My Journeys Based on Personal Blogs
“Avoiding Danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
—Helen Keller
My Journey Begins
I have been asked so many times how I got into this business. Therefore, I wanted to include some stories from the blogs I wrote about on my travels.
I was living in Dallas, Texas, working in the Real Estate business when the market crashed. This event and the subsequent loss of my job precipitated an epiphany, making me realize that material things did not fulfill me anymore.
I decided instead to embark on an adventure to make a difference in my life and the lives of others. I wanted to feel a deeper connection to my spirit and helping others was always the best remedy to fill that void.
To make a fresh start I decided to get rid of all my possessions, which was a lot harder than I thought it would be initially. I held estate sale after estate sale, giving away loads of stuff to friends and neighbors.
All that was left was the beautiful chandelier illuminating my two suitcases stuffed with the last of my belongings. My friend was coming in the morning to pick up my car, and that would be the end of it. I had given away everything I owned. On the one hand, I am terrified, but on the other hand, I felt completely free from the bondage of material items.
Once the decision was made to go to India, I reached out to a group of activists in the town of Pondicherry, who could provide me with a place to stay. It gave me the opportunity to participate in the Microloan program, created by Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Mohammed Yunus.
This program was designed to help women in developing countries by giving small loans at low interest rates, thus putting them on the road to independence.
Studies concur that when women receive credit, however little, they immediately put it to work by creating their own business, paying back the loan in full and on time.
Beneficiaries become self-sufficient, so they are not forced to sell their children, mostly girls, which condemns them to a life of torture, rape, and slavery. Instead, they have the means to educate and enhance the experience of all the women and children in the village.
When I started working in this program, it became apparent sex trafficking was rampant in India.
There is a saying, “You make plans, and God laughs.” It never seemed as relevant as my mission took a dramatic turn from microloans to sex trafficking. I became resolved to focus on exposing the injustices perpetrated against women and children.
