Help Taylor end Human Trafficking

My dearest friends and family, 

As many of you know, I was selected to go on a service trip through Young Living to Cambodia and work with survivors of human trafficking. I still find myself crying at times when I reflect on being 1 of 10 women chosen out of hundreds of applicants across the world. Is this real life?! The trip is through “Hope for Justice”, and is in October 2019. Volunteering abroad has been a dream and passion of mine for several years, but life has a way of needing the timing to be perfect. I feel incredibly fortunate and honored to have been selected take part in this, and do my part in helping make the world a better, safer place for women and children.

Like anything, a cost is attached. This is something I’ve been preparing for however; I would be forever grateful for any assistance in making this opportunity come to life. I look forward to sharing updates on my journey as the date draws nearer, certainly while active in Cambodia, and upon returning home. The official service trip hashtag is #ylfservescambodia - so stay tuned!



For those curious, here are some of my application questions/answers:

1.) Please provide a brief description of your involvement with and/or support of the Young Living Foundation.

I hope that this will be the first of many involvement opportunities I will have with the Young Living Foundation! Young Living has touched the lives of so many individuals across the world, both in and out of the Foundation, and to be associated with an organization as loving, generous, and dedicated to the betterment and wellness of everyone is simply incredible! I appreciate that the Foundation has five fundamental  components that guide projects and outlets in which communities can support others in long-term change. This welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds, holding different strengths and experiences, to provide their special piece of support in making changes.

I currently work as an Advocate at a domestic violence shelter serving both adults and children fleeing an unsafe intimate partner relationship, and previously worked with survivors of sexual assault, so this particular service trip aligns greatly with my personal values and deep passion for justice, equity and safety. For the last several years, I have found myself pulled to volunteer abroad and provide empowerment-based advocacy through a trauma-informed leans to women in developing countries however; I have yet to find my “perfect fit”. It is incredibly important to me that I’m not only working alongside individuals who are like-minded and dedicated in providing the best education, outreach, and safety planning, but that I am also connected to an organization whose mission and values I can passionately say I support.

Young Living has enriched my life in more ways than I can ever count, so when I found this specific service trip I instantly knew that I had finally found my “perfect fit” to volunteer. I would be proud to represent Young Living in the process of helping victims rebuild their lives after trauma. From this service trip I wish to gain a more educated understanding on another culture where sex trafficking is so prominent, with 1/3 of the trafficking victims in prostitution children. I would also like to learn about politics and the social climate, poverty, laws (specifically around sex trafficking), and outreach and prevention tactics so that my advocacy to the women/children of Cambodia is appropriately supportive, trauma-informed, and survivor-centered. Upon my departure, my hopes will to be leaving the women/children in a better state than when I arrived. While it can be incredibly challenging to make instantaneous change when facing such a large endemic, I whole heartedly believe that every measure of advocacy and education supports towards making change. It is my dream to do my part in empowering individuals so they have the education and resources on how to stay safe, and join hands with others in prevention, rescue, and restoration efforts. The knowledge and connections I would be making on this service trip would in turn strengthen my advocacy skills so that once home and back at work, I am better able to serve a more diverse population of individuals experiencing trauma.

Again, sending all of my hugs, kisses, and happy tears of thanks and gratitude for any assistance in making this dream come true. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the trip, the Young Living foundation, and/or how this donated money will be used appropriately.

All my love, ❤️

Taylor