A Week With The Exodus Road In Images

January 13, 2013 in Connecting with 11 Comments

Since Wed, Jan 5th I have been reporting from the field along with another blogger in Asia. We have been conducting interviews, visiting brothel areas of major tourist hotspots, and getting a front row seat as The Exodus Road connects with their undercover operatives and coalition partners throughout the region. Here is a slideshow to just give you a preview of the stories I will tell in more detail when they are published. Please let me know if you have any questions about the experience.

: Exodus’s Marketing Director kept us going throughout the week. Late nights and early flights made for a non-stop schedule.

It is said it takes a tenacious and gentle spirit to make a difference in a cause as daunting as anti-trafficking. Matt Parker is both. He and his operatives are truly men in the arena.

Keeping each other’s spirits high was important but also easy as the blogging team spent life changing moments together. It was essential to kept a lightness about our work.

Many nights were spent travelling from location to location. We met so many interesting people. Each of them had a unique story that gave a face to the overwhelming statistics of the sex trade.

The best way for us to keep hopeful were the smiles of good people we met. A simple smile or a shared of a dream is precious.

It is a daunting task to try to tell these stories of trafficking and child exploitation. Dami and I felt so fortunate to be part of the blogging program and how it is shaped in the future. Here Dami and I give the Blog team a candid and accurate video about how the week has impacted us.

Probably one of the most encouraging interviews we were able to conduct was with Exodus’ Director Of Operations.

Probably the most compelling person I have come across so far was a young woman named Nat, who has an unwavering dream to leave the brothel one day and begin her own startup business.

Probably the toughest job in The Exodus Road is that of the investigator. A successful campaign got dozens of encouragement letters to them from people all over the US and beyond.

About Johnflurry: John is the director of communications for Soma Games and Code-Monkeys, a company culture addict, artist, writer, speaker, blogger and mobile app evangelist.

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http://www.facebook.com/bill.hays2 Bill Hays

John, are you going to get into Cambodia?
- http://www.flurrycreations.com/theblog John Bergquist
  
  Hey Bill, I thought of you often when I was over there. Not this trip. I flew next to a really nice retired doctor who had been visiting his daughter who lives in Cambodia. He is from Denver. Small world eh?
http://twitter.com/aboutproximity Lisa Van Engen

Thank you for the updates, you are all making a difference.
- http://www.flurrycreations.com/theblog John Bergquist
  
  Thanks Lisa!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1451058684 Jayson Tidland

All of you Rock. This is so important. Thanks for the update.
http://www.lauraparkerblog.com/ Laura Parker

So thankful you got to go and that you were willing to engage in this, John. Your presence was a real gift to the team– Matt just loved hanging out with you! Here’s to quick recovery from jet lag . . ..
- http://www.flurrycreations.com/theblog John Bergquist
  
  Fully recovered now Laura, I have to say that for all that the team may have received from my presence and writing, I believe I received so much more through a continued changed heart and opened eyes. I will never be the same. Thanks you.
http://www.positivelyalene.com/ Positively Alene

Love the pics and updates! Proud to be on the blogging team – hope to make the journey one day. Can’t wait to read more.
- http://www.flurrycreations.com/theblog John Bergquist
  
  Alene, I am blown away by the power this army of storytellers has. Our work matters.
Alison

Thanks for the update, John! Looking forward to participating in this very important work.
- http://www.flurrycreations.com/theblog John Bergquist
  
  Thanks Allison, It is so worth every struggle you may go through. Life changing for me.