sex trafficking, 3 guys, kayaks, & opportunity

DID YOU KNOW....

• Human Trafficking is the world's THIRD LARGEST criminal enterprise after drugs and weapons.
• Worldwide there are nearly 2 MILLION children in the commercial sex trade.
• There are an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 children, women, & men trafficked across international borders annually.
• Approximately 80% of human trafficking victims are WOMEN and GIRLS and 50% are minors.
• Sex trafficking is an engine of the global AIDS epidemic.
• The total market value of illicit human trafficking is estimated to be in excess of 32 BILLION.

Let me introduce you to my Cal Baptist friends Justin, Tim, and Ethan...

These three guys have a passion for justice and want to do what they can to bring justice for the victims of human trafficking. They have partnered with the International Justice Mission (an organization that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression) and are kayaking 1,700 miles down the Mississippi River for the purpose or creating awareness and raising $20,000 for the International Justice Mission.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

You might not be able to Kayak the Mississippi, but there IS something you can do...

• GIVE today. Help support the caseworkers that work to free those entrapped in the sex industry.
• EDUCATE yourself. Go online to http://www.ijm.org/ and read the facts and the stories of lives affected by this issue.
• MOVE OTHERS. After you learn this truth, do something with it and inform others in your circles of influence. THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BLOGS...SHARE THE LINK LOVE.... TAKE THE TIME TO LINK TO THIS POST OR MAKE OR OWN POST. http://upstreambattle.blogspot.com/

Tim (Junior, math major), Justin (Senior, history major) Ethan (Cal Bapt Alumni and Staff).

These guys could really use your support in any way! If you are interested in giving to the International Justice Mission or supporting these guys email me at adivers@calbaptist.edu . If you are some where along the Mississippi River and are interested in hosting them in your church or along the way let me know!

Thanks for taking the time to read this post! Don't forget to give these guys your LINK LOVE!!!

You can follow their journey here.... http://upstreambattle.blogspot.com
leave some comment love if you are excited about what these boys are doing!

I am a 10

I don't know if I have mentioned this enough...but I have an absolutely amazing supervisor here in California. She could seriously be one of my most favorite ppl in the world. She is brillant, incredible at managing and administration, and she is an awesome friend. I seriously think I have a woman crush...Kristen White...you are amazing.

Anyways...so she has made me get into this habit of rating my current situation. Many times in staff meetings, she makes us all go around and say where we are in life. 1 being you would like to die and a 10 meaning life is great! I have also kind of adapted this and use it with my Germany team as well (I don't know if I have mentioned it on my blog...but i am leading 9 students to Germany this may... a post is soon in coming). It is soo great cause you really get a feel for how people are doing pretty quickly.

So currently I am a TEN! Yay for me. I am ten because I just got back from Wicked with my amazing supervisor Kristen, I am leaving for Texas tomorrow morning and get to see my family and college best friends, the stuff the Lord and I have been dialoguing about (future and singleness) is being settled in my heart and gaining a lot of clarity, my job is awesome, and my church is awesome. So yeah... I am a 10!!! This is of course all because of Jesus! He ROCKS my world!!!

Wicked and Dallas

Tonight I got the amazing opportunity to see "Wicked" the broadway musical! It was absolutely amazing and it was also my first broadway musical of my 24 years of existance!! I am officially cultured. You can congratulate me if you feel it is necessary.

It is 2 AM and I have to leave for the airport in about 3.5 hours for Dallas, Texas!! I am soo excited. It is a buisness trip with a little bit of personal vacation tackeled on to the first and last part. I honestly haven't really made any specific plans with anyone...it's kind of wierd. I am hoping to take a road trip and see some of the college roomies!

God bless Texas....I can't wait to be on some Texas soil soon!!!

Ministry of Singleness vs. Ministry of Marriage

I have been thinking a lot about my singleness. ha. It's not really hard to do when you are graduated and single and you spend a lot of time by yourself. The weird thing about singleness is that you can't really do anything to get un-single. It's one of the few things in life you can't really work hard and diligent towards resulting in spouseage. I find that my season of singleness is an opportunity for a good battle.... a fight to keep contentment! There are days that I succeed beautifully and days where the battle is lost without even a struggle.

This week, I was reminded of the ministry of marriage. Voddie Bauchman came and spoke at CBU last week about Biblical Womanhood and Manhood. He talked mostly about the man's role in marriage and the standards we as women should have for our future spouse. It kind of reminded me while I am single...cause I haven't settled for an idiot! He also talked a lot about the ministry you have changes when you are married. Then I began to really think about the ministry that I have right now because of my single status. I realized more and more what amazing opportunities I have to pour into people because I am single and I have time to give differently than those who have responsibility to there families. One day, my priorities and ministry will change when I get married and then it kind of made me sad. (I know...silly). So basically...I was reminded that the ministry I have currently is so special and unique and I need to just enjoy it!! I need to be content.

I have talked to several other single peeps and honestly I find that contentment and singleness don't always go hand in hand. And it's not because we don't want to be, but because the enemy wants to still our joy. So...I am fighting for content and joy in the ministry of singleness that I have until God one days decides to change my ministry....

I hope this makes sense....if not...ah well...i wrote it more to get it off my mind.

Fearful Yet Trusting

These days I have been really really restless. It has actually been kind of ridiculous. It is mid semester and recently I have been asked "what are you doing next year?" multiple times in a day. The problem with this question isn't so much that I don't have an answer, but rather that there are so many variables to the question and each variable is completely out of my control. I could be honest with you and say that my future kind of freaks me out... Alicia is fearful of her future. I am fearful that I will be uprooted from my CBU community that I have come to know as home, I am fearful that my future will be filled with many more lonely nights (i hate being alone), I am fearful that I will never have a partner in ministry (spouse), I am fearful of being truly known, I am fearful of where God might send me and the sacrifices that are ahead, I am fearful that I will miss God's will for my life and not be used of God. Like I said, I am fearful of my future...it's that plain and simple. And I realize how rediculous some of these fears are, but they are reality in my life these days.

But then suddenly I am reminded of something absolutely amazing... God's FAITHFULNESS. I can testify to each one of you that God is Faithful in my life!! He gave me two amazing years in India. God let me be a part of the amazing work that He wanted to accomplish there! What an honor and privilege that was! And now I am Southern California living out my dream job and operating in my spiritual gifts and being loved by the family of God! He has always given me everything that I need and blessed me more than I can ever have imagined! God's faithfulness is woven through out my 24 years of existence. His faithfulness is one of the most beautiful and obvious things in my life. God spoke to me very clearly and told me to be excited about my future because HE IS GOOD and HE IS FAITHFUL. He reminded me that He has plans to prosper me and to give me a future!! So...though everything within me wants to fear the unknown... I am choosing to be excited and trust God with my future!!

So basically I have no idea what my future holds, but I know that my Creator is more than capable of it and I am just praying for increased amounts of trust! Honestly, God has done pretty amazing things in my almost 25 years of life...I am curious what He has in store for the next 25!!

Hey Strangers!

Oh Wait...I think I have been the stranger! Where has February gone? Seriously. So here is my February in Pictures....

January 31- February 6- Lindsey Came to Visit!

My time with Lindsey was awesome! We had sooo much fun together. We traveled all over Southern California and even spent a whole day in bed watching Season 1 of Chuck. We used to love to watch full seasons together in India...so it was appropriate that we watch something. And Chuck is so up Lindsey's alley...it's where Alias and The Office meet together in one hilarious and wholesome show!! I tried to convince her to move here, but unfortunately it didn't work.

We Went To Disneyland....

We went to the infamous San Diego Zoo (this is us on a double-decker bus that we rode to tour the zoo).

We went to Santa Monica and did some shopping. Yep, we got our big Cali sunglasses here.

We also made it to the beach, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, and other really awesome Southern Cali sites!

February 8-10- Intensive Training Weekend

I absolutely LOVE my job here at Cal Baptist. I have never had a job that has fit my personality and my giftings so perfectly. I am also having great opportunities to grow professionally and in leadership roles. We have about 325 students here going on overseas trips this summer. Part of their training is that they have to do a weekend of training on campus. Yes, we made them sleep in classrooms! It was a great weekend. Our staff put a lot of work into the event, but God blessed our efforts. The picture below is all the participants of the International Service Projects this summer! This is why I have been so busy and not blogging...that's a lot of students!!!

February 15-17- Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary Missions Conference in San Francisco, CA

This past weekend, me and our staff took 8 students to a missions conference! This was my first time to ever go to San Francisco and it did not disappoint! I loved it!! We got to spend Saturday exploring the city, however, we couldn't find parking for the 15 passenger van...so instead...Ethan and I drove around looking for a parking spot for two hours while the others got to see the city. It was kind of a bummer, but at least I got to see the city and I was in good company! I definitely want to go back. The conference was really good, but I think the fellowship was just what I needed. I didn't take any pictures but I stole these from others....

The Golden Gate Bridge is behind us...you just can't see it...sad.

This Weekend.... Friday and Saturday....

I am going to Mexico. Ha. I have actually never been to Mexico before. I am pretty excited about crossing another country off my list. It is a work trip to see a possible location for next years Intensive Training Weekend.

So that is kind of what I have been up to on my weekends. This year has been really busy. I have been meeting with lots of students on campus. God is doing amazing things in the hearts of students here and it's such a privilege to be a part it!! I am in a season of such great joy and just excitement for what God is doing in my life and hopefully in my future. I am soo thankful for this season...God is soo good.

Intramural Basketball

Something that I learned about myself while I was in India is that I have a really pretty deep fear of failure. I only like to try and so things that I think I will be successful at. It takes a whole lot of convincing for me to try something new especially if I think I will be lame at it. This is a horrible way to go through life. I think that I have missed out on some great opportunities in life because I was too afraid to fail.

This has always played out in sports. In high school I was a cheerleader. I never played sports even though I really enjoyed them. I was always afraid that I would be the one player that sucked and caused everyone to lose. I think even once I told my friends I wanted to join the track team, but they laughed at me and told me I wouldn't be any good at it. So I thinked I really missed out!

First of all, I love basketball. I don't know the rules or the plays I just like to play. The only experience that I have with basketball is playing street ball with a bunch of african american kids. I have never played on any organized team, but I love it. So anyways...CBU has intramural basketball teams. I saw the sign that they were forming teams and secretly I really wanted to do it, but didn't pursue it because I was afraid of being the LOSER player. Well God knew my desires and well somehow I got signed up and I am on the STAFF team! We played our first game last night and I had a blast. I was definetly overwhelmed by words like "screen", "block" and all the other technical terms....but I played and really enjoyed myself. We even won my first game!!

So anyways...I am learning to try new things even if I suck at them. Life is too short to not try new things! As I was playing basketball, I was remembering how much I really do love the sport!!

4 DAYS AND COUTING TIL....

SUG COMES TO SEE ME IN RIVERSIDE......

Virginia is For Lovers

I kind of feel like bloggers in America start their blogs with "Man- it's been forever since I have blogged and I am going to get so much better at blogging in the future." Well this is me today, but I am not making an excuses or any promises!!

My time in Virginia was really wonderful! I was slightly sad to think that I wouldn't be returning to the "farm" or to Richmond before my employment with the IMB ends. So I enjoyed it for all it's worth. Here are the highlights....

1. It snowed!
2. I got to room with Chesed, a kindred spirit, and we laughed into all hours of the night. She is the type of friend that I can be sharing my heart through tears and praying together and then three seconds later laughing at something absolutely ridiculous and probably scandalous a few seconds later. Do you have a friend like this?
3. I ran into Debbie! Debbie is a friend who lived in Delhi with me and I didn't know she was going to be there. She tapped me on the shoulder in the cafeteria and I screamed, hugged her neck, and got all teary eyed.
4. I also ran into a guy named Jeff. I met him at a missions conference in South Carolina and we had some significant conversations about him doing journeyman. And there he was...in Virginia...at a Journeyman screening conference!! I was able to see some fruits of my job!!
5. I got to see a little bit of Cali in Virginia...Juliana. She was also a journeyman with me in India and is from So Cal ( you never know who you are going to see there!).

Those were the main highlights! I love that place. It has a unique place in my heart!!

Off on a Buisness Trip

I leave bright and early for the east coast!! I have more job training and get to see some of my favorite peeps!! I have one last buisness trip and one last trip to "the farm" in Richmond, Virginia!! I hope you guys have a great week!!

Grand Canyon Adventure

So while Julie was here we decided to go to the Grand Canyon. We were feeling a little old and felt a little like we were having a quarter of a century crisis. So we decided we should try to do something crazy and feel young again. So the Grand Canyon was the answer...so we thought. We left at 11:00 PM from Riverside to head to Arizona to make it just in time to watch the sun rise over the canyon. Why not pull an all-nighter. Well, let me just say the idea was SO MUCH MORE romantic in my mind than it really was. First of all, our great friend bonding on the road trip turned into an Alicia by herself time because Julie conked out pretty early on. And then when we finally got the canyon it was like a snow storm! So we waited about an hour for the sunrise. Unfortunately, it just got bright outside and it was soo foggy you and cloudy we could barely even see the canyon!! ha. So our desire to kick spontaneity in the booty pretty much backfired on us. And we realize now why when you get older you don't pull all-nighters...cause you just can't do it anymore with the same flair. SO anyways...this was our little adventure. It was fun and we made awesome memories...but don't plan on doing it again until its at least green and warm outside!!!

Me and the NOT so clear Grand Canyon.


Me again. Just so you know the Canyon is directly behind me, but because of the bad foggy weather you can't tell!! Sad.

Here is Julie and I pretty delirious at about 5 AM as we are waiting to watch the sunrise. We were basically trying to stay awake and keep warm.

Um...this is what I had to fill my gas tank up with during the "road trip". It's the most I have ever paid for gas in my 24 years of existance. Basically this was the only town for miles in Arizona so they felt the freedom to charge a ton more because they could. So I thought I would take a picture for memories sake.

Santa Monica and Malibu

On the Ferris Wheel on the Pier of Santa Monica

Yep...ketchup art....lovely.

um...the fog/mist in the air is POLUTION! Sick. I have never seen so much pollution in my life!! Crazy. A perk to living is So Cal.

Julie and I were pretty excited to run around the beaches of Malibu!

Hollywood Stars

Julie and I can now say that we have strolled the streets of Hollywood Blvd!!! I have heard since I got to Southern California about how absolutely ghetto Hollywood really is. So basically, I had super ridiculously low expectations. So to our surprise...we were impressed with Hollywood!! We had a large amount of silly fun. I was thankful I didn't go with a native Californian because it gave us the freedom to go nuts. I was surprised at how much you got harassed by the people trying to sell you the best tour. I kind of felt like I was in India, but the difference was when you say "no" they actually leave you alone! Brilliant! I saw sightings of Spiderman, Captain Jack Sparrows, Batman, and Shrek. It was a lot more Gimmicky that I expected, but I guess that's what made it so fun!

Yes. we are that hard core...we are lying down on Hollywood Blvd. But it's Bill...who wouldn't do that for bill?

I used to have a Kermit the Frog stuffed animal when I was little. So I felt i needed a picture to honor that great green frog we all know and love so much!

Julie is star struck by Regis....

Will Smith is one of my favorite actors and looks like a new addition to the famous square.

Julie thinks I am a super star...so she totally gave me this award...honored...truly Jules.

Guess Who's in Cali?

JULIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have 7 whole days of pure Southern Cali lovin'. This is the first time we have ever really hung out in America outside of IMB influence!

Tonight we are going to the Grand Canyon just in time to see the sun rise over the Canyon!! I can't wait!!! I have never been. I love being young and single. Wahoo.

Happy 2000000008!!!!

Happy Happy New Year!

I love the New Year. I love the thought of starting over, reflecting on the past year, and dreaming and planning of what the new year might bring. The past two years, I celebrated the New Year abroad. In 2005, I was with friends in Chiang Mai, Thailand and in 2006 I was in Singapore! This year in 2007, I was in California! I wonder where I will be next year!

I have made lots of random New Year's Resolutions that I have written and put them into three main categories.

Physical-

You can check them out on my weightloss blog... http://trunkminusjunk.blogspot.com/ Yes...I started up the blog again! Plan to visit their weekly (Monday's) and see my progress! I will need your accountability and encouragement! Don't forget to comment!

Spiritual-

As basic as this sounds, I want to be consistent in my time in the Word and in prayer.

I also want to start fasting for South Asia the first of every month.

Personal- These are Really Random

I want to start cooking in my apartment most nights.

I want to be Soda Free in 2008

I want to make my bed daily

I never want to go to bed without doing the dishes

Less facebook time

I want to read a book a month at least

I want to look into graduate programs and figuire out where my life is going

oh...and a DATE in 2008! ha.

My dream for 2008 would be to see my roommate from India Lindsey move to Riverside next year! I am trying to convince her!!

So how did I bring in 20000008? I spent the evening with my college group at church! We had a semi-formal party with lots of fellowship, food, and dancing!

These ladies are in my Small Group. I love them!

These are small group leaders in my college group! It was their house where the party was!

Just a few minutes before midnight...we had a sparkling cider ready to toast!

PLEASE PRAY!

I would ask that you would please lift of my friends Jesse and Shanne. They are workers in South Asia whom I trained with a couple years ago in Virginia. Shanne and Jesse were expecting their first born daughter Priya, but due to complications their daughter went to be with the Lord yesterday morning. Shanee was 7 months pregnant. My heart is so broken for them. All you moms and dads out there, I know that you can understand their loss more than I. Please keep them in your prayers.

They share, "This has been, without a doubt, the most difficult thing we've ever been through. We are pleased that our daughter is through with the troubles of this world and in the arms of her Lord. And we praise Him. We praise Him. Job said it best in the wake of losing all that he valued on earth: "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." That conveys our feelings better than anything we could say. The Lord gave us Priya, and He has chosen by His gracious will to take her away. Blessed be his Name. Her life was an undeserved gift to us. We wouldn't trade one moment of the seven months we had with her. And we praise God for it from beginning to end. We don't know the reason why she was taken, but we know the God who made that decision.
And He is enough for us. He is our glory and our strength. We want to praise Him right now as the God of all grace and comfort. He has been our truest and most constant companion in the midst of all this... thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement. It is our desire that you would praise the Lord with us at this time. He is always worthy of it."

Here is a video of her few precious hours here with us.

Tsunami

Tomorrow morning, I am heading back for Southern Cal. I have been invited to take part of Tsunami. Tsunami is an annual youth conference that is put on by the California Southern Baptist Convention. There will be around 3,000 youth attending these conferences the next three days.

The conference is taking place in Long Beach so I get to explore another part of Southern Cal that I haven't seen.

I will be leading three break out sessions on missions, sitting at an IMB booth talking with students, and I also get to talk for 5 minutes in front of all 3,000 of them and promote IMB student missions!! I am excited to be a part and speak into the lives of youth concerning missions and their individual roles.

Please keep me and these students in your prayers over the next few days. Pray that God will do a mighty work in their hearts!!

www.studentwave.com Feel free to check it out for yourself!!

My Christmas Love tank is Filled

My Christmas Love tank is officially filled. I spent Christmas Eve with my mom and we got to go see a movie. I love all the great movies that come out at Christmastime. Today we saw "The Kite Runner". I read this international best seller book a couple years ago and have been looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. It was actually really accurate with the book.

Then I came home, turned on Christmas music, and started baking! It finally feels like Christmas!

I also took the initiative and called my family in India tonight. I got to talk to my old team members (bobby, elaine, and laura) and then I called Deepa and talked to her. I wish I wasn't missing India soo much this Christmas. But I guess it's good to miss something and people you love so much. That's why Christ gave Himself so we could love people that are so different than ourselves.

I guess you just can't have the best of both worlds because I am also soo excited to get to wake up tomorrow morning and spend Christmas with my parents and sister. This is something I haven't gotten to do in a long time!! There is still nothing more precious than your family!

Merry Christmas Eve from Texas!

Christmas Reflections

I have been reflecting a lot this year about the birth of Jesus. What is the significance of this little baby entering the world? I have been reading recently in the book of Isaiah and reading what Isaiah had to say about this "baby". It says that this baby will be a "Light to the nations." Jesus will be a light to the nations!! I have been meditating on this phrase all week.

As many of you know, I spent the last two Christmases in India. A nation where the foretold birth and person of Jesus is unknown. A nation that at one time was not apart of the Old Covenant promise. But because of the birth, life, and death of our suffering servant Jesus, India is now under the covenant of his blood!

Listen to what Isaiah says,
"I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant. I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices because my Temple will be called a house of prayer FOR ALL NATIONS. For the Sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel says, "I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel."

This time of year, I haven't been able to get the nation of India out of my mind and heart. They have been on my mind and heart because they don't even know the name of Jesus to know that he is the one who brings Good News, the one who brings Peace, and the one who brings Salvation. They don't know that the Unconditional covenant love of Jesus is for them.

I long to be in India this Christmas season. The last two years, I got to share the significance of this virgin birth to a nation has never heard the story of Jesus' birth. I would ask you to please pray for the nations...especially India this Christmas season. Pray that they would understand the covenant love of Jesus and the significance of His death for them. Pray for the workers all over the nations that they would boldly tell of JESUS...THE LIGHT TO ALL NATIONS this Christmas season.

MY thoughts on E-harmony

I have a confession to make...I am an E-harmony user. I thought if I had you guys dialogue and think about it for yourselves you would have your own thoughts and views.

I was talking to Lindsey, my roomie in India, and how we are ready to be in a relationship and the lack of men or the lack of men to step up and ask us out. So we started to joke about e-harmony and what we thought about it. Realizing that it was a way to find single like-minded men . And then I found myself filling out a profile for the fun of it. There happened to be an amazing deal going on 3 months for $30 so I signed up without really thinking it through.

So immediately afterwards, I had all these thoughts about it. Was I desperate? Is it creepy? Is it safe? Do I like being single? Have I taken singleness into my own hands? Is it really just networking? Are people going to look down on me? Am I going to be judged by others?

These are my thoughts. I agree with my "commenters" it is a great way for networking and I think very culturally appropriate. However, it still takes the same amount of wisdom and prayer to move forward as any relationships does. The only red flag I had for myself is wondering if I was taking my singleness into my own hands. I think it's a legitimate concern, but I also think God can use E-harmony.

Let me just say, that in Christian circles dating is TOO COMPLICATED. I think more guys should be asking girls out and more girls should be open minded and say yes to guys when they aske them out. It's weird being single and realizing all the "unwritten" rules about dating and not dating. What is too forward, what is being passive, and why do so many girls let guys string them along? Why can't we just be adults about it? Anyways...being single these days can be complicated.

Basically...I am OWNING e-harmony. I am a proud e-harmony user. There is nothing wrong with single, young people dating... So ask me about it, keep me accountable, and pray that I would be wise.