some final thoughts - part two

these are just a few shots from the LIFTED: BOONE event.


With that said, looking back, I kind of put this internship in three boxes of responsibilities/ events:

1. Monday Meetings to plan, prepare, and pray
2. The trip to Thailand and Cambodia
3. The LIFTED: BOONE event


The Monday Meetings, which we dubbed "Monday Fundays," were such an integral thread through the semester that kept us all invested in face time. They often lasted about 3 hours, without trying too hard. It makes sense, because LIFTED does not have an office, nor any paid employees. Most of our correspondence through the week was through email.

Monday Fundays happened before and after our trip overseas. Even when we were about to leave for Asia, we were planning towards the Boone event. After the trip, we started right where we left off, planning for Boone. Right before the Boone event, we started planning for our Raleigh event(s) later this summer. After Boone, we jumped right on board to full planning of the Raleigh events. Needless to say, it was a complete whirlwind.

I want to kind of tangent on why planning takes so much time. There is SO much that goes into planning one of these events. First, we have to find a date that everyone on the LIFTED team can commit to. Yes, that is a feat in itself! Once we do that, we have to find a venue, which is another whirlwind of dates okay for them, prices, set up questions, and so on. Those are just the beginning steps, but often times the most difficult ones.



The trip to Thailand and Cambodia was incredible. When people ask how it was, I never know what to say first. It was intense. I think that is the most appropriate way to put it. We weren't getting the regular, tourist view. We went straight for the most difficult parts to swallow about the culture there. But I can't tell you how alive I felt, like I knew something like this is something I want to be doing in SOME capacity in my life. Helping people. If I can use my anthropology training to help, I want to do it. I truly believe, now more than event, that a strong cultural understanding is imperative to any relief work or ministry aimed at "helping" a people group.

Often times, I think about the little girls we met in the RNhu homes in Phnom Penh and Chiang Mai. I am not a removed anthropologist. I know in the pure sense of the word "ethnographer," it is best that I try not to be too caring, too involved, too sensitive (I read this in Gary Fine's "Ten Lies of Ethnography" in the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography) Though I understand and respect Fine's point of view, I say to hell with that. I may end up feeling a whole lot more emotions than I bargained for, but that's how I understand anthropology and ethnography. A very personal encounter in a very cultural context.



The LIFTED: BOONE event was such a great experience during this internship. I helped plan from the baby steps and got to see it come to full fruition.

some final thoughts - part one

what a different semester. different than any other college semester i've had.

in so many ways, this internship felt more natural than school. maybe it's because it was in raleigh, my home town, or that i've been involved with LIFTED before this semester, or because many of my dear friends are the work force behind LIFTED. maybe its because i finally was DOING (versus learning about) things i wanted to do and apply my schoolwork to. i think the best word to describe it would be natural.

but it wasn't without challenge. seeing the inner workings of a cooperative which depends on a parent non-profit was eye-opening. with it comes a whole set of stresses. how do we gain the support of the general public? how do we make this an effective event about the global epidemic of human trafficking in a place where people are so comfortable in their own houses, families, cars, and jobs, so seemingly far away from the problem?

in my mind, how could we connect those two things, while also having a gospel-centered event, which LIFTED is called and committed to doing? at first, my thoughts were... how do you have a benefit event about human trafficking and make it a call to Christ? wouldn't people be turned off and turn away from the problem?

the thing i learned most this semester is that WE are the problem. humans. even if we are turned off by hearing "trafficking" and "Jesus" in the same sentence and we turn around and walk away, the problem of human trafficking isn't across the ocean. it's IN us. every human is capable of chaos and catastrophy within themselves. because i want to be involved in some capacity in a ministry-based non profit, i think this was an important lesson for me to learn. whether it's trafficking, homelessness, hunger, prostitution, poverty, whatever.... Jesus. it goes together. it's a hard thing for me in my intellect to understand, but i am glad it was worked through this semester.