BY GRACE MILLER, GRACE ATTENDER & CGI VOLUNTEER
In April of 2012, I received a flyer while at my FUSE small group (Grace's middle school ministry) for a Mother-Daughter trunk show that was being organized by a Grace’s partner ministry, Center for Global Impact (CGI). I had no previous knowledge about CGI and was curious about the event, so my mother and I decided to attend.
I recall listening to a presentation by Tasha Simons about the work that CGI was doing in Cambodia during the trunk show. Listening to the stories of impact from CGI’s byTavi program upon women's lives grabbed at my heart, and I developed a near-obsessive interest in becoming more involved with the CGI's work of relieving the grip of sex trafficking on the region through providing a healthy way for women to secure a sustainable income for themselves and their families.
I wanted to stay involved with CGI's work in high school, so I joined Carmel High School's Living Hope Club, centered on raising awareness of injustices throughout Asia. During junior and senior year as vice president and president, I helped to organize volunteer excursions at places such as the CGI Warehouse and the Holiday Mart at the State Fairgrounds for the club. Club members assisted with business transactions and organizing warehouse items, all while learning about the impact of CGI in Cambodia and how those of us in the United States can remain involved in bringing the cycle of the injustice of trafficking to a halt.
In the spring of 2015, Living Hope helped organize a CGI Mother-Daughter fashion show at Grace Church, much like the one coming up soon. During the show, I was once again amazed at both the enormity of the issue of trafficking and CGI's relentless spirit of servitude as they tackled this problem with the grace of God. Bonus: you can help prevent sex trafficking AND look incredible in the process (the byTavi program really does produce some stylish pieces)!![]()
At Grace we've covered the concept of "holy discontent", which happens when a particular broken place in the world compels a follower of Christ to action. Holy discontent breaks your heart; it leaves you in agony for the sake of the world. While attending that first trunk show back in middle school, I realized that the issue of sex trafficking was leaving me in an overwhelming state of holy discontent. It was at that moment when I realized that I didn't have to wait until I was older to make a difference for God's kingdom. I began to understand that my youth does not hinder me from doing the work of God; in fact, it is a catalyst to bring other teenagers and young people into the game.
My youth does not hinder me from doing the work of God; in fact, it is a catalyst to bring other teenagers and young people into the game.![]()
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Becoming involved with CGI has been truly transformative. It has opened my eyes to, not only the problem of trafficking but other injustices as well. It has prompted the realization of a calling to serve others in the name of Christ. As Jesus calls us to love our neighbors, we must work relentlessly to prepare the way of the Lord as He redeems the broken places of the world. It's my prayer that the upcoming mother-daughter fashion show will instill in you a lasting desire to pursue justice for the vulnerable and oppressed, and subsequently to join in the incredible adventure of loving the world's people unconditionally.
"And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." – Isaiah 58:10
Mother/Daughter Evening with byTavi Fashion Show
March 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Grace Church 146th Street Campus
Join us for this fun and transformative event. The evening includes dessert, fashion, learning more about CGI’s work in Cambodia to break the cycle of human trafficking and how you can make a difference!
Contact Tasha Simons with questions at Tasha.Simons@gmail.com.
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