Who Can Find a Virtuous Woman?

So, I am currently taking a Social Problems class. Before I started school again last semester, I knew there were problems in society, but I didn't know that there were socially defined social problems out there. 

Today we learned about a social problem: prostitution. And then watched a video on how it affects lives. We watched how it affects some girls in the United States and then we watched a "60 Minutes" video on the sex trafficking/trade in Thailand.

I knew about prostitution and I have heard about Cambodia's sex trafficking before .. However, I didn't know that there were such sick, disgusting, low life men out there who actually ORGANIZE sex tours or people who are sex tour guides, taking men to precious innocent little GIRLS (ranging in the ages of 10-15) so that men can experience a "foreign, exotic time."  Umm.. I have a 12 year old sister. I cannot imagine that happening to her.

I was disgusted.

Not in the fact that these girls do this, because many are victims, but because these girls are SOLD by their own parents! They are sold for their own selfish desires, for money. These parents think their child is indisposable and just a means to get money to satisfy their needs, for some being drugs and alcohol, others to just take care of their family. And it was sad to see these precious girls cry in front of their parents, the same ones who had just sold them, saying that they were angry at them for doing so.

I was also disgusted that there are (or were, the video was kind of old) brochures that tell foreigners what kind of "packages" you can purchase and telling you how you can actually go about doing it and not get caught by the Thai cops.

The video shows a conversation with this one woman who said she applied for a job thinking she was going to work at a restaurant and it turned out to be a brothel. The owner made her sleep with men. She said on regular nights she would sleep with 12-13 men. But on special occasions or holidays she would sleep with up to 20-30 men a night. THAT IS CRAZINESS. I can't even imagine how hard that would be on the body or the soul. The poor girl ended up getting HIV but the owner threatened to beat her if she told any of her "customers." So she didn't. So, so sad. 

The video also shows an undercover camera and an undercover US cop posing as someone who wants to buy a virgin girl. It shows the girl (14 or younger I can't remember) being afraid and timid. Later the cop comes back and tells the lady he doesn't want her anymore and the girl's countenance changes and she starts skipping away, relieved that she doesn't have to do that. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen for most of them. And it was very disheartening to watch and it totally made the Mama Bear come out in me. But not just a Mama Bear to my own children, to every girl! 

These girls are supposed to be virtuous, pure girls. They're supposed to be using their imagination or having adventures, not worry about being a man's "piece of meat." Instead they are having their virtue ripped from them. I often thought about how much I love my two little girls and would hate for anything like that to happen to them. And I think that is how God views his children as well. He only wants what's best for them.

Ugh. It just makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs to all women and girls everywhere: YOU ARE DAUGHTERS OF A HEAVENLY FATHER WHO LOVES YOU! You ARE loved by HIS SON. You are of WORTH and you are BEAUTIFUL!

Stay loyal to the royal that is in you! For you are a Daughter of a King.

Proverbs 31: 10

who can find a virtuous woman? 

for her price is far above rubies.

I Never Want To Forget

My one month old. It's weird to say it already. I can't believe a month in Elena's life has come and passed, 5 weeks actually. It seems like just yesterday I was taking a walk around our neighborhood to start labor. Now I take walks with both my daughters around the neighborhood. Here are some things about Elena that I never want to forget.

I never want to forget...

How she looks up at me with her eyes that possess long dainty eyelashes.

Her eagle claw like feet that stretch out so far.

How when I'm holding her all she will do is stare at your face like she actually knows you.

That she loves loves loves being held. She detests that rocker and after only being in it for 2 minutes while I was in the shower she started screaming bloody murder to get out of it. Little stinker. {I hope our neighbors don't call CPS on us! ;) }

I never want to forget

That when she has an absolutely full stomach she will go right into a food coma and act like she is possessed. Her eyes start shifting back and forth and she rolls them into the back of her head and she starts breathing rapidly. I guess that's comfortable haha.

Her soft baby skin

How she sleeps best on her side, in bed with us. She'll sleep a total of 5 hours at a time in our bed, compared to waking up every 2 hours or so in her rocker (no, we don't have a bassinet or anything.. we plan on getting Lydia a toddler bed and giving Elena the crib since kid beds are way cheaper than cribs...but that won't happen for a while.)

That I felt like I could see Heaven while looking through her eyes today. She bore right into my soul as we looked at each other.

That she fell instantly to sleep as I sang a 20 second song.

I never want to forget

 

That even though I'm dog-tired, stressed from school and motherly duties, Lydia just threw food on the floor for the umpteenth time that I have to clean up, we need dinner on the table, Jonathan needs help with homework, or whatever else is calling my name.. even when I feel I have a world of burdens on my shoulder, one look at Elena melts everything away and I realize my purpose again.