The End, Or How I Survived a Month in The Dress

It's October 31. The end of the month.

First off, I want to thank everyone who followed me this month! Knowing I had so many supporters was a source of great encouragement. I also want to thank the girls that have been on this journey with me- Emily A, Emily Fish, and Sarah! I couldn't have done this without you guys.

Emily A, Emily Fish, Sarah, and me: all in our dresses

This month has been an interesting experience, to say the least. It occured to me last night that I should have counted the number of times someone asked me if I could wash the dress. It's probably be in the hundreds by now. For those still unsure- Yes, I could wash it. I hand washed it every night and then with the rest of my laundry once every week and a half. And fabreze- which is an amazing thing...

I thought this would be an easy project at the beginning. After all, I had worn the same uniform every day for two years at CSG. But, something about this was wayyy different. I think it was the idea that not everyone around me wore the same thing. I stood out because of my dress, the complete opposite of the way I blended in at CSG. I also don't have a very flexible wardrobe, so I ended up wearing the exact same thing every day, unlike the Emilys who found a way to mix it up every day.

It was also a lesson in patience and determination. I won't go too much into this, because I've posted about it before. But, needless to say, it was quite a learning experience. It's interesting because I can't wait for tomorrow when I'll get up and throw on jeans and a t-shirt, whereas Emily Fish is kind of sad it's the end of the month and wants to continue the project. We'll find out tomorrow if she does.

Regardless of how much I hated the dress, I do plan on doing this project again- most likely in the spring when it won't be as cold. That was probably the worst thing- the cold. Next time, I would really like to figure out a way to get more people involved. I had a link on this blog about how other people could help (by donating personal items to one of the shelters in Columbus or Toledo), but I didn't make a big deal about it. I think it would be even better, though, if people could get involved in another way. I'll have to think on how.

I hope that through this project I have impacted at least one person. My goal was to spread the word about the victims of human sex trafficking in Ohio, teaching that this problem is not isolated to third world countries. I hope I did that. Maybe even have sparked someone's passion for this fight.

The month may be over, but the fight has just begun. Since I began, hundreds of girls have been exploited around Ohio, some have escaped and sought help at one of the shelters around the state, others have just been kidnapped and place in the cycle.

The month might be over, my dress might be burned (ceremoniously, yay), but God still weeps for the children. I ask that you keep all the victims, the survivors, and those fighting to end this injustice in your prayers. Hold them close to your heart.

Thank you for following me in this journey, and I pray for your continued support.
God Bless!
~Hannah <3

And, a funny one!