It was the first time that they have ever done it here. It was called "Experiencing Injustice" and what it is was us going around to 5 different interactive stations where they showed us some of the injustices of the world. It was so powerful and intense, something I will never forget.
We got into different groups, and went out. The first station that I came to was about Sex Trafficking. We came up to a storage unit and our group leader knocked on the door. The door flings open and its 2 women, both part of our staff, and this man. It was insane to see and realize that things like that ARE real. It made me so angry.
The second station we went to was about Child Soldiers. We went into the prayer room and this guy was in there and he said that we can't worship loud, but we should sing amazing grace. So part of my heart knew something was going to happen, and I was already shaking, and found myself thinking twice about singing. Which is CRAZY to me because knowing it was not real, but still being afraid to sing made me really think about if I was actually put in that situation. So we started singing and a truck pulls up and these guys start knocking on the door and window and the one guy in the room leading this whole thing told us to get out and just RUN and don't stop. So we get out and the guys out there yelled us to get in the back of this truck and started screaming at us telling us that we no longer have a family, and that they are our mother and father now so we mid as well just forget about everyone else. At this point, everyone is just crying their eyes out, myself included. We were taken up in this truck up a little ways and told to get out and run to the side. I ended up tripping on a rock and falling on my knee. I got up and then we ran and had to get on our knees as they pointed guns at us and were screaming things. They put masks on our faces, and then took one of our guys in the group and were going to have him shoot the gun (with blanks... not real). It was SO powerful, one of the most powerful ones. All that was going through my mind was if this was real, and I did fall, I would have been shot and killed right then and there.
The third station we went to was about Unclean Drinking Water. We went up to this table and one of the ladies was talking about this girl who went and got us water, and it's rude to not accept it and drink it so we had to drink it, and if we couldn't, one of our friends had to finish it for us, but we could NOT dump it out by any means. So I take one sip, and about puke. It was so gross. I just started crying. I can't believe it. It breaks my heart so bad.
The fourth station we went to was about Organ Trafficking. We went into the kitchen and there was a girl on the table and covered in fake blood. Then there was this other guy dressed in a surgeon outfit and asked us if we wanted to buy an organ and told us all these facts about it and stuff like that. (I can't remember every detail, I was kinda a mess). So then we all refused to buy, obviously. And this other guy that was in the skit bought it, and the guy said, "someone always buys it, they always do." And we walked out. It was so powerful and crazy!!!
The fifth station we went to was about Child Labor. We went to what was a cocoa factory, and there was 2 girls in there working and being completely abused. One of the girls wasn't going "fast enough" and the one in charge of them dragged her away while the other throws herself at the window screaming for us to help her. It was so emotional, and my heart was so in there and I just wanted to run and grab her, even though I knew it was an act.
So then after we finished all the stations, we went back into our lecture hall and had 45 minutes or so to process what we just went through and worship. It was so intense. I ended up re-injuring my knee and scraping it up a bit, but I really do not care. It is such a reminder to me that these things are real, and it was so powerful. My heart has changed so much, and I don't think I can ever just go back to "normal" life. I want to do something. God has placed a few dreams/visions on my heart, and I want to do these. I will share more on them when I can. But, I thought I would update you all on what happened to us. It was emotional, but so good at the same time. It changed a lot of our hearts, and I do not believe we will be the same. At the same time, I know I can not change the whole world, but right now, where I am at, I can pray for these injustices, and make a difference that way. So my challenge is for you all to do the same. PRAY for these people. They are REAL people dealing with this stuff, and it is NOT OKAY.
How powerful. We did somthing like this at our yearly Missions Conference at Biola, and it sure messes with you and gives you great compassion and indignation.
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