6 More Rock Climbs To Go!

Woo Hoo! 21 out of 27 rock climbs are done!!!!

Last Saturday, I had a great time climbing at Carter Rock, MD- alright, I'm exaggerating. The first climb is always my worst and hardest climb- because to tell you the truth, it takes time for me to warm up on the rock and I'm afraid of heights. Yes, I'm afraid of heights, but I rock climb and go on roller coaster rides to face and deal with my fear. When the thrill is over and my feet are on the ground, I take a very deep breath and I am grateful to have the freedom and privilege to have fun because there are 27 million slaves around world abused and oppressed for profit.

Isn't that amazing that some of us can enjoy life, have freedom and fun and at the same time, there are children, women, men, families suffering everyday from oppression, injustice, and fear. It is such a privilege that we, Americans have a voice to speak up for the voiceless, fatherless... and how often do we use our voice, our privilege to speak up for the ones who cannot speak for themselves and defend the rights of the oppressed?

My 21 climbs represent, September 21, 2010. On that day, the Child Protection Compact Act (CPCA) Senate Bill 3184 will be placed on the agenda for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting. The CPCA will provide assistance to select "focus countries" through the US Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. These focus countries will receive support in building a functional public justice systems investigating crimes against children and prosecute perpetrators.

This bill is in a very crucial phrase because if Congress does not make the CPCA a priority and pass it into law before adjourning in October for mid-term elections, THE BILL WILL DIE!!!!

International Justice Mission (IJM) is having a National Call in Day for everyone on Monday, September 20, 2010 to call your senators and ask them to support the legislation-Child Protection Compact Act (CPCA) Senate Bill 3184 .

Its very easy. It takes less than 2 minutes of your time to call your senator to support the bill!

IJM has less than 2 minute video to show you how to do it.

IJM has a script for you. http://www.ijm.org/nationalcallinday

IJM will give you a free puppy for doing this - ok, just kidding on that.

You can find your senator's number at www.senator.gov

or check out a cheat sheet for you.....

MARYLAND:

· Senator Barbara Mikulski: (202) 224-4654

· *Senator Ben Cardin: (202) 224-4524

*Already a co-sponsor, so call and thank him!

VIRGINIA:

· Senator Jim Webb: (202) 224-4024

· Senator Mark Warner: (202) 224-2023

TENNESSEE:

· Senator Alexander Lamar: (202) 224-4944

· Senator Bob Corker: (2020224-3344

NEW JERSEY:

· Senator Frank Lautenberg: (202) 224-3224

· *Senator Robert Menendez: (202) 224-4744

*Already a co-sponsor, so call and thank him!

PENNSYLVANIA:

· Senator Robert Casey (202)224-6324

· Senator Arlen Specter (202) 224-4254

NORTH CAROLINA:

· *Senator Richard Burr: (202) 224-3154

· Senator Kay Hagan: (202)224-6342

*Already a co-sponsor, so call and thank him!

IJM has been working really hard on the CPCA from the very beginning when the bill was first introduced. I had the privilege to join their Advocacy Day in April 2010 with 125 individuals from 35 states and met with 130 congressional offices. IJM is serious about ending human trafficking in our life time and so is DC Stop Modern Slavery (SMS) and countless other groups.

Speaking of DCSMS, RIJI Green is looking for walkers to join our team. On October 23, 2010, DCSMS is having a walk to raise awareness about human trafficking. To join RIJI Green's team, you have to Register to Walk, click "Join a Team," select "RIJI Green" and continue on with your registration! Leave your footprint on the new abolition movement!

I was able to have short videos done from my climb, but I was not able to load them up. Sorry about that. Here are pictures of the rocks I climbed!

Climbing Juliet's Balcony on a Sprain Ankle

So far 18 climbs out of 27 are done! Five climbs were accomplished on Juliet's Balcony at Great Falls National Park in Virginia! I climbed three routes on top of the balcony and two below. Most of the climbs were crack climbing.

When I'm on top of the balcony, my husband, Sam can't see me and I need to let him know when I start climbing- basic climbing rules. Well... I made a mistake of climbing without telling him (not on purpose). I was climbing and then I fell from the mountain. I tried to land on my feet, but I ended up landing and rolling on my left ankle. My scream echoed on the mountain.

It was painful and the first thing that came to my mind was "God please heal my ankle and let it not be broken." I would hate to climb down the mountain with a broken ankle and then hike up on jagged rock clearing to get to the hiking path and hike back to the car.

I sat there for about ten minutes massaging, moving and praying over my ankle. Finally, I was able to stand on the my two feet, didn't feel much pain and told Sam, I'm going to climb again. He said ok. This time, I followed climbing rules. I said, "Climbing." Sam tighten the rope and said, "climb on."

I climbed three more routes after the incident and the last crack climb was extremely difficult. I attempted it several times and wanted to give up. If it wasn't for Sam's encouragement and believing that I could make it to the top, I wouldn't have finished it.

Towards the afternoon the mountain was starting to get hot to touch and climb, so we headed back home after Sam climbed a few routes.

It was a very successful climbing day, my body was SORE, open blisters on my hands (the biggest one was the size of a dime), and I'm alive and fine :)

My husband and I were trying to figure out why we have so many blisters on our hands and we concluded it was because the mountain was hot during the last part of our climbs.

At home, I noticed my left ankle was much bigger than my right one. It turns out I climbed three routes on a sprain ankle without realizing it. Sam made a delicious dinner and gave me a foot massage.

My son, Ox had fun with my ankle.

I am very grateful for

• God healing my ankle and not being seriously hurt
• My husband's encouragement and believing in my climbing abilities
• Sam's love- making a fantastic dinner and foot massage
• Ox- for making me laugh
• I will be able to rock climb next week

18 climbs have been accomplished so far and the human trafficking fact for 18 is an estimate of 18,000-20,000 foreign nationals are trafficked into the US each year for labor and sexual exploitation.

Source: Trafficking In Person (TIP) report in 2003

Leave your foot print in the new abolition movement and please sign up to be a Team Captain and recruit walkers for DC Stop Modern Slavery Walk on Oct 23, 2010 at the National Mall! The Team Captain who has the most walkers in September wins a 8GB iPod Touch! For more details go to walk.stopmodernslavery.org