Last Christmas, I was one of a few volunteers with vehicles who offered to deliver wrapped gifts to area causes my church had collected on behalf of. New to the area, still finding my way about the city, the church, and the causes, I essentially randomly chose my cause. I'm very grateful the cards fell as they did. On a Thursday before Christmas, I found the unremarkable public face of The Jonah Project -- a three-year old nonprofit fighting against sexual slavery. Their byline:
We believe Compassion is a Basic Need.
As any reader of Malazan Book of the Fallen knows.
Since Christmas I have attended volunteer orientation, fundraisers, and now tonight, an art exhibit featuring 9 extremely brave heroes: women survivors. If You Really Knew Me: Stories of Survivors and Warriors was sponsored by several entities, and included an innovative artistic approach (CherryPIX...and on iOS) that really brought an intimate connection between viewer and sharer into play. It was the women who shared their stories who truly displayed The Jonah Project's loving embrace though. I was proud of them, glad they were strong, glad they survived, glad they were not alone. As one woman put it,
I was only a victim until I no longer accepted that was my life.
The backside of that green bracelet says, "Changes Everything." It starts with me and you. Their stories did not end, are not over. They were brave enough to finish saying, "If you really knew me . . ." That takes heroics.