going to londontown...

Hi all! My lowlights from my month-long trip home are still coming. But I have some news that I want to share with you all first...

Every once in a while I will present current events to the student body here at Alaska Christian College to raise awareness on campus. I usually will cover 2-3 topics each time, typically up-to-date information on what's happening domestically in our government and then a major social justice issue, either domestic or international. Today was one of those days. My topics were a smaller piece on the new tax cut plan that Bush is proposing in his State of the Union address tomorrow night and then a major piece on human trafficking. I have done a lot of research on human trafficking, domestic and international, and it sickens me. Some of the things that I found out while preparing for my presentation today were shocking and horrifying and gut-wrenching. I have become so intrigued by this topic lately that I have been perusing the Internet looking for articles on it and exploring organizations that work to emancipate the victims and prosecute the traffickers. It has quickly developed into a passion of mine. So much so that I am very seriously considering changing my major to Social Justice.

So, today was my first day back on the job in public relations at Kenai Peninsula College and I was telling my boss all about the presentation I was about to give. I told her what it was about and how sick I felt after reading true stories of women and children who were sold into slavery for sexual exploitation and have since been emancipated. Not even two minutes after I had finished telling her about this she receives an email from another staff member at the college. It was about an annual summit that's held every year for student leaders. The summit is called Bringing the World Home and this year's theme is Stopping Human Trafficking. She proceeds to read me the entire email explaining when it is (at the end of April, right before finals), and other details. But when she said that it was in London, UK I had pretty much given up hope that I would be there. She goes on to say that there are full and half scholarships available for the summit for which interested students can apply. I just about lost it then. She told me that if I don't apply for it then I must be out of my mind.

The timing of it all just seemed unmistakable and impossible to ignore. So I am applying for the scholarship. I am fairly confident that I will get one. But even if I don't I am thinking of raising money to go anyway. My boss said that she would help me raise money for it too in the event that I don't get a scholarship. The cost of the summit itself is 50 pounds or about $100 and, according to the website, that covers lodging, meals, a few tourist attractions, summit materials, etc... for I think 3 days. Not to mention the experience of a lifetime and hearing internationally-acclaimed speakers stand up for those that can't stand up for themselves. And, of course, my first time ever going abroad. So I just checked flights to London from Anchorage and you can fly round-trip for $460. Yes, that's right. Roundtrip for $460, Anchorage to London and back again. Granted, the price is good for flights up to March something, but my hope is that they will continue to have good deals on flights to London.

I have a birth certificate to track down and a passport to get. And an essay to write for the scholarship. I have a lot to do. I will keep you updated. And will try to get the lowlights out this week. I just thought this was a little more important and would be a little more exciting for you to read. I can't help but think that this is something I am supposed to pursue. It was like confirmation that I am on the right track. But I don't want to be misled either. Love you all. Oh... and please pray for me that doors would be opened if I am to go to this summit.