The winter season's shorter days and barren trees are preparation. They cause us to dig our roots down deep and see through the leafless trees of our lives to discover what normally hides behind the blooms. 

By the first glimmers of green, the world springs to life, and we're bursting at the seams with renewed excitement for all the possibilities winter has revealed. Nature explodes with fresh fragrance and color, and in response, we fold up our well-worn blankets and unfurl our raincoats. We trade 5:00 PM sunsets for brighter days, brilliant hues, and crisp air, all begging us to fling open the windows and leap back into the rhythms of life.

Our theme this season is grit. Now, if you're wondering if that's too weighty of a theme, don't worry, we did, too. You've given the rescued kids fullness of life, vibrant childhoods, and bright futures, so we love highlighting that incredible impact. But amidst that joy, we never want to forget or diminish the whole story. Slavery is no longer a part of the kid's lives, but it is a big piece of their stories and plays a role in framing their present and future. 

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It happens every year, but the Christmas season’s arrival still feels like a shock to the system. One day, we’re placing pumpkins, roasting turkeys, and raking leaves; the next, it’s all Christmas songs, twinkle lights, and cookies. The world seems to transform overnight. Homes fill up with scents of evergreen, cinnamon, and spices, while calendars overflow with gatherings, kids’ programs, and holiday traditions, all leading up to the chorus of surprised squeals and torn paper on Christmas morning.

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No one is more curious than a three-year-old. With them, it’s a cascade of “why” after “why” as they work to make sense of the world. Comically enough, companies like Toyota do this same thing. The “Five Why’s” is a business practice designed to get to the root of the problem, and it does it by embracing curiosity and asking, “why?”

THIS CONCEPT OF FINDING THE ROOT PROBLEM IS EXACTLY WHAT DREW ME INTO THE WORK WE’RE DOING AT CHILD FREEDOM COALITION.

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The summers of childhood linger long after we become adults. Seemingly endless sunlight, days overflowing with adventure and opportunity, freedom from the classroom, and friendships forged and strengthened. Living wild and carefree was summer’s gift to our young selves.

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Anticipation of spring is rooted in hopefulness - for longer days, fresh starts, the newness of life. We put our coats, and unused sleds, and miscellaneous winter junk back into the attic and open up our windows to welcome in all the possibilities a new season brings. Or, at least, that sounds like something one of these opening letters would normally begin with.

If I’m being honest, though, while I do take part in the putting away of winter stuff each year, the whole anticipation of spring (or summer, or fall, or winter, for that matter) has never really been my thing. I’m an “enjoy the moment” kind of person, so I just embrace it while it’s there.

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As a child, I found the rhythms of life disinteresting. I didn’t appreciate the repetition, and in a way, I think I disliked anything that ever felt the same. Family birthdays felt the same. School felt the same. Holidays pretty much felt the same. You get the picture.

The seasonal nature of life is a challenge, but over time my mindset toward it has changed. What I once saw as monotonous, I now see as an opportunity for reflection and even enjoyment.

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The bustle of summer sneaks up on us each year, and before we know it, we’ve blinked, and the kids are off to school. Pumpkins are already on the shelves. Suddenly we’re hit with this nostalgia that begs us to breathe deep and welcome a great shift in the atmosphere.

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Home is a sacred space. It’s not dependent on location, monetary value, or size. It’s an environment, but more than that, it’s a feeling.

It’s the safety of knowing you’re free to be authentic. The solace of settling into your own bed. The joy of sharing a space with family, friends, and pets. Home offers comforts no other place can, and as a part of The Coalition, you and I get to bring that same feeling to child trafficking survivors in South Asia. Most of these kids have never known the feeling of home, but when they come to The Children’s Home, that all changes thanks to you.

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IT CAN FEEL LIKE THERE ARE TOO MANY WAYS TO GROW and too many methods to do it. Meditate, challenge ourselves, set goals, believe in ourselves, find accountability, manage our time, read personal development books—all good things, really.

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Strength isn’t limited to bulging muscles, big smiles, and heroic displays. It wears many faces, and when we choose to look at it with fresh perspective, we often find we have more strength than we ever realized.

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“The world taught me that fame, fortune, and everything that goes with it would fill my heart,” Pat shared. “It didn’t! It was not until God changed my heart and my mind in the area of money and possessions that I gained true freedom and the desire to honor Him with my life and all that He has provided. The renewal of my mind on stewardship and learning how to let go of what God has provided me turned my life upside down.”

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“What’s your purpose in life?” is a huge question - one that most of us have trouble answering. But, the rescued children’s stories inspire us to dig deep and discover where we can find purpose in today - not just the future.

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Each year brings its own set of challenges and triumphs - 2020 being the most unique we’ve seen yet. However, in every season, even one highlighted by hardship and adversity across the planet, there is a silver lining to be found.

Here at Child Freedom Coalition, our 2020 silver lining is you…

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Once again, we release a Journal with great uncertainty of how the next week, month, or even year will unfold. At the end of 2019, we sat down as a team to choose our themes for each quarter of 2020 and before we ever heard the word Coronavirus, we chose the theme of Joy for our Fall edition. We had no idea how fitting it would be for this season.

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Tuni became a wife when she was just 9 years old.

It seems impossible, but it’s true. In South Asia, child marriage may be illegal, but it continues to thrive in poor tribal regions. (You can read more about child marriage in South Asia from this National Geographic article.) Tuni didn’t want to get married, but she had no other choice - her family needed one less mouth to feed. Tuni’s new husband, an 11 year old boy, was kind, but since they were both only children, they struggled to provide for themselves. When he died just one year later, Tuni’s family refused to take her back, calling her “bad luck” and “cursed.”

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Our world is rethinking our vulnerability and our response to injustice. We’ve opened our eyes, and we’re ready for a fresh season. Each year, summer arrives with the warmth of the sun, and like an old friend, welcomes us into the flurry of excitement for what is to come. While this summer is different than most, let’s not lose our expectation of what it can be. Let’s soak up all of the warmth, wisdom, and anticipation of this season and allow them to remind us that we are safe in the arms of a trustworthy God who is acting for our good even amid chaos.

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The Sylom Children’s Home is over 8,000 miles away from the USA.

That’s a long way, and it is easy to feel disconnected from the work you support there. Our hope is that the 2020 Child Freedom 5K will bring the children that you love and support a little closer.

YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN THE RACE TO END SLAVERY ON SEPTEMBER 12TH. BY JOINING THIS EVENT, AS A RUNNER, VOLUNTEER, OR SPONSOR, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO IMPACT CHILDREN THAT SEEM A WORLD AWAY.

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Surya Bhaga was born into a poor family in a rural farming village in South Asia.

Her father farmed a small plot of land while her mother worked for a wealthy family, but even with their combined income, they only brought in $1 a day. Their situation grew even more desperate in 2013 when a severe drought struck their area and none of the crops grew. News of the drought traveled to human traffickers who came to Surya’s village posing as agents for rock quarries.

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Across South Asia, women who lose their husbands don’t get the same kind of care and support as women in America or other countries across the world. These women are often seen as bad luck by their families and friends because their husbands died.

They’re treated as unwanted and become outcasts to society.

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