It happens here.

Sitting there in the neighborhood of where she was trafficked - In her home - In her living room........

Mom walking us through her story of finding out her daughter was trafficked. Picked up down the block at the grocery store....

Transported. Drugged and abused. Bought and sold, bought and sold. From pimp to pimp, John to John. Exploited.

Dad looking away as mom recounts the horror, the agony. I can hear him sniffling as he is turned, looking blankly at the fish tank.

My heart cries out. Oh God! I know you hear these cries, you ask for action, you ask for us to do something.

As I sit in their home I can feel the grief, the unknown, the frustration, the intensity of - she's gone! The process. The community coming together to search. The cry of someone, anyone help us! I can feel the panic, the emptiness, the hopelessness.....

Then found. Not every story has that part. It's not over though. The journey continues on. The recovery process is not a quick one.

I can hear mom saying - It shouldn't happen to anyone's daughter. Not mine, not anyone's.

I can hear God saying I am hope.

Giving Thanks.

Its late...not sleeping and I am thinking about our trip thus far. Thanksgiving is over, Macys Parades are finished, Turkey is now the traditional "turkey sandwich" and the frenzy of Black Friday overtook some of us. I truly hope your Thanksgiving was a good one.

This years Over Indulgence day was in a few words....different, rushed, surprised, blessed, amazing. I would not really know what to do with a "normal" Thanksgiving...Trying to think and I can't remember. We spent the first half in San Fransisco leaving an amazing family in the surrounding area and drove a 1.5 hr drive (turned into 4 hrs cause of traffic) and met up with another family that we are to interview today (22nd). I was a little worried about just stepping into a family thanksgiving but we were treated like just like family....I love Jesus. (I can't wait to be able to host people in my home...tent anyone, maybe a thrermarest?)

Anyways, a few things that are going on behind the scenes. Josh and Ashley have left us. Not for good though they flew up to Seattle and are having Thanksgiving up there with family. I have already done one little set of street interviews but tomorrow will be the first real test of what Josh has taught me. (crossing fingers). I am sure it will turn out fine. Its really interesting to me to watch us work as a team without Josh and Ashley. They really are a huge part of the team and bring a lot to the table. I hope my work would say the same if I were to leave.

Just to wrap this up. Some things I am really thankful for is this team, the passions we all have for the lost and enslaved, the vision of what we are doing and where we are going, and the dedication. Ro, Malissa, Josh, Ashley lets take over the world. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Well, its late and I need sleep when I can get it. So the photos as follows...

San Fransisco (yes, I know its the Full House opening shot), Josh filming (Project Exodus) and Ro Driving. (Not getting us lost.)

Courage 2 Be You

This is an awesome music video created by an anti-human trafficking organization in Sacramento we're visiting called Courage To Be You. The video follows an American girls journey into the sex trade. Disturbing but very poignant.

--Ro

san francisco

The other day we were supposed to interview a guy who is a recovering sex addict. I met him at the john school where he speaks to the guys about their compulsive addiction and encourages them to get help from Sex Addicts Anonymous. During his presentation he tells them about himself, how he first started going to prostitutes when he was 19 and wasn't caught until he was in his late forties.

The johns really respond well to him and ask all sorts of questions about recovery. Most seem skeptical that there really is help for people like them but they also seem willing to try anything to get out from under the control of their addiction.

On the day we were supposed to interview him he called up and said he got the flu. Too bad! I think his perspective on the demand side of human trafficking and prostitution is invaluable. I'm hoping he recovers enough for us to drive back to San Francisco (we're in Sacramento) this weekend and interview him.

a few photos of our week

We've done some interesting things over the last few days. An interview in Vegas in front of the Bellagio, talking to the cops in the worst part of the city, and enjoying a beautiful castle in Mexico. We've had a lot of fun together but learned a lot of hard things about the world of human trafficking.

Just today we talked to the SAGE Project in San Francisco and learned that one in six men over the age of 15 will experience sexual abuse some time in their lives. Our interviewee told us that if women are raped the world holds the rapist at fault and feels sorry for the victim. If a man or boy is raped they tell him he must have asked for it and he should just get over it.

Oh My Gaawsh!

A delayed introduction. This is the team. Ro, Malissa, Ashley, Josh, and me (Ryan)

Last night in L.A. We have been on the road for a total of 10 days...Honestly its felt like 2 months. A mix of interviews and walking around the Red light districts in different cities takes a toll on a person. Just the head games that come into play when walking down a street with enough camera gear to get the next “fix” for the next year is a sobering idea….I can say I am getting more comfortable approaching people on the street. In fact last night we went out to Hollywood Blvd.

to interview people about human trafficking and it was pretty much not known about among the “american” culture. We were able to talk to law enforcement and just regular people on the street. The overwhelming response was…”wha

t is it? Answer...OH, my gawsh! That happens here?! Thus the reason we are doing what we are

doing...raising awareness.

A few days ago we were able to host an Experiencing Injustice with one of the churches here in the area. Mostly Jr. Highers from the suburbs of LA. Part of me hopes we didn’t traumatize them too much….but on the other hand….The evening turned out really well YWAM LA came out supplied the actors and did an amazing job. The Sex Trafficking acting and Organ trafficking was the best I have seen thus far. Pretty cool to be part of an experience that was birthed out of YWAM Salem. Great stuff.

Tonight we are heading somewhere here in LA to work withProject Exodus to be trained on how to do a stake out and log different things that we find about human trafficking. Should be pretty interesting the things that we learn. Tonight will be the last night we are in LA tomorrow on to San Fran!!!