I introduced myself as a survivor of 15 years of childhood sexual assault. I truly expected a room of rolling eyes or for a mass exudes to the bathroom. What I got instead was the undivided attention of 40 men, intelligent questions and a hefty dose of over whelming compliments.
The night before the presentation my husband asked me if I was nervous. The funny thing was I was actually just thinking to myself that I was not at all nervous. One thing I was not blessed with was a healthy dose of stage fright. Talking to a group of people is very energizing to me. Figure that one out! My only comment was that the only think that would bother me would be talking to the top of 40 heads, because they would all have their focus on their plates as I was slated to present during dinner.
As soon as I walked in the door and began setting up my presentation, the Faithful Navigator told me I could take my time because dinner was frozen and would take about an hour to cook. Really?! It actually gave me a great opening. I got to tell the guys that despite my hope that I didn’t wind up talking to the top of 40 heads and thoroughly frustrated, it really wasn’t my fault that their dinner was late.
During my research I found some new information. And like the good academic that I am, I soaked it all up. The Catholic Church in England and Wales observe the Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita – February 8 – as a Day of Prayer for Victims of Trafficking and those who work to combat it.
Click here for more information on St. Josephine Bakhita.
In closing, we must remember that we fight human trafficking by standing for our pro-life beliefs because in the end abortion is, at its core, the dehumanization and above all else THIS is the fuel for human trafficking.
“If you want peace work for justice.” ~ Pope John Paul II
St. Josephine Bakhita, pray for us!
Blessings,
Stefanie Michele