From Tiananmen to Trafficking: The Fight for Freedom

Twenty five years ago, college students around China were protesting for freedom. In the days leading up to June 4, 1989, I prayed that political and spiritual freedom would become a reality for them, but instead, the world witnessed a massacre. In that one event, an unknown number of students were killed as the world watched, and the heart of one college student from St. Louis, Missouri was changed. 

That event, along with other information I was learning about the world led to 10 years of living, working and doing life in China. I learned to love Chinese culture, eat with chopsticks, and befriended wonderful people that remain dear to me. While living in China, I saw what "devaluation of the girl child" looks like as I visited orphanages packed with little girls, and I came face to face with children that were victims of human trafficking. 

Since my return to the States, I have continued to learn about the horrors of human trafficking and find myself devoting time and energy to freedom once again, primarily for those who are being sold for sex. I would not refer to myself as a freedom fighter, but a common thread does exist. Whether political, physical, spiritual, educational or emotional, freedom is worth fighting for and is why I often say, "We are all Made for Freedom."

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” 
― Nelson Mandela