Day 6: for Syowai

I found this article on World Vision's site.  It's called Before She's Ready: 15 Places Girls Marry Before 15.   I read it today and I found it to be incredibly eye-opening about the realities of exploitation.

One major detriment to these girls, even after they have been rescued (that is, if the are rescued, which is tragically highly unlikely), is the loss of an opportunity for education.  Rescued sex slaves often return to slavery because they have no job skills and no money management ability; they feel intimidated by adult life and undignified compared to educated professionals.

That's the boat Syowai is in.  Though no longer married, she has no education and is working in a gas station.  she has a major choice ahead of her.  Today, I run for Syowai, and I hope she makes the right decision.

This article is rather long, so I'm going to break it up into little sections each day.... and each day bears the story of a girl.  Please find the first section and Syowai's story on pages 3-5.

http://www.worldvision.org/resources.nsf/main/early-marriage.pdf/$file/early-marriage.pdf

Ruby
Sandra
Berchewkan
Mani
Sophea
Janna
Syowai

25.62 miles

Because He first loved me,

Stephanie