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Jen Valero: Choices Women’s Medical Center (Feminist Camp NYC)

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CHOICES WOMEN’S MEDICAL CENTER

Our day at Merle Hoffman’s Choices facility stands out as one of the most impactful learning experiences. Merle is a strong, confident woman unlike any other I have ever met. Running a for-profit organization that fights for reproductive rights, the center provides women with much needed care.

Among the many things that struck me at this facility was its location. Located in Jamaica, Queens (not far from where I often spent my time as a child), the facility offers care to a population that desperately needs it. Known to be impoverished and dense with an immigrant population, Merle’s facility helps a demographic (one that I identify with) that is often overlooked.

When speaking with the Director of the facility Esther Priegue–a woman so phenomenally intelligent and empathetic–I was astounded by how much care they put into their patients. One of the many jobs that Esther takes on is analyzing the camera that faces the waiting room. She notes the girls’ body language to pick up on when they may be in danger, as these girls are victims of abuse more often than one would hope. As a survivor of abuse myself, I was touched by how dedicated they were to go beyond what is medically necessary.

I have never met such empathetic individuals before. I left there hoping that I good give back, and hopefully, return as a volunteer when I move back to New York.

This post originally appeared at https://jenvalero.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/choices-womens-medical-center/

Gabbie Buendia: Dinner Is Served (Feminist Camp NYC)

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A three sided table, thirty nine seats, one hell of a dinner party.

I’ll admit it: I’m not huge on art museums. I can nod my head at an agreeable color scheme, a pretty face on a canvas, maybe even a recreation of a landscape, but it doesn’t get much deeper than that. I often have trouble relating to pieces and finding something in them that evokes my own emotions. I see a piece, but I often lack a story. However, Judy Chicago’s “The Dinner Party” changed all that. “The Dinner Party” filled a hole in me that I didn’t realize was there and gave strength to emotional muscles I didn’t even know I had.

Today, many people are very uncomfortable with hearing the word “vagina”, much less seeing a visual representation of one. However, Chicago’s 1979 piece pushed everyone out of that comfort zone by boldly making the yonnic imagery in her art obvious and undeniable. Chicago had been creating feminist art long before “The Dinner Party”, but as she was trying to get settled and accepted in the art community, she made the imagery much less obvious. However, the social change of the 70s inspired Chicago to create this piece and show the world how beautiful and powerful the female anatomy can be. There are thirty nine place settings at the table (and 99 names on the floor) representing women whose stories had been lost in mainstream history. Each place setting features a chalice, cutlery and an elaborately, uniquely designed plate. The designs on the plates and the matching placemats embodied each women’s skills, talents, creativity and individuality.

 

As a female, it was extremely empowering to see non-sexualized images of female anatomy. I didn’t realize that I had never seen images of the female body accompanied with such messages of strength and beauty. I had never witnessed such overt yonnic images either. There are many phallic images in art and even media, but yonnic images seem to be much more taboo and hidden. The paradoxical views of the feminine form came to me then, as I realized that the feminine form is simultaneously hypersexualized and shamed. I enjoyed Chicago’s unapologetic and direct representation of the forms and felt proud of what I saw. I saw not just a vessel for a child, or a factory for someone else’s pleasure, but a true work of art, a form of function, complexity, beauty and uniqueness. Experiencing Judy Chicago’s “The Dinner Party” has forever changed the way I look at art as well as my own body. I realize now that art has the power to stir up shared emotions and that my body is its own work of art, purposeful, distinct and irreplaceable in its form.

All pictures are of Judy Chicago’s ‘The Dinner Party’ at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

Dilya Bihr: Feminist Camp NYC—The Leaders

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The Feminist Camp conference has helped me truly understand the impact that passion and dedication can have on entire communities. Prior to the conference, I had failed to realize the actual amount of hours of unnoticed effort, rejection, and setbacks involved in social justice projects, as well as their impact on individuals. I had glorified success and the end result, without appreciating the exhausting amount of years that people have put into society simply to improve the lives of others in our patriarchal system. After the incredible week in New York City, I feel informed and ready to take on the bigotry, discrimination, and political obstacles currently existing in the U.S. This is a heavy statement, but it is something I can now confidently say to myself tell myself and others. We have met leaders who have created projects, apps, companies, and organizations based on ideas and fields they weren’t even experts in. All these amazing people wanted to do was to help others, and they were willing to go beyond what they’ve known and were familiar with. They had pushed themselves and their peers to contribute to the equality movement, and used all the resources they had to make their vision practical and impactful. This included networking, learning, asking others for help, not apologizing, drinking coffee, drinking margaritas, meditating, finding solace from loved ones, and never ceasing their efforts.

One woman in particular had altered my perspective drastically. Reshma Saujani. Founder of Girls Who Code, spoke to us during the STEM day portion of the conference. She was the first Indian American woman to run for U.S Congress, had served as Deputy Public Advocate for N.YC, and ran for Public Advocate a few years back. Despite being an incredible woman with several political accomplishments and other attained objectives, the biggest emphasis she had made was not on how to succeed, but on how to fail. She had failed and been rejected more times than I think one could mentally handle; but instead of seeing herself as a “failure” and giving up on her beliefs and efforts, she chose to use failure as a powerful tool. She proved all my fears wrong. She took the rejection and failure, gave herself a fixed amount of time to process it, then continued on fighting for those that needed it. Because of her perseverance and strength, she is one of the most incredible people I have ever met, without exaggeration. She had helped me understand that failure is something we have created as a concept, and it is something that I can process differently. I can view it in a toxic, self-destructive sense, or I can define failure my own way and use it to help as many people as I can.

The three biggest characteristics that every leader shared was fervor, persistence, and adaptability. These leaders have also confirmed one of the concepts we’ve read about and discussed: leadership. There is our good-old-fashioned hierarchical version that favors extraverts, emphasizes dominance, lack of emotions, etc., and then there is the feminist form leadership. In this form, everyone shares responsibility, is valued, is listened to, and shares equal respect for each other. The emphasis is not on the one leader and top-down approach, but on the regard for intersectionality, and an entire group’s collaboration and effort. I hope to use the Feminist Camp leaders’ traits as well as the more inclusive and effective form of leadership to create lasting change in the communities of which I am a part of. Overall, with the leaders and organizations I’ve had the honor and privilege of getting to meet, I have no excuse not to pursue my aspirations- no matter how scary or idealistic they seem. The most impactful social justice related work will inevitably involve stagnation, a lack of cooperation among politicians and citizens, and hindrances that will all affect our emotions, especially when we become truly invested in our cause. The women we met had showed us that passion and taking advantage of any resources possible will add to the collective effort of social, political, and economic equality. Karina Garcia, who will be pictured after this blog, is one of these incredible women. She was unbelievable, and unstoppable. You could seriously feel her soul fully dedicated to social justice. She works with people from places so poor and small that they aren’t even located on Google Maps. She was a prime example of how the right mindset can help you survive all the obstacles you’re bound to face when trying to end oppression. The women she works with are creative, think outside of the system, use their voice, and work with what they have to create positive change. She really helped me appreciate emotion and passion as a legitimate tool in a cause, and not a hindrance.

Above left: The same chocolate, shape of egg, and design- yet they still needed to separate it. Above right: Karina Garcie from National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. One of the most passionate people you could meet. Job: Education Manager.

Above: The walls of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health!

Lizzie Berry: Feminist Camp NYC—Making a Difference

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The majority of Feminist Camp was vocationally focused. We visited many organizations, both those that claimed a feminist title and those that held feminist values, including Choices, the Center for Reproductive Rights, TheMuse.com, Feminist Press, VICE, The Brooklyn Museum: Women in the Arts exhibit, and Democracy Now.These organizations offered insights on how to find, target, and get a job in a justice-oriented business. What I took away from this camp was not only empowerment, but also the ability to market my abilities in résumés, emails, and interviews.

Seeing the ‘Dinner Party’ by Judy Chicago at the Brooklyn Museum of Art

At VICE for a showing of WOMAN

At TheMuse.com specifically, we had a session specifically on how to market experiences and write convincing resumes. We were educated on how to get a sense of what a company environment is like and that work-life balance is a possibility. Some companies even value it! The networking that resulted from coming into contact with all of these companies was priceless and gave me the resources necessary for starting off in the workforce after college.

Resume consulting at TheMuse.com

Coming back from Feminist Camp I feel more prepared for my future after college. I am empowered to take initiative, and now I have the knowledge and resources to affect change. Now that I am back at Rollins, I am more informed on what injustices exist and where I can begin. As a co-president for Voices for Women, the feminist organization here on campus, I am putting on a production of the Vagina Monologues. This will educate and engage members of our community on a spectrum of female experiences and issues. The cost of tickets for this event will be donated to Harbor House of Central Florida. Furthermore, tampons and pads will be accepted as an alternate to paying an entrance fee. These donations will go to the Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, FL. Once Vagina Monologues is finished, I will lead a tampon and pad drive as a way of continuing service

Marissa Cobuzio: Feminist Camp NYC—Choices Women’s Medical Center

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From January 10, 2017:

Today was an absolutely mind-changing experience for me. I’ve spent the better part of my life identifying as a feminist, or someone who seeks social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Within this identity, I find that there are many different injustices I am constantly fighting against at one time. Understandably, I feel more connected to some fights than others. An area I am really passionate about is ending rape culture and victim blaming, especially on college campuses. As we’ve seen from the recent case with Brock Turner, the legal system and society at large has a long way to go in this battle.

Something I was less familiar with or connected to was the idea of reproductive justice, and today’s theme at camp was reproductive justice! My group, which was comprised of most of the Rollins students, got to go to Choices Women’s Medical Center in Queens. Upon arriving, we were taken to a back room, had lunch, and got to meet Merle Hoffman, the creator of Choices.

Talking to Merle was absolutely incredible. We got to share a little bit about ourselves with her and then here her story and her inspiration for Choices as a medical facility. She shared with us that Choices was a for-profit organization, which surprised me. As a Bonner Leader, I have done work with non-profits only, so it was important for me to understand that there are organizations that you can make important change in the world both through for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

We then got to tour the facility. They have an incredible call center that speaks several languages, a surgical center (mainly for abortion procedures), a lab for bloodwork, a regular gynecology center, and a pre-natal program. The center was so comprehensive and gave women real choices about what to do with their bodies instead of forcing them into just abortion, just adoption, or just raising their baby on their own. They care so deeply about their patients and support them through counseling sessions and other means. One of the Rollins students I went with described the experience as “going to church,” and I agree completely with that. This organization changed my entire view on reproductive justice, and I left there awe-struck and beyond inspired.

Above: Merle gave us cute canvas bags and they had her new book inside! (I took this panorama so I am not in the picture)

Above:  The group at Choices.

To my left: Esther, who was the director of counseling and also led the tour. She was so inspirational in how much she cared for each and every patient. To my right: Merle Hoffman, founder of Choices and pioneer in women’s health medical centers.

Hannah Gonzalez: Democracy Now! during Feminist Camp NYC

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My most anticipated day from Feminist Camp was by far the media day. As a Communications major as well as Theatre Arts and Sexuality, Women’s, and Gender Studies double minor, the media day focused on everything that I love in many forms, and I eagerly awaited that Thursday morning to look in depth at where my future may be.

One of the most impactful meetings of the day for me was at a taping and tour of the studio for Democracy Now!, an independent news program. Amy Goodman, one of the hosts, is someone I look up to, and to be able to speak with her was an opportunity that I never imagined. Touring the entire floor and meeting various staff members gave me an overwhelming feeling of belonging, and I knew in the moment that I hopefully will be able to work in a very similar place, if not there. Democracy Now! puts together many of my interests including broadcast television and radio, political discussion and activism, as well as reporting. I have never felt like I have found a job I would truly enjoy until this day.
(We got to sit front row to watch a live taping of the show.)
Democracy Now! was also very open to accepting interns from our camp if we choose to apply in the future, and the fact that I have gained connections in the media field through the camp is priceless. I would not have been able to meet Amy Goodman and gain the possibility of an internship had I not attended Feminist Camp, and I will be forever glad that I went.

Ashley Becker: After the American Society for Cellular Biology conference

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The American Society for Cellular Biology conference was eye opening and impactful. I learned so much and am grateful to have experienced it with the other students and Dr. Walsh. Each day consisted of symposia, where we heard from top scientists in the field, and free time to explore the conference and meet new people. This conference was a fun and educational experience that I will hold with me in the future. I learned a lot and am proud to have presented and faced my fears of public speaking. I am lucky to have experienced something most undergraduates will never have the chance to and I did not take any of it for granted.

There was a film premier about fat and why it is essential to our bodies. This was one of my favorite parts of the conference. After the film there was a panel and Q&A with the scientists who produced it. My favorite talk was with Juergen A. Knoblich, a researcher from the lab that originally developed “mini brains” from stem cells to study microcephaly. Mice are usually excellent model organisms for studying brain development, however microcephaly cannot be studied in mice because mice cannot get microcephaly for some unknown reason. Being able to visualize and grown actual brains in petri dishes is revolutionary and has the potential to help tons of people with ranges of neurodegenerative diseases. Having the opportunity to hear him speak was incredible because we talked about mini brains and listened to an NPR segment about this researcher and his lab in my English class last semester. As a Biology major, I never expected something from my English class to feel so relevant in my life. Liberal arts at its finest.

Top photo: Paxton Sickler, Dr. Walsh, Ashley Becker.

Bottom photo: Annamarie Bryant, Ashley Becker, Paxton Sickler, Matt Volk.

Ashley Becker: Presenting Research at the American Society for Cellular Biology Conference

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The past three days at the American Society for Cellular Biology conference in San Francisco, California has been incredible. My mind is filled with science and I have been learning so much from the speakers. I am grateful to have taken Cellular Biology at Rollins because it has given me the knowledge to follow along with so much of what is being spoken about. Without it, I am not sure I would be able to take in as much science as I am. Today I (right) presented my research in a poster presentation with Paxton Sickler (left).

The presentation was nerve wracking at first, but we became more comfortable and confident as we spoke to more people. I have always been terrified of speaking in front of people and this presentation helped build my self-confidence. I am proud of myself, and Paxton, for doing as well as we did. Fellow educators had questions for us and applauded our research. The conference was filled with undergraduates/graduates/educators/and scientists. It was interesting to talk to each kind of attendee and hear their approaches towards the poster.

There was an interesting talk geared towards undergraduates at the conference about animation and learning. The woman who spoke discussed her journey through college and grad school as a molecular biologist who fell in love with art and animations and now designs animations for biology. Animations and videos have been a huge part of my learning throughout college. Being able to visualize what is happening at a molecular level is a huge help in understanding the complex processes. She animated how HIV infects cells and shared with us an email from one of her viewers with HIV about how informative and helpful it was for her to see what is happening in her own body. This showed me how impactful and powerful science can be to the rest of the community, and as one who is pursuing a career in the medical field, I hope to make a difference too.

Net Impact Conference – Robert Salmeron Blogs

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Blog Post #1

My first day attending the Net Impact conference in San Jose, California was absolutely eye opening. From the beginning we heard from incredible business professionals from all different industries. Over 2,500 people attended the conference from undergraduate/graduate students to current business professionals. The conference had a mission of creating a space to inspire everyone to create change, innovate and explore new concepts. One of the most interest concepts that I encountered was the idea of two winners of the 2013 Hult Prize. The two winners were two Canadian entrepreneurs who started the idea of a farming industry that involved the cultivation of insects for food. The insects would then be used as a way of combatting hunger in many countries that have already adopted the consumption of insects in their diets. An idea like this absolutely astounded me. Something so simple yet filled with potential of creating incredible impact on the lives of millions. My first day in San Jose was outstanding, as the energy of the Silicon Valley seemed to provide me with innovative energy. Another speaker that really stood out to me was the Founder of Kiva, Premal Shah. A young man with a brilliant idea has created so many drastic changes in the world. Currently I have invested a small $50 into a Kiva account. If only 1,000,000 other people in this country could make a small donation the impact would be incredible.

Blog Post #2

My second day at the conference left me with various thoughts of how I could act upon what I have learned at my time in Silicon Valley. After sitting through a speaker session with the CEO and Founder of AirBnB something came to me. This world is filled with so much opportunity how do we make sure every human being is capable of being successful. I have reservations about companies like Kiva who invest their funds into microenterprises, but do not educate in financial management or business principles. Upon deciding this was a fault in the system, I decided to take this idea and run with it. How do we educate others to be financially literate? Energized by Silicon Valley I decided to do something innovative, fresh, and technologically savy. A website dedicated to the education of families in how to manage their money. Having grown up in a lower middle class family and seeing my family struggle because of a lack of financial education inspired me to want to educate others on basis financial principles. At this point in the conference I had been sufficiently inspired by the speeches of great people like Blake Mycoskie of Toms, Caryl Stern of UNICEF and Nancy Lublin of Dosomething.org. I wanted to turn my education into action. I plan on pursuing my plan of developing a business model for an app or website committed to teaching financial literacy in an interactive way. Although financial literacy is not unique, I hope to find a way to inspire students and families to want to learn about taking care of their money, their families and being financial stable.

Seeds of Hope, Costa Rica – Megan Single Blogs

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Saturday dec 14

Dirt and filth, but somehow the most empowering environment to be in. Poverty in every direction you look. The sound of kids yelling, parents talking, dogs barking…all around me. Driving around and all my eyes see is people walking with no shoes on, barely any clothes. All the houses have gates and heavy duty locks, robbery is the commonplace. The stories I heard today were unbelievable.

A girl tied down to a bed by her mother and raped every day by an 80 year old man. A 16 year old boy sold by his mother for sex. An evil 69 year old woman who has dozens of daughters whom she sold all into trafficking. They’re known as prostitutes…here it’s the norm. Penny, the founder of Seeds of Hope was traveling here on vacation a few years ago when two American men from Colorado told her that they come to a town called Jaco because of the girls, a new one from a different country every night. The men were married with children and grandchildren and yet they were still open to telling this random stranger about what services they received from an underage prostitute and how much it cost. It’s just absurd…I don’t understand how it happens. I do understand actually…it’s because of the extreme poverty, that’s the root of a problem that can’t be easily solved. That’s why we teach the girls at the Seeds of Hope clubhouse that they are their own women and they do what they want with their body, not what someone else orders them to do.

We got home today and went out on the hammocks and laid in them and took a few hour nap. It was so relaxing…the simple life. I have to sit back and think here because I’m not used to it. Back home everything is so fast paced and go-go-go but here it’s just a different way of life, a completely different culture. My eyes are open wide now to the world, and I’ve only seen a tiny part of it.

Sunday dec 15

It’s early in the morning and I’m waking up to the sounds of the fan in my room and kids playing soccer across the street with people cheering like crazy. It’s a sound I’m not exactly used to, but somehow the sounds bring me a sense of comfort, a sense of relaxation and happiness. I suddenly realize that this country amidst the harsh world they live in is full of happy, appreciative people. It seems hard to understand at first…a community of prostituted and sexually abused children, unstable families, alcoholic and drug-addicted fathers…how can they be happy? It’s all about the culture. They assume that it is the norm since they have been raised this way. And this makes me think about the people in American who live an unhappy life when it doesn’t even begin to compare to this. It just goes to show me that life is subjective and cultures are so very different around the world. It’s shocking…

This morning I went to church. It was in half English and half Spanish. The pastor would speak in both languages, translating everything he said. His message today was about Christmas and simplicity. He told a brief overview of the story of Joseph and Mary and told us that it is most important to think about the gift of Jesus instead of material gifts. Even if we don’t receive anything for Christmas we received the gift of Christ, which is more than we should ever wish for. Jesus was born in the worst conditions, with absolutely nothing. The manger wasn’t as beautiful as it seems, it was a trough that animals ate out of. Disgusting! But yet that is how the King and Savior of the Christian world was brought into being. It’s a reminder of simplicity and humility. I was inspired to see how faithful these people were, from the Americans to the Costa Ricans, they had so much love and passion for God, it was absolutely incredible. It’s so difficult to imagine living such a simple life down here, but when I look at the people who are doing it I realize how happy they really are. They no longer care about the material things but rather the company of each other. The people here are so thankful for each other and for their relationships with God.

After church we drove to Parrita to pick up the girls and we drove through the projects. It was so sad to see how some of the people live, in the poorest of poorest conditions. When we drove up to the girls I just couldn’t believe my eyes. They were absolutely beautiful. And so young and innocent. Josué, one of the girl’s 2 year old son, was adorable! They got in the car and we drove to get milkshakes at a place in what I think was downtown Parrita. There was a crazy man that slapped his cane up against a telephone pole, grabbed his private parts and started saying crazy stuff. It was so sad to witness. Apparently he’s the crazy old man around and you see him everywhere…scary. It was the typical example of one of the men in the poor community that rapes young girls on a daily basis. I couldn’t stand even looking at him, let along could I imagine being raped by him! It sounds so disturbing, but it’s the reality there, which is just so devastating. Anyways, we got two girls, Jasmina and Maliana and Jasmina’s son Josué (names changed for privacy reasons). Jasmina is an amazing young woman who has been through hell and back. She is forced by her mother to prostitute herself to get money and she got pregnant by her “boyfriend” a few years back. A boyfriend in Costa Rica is someone who pays for sexual activities over an extended period of time, not the typical boyfriend we think of. Her boyfriend told her to get an abortion and she refused, he left her. What an inspiration! And ever since then she has done absolutely everything for him and she has raised him by herself. Her mother has 7 kids and the dirtiest house ever, which is totally unlike Costa Rican culture. It is common in Costa Rican culture to clean multiple times a day and keep the house absolutely spotless. But Jasmina lives in the worst conditions and she also has a stepfather that comes in and out all the time, on drugs. Jasmina has had to prostitute herself just to get enough money to buy diapers for her son, not even for necessities for herself, but for the love of her life that she had as a result of being prostituted. She wakes up early in the morning and does all of the cultural stuff, cleans the house, etc. Then she makes bracelets for Seeds of Hope to sell and then cooks her own food for school. At 5:30 she goes to school for the night until about 11:30 and Josué goes to a babysitter in the meantime. She then goes home and studies. She does it all…and she only just turned 18. She was never even taught to be a mother, but she’s doing it and doing an astounding job.

Then there’s Maliana, whose mom ties her down to a bed and forces her to have sex with an 80 year old mentally retarded man. It’s disgusting. The mom does this because the man supplies them with food, etc. Then she also forces her to go out and prostitute herself for money for electronics and material goods, not even for food. She’s an evil, greedy woman who sells her own daughter.

And yet if you were to look at either one of these girls you would just never imagine what they have been through. It is incredible, they are blessings on this Earth and I just know they will do amazing things one day. They know that they are better than this and that they can make their own lives. As a matter of fact Jasmina starts an internship at a salon in a week.

After picking up the girls, we took them to the beach for a little while and then we went to the shelter for a “slumber party”. The girls had been talking for weeks about how they wanted to have a slumber party like they saw in movies…with pillow fights. We made dinner for the girls and then came time for their surprise. When they walked in the room with all of the surprise, they seemed very skeptical, not really sure what to do with everything. I showed them that I had bought boas, tiaras, makeup, jewelry and fun hair accessories for them so that we could lay dress up. In their lives, this was such a significant moment because they never had the chance to be little girls with the freedom to feel beautiful. They started dressing up and putting on makeup and you could tell just by the glow on their faces that they loved it. And when they looked at themselves in the mirror, you could really see in their eyes that they truly felt beautiful. They are such innocent beautiful young girls who have experienced a broken life rather than a privileged childhood. I think one of my favorite parts of the night was when they saw the camera come out…and immediately they were posing left and right for pictures. They made “kissy” faces to the camera just like Americans do…it cracked me up! And even in this environment where they had the opportunity to feel and play like a girl, their “exploited” side secretly shined through. I would see them out of the corner of my eye taking a picture with their phone with a seductive pose and a “sexy” face…something that is just sad when you know why they are taking those pictures. They’re trying to promote themselves on Facebook and other websites in order to prostitute themselves and make more money. They are brainwashed into this cycle where they think this is the normal way of life for a girl their age. One other crazy thing I’ve noticed is that they all have cell phones and Facebook, they’re being prostituted in this culture for money for food, but yet their families have the money for material goods like cell phones or TV and cable. It’s a concept that to me just seems outrageous…but when I step back and look at the culture I realize that is the normal world for them and they don’t know any different. It seems so messed up from a logical perspective, but they obviously aren’t thinking logically in the brainwashed culture they live in. It’s a devastating reality, one that won’t be easy to change since it is a cultural difference rather than just a problem with a simple solution.

Gifts for the Girls

Monday Dec. 16

Wow, the only word I can use to describe those girls. Jasmina and Maliana are such incredible young girls with so much grace and love. They were such a blessing to be around. And Josué was beyond excited with the toys I bought for him, he played with them constantly and couldn’t get enough! At one point he saw a punching bag outside and he punched it…how does a 2 year old boy know instinctually to punch a punching bag?! So cute and so interesting to see the common human mal instinct even without the cultural differences. I took him outside at one point and started making noises as I punched the bag and he would copy me exactly the same…adorable! And so smart for such a little boy. We had a Costa Rican dish called gaillopinto for breakfast, which is rice and beans. It shocked me that when Rebekah asked the girls if they wanted pancakes or rice and beans, they immediately yelled gaillopinto! It’s so interesting that they really do love their food, even though it’s all they eat, they still choose that over anything else. And they are so thankful and genuinely excited for the simple things.

We took them to the beach for a few hours this morning and they looked like they were having such a blast, just enjoying themselves and nature, letting go of their lives at home for a day to just relax and be kids. It was incredible to witness their free spirits coming out for one of the first times ever. I saw wild horses running on the beach and they saw “una tortuga” (a turtle) in the ocean.

After the beach we took them back home and dropped them off in the projects, which was just devastating to be dropping them back off to horrible conditions. They said they were going to come to Bible class later but they didn’t end up going unfortunately. Anyways, I went to the clubhouse for Bible and there were 6 girls there. One of the girls in particular was absolutely beautiful, I couldn’t believe my eyes. And another little girl was just adorable and so full of life, laughing and joking constantly. By seeing this side of them, you would never guess what they’ve been through. Since it’s so normal for them, it’s easy to disguise. They talked about making 8 decisions to change something in their lives for the better. I understood a lot of what they were saying in Spanish, even the discussions about the Bible and making changes in their lives. Also the girls made jewelry and had some to sell. The jewelry was beautiful!

Then we went to Jaco for the evening with a few women from the surrounding community. Immediately when we walked into this restaurant, we saw two American men who were definitely here just for sex, they looked like pigs…such a disgrace. They asked us to join them…little did they know who they were messing with. The director of Seeds of Hope told me that these American men that come to Jaco for sex will go to restaurants and try to pick up American women who are touristing. They attempt to “wine and dine” them and then take them back to their room for sex that they don’t have to spend money on. If they get denied and can’t find the free sex, that’s when they’ll roam the streets to find a local prostitute or go to a local brothel to hire a prostitute. About halfway through dinner I noticed this little Asian girl sit down with an American man for dinner. Definitely a prostitute, I had my radar on full blast. The director looked over at me a few minutes later and gave me the nod, yes she was a typical prostitute. So so so devastating. The man was treating her to a nice dinner, but she was stuck in a world of prostitution and she didn’t know any better. We didn’t really see any others but apparently Jaco is the place to be for prostitutes for American tourists.

Gifts for the Young Boy

Tuesday, Dec. 17

Today we woke up and went to the shelter to clean up our mess from the party. We got a lot of cleaning done and the shelter looked beautiful. Here’s the background story of the shelter:

There were three girls staying at the shelter a few weeks ago, one named Estijana and two other girls and a woman named Claudia was staying there as the house mom. She lived a life of prostitution for years but finally got out of it and had such a great success story escaping a life of drugs and prostitution. Therefore, Seeds of Hope hired her thinking she would be a great role model for the girls. But, it turned out not to go as smoothly as they expected. One of the main rules of the shelter was no cell phones and no Facebook, absolutely 0, none! And it makes sense because in order to have full-on rehab you cannot have contact with the old ways that would continue to tempt you back into that way of life. Well, apparently Claudia allowed the girls to get on Facebook and send text messages on her phone. Two of the girls ran away one night, we think with the help of Claudia. Then they fired Claudia because she was putting the girls’ safety at risk. After that, the third girl ran away and the shelter was history for that time. That’s why my trip’s plan changed course. I was supposed to stay at the shelter with the girls, but since there were no girls at the shelter, I couldn’t do that. It’s just so sad to think that these girls were finally in a safe environment away from their cultural temptations with the addition of a great family and fun atmosphere.

While at the shelter, I also picked out tank tops for Jasmina and Maliana, one that would be appropriate for Jasmina to work in…she starts an internship next week at a salon. I gave Maliana the shirt and she said “que bonita” (how pretty) and seemed very happy. It’s so hard to connect with these girls that speak another language, but I feel so connected and close with her and I hope I can keep a strong relationship with her. Jasmina wasn’t there, but I’m praying that she comes to the Christmas party Thursday so that I can see her again before I leave, give her gifts and the ball for Josué and then give her a huge hug goodbye.

Then we went home and showered and got ready to go to the clubhouse, Casa Club. We drove out to the clubhouse and when we arrived, the “clubhouse mom” was the only one there sweeping in preparation for the girls’ arrival. Soon after, girls just came pouring in with smiles on their faces. A mission group from Texas came and they did some worship with the girls and then prophetic art. They played music and told the girls to draw whatever came to their mind, whatever God was trying to show them. It was very interesting to see that most of the girls drew hearts and crosses and talked about love and peace. One girl drew a tree with leaves blowing off of it, which was so powerful and could have had so many different meanings. Another girl drew a bright heart in the middle of darkness. The girl that was next to me drew a cross and wrote “libertad, paz, amor, dios” inside of it but then she ended up drawing over the words, which was striking. I wonder why and I wonder if that signified some part of her being. I met a girl today named Calita who was Jasmina’s best best friend in the entire world and they do absolutely everything together, even prostitute. When Calita was 7 years old, her mom dressed her up and sent her down the street to get some eggs from a man. When she arrived, the man attacked her and she resisted. She kicked and fought and did everything she could to get him off of her and then went home. But when she got home, rather than being comforted by her mother, she was severely scolded and punished for not letting the man rape her for the eggs. From then on, Andrea was forced to go to this man’s house each week to be raped to provide eggs and milk to her family. She has tons of siblings running around in the small shack they live in and her mom put the food responsibility all on her. So she was forced into prostitution and eventually her and Jasmina would walk the streets together as partner prostitutes. It’s just so hard to believe that young beautiful girls like that, that appear so innocent, have been through a life that we couldn’t even imagine going through. The director also told me that 99% of the girls in the projects have been sexually abused by either family members, a neighbor, or a random person. So even if a girl hasn’t been forced into prostitution, she had at least been raped and brutally exploited multiple times. It’s awful and no girl deserves it…it’s just purely ridiculous. There were a few girls wearing lace shirts with nothing underneath other than a bright colorful bra…so inappropriate for any age, ESPECIALLY a girl that is 10 or 12 years old! Just so sad to see them expose themselves like that, with no self-respect because they just never learned that and don’t know otherwise. They aren’t constantly told by their parents how to properly present themselves and respect their bodies.

We went to Jaco for tinner and about halfway through dinner, this young blonde guy came up and SAT DOWN at our table! He just sat down, without even asking! He said “Hola chicas” and started asking how we were. And the director just told him we’re having a girls night right now and you’re not welcome. And he left. But really?! How does anyone have the nerve to just sit down at a table of girls without even asking, pure disrespect. When we left, there was a man standing by the director’s car doing something with his genitals…gross. We walked up and he told her that he took great care of her car. They told me that that is so Costa Rican, men will just stand by your car until you get back and then they demand money because they feel they deserve it for watching your car…even though you didn’t even ask them to. Apparently they won’t let you leave until you give them money, so she gave him a few coins. Then as we were driving out of the city, we saw 3 prostitutes, walking along the street, dressed in really short shorts and tights revealing tops with high heels. So exposed and used, and yet so beautiful. The director told me that they were most likely from Nicaragua or some other country, which is really sad because they were probably sent down here to find good work and money and they were forced into prostitution instead.

Two of the young girls (Jasmina w/Josue & Maliana)

Thurs, Dec. 19

This morning we woke up and went to the clubhouse. The mission group from Texas threw a Christmas party with more prophetic art and lots of worship, games, and fun. After the party, I gave four of the girls letters that I wrote to them. Maliana was the only one to read hers right then and there in front of me. She stood over in a corner and read it and when she finished, she walked over to me and hugged me really tight for a long time, nuzzled her chin in my neck and said “Thank you” in ENGLISH. It meant so much. She means so much to me. It was incredible to feel like I touched someone’s life and helped her to be an independent woman.

After the girls left, I took a long walk through the projects to take photographs for the video I’m going to make for Seeds of Hope. There families outside everywhere, sitting outside their houses, or sitting inside watching TV with the door open. There were kids running through the streets by themselves. There were girls walking alone down the street. One little girl saw me and followed me skipping right in front and looking behind to smile at me every few seconds. So cute! A few people waved and said hi. Some workers talked to me about taking pictures. Believe it or not it was a very safe area, despite the sexual exploitation that is going on. I passed by a house where a man was sitting in the doorframe drunk and on drugs, with alcohol in his hand. He looked horrible and disgusting…I thought in my head he must be one of the typical abusive fathers in the area. It was just heart-wrenching to see that right in front of my eyes. Every time I saw a father with his children, I couldn’t get it out of my head that he probably will rape them later that evening or already did that morning. There’s trash everywhere in that neighborhood, huge stacks all over the place. There are little children’s toys in the trash, right in the middle of the street. It’s such a different environment here and it’s the environment that creates this culture that creates monsters. These monsters are taking over the lives of princesses and ruining their lives one step at a time.

Two of the young girls (Jasmina w/Josue & Maliana)