People often ask, how can I help? They often think, I don’t have much to give, and what I can offer won’t make much of a difference.
What if what you offered now, could change everything for someone later?
We all have that teacher or mentor that we will never forget because they used their passion to pass on knowledge or a skill to us. They made an impact on us in such a way that most of us are where we are today because of them.
When you use your passion to play a part in change, you end up passing on something more than just help, but an opportunity.
That is when change becomes so influential, that life begins to show promise!
Meagan Lewis is a hair stylist that works at Red Dahlia Salon in Senoia, Ga. A few months ago she decided to partner up with Shear Love International to go on a mission trip. She is in Pattaya, Thailand and is teaching girls that are victims of sex trafficking, everything they would need to know to pass the State Board certification test and have the opportunity to get a job as a hair stylist. This isn’t just a job but an opportunity for them to get out of the human trafficking business and start over! Pattaya is the #1 city for sex tourism in the world, which makes sex trafficking easy for handlers.
Check out what Meagan had to say about her experience there.
“So I have been in Thailand for almost two weeks now, and it has been a whirlwind of new experiences, some good…some not so good. I am staying in a city called Pattaya, it is a little south of Bangkok. Pattaya is a major tourist hub and is specifically known to be the sex capital of the world. This is a city where the majority of tourist have come with a very specific agenda.
On my first day in town I was briefed on a few cultural differences/expectations, along with a few minor dos and don’ts. I was also given a heads up on a few things I would commonly see, specifically the fact that seeing older men walking around with young beautiful Thai girls is completely normal. After being here for almost two weeks, this sight still shocks me every time!! Mostly because it’s not just in the bars; its at the night market, the coffee shop, the restaurant we are having dinner in…it’s just a part of everyday life here in Pattaya.
About two weeks into my trip I visited walking street, also known as the Red Light District, for the first time. This street is lined with 80+ bars/brothels selling sex. Women stand outside of the bars, half clothed, with poster that advertise their bodies, while men stand in the middle of the street promoting very explicit “menus” with a list of different sexual activities that are available for purchase.
As I walked by these women my heart broke, their eyes were completely vacant, their faces either in blank stares or masked smiles. They are selling their souls for around 300 baht, that’s about nine US dollars. All the while tourist crowd the streets with cameras and selfie sticks, completely indifferent to the injustice that surrounds them. I saw parents walking with their children down this street, there was literally a little girl eating an ice cream cone as she walked past brothels!!
The fact that people flock to this area like it is a landmark that must be seen is why it is still thriving!! Until everyone stands up to fight for the women trapped within this life, nothing will change! This absolutely must be a world movement, because it does not effect one city, sex tourism and human trafficking are in every corner of this earth. Last week there was a day to stand up for freedom globally by putting a red X on your hand and social media blew up!!! Which is amazing, but I want to encourage you to not just mark your hand, but get them dirty!!
These women are beautiful, and important. They are God’s children just as you and I are and they deserve to be fought for. These women need a voice, and if it’s not us, right now…then who will it be? Join us in the fight to end, in the fight for freedom.” – Meagan Lewis
https://www.youcaring.com/meaganlewiswithshearlove-697234
https://www.facebook.com/meagan.lewis.14
http://www.shearloveinternational.org/
Meagan is using her trade as a hair stylist to teach these girls that are victims of sex trafficking everything they need to know in order to pass the State Board certification test. This gives them the opportunity to find work and be able to live a sustainable life on their own.
