Saturday, September 3, 2011

Day 39: for Akemi

Labor Day weekend = 3 days off.  I spent all day relaxing, getting together with friends, reading, running, hitting up the piano rooms in the chapel... basically, doing whatever I want to.  My only committments in the next 3 days are going to church, going to a cookout, and going to a party.  Pretty typical 3 day weekend, if you ask me.

But for a girl like Akemi, such a weekend would be a dream vacation...

Akemi* came to the U.S. from Japan shortly before her eighteenth birthday. She had been promised a job as a lifeguard in Vermont, and instead was brought to New Mexico and forced to strip at a night club. One night, she met a young man at the club, and she pleaded for help in leaving. She felt as if she no longer could take the sexual abuse inflicted upon her by her controllers. The controllers confiscated all of her wages that she earned working 14 hours a day, and would not let her leave the premises. The young man called the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, and the information was reported to a local trafficking task force who opened an investigation.

3.2 miles for Akemi
228.27 miles to date.

Ruby
Sandra
Berchewkan
Mani
Sophea
Janna
Syowai
Ka
Stephanie
Alex
Mai
Khamta
Adaze
Jayati
Boloztuya
Prettygirl
Theresa
Esperanza
Xuan
Geeta
Debbie
G.Q., N.H., and S.O.
Anuradha
Veronica
Martina
Shauna
Rosa
Jaycee
Charlotte Awino
Kikka Cerpa
Jana
Lannie
Samira
Mari
Sarah
Mao Mao
Keisha
Brittany
Gabriella
Akemi

Because He first loved me,
Stephanie

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