A Good Logger Gives
Going with the theme of the blog’s title: A Good Logger. There is a way to do things that does not destroy, but rather builds up. Building up is doing life a little different; we don’t need to tear down before health comes. One can simply invest in health while pruning where it needs to be pruned. That is the whole point to the Good Logger idea; to do things that are deliberate and careful with the intent of health for the whole community. I know I’m not always great at this, but I’ll keep striving.
One of the things as A Good Logger I love to do, and I know Addie does too, is raise money for non-profit organizations. Addie and I both raise money for Peoria Home and I also raise money for Casino Road Kids Ministry. Both these ministries are very dear to my heart and I believe vital to the health of our community. A community that treats its women and children well is a far healthier community than those that don’t treat them well.
Peoria Home helps women who have been trapped and enslaved in prostitution. Peoria Home provides a safe place and the time needed to escape this life once and for all. It is a two-year recovery program intentionally designed to help meet these gals where they are and help them heal. All the time they are learning about healing and gaining hope and learning that love is powerful when it is true love and not manipulation.
This is so needed in our community. In OUR community. Far too often we think that prostitution isn’t that big of a problem here, but it is. And far too often we think that it is just a simple choice that a woman makes to go out there and live this life. Neither of these are true. Slavery worldwide has about 22% of slavery as prostitution. That is, women being controlled by a pimp. This controlling is modern day slavery as the pimps use force, fraud, and coercion. Over 200 women are being sold for sex here in Snohomish County and over 1,200 in King County every night. This is a major problem facing our communities.
This problem starts with the way that we as men treat women as pieces of meat or objects of our lust and gratification. This lust and objectification plays itself out in the voracious appetite for online and other forms of pornography. It also plays itself out in the sexual abuse of minors. It plays itself out in the way that we use words like ‘bitch’ or ‘hoe’ or a thousand other derogatory terms for women. It comes from men not using their power for good but using it to get what they want. All this stuff happens in our community. It is not as simple as a woman making a choice. Most women that turn to this lifestyle were turned out through sexual abuse as children and turned out by a man who told them to "get out there and make me my money.”
Prostitution isn’t just men’s faults. But we can do more to stand up and fight for the rights of women. We can do a better job keeping our lust and desires in check. We can do a better job seeing and proclaiming that women are worthy of dignity and have value beyond their bodies. That is why I stand up for women’s rights and in particular the rights of women who have suffered from prostitution. I have a deep desire that these women will find their value and worth as individuals and not just sex-objects.
So, I raise money and use my voice to stand up. To raise money and awareness for these women. I do it on a local level because it is a local problem. I want to be a help and I want you to join me. Feel free to give to Peoria Home at the link below. Also, you can join me in using your voice. Email me at somitchell2001@gmail.comif you’d like help in learning how to use your skills to help fight this.
The other organization I raise money for is Casino Road Kids Ministry. Again, if we as a community value and treat our children well, it is a sign of health. CRKM has been hanging out on Casino Road in Everett, WA officially for 10 years now, and unofficially for 18 years. They offer homework assistance, bible clubs, and mentoring for at risk kids in our community. They also provide meals at all their events and do a backpack drive for all the kids on Casino Road every year. CRKM’s presence in our community is a gift from God.
These elementary kids feel the pressures of gang involvement even at this young age. The gang activity is alive and well on Casino Road. Many of these kids are just longing for acceptance and that is why healthy relationships with healthy adults is so vital. They enter into gangs to feel accepted; they wouldn’t need to do this if they knew their value and worth. The work that CRKM and organizations like them does is one of the best preventions against gang activity for the boys and prostitution for the girls. Allowing kids to know that they are loved, appreciated, and valued is a great thing for this community.
Recently when I asked CRKM for a prayer list for them, I was asked to pray for three things:
That kids won’t be lured into gangs as gang activity is increasing on Casino Road.
That kids will be protected from drive-by shootings that happen on Casino Road.
That kids will find their value and worth in things other than gangs and bad behavior.
We get to value the littlest among us. Our children are our future, and this is not just a catch phrase or slogan. If we want things to be different for them, then we get to treat them differently. We get to value, protect, and learn from the least of these. We get to set up shop in difficult neighborhoods and show these kids that there are people that care about them. The efforts of CRKM are amazing and they’ve seen some amazing things happen over the last 18 years. This organization adds so much value to the place that I call home.
Please join me in giving to Casino Road Kids Ministries at the link below. But also feel free to contact them at info@crmkids.org if you would like to help serve these kids. It is a great ministry to get involved in!
We all can be Good Loggers in this way. We can look to add grace and love to our communities. We can look to add health in an unhealthy world.
Give to Peoria Home by clicking on the picture below:
And Give to Casino Road Kids Ministry by clicking on the picture below: