MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—“THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
Thank you for listening to Mae Lee’s story yesterday.
Her voice—her story—deserves to be heard. Each woman—each story—deserves to be heard.
Perhaps her story changed your life. Perhaps hearing the story of her pain that turned into a beautiful story of redemption impacted you deeply. Maybe her journey touched a place in your heart and soul that you didn’t even know was there.
Or perhaps you weren’t aware of this global epidemic. Perhaps you didn’t know that sex trafficking was real.
Sex Trafficking is Real!
Sex trafficking is real. These stories are real. These people are real.
Sometimes, we hear about things like this on TV or we read stories in magazines or newspapers. However, these things don’t seem real to us, because they are so faraway.
Sometimes, we hear stories like this, and we shrug our shoulders. We close our eyes, we plug our ears, we turn our backs, we walk away.
We say to ourselves, “What can I do about it anyway?” “What’s the point?” “I can’t make a difference in this huge global crisis.” “I’m only one person in the big ocean.”
The Starfish Parable
As I browsed Starfish Project’s website to gather information for this writing piece, I came across this on their page, “Our Story.”
The Meaning Behind the Name: The Starfish Parable
One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.
Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”.
The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?”
The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said,
“I made a difference to that one!”
Starfish Project
Making a Difference to One!
Yes, “I made a difference to that one!”
When I sat on that park bench, listening to the broken story of my broken friend at the “safe house” this week, “I made a difference to that one!”
When you sat down yesterday with a cup of tea to listen to Mae Lee’s story, “You made a difference to that one!”
Even if it’s just one, it makes a difference.
It matters . . . just ONE life matters. Just one story matters. Just one woman matters.
Just ONE matters.
“Make Room at the Table“
I mentioned in my story yesterday that I received an unexpected email from Starfish Project. It was no coincidence that I read this email just as I was returning from my weekly visit to the safe house. My heart was open and vulnerable after sitting with my friend and listening to her story for more than two hours. The timing was perfect—divine.
Starfish Project was announcing their new campaign, “Make Room at the Table.”
“Each week our teams visit women still trapped in brothels. For those looking to escape, Starfish Project is the only safe place in a city of 20 million. With many new women joining us this year, our Riverside Branch is full. There is not room at the table for even one more girl. But, there is hope.
A new space has just opened up that will allow us to expand our table and hire more women. We need to raise $75,000 to expand and equip the only safe place in this city. Your gift will directly impact women ready to leave the brothel and find freedom. Simply give what you can, ask your friends to give and make an impact in the fight to end human trafficking.
This holiday season, give the gift of hope.”
Starfish Project
I immediately felt compelled to sign up and join their cause. Perhaps The Cultural Story-Weaver could be used as a platform to help Starfish Project raise the needed funds for their campaign.
Why?
You may wonder why I would take time and energy to promote Starfish Project and this campaign for women in sex trafficking. I do it, because I care. I do it, because I believe that “I can make a difference to that one!” I do it, because I believe that “You can make a difference to that one!”
It only takes one. I am one. You are one. Together, we make two . . . and it just multiples. Our “ONE” can turn into “MANY.“
When signing up to help Starfish Project with their fundraising, they asked me why I was passionate about this project.
Here’s what I said:
“My family has been working for more than 20 years with immigrants and refugees around the world. We currently live in Europe, and I volunteer at a safe house with immigrant and refugee women who have been rescued from sex trafficking. It is a growing epidemic, and we CAN do something about it! By raising awareness of this global crisis and raising funds for the project, “Make Room at the Table,” we can each make a difference in the lives of these women. We can break down barriers and build bridges of cultural awareness, understanding, and appreciation. Let’s weave cultures and weave our hearts with these women around the world!”
Are You Ready?
So, are you ready? Are you ready to respond? Ready to make a difference to that one?!
Let’s Weave Cultures!
Let’s weave our hearts with these women around the world!
Let’s make a difference to ONE!
Here’s how you can join Starfish Project to “Make Room at the Table”—for just ONE WOMAN.
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—“THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
How have you responded in the past when you heard heartbreaking stories about real people and real events on the other side of the world? Do you feel like you can’t make a difference? Have you ever heard the “Starfish Parable”? How does that story change your perspective? What are you going to do about it? How will you respond today?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
