How is it that planning for a rally takes so much time but the actual event takes less than two hours?

I don't get it. I spent months preparing for two hours....

But when I remember all the people I had to contact, all the creative work I had to do making posters and the Freedom Wall, the advertising, the speaking engagements, finding things like tents, chains, a stage, sound equipment, clipboards, pens, a projector and screen.... it starts to all make sense. No wonder I was going crazy.

It's over and I'm so, so glad. I don't know if I ever want to do something like that again. I probably will... but I don't want to think about it right now.

The coolest result of the rally, at least from my point of view, was getting to know the local organizations that are working towards ending human trafficking. Networking with them would have taken twice as long if this rally had not taken place.

In a few weeks I'm going to be sitting in with the Oregon Human Trafficking Task Force--and organization formed to "address the growing need for a comprehensive and collaborative response to human trafficking in the State of Oregon. The Task Force is funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant through the Office of Justice Programs and represents the cooperative efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement in partnership with non-governmental agencies."

Hmm... it sounds very official. I might be way out of my league. I was invited to the meeting by the head of the Task Force herself, who also happens to be Deputy Sheriff for Multnomah County (that would be most of Portland for you non-locals). The agencies involved in the Task Force include almost all of the greater Portland area police departments, the FBI and a Catholic Charity (representing the non-government side of things... interesting).

Part of me is terrified of going. I keep having these crazy thoughts like, what if they discover who I really am... just a normal person who knows nothing of human trafficking other what I've read on the Internet and seen in Korea (which isn't much. I was trying to work with prostitutes not victims of human trafficking). Or what if they ask me questions and discover I know nothing about government or law or enforcement or anything! I don't know enough!

But when is it ever enough? I didn't know how to put on a rally, but I did. I didn't know much about human trafficking but I learned. I don't know about government but I'm in process. I don't know how NGO's operate or how much leverage a non-profit organization has. I don't know the lingo. I don't know the protocol. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know the implications of what I'm doing.

But all that doesn't matter. What I don't know I can learn. If I'm scoffed at because of my ignorance then I hope I'm at least respected for trying. I'll toss aside my pride and look foolish. I'll mumble incoherently and feel completely out of my league, but at least I'm learning, absorbing and trying. I may not be the most brilliant person out there, but at least I'm determined to make a difference.