Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Eye of the Storm


             Some of my most vivid memories of growing up in Florida take place during the hurricane season. In 1999, a category storm named Hurricane Floyd tore up the East coast, resulting in a mandatory evacuation of Floridians from the state. For some reason my family chose to stay put.  For days it rained and as the storm approached, it became clear that the eye would pass right over our home. As the wind got stronger and the rain fell harder, we stayed inside, having to yell over the sound of water pounding the skylights. I will never forget the eerie calm of stepping outside for fresh air as the eye of Floyd passed over us. For one brief hour in the chaos of a Category 4 hurricane, everything was still, peaceful even.

The weeks leading up to my departure for South Asia have been an absolute whirlwind. There have been visa applications, immunizations, support letters, last coffee dates, packing logistics and pre-travel details to attend to while traveling between Massachusetts, Florida, California, and Washington DC. In that ‘storm’ of preparation, it has been such a blessing to have the encouragement and support of friends and family. For those of you who I have had a chance to see in the past few months, thank you so much.

As I sit and type in the second of four airports I will see in the next 24 hours, I feel the calm of the in-between. The wonderful chaos of home and preparations for travel has passed, but I have not yet entered the bewildering, confusing, and beautiful whirlwind of this year. Here, at Gate 4, there is no internet access and I am forced to sit and relax. To just be still in the eye of it all.

In lieu of a long list of South Asian must-do’s and [re]commitments to healthy living, I have just one fundamental goal for these next twelve months: To experience Hope. The world is full of brokenness- in both human relationships and in nature- and this year I will be confronted with it in overt ways every single day. Amidst this messiness, I desperately desire to grow in Hope. To give it, to receive it, and to see it. Hope can hide out in the tiniest, most unexpected places, but sometimes it is as obvious as the Himalayas. I invite you to join me in experiencing it all in these next few months.

Every time I blog, I plan to ask myself (and you) how Hope is alive. So, how is Hope evident this week? This week, I had the pleasure and privilege of spending a week with other new members of International Justice Mission, as we all prepared for service in various parts of the world. As a group with a diverse experience but similar interests, the hope for justice around the world was almost palpable. I saw it in the eyes of the staff heard it in the conversations of the fellows, and felt it while laughing with other interns. It is from this place of great Hope that I take off to begin this internship.

If you pray, pray for the victims of exploitation in South Asia, that they might feel Hope. Pray for the people working with IJM, that they remain safe, hopeful, and strategic in their work. Pray for me, for health, for the willingness to serve in every way, and for a safe living situation in South Asia.

                I look forward to sharing this next year with you!

Blessings from here,

Alice
 
p.s.-Interested in supporting this year? Follow the link below:

Welcome!


            In the months of transition after finishing school, I have been offered a chance to spend the 2013 year living in South Asia while interning with an organization called International Justice Mission, a Christian human-rights organization based in Washington, DC. This opportunity is an incredible honor that will allow me to continue humbly pursuing a passion for international human rights that has developed over the past three years.

            International Justice Mission is an organization working in multiple locations around the world to provide rescue and support services to victims and survivors of various egregious forms of exploitation, while endeavoring to ensure that local governments are also working on behalf of marginalized members of the community (visit www.ijm.org for details). This summer, IJM opened a new office in South Asia. Their focus is on advocacy and support for people in situations of forced labor slavery. There are currently an estimated 27 million people living in slavery around the world today. In many of these cases, an employer using debt bondage as a means of entrapment will offer a small loan to someone who intends to repay the debt through labor. Over time, the employer inflates the amount owed to ensure that the laborer can never repay the debt. The majority of known cases of forced labor slavery today exist in South Asia.
 
            As an Administrative Intern, I will focus my time on research compilation and provide administrative support to the office as it continues to establish itself. The office is so new that I will be their first and only intern of the year! It is my hope to learn as much as possible about the work of IJM while helping wherever my support is needed in a young office. Although I am confident of the Lord’s provision and entrust my life into His hands, there is no way that I can do His work in South Asia without the support of others, both prayerfully and financially. It is with joy that I ask you to join me in this venture.

           Living and working for 12 months in South Asia will cost over $30,000, most of which I am hoping to raise between now and when I depart in January. This cost covers expenses such as airfare, housing, daily costs of living, visas, immunizations, and insurance. If you are interested in supporting my work with IJM, please click the link below and select my name from the dropdown menu:

https://secure3.convio.net/ijm/site/Donation2?idb=1515869785&df_id=1261&1261.donation=form1

Prayer support will also be critical in this upcoming year. If you are willing, please pray for the IJM staff as they establish themselves in South Asia, for me in a trail-blazing year at a new office, and for the modern-day slaves whose lives IJM hopes to positively touch.

            Thank you so much for whatever support you are able to give. I look forward to sharing with you in seeing the ways the Lord is moving in South Asia. Please do not hesitate to contact me at alice.anderson@gordon.edu with any questions about giving and this upcoming year!