27 Days for 27 Million People
It should come as no surprise that I love to walk! Last year, I was inspired to walk 900 km across Spain as part of my journey into a new season filled with encounters with God and self discovery. The journey was challenging, humbling and yet very encouraging! With that said, I had no intentions of reliving the experience - it’s sort of like the been there, done that idea! And yet last Christmas, during one of my -40’C Winnipeg runs, I started to feel a nudging to look into the possibility of trekking across parts of Canada. That’s not a typo - you read it right! Trek parts of Canada! How exciting! Such a journey would provide me with a unique opportunity to discover some of my country’s hidden treasures. Unfortunately this wasn’t exactly the journey that was being put on my heart! I wasn’t being called to discover Canada’s beauty, but rather draw attention to its ugliness, which for the most part remains underground. You see, I feel called to organize a 2,100 km trek across the three most frequented trafficking routes in Canada as a means to raise awareness about the prevalence of human trafficking around the globe and within Canada. Shocking right? That’s what I thought; but nonetheless I started exploring its possibility. Okay, I did more then “explore,” I actually started preparing a proposal, which maps out a 90-day trekking itinerary for the project. What I quickly realized while working on the proposal is that it would need more than a few months of planning and that it would take a team of volunteers and supporters to make this a reality. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not walking away from this project, I just realize that right now is not the right time!
This realization brought me a lot of peace and I was eagerly anticipating a sense of direction for more immediate and relaxing possibilities - especially with summer holidays fast approaching! Walking anywhere beyond the local pool or a few little day-hikes was the furthest thing from my mind; especially in light of the sense of peace I felt with putting the WALK 4 FREEDOM project on hold. So imagine my surprise when the idea of trekking France’s GR65 suddenly appeared in my heart and my head as I read The A21 Campaign’s encouragement to “Do what you love - make it count!” I won’t lie and say that this idea gives me the same feeling of excitement and anticipation as it did last year; partly because I know what awaits me during the *27 day trek across southern France. But the physical and emotional challenges that await me are nothing compared to the pain and suffering that over 27 million victims of human trafficking experience on a daily basis. So it’s with that thought in mind and a profound desire to be part of a generation that takes a stand for justice that I will be setting off for this adventure this coming July.
“We cannot do everything, but everyone can do something!”
- The A21 Campaign Website
My walk last year was about taking time for me and further developing my relationship with God; which will undoubtedly continue to take place this summer. But this year is different - actually, I’m different! And so this year, largely inspired by A21’s Freedom Challenge, which was held last October, I want to walk a mile in their shoes - or rather 466 miles (750 km) - and shed light on the ugliness of human trafficking - and I want you to help!
Why France?
Why not! The language, the food, the Pyrenees, my friends live there…need I say more! In all seriousness, this destination has a lot to do with the fact that they have the infrastructures in place to safely tackle such a trek on my own. But as I started reading about this beautiful country I found it quite interesting that many people consider France the birthplace of the Declaration of Human Rights and Freedom; which is very fitting as I set off on my *27 day walk for freedom.
Partner With Me
Human trafficking is a huge problem that not one person can tackle on their own. Let’s be honest, not everyone is called to fight this cause from the front lines, nor do we all have the time to take on such a lengthy and physically demanding project. This is why I love the list of 21 Ways to Get Involved (check it out) that The A21 Campaign has put out. Many of my partnering ideas have been inspired from this list and it is my sincere hope that you will consider taking on ONE of these projects with me during my *27 day journey. Please take a minute to let me know if you will be partnering with me and in what way. Be sure to check out my Facebook page, Twitter feed and my Blog as I will try to update them regularly. The challenge that awaits me is daunting, but with God’s strength and a little encouragement from my family and friends, I know that I will arrive at my destination having grown in my faith and having contributed to the fight for freedom!
Opportunities to Get Involved
- Pray
- Donate to The A21 Campaign - Click Here to Donate
- Use Social Media
- Walk a Day with Me
- Write to a survivor
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