JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I'D HEARD IT ALL

Yesterday, when I was reading through a list of possible petitions to sign, I came upon breast ironing in the Cameroon. Although I signed the petition decrying this practice, I felt I needed more information before blogging on this topic. Sure enough, in the Cameroon predominantly, but in other neighboring African countries, as well, the breasts of pubescent girls are often ironed to flatten, disfigure them, and discourage them from early sexual activity. This can lead to cysts, skin lesions, and other health problems. I knew about female circumcision which is also still practiced but this breast ironing was a new one.
This week, I have been calling or e-mailing my senators and representative nearly every day about the Child Protection Compact Act S3184 and HR 2737 and the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking and Victims Support Act S2925/ HR 5575 legislation. While I was researching the breast ironing matter, I also had to read Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery in Cameroon. Who should appear in this article than Evelyn Chumbow. Her story was recently featured in a CCBC magazine. This article adds the detail that it was Theresa Mubang who brought 11 year old Evelyn to this country after promising her a first rate US education. Instead, Mubang enslaved Evelyn in her home forcing her to work long hours, depriving her of her education, and paying her nothing. Evelyn escaped at 19, got her GED, completed her CCBC program and now attends the University of Baltimore. Knowing that both Evelyn and Rose (ENSLAVED IN DC) were victims of human trafficking in my area, how can I not be involved in this issue. Knowing that girls from many countries- including Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala where I have sponsored girls- are trafficked to the US for prostitution, sexual exploitation, forced labor and domestic service; how can I not be grateful to someone who is willing to help one of these girls with legitimate educational expenses( THANK-YOU Woodie). As I sit here munching on the chocolate cookie I baked from dough purchased to help a charter school, I wonder if the chocolate was from West African cocoa farms where children under 14 are often forced into labor. Perhaps I also need to be more careful about the source of my chocolate.