Niche

This is the latest post by Jessica Simons, who has rejoined Team Relentless in Thailand for another four months! Since her first stint here two years ago, she has been working part time training staff of assistance programs in the USA. We are thrilled to have Jess back full time with us for a while!

As a bedside nurse, I am used to being right in the middle of the action. I like being on the front lines, getting to know my patients and their families and seeing how the medicine I help practice is making a tangible difference in their lives. Advocacy work with Relentless is a totally different role. Now I teach workshops on a variety of health topics and take vital signs during clinics. There’s a part of me that misses the very personal, ground level interaction that I had with patients in the hospital. However, I have come to treasure the view that I get from the Relentless vantage point.

Now I have the privilege of seeing how many different organizations are fighting back against the exploitation of human beings! I get the mile high view, with occasional ground level layovers during clinics or workshops. To give you a taste of the breadth of our work, here are just a few of the organizations we partner with to improve the physical health of their clients:

–       A safe home for pregnant women who have come out of sex work.

–       A drop in center for exploited boys.

–       A vocation/life skills training program for underage exploited moms

–       A vocation/life skills training program for female sex workers living in a Bangkok slum.

–       A safe home for internationally trafficked women who are in process of returning home.

–       A red light outreach center working with homeless sex workers and women stuck in the commercialized sex industry.

–       A community building organization in another Bangkok slum.

–       A vocation/life skills training program for homeless and at risk transgender women.

Partnering with different organizations means that I get to use my health expertise on behalf of more beneficiaries than any one organization could care for. Plus, it’s so rewarding to see how intently the clients want to learn and are authentically interacting with the information during our workshops!

Two years ago I was working with Relentless in Thailand and had the chance to partner with an organization called The Well in Bangkok. These women in particular stood out in my memory because of how interactive they were. They laughed, told stories, volunteered and were so much fun to teach.

Last week, I had the chance to visit The Well again. As soon as the women started coming into the center, they recognized me and asked if I had been there before! I was blown away that they remembered and was reminded how honored I am to have the chance to work with them again. During my workshop on germ transmission and personal hygiene, they brainstormed ways to get their kids to wash their hands, acted out ways to keep their homes clean, and taught each other methods for reducing germ transmission. By the end we were all laughing and learning together.

I don’t know these women by name. I don’t know where they are in their recovery process or the specific challenges of their days. But I do get to connect with them on this issue of health. I get to encourage and challenge them to advocate for themselves and take care of their bodies. This may seem like a small gesture, but it is making a big enough impact that they remember a health teacher two years later! I may not have a front row view to the brightness of one candle. But I get to come alongside and fan the flames of many candles shining bravely in the dark!