Learning
I continued to listen and learn about instances of profound human depravity. (Snippets are captured in previous entries.) I researched cases of human trafficking in order to document them. These cases ranged from Law and Order: SVU-esque stories of sex trafficking, appalling stories of labor trafficking---things from domestic slaves to sweatshops, and, worst of all, child trafficking.
Though the messages of most of the sessions were those of horror and frustration, our speakers smiled and infused their sessions with hope and possibility. Despite the magnitude and gross underreporting and underinvestigation of human trafficking cases, they told stories of palpable progress and gave us concrete ways we can join the fight.
Reacting
When I first sat down on the couch after the last session, I jumped right into my assigned research, but the more I read, the more overwhelmed I felt. Also, I had kitchen duty. So eventually, I succumbed to the near inexplicable urge to clean. I put down my computer and started washing dishes. I joked around with some of the other students that I am "not normally so domestic" (many of you can attest to this) but after reading about depravity, I equated the odd inclination to a desire to eliminate a problem, no matter how small. To make something dirty clean again. They all nodded seriously.
While in the kitchen, my roommate Hannah and I set about our duties of cleaning, and then, decided that if we were stuck the kitchen cleaning, we might as well make it dirty first in a desirable way, and so we made some chocolate chip cookies from scratch. As people came in from shopping or sight-seeing or eating, they noticed the baking happening, and found reasons to jump into conversation long enough for the cookies to be made, baked, and cooled. It was empowering to know some simple indulgence (with minimal effort on my own part) created an atmosphere of community where people from all over the continent could interface and bond and laugh together.
If I could boil down my life's goal down to its absolute core, this might be a good picture of it. I would like to bring joy and safety and community to people's lives. Whether by knowledge or friendship or faith, it is what I aim to do. I am certain that attending this conference will give me the skills to do so in a new way.
Having my house professionally cleaned has been a dream of mine for a few years now. We are Very happy with this Homejoy cleaning service. They were responsive to my emails, and on time for the cleaning. The place looks great, spotless. It was a little pricey for a 1 bedroom apartment, though. But I'll use them again.
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