Be the Change

A few weeks ago I proudly wore a Sevenly shirt that helped raise awareness for an anti-human trafficking organization.

Today i'm back teaming up with Sevenly to help raise awareness and funds for a very sweet organization called The Sheep Fold. This beautiful home helps restore a hope and future for those that have been the victim of domestic violence.

In a nutshell, domestic violence is an issue....

Every 15 seconds a woman is assaulted in her home, including physical, sexual, & mental abuse from the person closest to her. Not only do the children witness their mothers being attacked by the men in their lives, but 50% of men who abuse women also abuse the children.

This week at Sevenly, your purchase protects a mother & child from domestic abuse. Each mother & child will be provided with clothing, food & counseling to help regain strength & restore their freedom.

Today i'm inviting you to shop responsibly with a purpose:) Imagine being able to support a refuge that provides new beginnings for women and children who have courageously escaped from their abuser. 

Plus, the products on Sevenly's website are amazing. They give $7 of every purchase to their featured organization…this week's being The Sheep Fold. 

Since i've been loving the razorback tanks, I chose a shirt that captures what I want my life to be about…the tank reads...

"Be the Change you Hope to See in the World" 

Friends, change starts with us. 

Don't just hope for change, become it:) 

Happy Tuesday

love Katie 

My favorite "Big Cities" in the World

I had so much fun last week sharing about my favorite small cities in the world, that I thought I'd share my absolute favorite big cities with you today:) Why not?!

Most capital cities, or just big cities, are going to be touristy, so you just have to accept that and move on to let the good times roll. But being touristy just goes to show that the city is worth visiting, for there are so many wonderful things to do and see. Cities have a synergy all their own, and are exciting and truly delightful if you embrace the craziness with open arms.

Here are a handful one some of my absolute favorites:

Cape Town, South Africa

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I spent a summer in Cape Town during college, immediately following a 10 week class on the history of South Africa. For that reason alone, my experience here was deeply profound and moving. Purely from an aesthetics standpoint, Cape Town is just stunning. Truly a gem in Africa. Table Mountain stands majestically as the focal point of the city, houses nestled between the mountain and ocean. There is the lively Victoria and Albert Waterfront, and the most beautiful beaches dotting the shores, a favorite being Camps Bay. You can drive all along the coast and just marvel at the landscape. Not the mention, the people in South Africa are truly alive and kind and welcoming. From Cape Town there are so many fantastic day trips, like wine tasting in the famed Stellenbosch region, and drive along the famed Garden Route.

Paris, France

I know this is being cliche, but for the rest of our lives people will be cliche with Paris…it is just that AMAZING of a city. I've been to Paris a handful of times now, and it just never gets old. The architecture here is so dreamy, and for miles the lovely parks, the well dressed Parisians, and the quaint eateries will keep you occupied with your head in the clouds. If you are a hard core museum lover, they have some of the very best in the world (starting with the famed Louve). If you love food, before you can utter the word "croissant" you will be surrounded by some of the most famous chefs and foods in the world. If you love romance, a picnic at the Eiffel tower will be just the ticket. And if you love history, like me, you have your pick of thousands of years of riveting stories:) Ahhh Paris, you win every time.

Prague, Czech Republic

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Going to most big cities, I usually have an idea of what i'm going to see. Not this one! It was 2004, and some friends and I randomly decided to go stay in the city. We had no idea what to do or see, but were immediately swept up in Prague fever. The city is an absolute delight, like a giant music box that comes to life with scenes grander than your imagination. I felt like I had been transported to a fairy tale, and suddenly I was trying new foods (like goulash), feating my eyes on Prague's famed astronomical clock, and just getting lost in the cobble stone streets. One of my favorite memories was sitting on the Charles bridge with my friends, playing the card game hearts, for hours on end. One of the neatest things about our time here was that we rented an apartment in the city, and stayed in an old building with so much history! (random side note, I also finished the book "Redeeming Love" in this city, which kinda sorta changed my life! If you've read it, you know what i'm talking about!)

Edinburgh, Scotland

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Don't even get my started on Edinburgh, it was kind of elixir of life for me:) I'm not a "big city" kind of girl in terms of permeant living, but I think I told Kevin over and over on our trip, "I could live here!". While Edinburgh is a big city, the appeal is that it feels like a small one. We walked everywhere! Being a Harry Potter lover, it honestly felt like we were at Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmead all at the same time. Speaking of Hogwarts, we visited the very coffee shop that J.K. Rowling sat in while she wrote H.P. and out the window is a perfect view of the Edinburgh castle, in which Hogwarts was fashioned after. If you love castles, architecture, good food, and hilarious people, and TONS of history, this is your Jam. At least, it's mine:)

San Francisco, California, USA

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This is my absolute favorite big city in the whole USA. There is some kind of magic this city owns like a boss. It's incredibly unique, built on rolling hills over looking the SF Bay, basking in the gorgeous golden hues of the Golden Gate Bridge. I grew up coming to this city often, and believe I've been at least once every year my whole life. Where else can you ride a cable car, walk the pier with sea lions howling below you, take a ferry out to Alcatraz island and tour the old prison (where Al Capone was jailed), drive down the windiest road in the US, marvel at the view of the city from Coit Tower and eat your heart out in chocolate at the Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory? I know, that wasn't a very fair question, but still, come on! The fog and mist that sits on this city just adds to the mystery and appeal! SF, you own this California girl's heart:)

Stockholm, Sweden

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Maybe I'm a little bias with this one, as I am half Swedish and have been there numerous times to visit family. But I don't think so. This is one of the cleanest, most adorable big cities you will ever find. First of all, Swedes are so cool. Come on, they invented IKEA H&M, the Swedish meatball and pancake! haha! But really, Stockholm is something special. The old city, Gamla Stan is colorful, quaint, completely walkable and just so...clean. Stockholm is spread out over 14 islands in an archipelago, so is surrounded by water, which makes it unique and equally stunning. There are beautiful parks, fantastic architecture, and tons of history for you to brush up on (because honestly, do any of us know anything about Scandinavian history?). Not to mention a favorite, the Pippi Longstocking Museum, ha! The suburbs outside the city feature quaint little neighborhoods, dotted with yellow and red houses, and fantastic forests and lakes to picnic and swim in. I love Stockholm, and will forever be proud that it's a part of my heritage:)

There are So many more, but we'll start here:)
I seriously have so many more "small cities" to share with you too,
that hopefully i'll do a Part 2 on that post!!

What are YOUR favorite big cities?

and speaking of big cities...Kevin surprised me with tickets to Seattle on my birthday, so we are currently in the Emerald City ready for our first day of exploring!! If you have any suggestions of what to see, feel free to leave them below!!

Happy Weekend,
love Katie 

5 Things you can do in the next hour to fight human trafficking

If you've hung around here long enough, you will know that Kevin and I hate human trafficking. It is evil. It is inhumane. It is just wrong. And it destroys the very dignity of human life.

And while living in Nepal, it was a reality we faced every.single.day. 

When I looked into the eyes of the precious girls in the home, I was literally filled with anger for the people that took advantage of these children. How could someone do this?

But it's EASY to come back to our comfy homes in the USA (or wherever you live), and scratch our heads, and wonder, what the heck do I do now? Are there really avenues I can walk that will actually  make a difference with the issue of human trafficking? 

Welp, today i'm going to share 5 things you can do in the next hour to help make a dent in this fight. 

Here we go: 

1. Research trafficking issues in your own town: I knew trafficking existed in my local county, but I didn't realize it was SUCH a problem. Just last month, a girl was murdered in an affluent neighborhood a few miles away from where we live, and it was discovered that she had been trafficked there. Evidently, southern California is a huge gateway for traffickers to move victims through, and there are about 200 people rescued each year. At a conference a few weeks ago, I found out there is a Human Trafficking Task Force that helps victims of human trafficking. You can volunteer to help drive rescued victims to various appointments they may have, become a mentor, or help out with awareness events. I shared this with my friends, and a group of us are going to the next task force meeting in April to learn more about volunteering. I heard a speaker once say, "If you apply to work for our organization fighting human trafficking overseas, we are going to ask you what you did in your own neighborhood to fight human trafficking." I want my passion to end this issue be important to me no matter WHERE I live. A friend just sent me an email saying she found out there is a home for victims of trafficking opening up in Memphis, and that she is going to start volunteering. Since human trafficking is everywhere, start researching how you can get involved where you are. And if there is nothing, maybe this is your opportunity to start something:)

2. Sponsor a Child: You may be reading this, and wondering how this relates. Well, here's le deal. Most children who are trafficked around the world are those that are most vulnerable. Children who are most vulnerable tend to be those who live in abject poverty, are possibly orphaned, have no means to go to school, have no food, and in the end, have no hope. These are the children traffickers prey on the most. Sponsoring a child is a preventative way to ensure that one more child is not taken advantage of! Most sponsorship programs provide a child with food, shelter, schooling, and hope for the future! About 6 years ago I started sponsoring an adorable girl in Kenya named Maceline. I chose to sponsor through an organization called Compassion International. Not only have Maceline and I developed a friendship through letters, but a few years ago I got to go to Kenya and meet her. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! Every child matters, and to think we have the privilege to help potentially prevent a child from being trafficked is pretty humbling.

3. Read and Watch Movies: To be inspired to end trafficking, we need to know what's going on. I've read some great books through the years, and have seen a number of good documentaries. There are so many, so I will just give you my favorites. Two of my favorite books have been Not for Sale by David Batstone, and Sex Trafficking by Siddarth Kara. Both are a few years old, however the information is just as powerful and haunting. I couldn't put either of them down. Another inspiring book by a woman who started the A21 campaign is called Undaunted by Christine Cain (I read this on a flight to Amsterdam and was So fired up and inspired!). The BEST movie i've ever seen on trafficking is called Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. I cannot recommend a movie more than this one. It is powerful, informative, and pulls you in from the start. If you want more resources, my friend Chantal has a really great post with more information here.

4. Reach out to Foster Children: If anything has surprised me in the last year, it has been learning this fact alone: According to Stephen Bauman of World Relief, last year in California, 60% of the victims rescued from trafficking on a particular raid had at one time been foster children. 60%!! I could not believe the correlation between trafficking and foster care. It made me so sad. And yet, it makes sense that children that do not grow up in a family unit and are sent out into the world at 18 with no support system, are generally more susceptible to traffickers. Many times these traffickers pose as their boyfriends, and then begin to force them into prostitution. Spend some time praying today over children in the foster care system. If God has put it on your heart to adopt or be a foster parent, pursue this dream!! We need more loving foster and adoptive parents out there to open their homes!

5. Find a good organization fighting trafficking, and GIVE! We don't have to invent the wheel on how to fight trafficking, but we can support those who are trained in rescuing and rehabilitating the enslaved.  There are some incredible people doing wonderful things in the world, and often times what they need to keep going is money. That's just the bottom line. Here are a few organizations that I believe are worth giving to: A21 Campaign, Agape International Missions, International Justice Mission, Love146, Tiny Hands, Not for Sale.

There are also many wonderful businesses that sell gorgeous products made my survivors of human trafficking! Choose to shop responsibly and maybe think about going with one of these awesome companies next time you shop…here are my favorites:
Sari Bari- For stunning quilts made out of old sari's, this is my favorite. I swoon over them all:)
iSanctuary- Lovely jewelry made by survivors in India!
Free Set- This is a great company if you are looking to get bulk orders of bags/shirts printed!
Elagantees- A sweet friend sent me a shirt of theirs recently, and I love their mission!

{this bracelet above was made by 3 Strands, a company birthed out of AIM)

Friends, we are only given one life to live.
If I were trafficked and held in horrific bondage,
I would hope someone would be doing something to find and rescue me.

You are someone.
And you can do something.

I hope that's enough impetus to get you started today:)

Let's act, because we can. 

Happy Tuesday!
love Katie

*just as an fyi, the girls whose faces show in the pictures are not victims of trafficking. I never will post a picture of a child or adult who is a victim of trafficking. The girls faces you see are friends of mine, however their beautiful faces are a good reminder of those who are trapped in bondage*