for now other than to please keep us in your prayers for safety.

And on a personal note, praise God for fulfilling my heart's desire to use the journalism background he cultivated in me in a big ... make that really big ... way. He is so famous for exceeding our wildest dreams and humble expectations. The more I grasp Ephesians 3:20, He becomes bigger, his love becomes deeper, and his wisdom becomes wider. Truly, beloved, His ways and thoughts are higher. We are called to simply be still and behold.

And when he says jump ... it's time to jump. :) No looking back and no looking down. "I lift up my eyes to the hills" (Psalm 121:1) -- it's where my help comes from.

And the strength? (Neh. 8:10) It's all the Joy of the Lord's.

Project India: Success!

I am happy to report that by the end of December 2009, my financial goal for my travel to India was met -- and exceeded! Thanks to many generous family, friends, and colleagues, the funds received for my trip was just over $4,000. Any extra funding received will go toward travel expenses generally for Erin and I, and beyond that to the Jubilee Homes to help the girls directly.

THANK YOU!!! :)

What a humbling and incredible journey this has been already. I can also announce that we have (tentatively) set our dates for March 3 - 18, 2010 and are currently looking for flights.

If you have or know of any contacts with human trafficking organizations in India, please let me know so I can contact them! My personal goal is to connect with as many other organizations as I can as we travel so that these groups can share best practices and, together, become more powerful and effective for the cause of eradicating human trafficking . . . and restoring those who have fallen prey to this nightmareish criminal enterprise.

On a brighter note -- here's to a new year of great adventure! May you all be blessed beyond measure in 2010. Please keep Erin and I in your prayers as we prepare for our trip ahead, and in the meantime, I will keep you posted on our progress.

"For Christ's love compels us . . . " 2 Cor. 5:14

Support Update

As of today, I'm happy to report that $2,570 has been donated or pledged so far toward my trip to India. THANK YOU for such an outpouring of generousity! My heart is so very touched by all the friends, family, colleages committed to supporting this endeavor.

I still need another $500 to cover the travel needs and expenses before I can book a flight. We are thinking of going in February or March. If extra funds come in, we will be able to travel a little further and visit trafficking organizations in other parts of India. Erin and I would love to make it up to the Nepal border and network with Tiny Hands International, a faith-based group doing border intervention work I learned about at the human trafficking conference in Nebraska. I have gotten to know three people by now who work for Tiny Hands from the U.S., but their main work is in India, which I've heard would be incredible to see. There are a few other organizations I have been researching that I would love to connect with as well. Yesterday, for instance, I discovered Transitions Global and read about their new project in Mumbai, scheduled to open in February or March, right when we'll be there. If you get a chance, you should read the story about how that organization started -- talk about inspiring!

Erin and I have been thinking about adopting a theme for this trip that we can each blog about. In the anti-trafficking movement, thanks to Secretay Hillary Clinton's declaration of the "4th P" (the first three, which her husband declared back in 2000, are Prevention, Prosecution, and Protection, aka the "3-P Perogative"), "Partnerships" is the new buzz word -- and for my part, I would love to have a hand in helping to connect different organizations doing similar work in India so they can join hands, share best practices, and put forth a more united front in the fight against slavery!

From what I have read and heard, India is particularly plagued by this phenomenon of human trafficking. Please join me in praying for what the Lord might specifically have for me to do there -- whether that's fostering partnerships or some other type of project.

I have been reading Isaiah a lot lately and this verse (6:8) comes to mind ...

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?'

And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

* * *

A Heart of Thanks

I'm writing my first round of "Thank yous" to the donors who have supported my India trip thus far, who quickly brought me above the half-way mark of my goal to cover travel expenses, and I am overwhelmed to tears by the generousity of my friends and family ... Thank You!!

For some reason, my email about the trip has not yet made it to my good friends and colleages at Regent (I think I figured out today it's because of their particularly attentive spam filter, which is likely blocking my message due to its references to sex trafficking), but I trust that God has a purpose for me to go on this trip, and therefore will be faithful to raise the second half the finances needed to get there -- hopefully before the year's end.

In the meantime, I am contemplating this verse:

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matt. 25:40

How humbling to have an opportunity to fly halfway around the world to serve the "least of these"! Thank you again to all who will help me to get there.

~Val

Project: Send Val to India!

*************************************************************
December 1, 2009
Via E-mail

Dear Friends, Family, and Colleagues,

Hope that you celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! I can't believe December is already upon us, but I love the season leading up to Christmas because it's the perfect time to reflect back on the year and all its triumphs, challenges, and blessings.

My own journey feels like it's stretched an entire continent this year: In early January, I walked into my office in the Regent Law Review, where I took a deep breath and sat down to frantically re-write my article on human trafficking, because President Bush's signing of the reauthorization legislation on Christmas Eve effectively pre-empted my previous version, which was slated to be published that spring. (Many sleepless nights contributed to the final product, which was published and is attached if you've yet to see it. Thanks be to God for His sustaining grace!) Come May, I walked across the stage to receive my J.D. diploma from Regent University School of Law -- the end of an era spanning the three most significant years of my life and education. In June, I was again walking, but this time down the aisle for my little sister's wedding, a beautiful and inspiring event. One month later, in July, I walked the long walk up my row amid 3,000 peers to my seat to take, and ultimately pass!, the two-day Florida Bar Exam. Two weeks later, on August 10, I walked up the flight of stairs to my new office at Just Law International, where I am practicing immigration law for a well-revered Regent alumna, Ann Buwalda. Two months later, I took another deep breath as I walked to the podium at the front of the conference room where I had been invited to present my paper at the First Annual Interdisciplinary Human Trafficking Conference at the University of Nebraska.

Like I said, I feel as if I've walked the span of a continent by now! And speaking of continents, my journey this year is not yet finished. As many of you know, I have been passionate about the issue of human trafficking from my days as a journalism major at the University of Florida. Law school opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at the issue, from a legal and academic perspective. It was quite the thrill, at age 25, to be published on this topic and have presented my proposal to an interdisciplinary audience of researchers, lawyers, and human rights activists. But my objective now is to stretch myself beyond the realm of academia and into the field of social activism. To be an effective and well-rounded advocate for the victims of human trafficking, I need to experience human contact with the victims themselves. I'm eager to engage in on-the-ground assistance -- and suddenly I have an opportunity to do just that, but I need some help.

My boss, Ann Buwalda, not only runs an immigration law firm but also runs the human rights advocacy nonprofit Jubilee Campaign USA out of our offices. Jubilee Campaign, www.jubileecampaign.org, seeks to help the persecuted church and children at risk around the world. To me, one of the most exciting projects Jubilee engages in is the operation of a number of "Jubilee Homes" for the children of sex trafficking victims in Mumbai, India. These homes are unique and effective, in that they provide safe houses to the young daughters of prostituted women before they are forced into the cycle of sexual slavery themselves. The homes offer literacy and education programs for the kids to flourish and grow. In India, 2.3 million women and girls are trapped in sexual slavery and an estimated 40% of them are minors. The Jubilee Homes are a remarkable -- and effective -- example of an on-the-ground effort to break the cycle of human trafficking.

Ann is gracious to allow me to commit significant time to Jubilee's advocacy efforts, specifically in the area of human trafficking, as I balance this interest with my legal caseload. Already I have been able to network with the State Department's Trafficking In Persons office in an effort to secure grant funding for the Jubilee Homes in India this year. Through the process, I have developed a great relationship with Jubilee Campaign's full-time staff worker, Erin Weston. She is planning a trip in early 2010 to visit the Jubilee Homes in India and strategically network with the US Embassy there, which will be reviewing our grant proposals in the spring. Incidentally, through Jubilee's cooperative relationship with India Coalition, there is also opportunity on this trip to attend meetings with the Prime Minister, the President, the Minister for Minority Affairs, select Parliament leaders, the National Human Rights Commission, the US Ambassador to India, interfaith organizations, and key spiritual leaders in Orissa, as well as the Chief Minister and Governor.

I have an opportunity to accompany Erin on this trip to India, but as my work for Jubilee Campaign is donated on a pro bono basis, I need to raise the funds to do so. I apologize for the impersonal nature of this e-mail, but the opportunity developed quickly and this is the best and fastest way to reach all my family and friends considering the time constraints. I need to raise about $3,000 for travel expenses before the end of the year to plan for this trip. If you are willing and able to make a tax-deductible donation, in any amount, to Jubilee Campaign, these funds can be designated for my trip. Jubilee accepts PayPal donations online at its website (www.jubileecampaign.org) or checks can be mailed to Jubilee Campaign USA at 9689-C Main Street, Fairfax VA 22031. If you choose to donate, please designate "India trip" and/or Valerie Payne in the memo line (or if online, in the "Purpose" box), or by an accompanying note.

Despite my journalism background, I can't quite express how meaningful it would be for me to travel to India and have my first "on-the-ground" experience assisting trafficking victims and doing advocay work on this issue. Please forward this request to anyone you might know who has the heart and means to support this work. And if you are able to help make this happen, by donation or by prayer, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If I am able to go, I promise to keep a blog of updates detailing the trip with pictures and reports.

In the meantime, if you have questions about the trip, my work, or my passion for human trafficking, do not hesitate to contact me at the info below. May the steps of your own journey be blessed beyond measure as 2008 quickly comes to a close!

With Deep Gratitude,
Valerie

--
Valerie S. Payne, Esq.
Human Trafficking Specialist
Jubilee Campaign USA
valeriepayne@jubileecampaign.org
321-544-0360 (cell)

The Goodness of God to Accomplish His Purposes

It's past 10 p.m. on a Wednesday night, and I'm still in my office. I just put my head down for a moment to pray, and after a minute a tear rolled slowly and unexpectedly down my nose till it dropped to the floor. This isn't what you think.

The tear falling off my nose marked the moment where the final puzzle piece snaps into place, the moment where you can step back and see the beautiful picture -- someone else's design -- pieced together in all its glory. I wouldn't call it a tear of joy. It feels different. It feels deep. It pangs of humility. It rolls in love.

I don't know if I can explain, but allow me to try. There's a deep, deep feeling, to the pit of your soul, really, when you realize that Someone is looking down at you. When you realize that the Creator is peering down upon the very thing he created as it serves the purpose for which it was created. The feeling overwhelms all other senses, so it's hard to just call it joy. It almost feels more like panic. ("God, really? You would choose ME to do this work for you? Are you sure you didn't mean to assign this to someone else? Someone more capable? Someone less sinful? Someone older? Someone wiser?") But it's not panic because the deepness is coated in calm -- the still, abiding, calming assurance of a Loving Savior, a Wonderful Father who does not hesitate to shower his sons and daughters with good and perfect gifts from above.

It amazes me, absolutely amazes me, that God chooses to use every one of us in a particular way to accomplish his purposes. I had already been meditating on Proverbs this week: "Many are the plans in a man's heart but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." (19:21) Then, today, it hit me: the Lord's purpose is happening in my life right now. I am living it. It's all coming together: the journalism in college, the international interest, the affinity for Asian culture, the law school "detour," the immigration interest, the verse that God gave me two years ago when I sought out what he wanted me to do with this legal career he led me into (James 1:27 "True religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."). As I bowed my head to thank God for a great day of meeting with my first asylum client, a high-profile AIDS activist from China and feisty grandmother figure you can't help but love, it struck me -- the sudden collide of all these things. An Asian, a 82-year-old widower, who has dedicated her entire life to serving orphans wrongly afflicted with a deadly disease, is now depending on me to write the story that will save her life. The rushing weight of responsibility collides with the excitement of getting to do God's work, yet tempered by the gravity of what it all means. Oh, the humility that sinks me down. And oh, the grace that lifts me up.

Thanks be to God for how he uses us, his people, to accomplishes his purposes. (Eph. 2:10; Isa. 46:8-11) I don't know of any greater high than to be perfectly placed in the dead center of his will for your life. It's a rush that surpasses any other feat you might attempt on your own. Trust His Word when it says that his ways are higher, his purposes greater, his plans beyond our meager imagination.

And then hold on for the ride of your life. You won't see the twists & turns coming round the bend, and half the time you'll be holding your breath and wondering "what's next?", but when you reach the top and can see it all layed out before you, then you'll be amazed.

That's the moment when you can expect the tear to fall, slowly, unexpectedly ... beautifully.

Jubilee Campaign's Night of Worship for the Persecuted Church

So I am new to this blogging phenomenon, but I want to use this to update about the work I'll be doing this year on human rights issues from the District. For starters, here's a great event to attend if you can make it tonight, hosted by Jubilee Campaign USA:

On Friday, October 9 @ 7PM, Jubilee Campaign will host a night of music and worship at Sovereign Grace Church in Fairfax, VA. Chasing Vermont, a local band with a heart for the persecuted, will lead the night in engaging worship in loud, intimate, energizing, and hopefully entrancing ways that will aim to open a wide connection between us and God. This event will be a great place to release yourself from inhibition and your everyday drudgery, and to lean into an environment of passion, music, and prayer. Expression stations will be open for you to journal, pray, or draw. We will hear testimonies of the persecuted from Pakistan, Iran, and North Korea and enter into a time of corporate prayer to intercede for the persecuted church.

If you want to familiarize yourself with the music or build a playlist on your ipod, here is the set list:
You Won’t Relent/Misty Edwards
All Consuming Fire/Misty Edwards
Sweetly Broken/Jeremy Riddle
One of These Days/Small Town Poets
Blessed Be the Name/Tree63
Psalm 131/Waterdeep
Video/Testimonies of the persecuted, Prayer
Deliver Me (It is Well Remix)/David Crowder Band
Hymn/Jars of Clay
Beloved/Erin Weston
How He Loves Us/John Mark McMillan
Oh Praise Him/David Crowder Band
Scripture Readings, Time of Silence, Prayer

Hope to see you there!