Conversation in Chiang Mai....

I feel a bit down today thinking about all the struggles we are faced with in this world, living in a perverted world with many perverted minds. I think of the 23 year old lady that was brutally raped and wounded in India, then left for dead; and how she eventually died two weeks later in a Singaporean hospital. I think of my friends who have been molested and raped, and how people cope with the trauma in different ways. Taking a course on Addictive Behavior Counseling right now makes me think even deeper about those issues, and I am quite frustrated about how slow we as a people are in fighting the injustice and wickedness of abuse. Now that you know what I'm thinking, you'll see why a certain conversation I had in Chiang Mai, Thailand is relevant...

I had not met the young man previous to that day, he was a young European man of 19 and about 6.3 inches tall; he had been admitted in the hospital because he had food poisoning, and was just getting better. He was in Thailand with a youth group and was excited about meeting the locals, and being a blessing to them in his own way. One thing led to another, and we talked about human trafficking in Asia, the statistics of child molestation, and what could be done about it. All of a sudden he looked at me and said words that shattered me and I'll never forget "I was raped by my uncle when I was 3"; I had no idea what to say, he was a confident-looking, extremely tall, young man. Who would have thought?! We went on to talk through some of his traumas for about two hours; he left Thailand the next day, and I never saw him again. I hope I made a difference in his life even though we only spent a few hours talking, but I do wonder how he is doing.

What are you doing about the issue of abuse? Whether it is sexual abuse which includes rape, improper touching, groping, or leering; domestic abuse- whether you are the victim or it is someone you know, please help them. Abuse carries a culture of shame with it and most victims will not ask for help. Please help them, I beg you, reach out to them, show some love and let us really make this world a better place.