Inspire, Summer 2010

From the red-light districts of Bangkok to the laughs of impoverished children in Chiang Rai, the Collettos saw the needs in Thailand and couldn’t resist the opportunities for ministry. for a road trip to take you all the way to Thailand, but that’s exactly what Michael ’06 and Heather (Wenzel) Colletto ’08 did this summer. From April to June, they drove from Grand Rapids to San Francisco to Philadelphia raising awareness about child prostitution in Thailand and raising support for their work with The SOLD Project. SOLD is a young grassroots organization fighting to prevent child prostitution. SOLD’s holistic, preventive approach is unique. “Many organizations are rescuing children and rehabilitating them, which is completely necessary,” Michael said. “But SOLD is working on the other end, trying to keep kids out of the sex trade in the first place. Otherwise, the supply of vulnerable children will simply never end.” SOLD facilitates scholarships to keep at-risk children in school and off the streets. In Thailand, a child’s education costs $1 per day. This is a significant burden for parents who earn just $4 per day in the rice fields. SOLD also offers mentoring for children, trafficking awareness courses, and additional resources for the community. In July, the Collettos moved to Thailand where they’re living with the children and telling their stories for the whole world to see. In the spring of 2009, Heather and Michael began praying and considering what they could do to confront human trafficking. They wondered how they could use their writing and marketing skills to address a problem calling mostly for social workers and lawyers. After Heather interned with The SOLD Project, the couple began sponsoring an at-risk girl named Meenong, whose older sister supports the family as a prostitute. This past January, Heather and Michael took a trip with SOLD to Thailand. They fell in love with Meenong and the other children in her village. Mid-trip, a SOLD representative explained one of their major needs as an organization was writers with experience in marketing. “We practically choked on our rice noodles!” Heather laughed. They returned home, prayed for confirmation, and, following God’s leading, began making plans that will change their lives. “Why are we surprised when God answers our prayers to serve Him in a big way?” she said. “He’s waiting for people to pray those prayers. It’s a scary journey that will be more than worth it — in this life and the next.” Photo credit: Rachel Goble-Carey Photo credit: Daniel Showalter Photo credit: Daniel Showalter 18 SUMMER 2010