Dressember 2015.

December 1st. December means Christmas. December means my favorite time of the year. December means snowstorms trapping me in my apartment. December means frigid temperatures. But December also means Dressember.

Dressember and I had an internal battle this year. I really didn't want to do it. I thought, "I'm out of college now and no one will be doing side by side with me this year. I'll either be at work or have days off and be cleaning, lounging, or running errands. I REALLY don't want to do that all in a dress." Even when I woke up this morning, I planned to put on pants. And then I saw this smiling face in my head ....

Oh dear one. Raynuka holds a special place in my heart. Almost every time I pray for her, I get tears in my eyes. She's young and hasn't been trafficked but oh my, is she high risk. She lives in a small tin house in the slums. My guess is that she's been abused all too often for her young years. So on December 1st, I woke up and thought of her. Why should I stop fighting for her freedom and dignity just because I'm no longer in college??

I can't promise I'll wear a dress everyday. But I will lift up Raynuka and so many others up in prayer. When people ask why I'm wearing a dress I will tell the stories of brokenness and redemption that are so fragile I'm unable to tell of them here. I'll use my voice to be a voice for my sweet sisters across the world who simply hope they'll stay safe day by day. They aren't worried that their car won't make it out of the parking lot because they don't have a car. They don't struggle to decide what to wear because they only have a few kurtas to choose from. 3 meals a day are a blessing. 

The heart of Dressember is dignity and freedom, so let's raise our voices to fight for our sisters around the world enslaved in trafficking. Let's fight for those at risk. Let's pray for a change of heart in traffickers. Dressember partners with IJM and the A21 Campaign who both fight for justice and aid in rescues. Check 'em out. www.ijm.org and www.a21.org.
I've joined Sioux Center's Dressember fundraising page and if you feel led you can donate here https://support.dressemberfoundation.org/fundraise?is_new=1&fcid=575638 All proceeds will go towards ending trafficking and securing rescues. Last year Dressember participants raised enough to fund over 100 IJM rescues!

Don't mind my post pjs-more of a long sweater than a dress-mirror pic. Cheers to the next 30 days!

Changing Generations.

This past week has been a blur. 

> Get back from India (after 52 hours of travel and a whole lot of tears). 

> Move to a new state. 

> 12 hours later start a new job. 

> Have zero time to process. 

Thankfully, I've finally had a few minutes to slow down and process my three weeks in India. The more I talk to people, the more stories I remember and the more I see our sweet Jesus. I see him in the small moments. I hear him in the laughter. The more I think about our three weeks, the more I realize how many seeds were planted. All we could do was love hard and plant seeds and trust the Lord to do the rest. My heart was definitely at the aftercare center. I love those women so much, but the Lord actually taught me the most through our time at the slum which is where I really struggled. I struggled with feeling useless. I didn't always feel as though I was doing much, and then it hit me like a brick wall- a lot of these kids don't know what love looks like. They know what abuse looks like. They know what alcoholism looks like. They know what idols look like, but love? They haven't necessarily known real, deep, true love. So we got to love on them. We loved on them when they were insane and difficult, and when that meant I had to hold a six year old for three hours. But not only that...but we got the privilege to share Jesus' love with them. We shared Bible stories, and hugs, and shoes to show His love. We prayed and prayed and prayed. And while I didn't necessarily see spiritual fruit in my three weeks, it's my prayer that these kiddos will grow up loving Jesus and that will change the entire community. I pray they'll change generations and generations to come. I pray there won't be abuse or neglect, but love and grace. I pray that someone will visit in five years and see Jesus flooding that place. Because He is faithful, and He is able. 



Our dear [and incredibly talented] teammate, Caroline, wrote this beautiful song that sums up ministry in the slum so well.

The roads been long, the roads been rough

You’ve come along way, but don’t give up.

There’s joy to have and pain to bear,

And I sleep safe while you lie awake scared. [how many nights I lied awake thinking about how grossly privileged I am. My complaints suddenly seem pretty minute.]

But keep your eyes on the sky

For he will come in due time

You’ll be scared tonight, but he’s with you

And he will bring the daylight.

You're not like me, we don’t speak the same

But our different worlds have the same reality

And your smiling face looking up my way,

It screams so loud that “God delights in me!”

But keep your eyes on the sky

For he will come in due time

He’ll make all things right, cause he loves you

And he sees you through the hard times.

You’re sick and sore, you’re bruised and beat,

We can treat the symptoms but that’s not eternity.

It’s our prayer for you, that you grow up strong

chasing God’s own heart, changing generations.

So keep your eyes on the sky,

For he will come in due time.

And keep these words in your mind- Jesus loves you, this I know.

Jesus loves you, for the Bible tells me so. 

Streams in the Wasteland

Only 2 sleeps left, and I'm not going to lie- I'm extremely ready to be home. I have absolutely loved this trip, but I'm also very excited and anxious to begin a new chapter of life and see what the Lord has in store. With two days left, I've obviously been reflecting quite a bit on this trip. This trip is different than what many would imagine I assume. We didn't come and build or paint anything. We didn't do VBS and have 20 people come to Christ, but we did love hard and planted seeds. We put Christ's love into action and are leaving the rest up to him. Even when we couldn't see, the Lord was working. He was at work when the slum kids requested to hear a Bible story. He was at work slowly softening the hearts of the women at the aftercare center. He was at work in every softly spoken prayer. He worked through every wound or illness that was treated. He worked through smiles and boisterous laughter. He worked through a sweet old Muslim auto driver that we got to share a little of Jesus with. He worked wonders through quiet time in the morning and precious moments spent  in community with our sisters in Christ. Joy, love, and grace bubbled over. There isn't one moment from this trip that I'll cherish forever, but rather a hundred tiny, seemingly insignificant moments.

Isaiah 43:19 says, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

This is what God's doing in India. He's making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland through the small moments that are full of love.  It's too easy to focus on the desert or wasteland instead of seeing all the moments He's in and standing amazed by His work.

He works through gospel Mehindi and child like joy.

He turns our sorrow into dancing.

He works through sweet time with new friends.

..and old.

He's our healer.

Greater is He.

Today we went to a women's center that simply provides impoverished women and children with a warm meal and shower. Women also have the opportunity to learn how to stitch quilts and earn an income. The center was packed today, but it was such a beautiful day.

We held a medical clinic and the first gal we saw, who we'll call M, had a fever of 102.9. We could visibly tell that she felt terrible, but one of the first things we learned about her is that she's a believer and anxiously waiting to be baptized! About a year ago M had an engagement break off and lost a baby at full term. These things are terrible for anyone, but in Indian culture she was left with little worth. Because of this, she was essentially rejected by everyone other than her mother and women at the center. Thankfully, she continues to come to the center to be loved and cared for, but most importantly she knows she is ADORED by her heavenly Father. Also, within two hours of being seen, her temp was down and she was feeling so much better. We serve the ultimate healer!

Later, we saw G who was such a precious soul. She needed medical attention because her husband severly beat her Sunday night which about ripped my heart out. G and her three children were staying at the center for safety. This fierce woman also had the courage to turn her husband into the police, which is about unheard of here. Yet, she praised the Lord and a few team members had the opportunity to pray over her. Talk about praising Him in the storm, eh? G came to the center and knew about Christ long before she knew him. It wasn't until she had been in labor on a dirt floor, with her second child for over two days that she finally prayed to this Jesus she heard about. A healthy boy was born less than two hours later and ever since she's been on fire for the Lord! God is good, ALL the time.

Today we saw abuse, poverty and abandonment, but we also heard testimonies of how God is victorious over the most difficult situations and gives beauty for ashes.

Little Praises

There are currently eight team members here, so we're split into two different ministry teams most days. The Lord has obviously orchestrated our teams and ours has tried to begin the day sandwiching our prayers. We begin with a praise, then state a request or something that isn't going so well, and finally we end with another praise. This is an amazing way to start the day because we've found ourselves going, "Another praise!" or "Add it to the praise list!" all throughout the day. The other day we talked to the girls at the aftercare center about finding joy in the smallest praises, so we've been adding those to our list too!

Here are a few of my praises, big and small:

- Having mom on this trip with me. I have seen the sacrificial and selfless love that reflects Christ through her each day. She's the one who will sacrifice sleep and calm me in anxious, late night moments.

- Being back in a place  I love so dearly and seeing all the Lord has done. So much has changed and improved at the HIV hospital! He is faithful.

- Walking into the aftercare center and seeing familiar faces. Two ladies actually remembered and just sat holding my hand or with their head on my shoulder and my heart almost burst.

- Being surrounded by some of the most joyful kids in the world, who have so little. Those little smiles are good at putting things into perspective for me.

- The power not yet going out while we sleep (otherwise it can get reallllllly hot).

- An actual shower with WARM water.

- Continued safety and health.

- Playing 'Snakes and Ladders' with a 9 year old boy at the HIV hospital and hearing his laughter after he beat me two times in a row.

- Praying over sweet little 'grandmas and grandpas' living behind the hospital.

- Good coffee. :)

- A peace that surpasses all understanding. This peace has washed over me even in my anxious moments and anyone who knows me knows that is a huge answer to prayer!

- Continually hearing testimonies of the Lord's goodness from impverished children, former Hindu's who have completely turned from their former way of life, and women who have endured more trials than I can even fathom. Our God is a God of the nation's who is able to cross any and every cultural and language barrier.

Visit to the slums.

Today we went to a slum to do medical work and spend time with the children. When I say slum, I really mean it. I thought I had experienced this before, but this was quite overwhelming. Families were living in small shacks made of whatever they could find essentially. Kids and adults alike run around barefoot. Flies swarm you wherever you go. In the midst of this, my sleeping troubles (which thankfully have not been accompanied by much anxiety) seemed quite miniscule. Families of six sleep on a rocky dirt floor and suddenly I felt grossly over privileged. I am also amazed, yet again, by the God we serve. Here are kids with next to nothing with more joy than I can muster most days. I always seek to find joy in ALL circumstances, which is only possible through Christ. But if these were my circumstances, would I be so quick to find joy? Yesterday pain, poverty, and disease stared me in the face, but so did joy, laughter, and the Lord's faithfulness.

4 Days.

4 days 1 hour 35 minutes. 

My countdown is telling me that's how much time I have until mama and I are boarding our first plane on our long journey to SE Asia. Our bags are packed (more or less) and we're ready to go! Holy buckets. That's so so exciting, but if I'm being honest, that also terrifies me a little. Life has seemed to be a giant checklist lately: 

• Graduate
• Pass Boards
• Move my stuff to Sioux Falls
• Go to India
• Start my new job (only 36 hours after I land in the States)

And this checklist has made me feel like life is moving at about 100mph. In the midst of this all I also have been trying to spend as much time with the people I love most because I know when I get back from India things will be different. Yeah, yeah...Sioux Falls is only an hour away but that's still different. I'll live 100% on my own, have to cook for myself all the time, figure out things like insurance and banking and all that weird grown up stuff, and I'll be an actual real life RN. This is weird and so incredibly exciting and a little nerve-racking. In these whirlwind moments I'm oh so thankful to serve a God who knows so much better than I do and promises to never leave my side- even in the, "Jesus, I really have no idea what I'm doing." moments. (no matter how old you get, do those moments ever go away?)

Anyway, back to the trip. The thought of going back brings tears to my eyes because I'm so excited. This place has had a huge impact on shaping who I am today. Its given me so many of my passions that have carried over to the States too. Seeing Jesus in the brokenness is one of the things I love most in this whole world and I cannot wait to be back. But with that, I'm also nervous. I know it won't be the same because it's a different time with different people, and I've tried to prepare my heart for that. Phil Wickham's song All I Am says, 

"Take these hands I know they're empty

But with you they can be used for beauty in your perfect Plan

All I am is Yours

Take these feet, I know they stumble,

But You use the weak, You use the humble,

So, please use me.

All I am is yours.

I give You all my life, I'm letting it go, 

a living sacrifice, no longer my own.

All I am is Yours.

Take this heart, set it on fire.

Shine it in the dark. I wanna tell the world of who you are.

All I am is Yours."

I'm not sure if I could sum up my feelings better. My hands feel empty, and my feet stumble but the Lord's grace covers that. He goes before me and has a plan. In Ephesians 3 Paul said he was the least of all God's saints, but was called through the Lord's grace. I feel a little like Paul..God can use my brokenness, unpreparedness, and anxiety all for His glory. Don't we serve an awesome God? 

I'll do my best to keep y'all updated on here throughout and after my trip. Also, if you could say a prayer for mom and I to stay healthy that would be great. I've decided to get a nasty cold now of all times. 

With actions and in truth.

"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." - 1 John 3:17-18

   I'm a little (or a lot) behind on life here, but this summer mom and I are returning to SE Asia to work with sex-trafficking victims. My mama's my best friend and for years we've dreamed of going on a trip together. After much thought and prayer this trip landed us 8,000 miles away for three weeks between me taking boards and moving/starting a new job. A lot of people don't quite understand why we've decided to spend our time in a poverty stricken country instead of sitting on a beach relaxing for a week, but the above verses were said in church this morning and I think they sum it up pretty well for me.

   I've seen my brothers and sisters in need and how can I not love them? I've seen brokenness, poverty, and injustice and my hearts been completely shattered. I've also seen hope, restoration, and justice though and the Lord's put a burning passion in my heart to see these things overcome the brokenness, poverty, and injustice. And the way the Lord does this is extremely complicated, but also incredibly simple. He calls broken, sinful people like mama and myself to love with actions and in truth. He equips us to love well, through the love we've been given. So that's why we're flying over 26 hours for three weeks only to be sleep deprived and culture-shocked and home-sick, but also to pour out Christ's love, to see the Kingdom grow, to be challenged, and to witness the hope overcome injustice. 

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Dressember day 31.

December 31, 2014. 

This not only means that tomorrow begins a new year, but it also means that tomorrow I can wake up and put on jeans or sweatpants instead of deciding which dress I want to wear for the umpteenth time. It's a really strange feeling actually, and part of me is sad. Dressember has been such a good experience in so many ways for me. I've continually been reminded of the redemption we find in Christ. I've found joy in seeing others participating and finding new passions. I've been thankful each and every day when I do put on a dress and am reminded of the life-giving freedom I have found in my Savior. The other day a friend of mine was watching a documentary on sex-trafficking and asked, "Kelsey, how am I suppose to relate to these women?" And I couldn't really give an answer because we can't- I've lived a pretty freaking privileged life. I complain about putting on a dress while women around the world are sitting on a stained bed in tattered rags. I complain when my legs are cold through my tights while women are forced to stay outside at truck-stops waiting for customers to strip them of their dignity. I complain about wearing a dress for 31 days in a row..but you know what? Most days I felt truly beautiful, loved,and supported while millions of women have never felt beautiful but instead feel used and unworthy of love. This oppression is normal for many women and that's what struck me most this December. One day I picked out my dress and thought about how putting a dress on each morning was becoming normal, and suddenly I was HORRIFIED. For so many women, enslaved in trafficking or not, oppression is normal. Feeling unloved and unworthy is normal. Abuse is expected. Being raped up to 40 times a day is normal. Many women in trafficking don't know another reality and therefore don't even self-identify as victims. This makes me hurt. It literally makes me sick. Each women is a beloved daughter of the King, relentlessly pursued by their maker, and should be treated as such. This is why I fight. I fight so love, joy, and beauty will be normal for women around the world instead of abuse, oppression, and hopelessness. 

Dressember is about embracing femininity, standing up for the oppressed and enslaved, and fighting for women everywhere to feel beautiful and be free. I've been blessed to take a stand with thousands of others around the world but it doesn't end today. Keep praying. Keep learning. Keep having those tough conversations, and keep fighting for the voiceless.  

Isaiah 58:10-11
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
 with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and spend yourself in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
  then your light will rise in the darkness,
 and your night will become like the noonday. 
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land 
and will strengthen your frame." 

All oppression shall cease.

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, 

It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth. 
Long lay the world in sin and error pining, 

'Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth. 

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, 

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. 

Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices! 

O night divine, O night when Christ was born; 

O night divine, O night, O night Divine. 

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace. 

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother; 

And in His name all oppression shall cease. 

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, 

Let all within us praise His holy name. 

Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices! 

O night divine, O night when Christ was born; 

O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

I have heard this song hundreds of times before. I've grown up singing it each December, and yet it took on a whole new meaning to me this year. It's been my favorite Christmas song for years, and once again I was reminded why. Those lyrics in red? Yeah. They're awesome. Read them again. He taught us to love. Jesus Christ is love and peace even in the midst of our chaotic and broken world. And this unfathomable love will one day break all chains. In HIS name, all oppression shall cease and this folks, is why I'm participating in Dressember. I'm participating because the slave is my brother or sister and I wish to see a world in which all oppression ceases in the name of our risen Savior.

The problem is big and the injustice is overwhelming, but the hope is immense too. The work of ending trafficking is often tiresome and tedious, but one moment can give hope for a lifetime. Every time that injustice seems to swallow me whole, I remember those moments. I remember sitting on the floor next to a beloved thirty-something year old who had endured trafficking for SEVEN YEARS and I see her paint "God is love" in watercolor. I hear her say those same words in her broken English. After seven years of injustice, Jesus Christ broke the chains in her life and his love prevailed. I remember walking into the center, seeing a shy woman with a large scar of her chest huddled in the corner and sitting down next to her. She grabbed my hand and never let go. Those are moments I will never forget and those are moments that give me hope. I see love, I see chains breaking, and I see oppression ending. Those are moments I see Jesus.

Merry Christmas! I hope you're able to rejoice in Emmanuel- God with us.

Day 22- Sarah W.

Day 22. This may be our last profile for Dressember, but I am so incredibly thankful for all the people who have participated on Northwestern's campus. I've definitely seen the Lord work through Dressember and I've seen a generation rise up to fight injustice. About 30 people at Northwestern committed to wearing a dress or tie for all 31 days of December, more people participated weekly, and our team has raised $2,623 so far. SO BLESSED. Today you get to meet Sarah Wedel. Sarah's also worked in Bangalore with trafficking survivors and is near and dear to my heart. 

“I will never forget the first time I heard about human trafficking. Shockingly, it was just last year. How could I have gone through my first 19 years of life never hearing about the 30 million slaves in the world today? People can’t fight against what they don’t know is happening. When I found out the truth about human trafficking, it changed me. It moved me to action. This past summer, I had the opportunity to live in Bangalore, India for six weeks to work at a safe house for rescued trafficked women. It was such an incredible blessing to get to know these beautiful women and to see them beginning the process of healing. That’s why I am participating in Dressember. Because awareness comes before action. By me wearing a dress this month, maybe just one more person will join the fight against human trafficking. And one by one, we can change the world. I wear a dress for the women I met in Bangalore. I wear a dress to bring rescue, hope and healing to one more of the 30 million.”

Over half the slaves in the world today reside in India, which is about 14 million. 

Day 20- Taylor

Day 20. TWENTY. Where has December gone? Today you meet Taylor, who is near and dear to my heart and has a passion unlike any other.

"My interest in the welfare of women began in a class I took sophomore year called "Violence against Women."  We read the book "Half the Sky" by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (once again- they're awesome!) and learned about so many tragic things that women are experiencing around the world:  Prostitution. Maternal mortality. Rape. Domestic Violence. Unequal pay. Female genital mutilation. At one point the authors quoted one magazine who wrote, "Maternal deaths in developing countries are often the ultimate tragic outcome of the cumulative denial of women's human rights. Women are not dying because of untreatable diseases. They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving." Women are dying because people don't think their lives are worth saving. ​Since my sophomore year I've learned so much more about modern-day slavery, and the truth is that yes, violence against women is such a huge issue and one I hope to passionately pursue forever, but it's not just women that are experiencing the many ways in which slavery is occurring. This is why I'm participating in Dressember. There's a girl in Africa who isn't getting justice even though she was gang-raped. There's a woman in your county who is living in the cycle of domestic violence and she's too scared to come forward because her partner has threatened to take her kids away if she does. And there's little girls and boys all over the world who are being kidnapped and sold into slavery. 30 million people in this world don't have the ability to choose their food or whether they're educated or who they marry. It's enraging and discouraging, but I hold onto God's promises. There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain, including slavery. How blessed are we that we can walk alongside God in this fight for freedom? It's not their fight, it's our fight."

Day 19- Caleb

Yesterday you met Matt and today you get to meet his roommate, Caleb, who's joining him in the endeavor to wear a tie each day, regardless of their outfits. 

"Hi, I'm Caleb Hawks and I am wearing a tie for all of December because Justice Matters. I do not think enough people are aware that there are still nearly 30 million slaves in our world. That is not okay. It is time for us all to step up and do something about this. Like some of the other guys participating, I believe that it is time for men to join the fight against human trafficking. So I am wearing a tie with whatever I have on this entire month so people will ask me about it. I want people to be aware that human trafficking is a major problem."

Day 18- Matt

Can you believe it's already December 18? Personally I feel like these 18 days have flown by. I love hearing and seeing how different people are participating, and today you get to hear my good friend Matt Lange's spin on Dressember.

"My roommate Caleb and I decided to do this weird thing where we would just wear ties on top of T-shirts instead of dressing all the way up. Some days I've dressed up more, but not often. It has been pretty incredible to think of my fellow human beings in their suffering every time I notice a tight feeling around my neck. I often find myself a bit ashamed of the tie, because it looks funny on a t-shirt and because I get tired of telling people why I'm wearing it. This has been humbling, to realize that it's a stupid tie and that I am dumb enough to grow tired of talking about sex trafficking. 

My aunt and uncle work with a house in Thailand that keeps girls off of the streets at  http://breannashouseofjoy.com/ and my mom has worked for several years as a part of the Freedom Climb  http://www.thefreedomclimb.net/ so I figured that Dressember was a really small way for me to join my family and friends in the fight for freedom of our trafficked sisters and brothers. 

Notice of course, I've only been talking about myself. Dressember really has been a great opportunity to talk about the people of this world, and the ways in which we treat each other like garbage. It is time this ends. ​God is love, and we should be too."

Day 17- Jessica

Hey! My name is Jess, I am an Elementary Education with a Reading Endorsement major. Today was a major turning point for me in my reasoning to do Dressember. As I was getting ready I was struggling to figure out how I was going to wear my dress differently because lets be honest, it's getting harder and harder to be creative. Well as I was searching through my jewelry box I came across a necklace, the one I am wearing in my photograph. As soon as I held it in my hand, a flash back of memories flooded my mind from the time that I was in Cambodia in 2010 and I got to visit Daughters of Cambodia. Daughters of Cambodia is a rescue house for girls and women who have been involved in sex-trafficking. I was holding a necklace that was given to me from a resident there, a women whose story touched my life at just 15 years old. I remembered how that entire day was so full of emotion and how I could not stop thinking about how lucky I was to have already experienced so much more than she was able to at my age.  Wearing that necklace brought back many, many memories and the idea that I once had to go back to that same place and see the redeeming work that has been done in rescuing women in the past five years. Today I was reminded that I am not just wearing a dress because it would be fun or because everyone else is doing it. Instead I am wearing a dress to be reminded of those who are oppressed and lonely, with hopes through prayer and petition that all Daughters of our One True King may be FREE!

http://daughtersofcambodia.org/

Day 16- Samantha

So today's post makes me feel a little strange because it talks about me and I'm the one posting it. BUT! There's a reason for it. Sometimes I think people get annoyed with how much I talk and post about trafficking, and I use to worry about it. But then I decided I really don't care because trafficking isn't something you get to chose to believe in or not. It's a fact, it happens, and you only get to choose whether you're going to do something about it. William Wilberforce once said, "You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know." And that's why I don't stop talking about this and advocating for the men, women, and children trapped in slavery- because people's lives are at stake and until we stand up for them, that won't change. But we can't stand up for them if we're unaware of the problem our world faces. Also, both apathy and passion are contagious. I'm currently reading "A Path Appears" by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (YOU SHOULD ALL GO BUY IT. Seriously, it's rocking my world.) but they talked about how when people are apathetic to injustice, people around them are more apathetic. Similarly, when people are passionate, people around them are more likely to be passionate about a similar cause. So go find your passion- whether that's human trafficking, homelessness, or orphans- and run with it. Be a world changer. 

Sam's one of the people I blabbed on and on to about trafficking, and this is the result. Here's day 16. 

"Hello! My name is Sam and I am a freshmen elementary education major at Northwestern this year. This is also my first year participating in Dressember and I am loving every moment of it! The reason I am participating is because of Kelsey. She is so passionate about the cause and hearing her speak about trafficking I learned how serious the cause is. I have learned many new things about trafficking that I had not even thought about before. Dressember is a GREAT cause and I am so happy to be a part of it! I'm so thankful  that I've been shown a little of the injustice in this world and what I can do to change it."

Day 15- Ashley

"Hi guys, my name is Ashley Doran but everyone calls me Dora. I am currently a sophomore, Christian Ed/Youth Ministry major. I have decided to participate in Dressember because to be honest, why not wear a dress everyday? But in all seriousness, there is so much injustice in the world we live in and a lot of it we don't even see. Isaiah 1:1-17 is a bit of scripture I looked at when thinking about this. I know it is a completely different context but I think it says a little bit about our call to seek justice for the oppressed especially in verses 16 and 17. I'm not going to lie, I have kind of struggled wearing a dress everyday and it's only half way through the month. But, I know that my struggle is nothing compared to what the victims of human trafficking are going through. And as a matter of fact, my struggle is just because I want to be lazy and comfortable, something these people don't have an option to do. If I look at it in this way, I realize how important it is for us to raise awareness for these injustices and speak for those who can't."






"Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
    remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17     learn to do good;
seek justice,
    correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
    plead the widow's cause." - Isaiah 1:16-17

Day 14- Brett

On day 14, you get to meet Brett and you get the opportunity to see more men join in the fight against trafficking and exploitation.

"As I have entered this Advent season I've been reflecting on how the Israelite's were waiting for a King. A King who would be bring justice and rescue them from their oppressors. This gives me cause to wonder about the 30 million people being trafficked, and if they have any shred of hope of being rescued. My heart breaks for the pain that exists in the world, and for those who have been forced into horrid circumstances beyond their control. I have hope in Christ's return where shalom will be achieved, perfect peace and perfect justice. Until then, I will work on bringing the Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven, through love, justice, and hope. Dressember was an incredible opportunity to get involved in the fight to end slavery. In my experience, it has mainly been women fighting to end trafficking, which is incredible. But, now it is time for men to follow their lead to unite and fight to end, what I believe to be, the largest injustice of our generation. This is why I'm wearing a tie to raise awareness, funds, and education for the 30 million whose crying out have not been heard."

Day 13- Erin

"My name's Erin Holle. I'm a senior here at NW. I started Dressember 5 days late. During those 5 days that my roommate and countless others were dressing up and I was not, I was not planning on participating Dressember at all. "I don't own enough dresses" was my excuse. Then I saw the girls who committed to wearing the same dress for all 31 days and my reasoning became invalid. I have had countless conversations with friends and family about my passion for people (specifically children) and my passion for the truth of the Gospel, and yet I found myself skipping out on this opportunity to represent A LOT of people who are hurting and who need to know the Truth that can set their hearts free. 
I recently wrote on my blog about the problem of seeing injustice and not doing anything about it. The fact that our world sees this huge problem of human trafficking and talks about this injustice but then behind closed doors, support the industry that enslaves these people infuriates me. And so I put on a dress to support those being exploited. I haven't been participating in Dressember long and have already had powerful conversations about the 30 million women, children, and men who are trapped in this fight. I have also had conversations about how I could put on a dress when I leave my home but when I am at home or other places where I'll just be "lounging" just leave on my sweatpants. I do not put on a dress only to remind other people, I put on a dress to remind myself to pray for them. I put on a dress because people matter. I put on a dress because the average age of a girl entering trafficking is 12 years old. I look at the faces of my sister who is 6 and my cousin who is 10 and think how much effort I would put forth to free them if they were the ones being trafficked and used. I think about how much I would pray for the Lord, the Prince of Peace who loves them more than I ever could, to rescue them and to hold them. Those 30 million are cared about in the same way. So I put on a dress and pray for them the same way. I put on a dress because people matter."

Day 12- Gleidys

Today's a little different because our profile is not a Northwestern student, but today you have the privilege of meeting my sweet sister, Gleidys. I met Gleidys when I was probably 16 and went down to Venezuela for the first time. Our church has a long standing partnership with a church in Valencia, Venezuela and I've gone down twice. Gleidys and I formed a wonderful bond, and have been sisters ever since. She messaged me that she too decided to participate in Dressember. Passion is contagious- even across continents.

"My name is Gleidys Escalona. I'm from Venezuela.

I used to ignore the topic of human trafficking like many of us, until my American sis, Kelsey, went to India. When she came back we were talking on skype and she told me what this whole "human trafficking" thing was about. Sometime after our conversation I started to see some posts on Facebook about human trafficking and her pictures with what said " I STAND FOR FREEDOM" so, I got interested about this whole thing. When I knew that she and her friends were participating in this movement called "Dressember" I wanted to know more about it. So I looked it up and when I got the answer, it really touched my heart. For some days I was thinking about how I could help them and support this cause if I live so far away from Iowa. So, I decided to keep praying for every single person that is going through human trafficking and wear a dress to let everyone know I support freedom. Maybe in my country we don't have this movement, but, who says that one person can't make the difference? Even though I'm miles away from Iowa, I'm part of those who care about this, and support it. Don't give up, keep fighting for those who are victims of human trafficking. I am confident that someday everyone will have the freedom we are fighting for today. And the most important thing, they will be free in Christ. We can have a better world, we just have to decide to make the difference caring for those no one else cares for."

Yesterday, Dressember shared these facts: 65-90% of women sold for sex are victims of incest, 80% are victims of rape, 70-90% have a trafficker selling her as a commodity and keeping all or most of the money, 72% have considered suicide, 68% suffer from PTSD (2x higher than a solider in a war zone!) and on average, a women who is sold for sex will die within 7 years after entering prostitution. This is not okay.