Mercy is a 16-year-old girl who is six months pregnant currently living at Christine’s House in Gulu, Uganda. Mercy is the second of four children who were being raised by their mother who suffers with a disability. Mercy’s parents separated when she was young, leaving her mother to provide for the children on her own. Her mother struggled to pay the children’s school fees, buy sanitary pads, or even shoes. Her mother began farming on a small scale just to feed her family.
The reality is, our youth are experiencing sexual abuse more and more, and it becomes difficult for youth to name their experiences as sexual abuse because it’s been so normalized. For example, sexting is a normal way of communication between youth, and I can assure you it’s happening in almost every school across the U.S.— yet sexting is sexual abuse. When youth and adults can name something so normal as abuse, we prevent it from happening and restore those who’ve gone through it.
Hi. My name is Dyimon. If you are reading this I am delighted you’ve taken a few moments to listen to my words and I hope after you read this you will be compelled to share what you’ve learned with others. When I was 20 years old, I narrowly escaped with my life after being sex trafficked.
What is Freedom 4/24? Why do we exist?
How do we fight for Freedom?
We’re glad you asked.
Take a moment to watch our new “about us” video, designed to give insight and inspire you toward the cause we are so passionate about: ending human trafficking.
To carry out this mission, we need YOUR support. For as little as $24 a month you can make a definable difference in the lives of women and children around the world. Click here to become a recurring giver. Give TODAY to make a difference tomorrow.
When was the last time you ran to tell someone about Jesus? About freedom? About, well, anything at all? We love so many parts of Pin's path to freedom. But perhaps how it began is one of the most beautiful chapters: with her sister making a sacrifice to stay working in the red light districts so her impoverished family could still have income, while seeking an opportunity for her younger sister to experience the freedom she may never have. Today, we take you to Bangkok, Thailand, to one of Freedom 4/24's partner organizations, the Home of New Beginnings. Inside are more than a dozen girls who were able to escape the clutch of the sex industry, including Pin, and are now finding permanent freedom, a safe shelter, friendships, healing and an education all the way through university.
The stories of these girls are raw and real. They aren't just about heartbreak, though, but about heart-healing. Restoration and redemption are their calling cards. Take a moment to watch Pin's story, as told by Beginning's founder and beloved "mom" to these girls, Bonita Thompson.
*Adapted from keynote address given at Freedom Gala on November 13, 2014. Mother Teresa once said, "If I look at the masses, I will never act, If I look at the one, I will."
For more than 50 years, Mother Teresa served the poorest of the poor in India. Daily, she was inundated by an endless sea of humanity in desperate need. Yet she continued to feed, clothe, love, and care for as many as she could each day. She could have been paralyzed by the vast numbers of those she could not help; instead, she found purpose, power, and strength in helping those she could—in helping the one.
While there are times when it is easy to doubt our ability to make a difference when considering the staggering number (est. 27 million) of trafficking victims around the world, we must remember: each of us must do what we can, with what we have, where we are. We do this by looking at the one.
For me, this lesson sunk deep into my heart at the beginning of the year while visiting our partner in India, Freedom Firm.
On January 7th, as the sun was setting on the hazy, polluted sky about the city of Nagpur, I sat on a cramped jump seat in the back of a dusty SUV perched on the edge of the city's notorious red light district waiting to commence a brothel raid. As we sat in silence, a social worker on the rescue team leaned over and showed me this picture (see left) on her phone saying, "This is Molly. She's the girl we need to rescue tonight."
And that's when it hit me: I had spent the whole day with a rescue team from Freedom Firm working hard to convince the necessary government officials that a minor girl needed to be rescued. But it wasn't until I saw her picture and heard her name that the general became specific and the 1.2 million trafficked children in India had a name and face. This wasn't just a girl who needed to be rescued- this was Molly.
At Freedom 4/24, we are not just driven by the desire to end sex trafficking but by the opportunity to bring freedom, justice, and restoration to girls like Molly.
This is why—with your support—we will continue funding investigations and raids to rescue young girls from brothels in India, restoration for exploited girls at Christine's House in Uganda, education and a safe home for sexually exploited girls in Thailand, and a myriad of services our domestic partners provide to trafficking survivors across the United States. We do this because it makes a difference in the life of one.
As the year winds down and we celebrate the birth of the One who changed the course of human history would you join us by making a financial contribution to support our work of rescuing and restoring girls like Molly in 2015?
Would you give to help us continue bringing freedom and justice to India, Uganda, Thailand, Kenya, and all across the United States?
Every dollar you give makes a difference. Give today to make a difference tomorrow.
- Tim Spaulding, President
If you would like to support Christine's House or our other international and domestic partners, please give today.
For our October blog post we are excited to bring you a Q&A session with Leah Henck. Until earlier this year Leah was the Managing Director of Ruhamah Designs, a for-profit business enterprise launched by Freedom Firm to provide sustainable employment for sex trafficking survivors throughout India.
YOU HELPED FOUND AND START RUHAMAH DESIGNS- CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? WHEN DID IT START, WHERE DID THE VISION COME FROM, AND WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED?
Well, it actually began before I came. It was originally a part of the aftercare home that was in Ooty [India], a part of Freedom Firm, and it started as sort-of an art therapy project. [It] was started by Mala Malstead, the wife of Greg Malstead- they co-founded Freedom Firm together. It was her brainchild to try to do something in terms of art therapy with the girls. Then products just started coming out of that- whether it was bracelets, necklaces, or earrings, and they started either giving [them away] or using them to raise funds in the USA. And it just started to grow from there. That as an art-therapy project began more around 2007-2008, and I joined alongside with my husband in 2009 when I came to India, but I didn’t find a place until quite a bit later- about a year later. Mala came to me and said, “You know what, this art therapy project, this jewelry program is growing and it’s starting to make some money, and we are beginning to look at it as having potential to employ more girls.” So I jumped on board with that in March 2010 doing entrepreneurial work, and I took that and wanted to take the project into actually being a business.
WHERE IS YOUR ORGANIZATION LOCATED?
Our organization is located in India. Ruhamah started in Ooty, Tamil Nadu, which is the southern most state in India. Now we have four locations- Ooty (where it started), Puna (where I live), and then we also have two new locations in Kolkatta and Nagpur.
WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION?
[The name] "Ruhamah" comes from the Bible. [In the Book of Hosea] God gave Hosea the name ["lo ruhamah"] for his daughter, and it meant, "not loved." But then God said, "I'll change the name, and she who is 'not loved' will be called 'my love.'" So then [God] changes Hosea's daughter's name to "ruhamah." Looking at the background of these girls, and then the desire to see how their lives can change, and the desire that God has for them- they are His loved ones. That is where “Ruhamah” came from.
RUHAMAH IS A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS THAT EMPLOYS SURVIVORS OF SEX TRAFFICKING. WHY DID YOU GO THAT ROUTE INSTEAD OF FORMING IT AS AN NGO, OR NON-PROFIT?
It sort-of started as an NGO, a non-profit, but we changed the format because I saw [for-profit] business as a perfect vehicle for growing a sustainable operation. [With this model] you’re not necessarily relying on hand outs from others; it can grow and return profits for more growth, if it’s run well. Seeing how it could spread and last much longer and become an entity that could last from its own efforts, rather than being reliant on something else, a [for-profit] business model was good looking in terms of growth and longevity.
WHAT ROLE DOES RUHAMAH PLAY IN THE REHABILITATIVE PROCESS FOR SEX TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS?
We hire girls; usually it’s a couple steps down the line from when they were first rescued [from sex trafficking]. Many of them have already been in either a program or a rehabilitation home for a little time before that. They all come to us with many needs. We’re hoping to be their “first step” to help them get back into healthy communities, being reintegrated into mainstream. They’re welcome to stay with the business as long as they want- they can make it their career if they want. We also hope that it will be one step of many as they go forward and go onto other jobs. Our hope is that in their workplace they can learn skills that will prepare them for that, whether it’s coming to work on time or showing respect for your co-workers or your boss. Then naturally through the workplace many problems come up, whether it’s fights between co-workers, disrespect, improper behavior- many things come up in just the day-to-day working because you’re so closely connected with these girls. In that context, we’re able to either bring corrective action or bring teaching and counseling. We do have daily Bible study, daily devotions with the girls in the mornings.
YOU'VE RECENTLY STEPPED OUT OF YOUR POSITION WITH RUHAMAH. WHAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR THIS CHANGE?
I worked with Ruhamah from March 2010 to March 2014. In March 2014 I resigned from my position because I was having my second child, and I needed to be able to focus on my family. I’ve remained connected with Ruhamah, and I’m still happy to be there as an advisor for support. But, I am no longer involved in the day-to-day.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUHAMAH AND FREEDOM FIRM?
Ruhamah began first as very much a part of Freedom Firm [as a therapeutic aspect of] the aftercare home. My role in the beginning of setting up Ruhamah was to try and distinguish between the two. It went from a project under an existing NGO to being a new and separate—but related—for-profit business. So I was trying to pull them apart and distinguish how they operate. We went through a period of time where we were constantly having to decide what went where, saying, “This is Freedom Firm, that is Ruhamah.” Now that we have made that distinction, it has come again more under the umbrella of Freedom Firm as being almost a forth prong of the goals that Freedom Firm has in terms of rehabilitating the girls and as a tool that we have in terms of helping them. It looks more like a partnership now, or even as an arm [of Freedom Firm].
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF YOUR WORK AT RUHAMAH?
I think the interpersonal is challenging. You are working directly day to day with girls that can sometimes be difficult. You are sometimes faced with behavioral challenges and determining how to [respond]. You’re constantly having to address these types of things and respond in a loving manner, as well as try to not allow behaviors that are dangerous or detrimental to others in the workplace. That is a challenge.
ON THE FLIPSIDE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF YOUR WORK?
Seeing how the girls grow and advance. It is a journey with them. None of them are by any means perfect or without problems or issues, but we do see change. One girl came to us one time—she was very defiant, very difficult in the beginning. Seeing her grow and soften and become more kind, she still has a lot of rough edges, but we have seen a lot of growth in her life—maturing in her life for the couple of years that she has been with us.
HOW DOES THE GOSPEL INFLUENCE THE WORK THAT YOU DO AT RUHAMAH?
It influences it a lot. We try to keep principles in the workplace such as encouraging the girls- “do your work unto the Lord, not unto man” whether people are watching or not. So we do try to put standards in the workplace. We also use [the gospel] as a counsel tool for us in how to deal with a girl- as far as when you have a problem, first go to them privately, then bringing step by step to higher authority. Encouragement- knowing that God has been patient and loving with us and knowing that we have to be patient and loving with them. It very much is a guide and a help for us, both in terms of the rules that we place in the workshop and the way that we deal with the girls and the encouragement that we need for ourselves.
HOW DOES YOUR PROFESSIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND ASSIST YOU IN YOUR ANTI-TRAFFICKING WORK?
In 2008, my husband joined [Freedom Firm]. I [joined] as a volunteer in 2009. And then I started working with Ruhamah itself in 2010. The reason it took me a year to find my place was because Freedom Firm is very much a social work group- a lot of lawyers, social workers. There wasn’t really a place that first came to mind as far as where a person with an M.B.A. could fit in. But then this came to the forefront. Once I started the work with Ruhamah, my educational studies became a huge help. I think that no matter what you study there are ways you can apply it in terms of helping people.
WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS WANTING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SEX TRAFFICKING?
I think definitely you can do something where you are. Prayer is a huge component that’s needed. You can look to get involved overseas, if that is what you feel like you want, though it certainly takes a longer-term commitment to be effective. It is helpful to go short term and see what is going on, but if you are able to make longer-term commitments it’s great to be a part. But even just being involved where you’re at- I think there are local communities that need Christ and need us to get involved. So prayer, getting involved locally, and if God calls you on a longer-term basis then do that.
IS THERE A SPECIFIC STORY THAT STANDS OUT TO YOU WITH YOUR WORK WITH TRAFFICKING VICTIMS THAT IS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR YOU?
There is one girl whose story [my husband, Evan] told me before he even went to India. It was one of the first girls that Freedom Firm had rescued, also one of the youngest that they had rescued. So when I came to India I got the chance to meet her while she was still in a government shelter home. Over the years, I’ve gotten to see her grow from being a relatively young teenager to now she has just turned 20, and we have grown to have sort of a little sister-big sister relationship over time and over several bumps in the road. She is the girl I was referring to that did work with Ruhamah for a couple of years and had [come to Ruhamah] defiant. I’ve seen her grow so much in maturity over the years. I think she is one of the girls I have connected with the most, and she is precious. She is precious to God. It is still a journey, she still makes poor choices sometimes, and doesn’t consult with me…she’ll make a poor choice without me because she knows that I’ll tell her not to do it. It’s a journey with her, I think even in our own lives God doesn’t fix us automatically, it’s a journey with Him. Step by step we walk with Him and step by step He walks with us. She is the one I will miss the most if God ever brings us back [to the United States].
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?
It’s been very exciting to watch Ruhamah grow because as I’ve said, it was first a project, and I’ve seen it double in growth every year that I’ve been there. I’ve seen us open a new location every year that I’ve been there. As I’ve passed it on, it’s already continuing to grow. I feel like having been a [for-profit] business model, it has enabled it to have he funds and the structure to continue to grow to other places. I pray and I hope that Ruhamah will continue to grow
This fall, we at Freedom 4/24 want to thank you. Thank you for the incredible support you’ve shown us thus far in 2014. Thank you for volunteering countless hours to raise awareness and funds to combat sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Thank you for making this an unavoidable issue and for doing your part to bring freedom and do justice. Thank you for giving; never forget that your donations change lives. Here is one example—one story from a partner organization about a hope, freedom, and justice. Krista is a 19-year-old survivor of sex trafficking. When she was 16, she met a guy through a mutual friend and began talking with him on Facebook. Based on his promises of an amazing life together Krista thought that he loved her and this created a bond between them. One weekend, he invited her to his house. When she arrived things seemed different than before. He said, “a friend is coming by and I want you to treat him well.” That night Krista was raped.
Years later, when she was introduced to The Gray Haven, an aftercare program in Virginia, she told her case manager, “I didn’t know what to do because somehow he made me feel like if I didn’t do what he said, he would hurt me or those I love.”
At first her pimp acted sympathetically toward her to make her feel she was not alone. However, that changed quickly as the threats became actions and Krista felt like her choices were limited. With time she learned the consequences of trying to leave. She started to feel more and more this was all her fault and that this was a path she had chosen instead of someone choosing it for her by force and violence. She lost her sense of self and became whatever her pimp conditioned her to be.
This continued for a two and a half years. Krista’s pimp drove her up and down the I-95 corridor on weekends to meet with his ‘friends’, and began keeping the money; buying her something to eat from the McDonald’s dollar menu only if she met her quota.
Krista felt trapped and saw no way out. She considered running away, but had nowhere to go and knew what happened to girls that tried to leave the life, she was told by others “once you are in it, it’s hard to get out; once a prostitute always a prostitute, and no one on the outside will ever see you differently.” One night Krista was told to go to a hotel room where a man was waiting for her. When she walked in it was an undercover sting setup by law enforcement. They explained to her that she was not in trouble and they were there to help. That’s when Krista met the team at The Gray Haven.
Two staff met with Krista at the scene to provide immediate care. Once she felt safe, Krista opened up about her dreams. Having missed the last two years of high school, Krista felt that college was unrealistic. Her pimp instilled a feeling of worthlessness and incompetence in her. She couldn’t imagine being accepted into any college, much less being able to afford it.
After she was reunited with her mother, she began meeting with a mentor to work on GED preparation. Soon, she will receive her GED and The Gray Haven is helping her with financial aid. She has her sights set on going to culinary school.
“I’m going to be a chef one day,” she says smiling, “I always loved the big meals me and my Mom would make. Cooking brings up really good memories.”
Because of caring individuals and people like you with a passion for freedom and justice, Krista, and others like her, are finding healing and learning to dream again. Thank you for doing your part to bring an end to sexual exploitation and human trafficking in Virginia and around the world.
When I reflect on this story and think about Freedom 4/24 I’m reminded of the words of Margaret Mead who said, “Never forget that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
As these words sink in, remember that each donation and every dollar given brings us one step closer to changing the world.
- Tim Spaulding, President
“T” sat at the opposite end of the cafe table. It had been several weeks since she was rescued from the oppressive hands of a violent trafficker. There was still an unsettled expression on her face. You could sense she wasn’t doing well. In the world of anti-trafficking there is a temptation to put a strong emphasis on rescuing victims from the hands of violent traffickers.If we can get a victim out of a trafficking situation everything else will fall into place. But rescue is not a one-time event. Rescue comes through the everyday presence of committed people who walk alongside victims of trafficking as they heal and find hope.
We don’t walk ahead pulling them into the life we think they should live. Instead, we invest in providing a safe environment where they can walk empowered and free into a new future—one that is unfolding as we speak. It’s a dynamic reality. In this space a vast depth of work must be done in partnership with each survivor. As advocates, rescuers, and coaches we are there for the singular purpose of helping them travel toward their dreams.
When “T” was rescued she was fortunate enough to have the unconditional support of her family. Despite this support the weight of the shame that manifested in her thoughts told a story that no matter how ideal the situation she is rescued to there are challenges. As she sat there sharing about her dreams for her future she couldn’t help but be impacted by a nagging question that dominated her thoughts. Slowly, with brutal honesty, she asked, “Who will ever want me?”
James Pond, a good friend and mentor in my life, once said, “It’s not what we rescue someone from, but what we rescue them to that matters most.”
With so much emphasis put on rescue it is easy to forget that for years after rescue a survivor is walking through life trying to make sense of it all and trying to figure out what life looks like in the context of this new reality. Living in a reality that you are no longer a victim, but free, can be daunting if not an entirely new concept. When rescue takes place the inevitable question, “What now?” follows.
At first it’s practical:
“Where will I live?”
“How will I afford food?”
“How will I get a job?”
“How will I get to work?”
“What about criminal charges on my record?”
“I am not documented in this country.”
“I have no friends and family nearby that I can go to.”
These questions and uncertainties compounded with factors of psychological trauma, health issues, language barriers, and educational barriers causes an understandable paralysis. Without the right kind of care and support they may never move passed the paralysis. For a survivor to move forward it takes more than good intentions and love. And how we think of love can cause us to think we just need to say nice things to a survivor.
Love is not confined to a word. Love is not confined to a feeling. Love is an action wrapped in the visceral certainty that we exist to create shalom in the world. Providing care and support requires this level of love. It requires us to obtain the expertise and sensitivity to survivors’ unique needs. It is essential that someone feel accepted. And it is essential that there be a clear understanding how to care for someone that has faced deep levels of trauma.
And that core question, “Who will ever want me?” speaks to the depth of injury done to someone’s identity and self-worth. It’s a wound to the soul. How we interact with those we serve must be modeled closely after how Jesus interacted with people. As we walk with someone toward healing there must be the removal of any agenda.
Jesus’ mission was one of justice. When we talk about justice we are talking about how things ought to be. Jesus walked with profound grace and wisdom during his mission to bring justice to the earth. How we walk with trafficking survivors and everyone in our lives should be in the pursuit of establishing a society that is based on how things ought to be.
And people ought to be free. Entirely.
This kind of space enables survivors to move from questioning their value to the realization that they are unequivocally wanted. This takes the daily work of providing freedom in a structured environment where there are expectations and unconditional care. It requires a space where we carry no agenda. Those moments are not about us. They are about the person sitting in front of us.
Rescue is essential to healing, but healing is the essential element of an effective rescue.
Remember it’s not what we rescue someone from, but what we rescue them to that matters the most.
“T” got an answer to her question and it’s my hope that every survivor of human trafficking that wrestles with identity will have the support and care around them that will provide an undeniably voluminous answer to that question. As a community of people that are engaged in the global movement to end slavery we can play an active part in shaping a culture that dispels any uncertainty about someone’s value and openly welcomes each survivor not as a trafficking victim but as an incredible human being.
Joshua Bailey is President & CEO of The Gray Haven, a non-profit dedicated to serving victims of human trafficking and eradicating slavery from the communities in which they work. You can follow Joshua on twitter at @TuoBailey and @TheGrayHaven.
My journey with Freedom 4/24 began in the winter of 2013. As a newly stay-at-home mom with school-age kids, I struggled with how to occupy my time. During my devotions one morning, I was reminded of a prayer I prayed almost two years before – that if the Lord would give me the opportunity to be at home, I would use my time for Him. God’s timing is always perfect. But, I had no clue what He wanted me to do. I felt called to women’s ministry, but little did I know that my idea of “women’s ministry” was completely different from where He was actually leading me.
As I sat there praying, I remembered a conversation a few months prior where someone mentioned Freedom 4/24 to me. I had no clue who they were or what they did, but as I poured over their website, I was compelled to act. I clicked a link on their website and told them I would like to host a Run 4 Their Lives race in my hometown—York, Pennsylvania. That same day, I received a call from Ryan Barr, Freedom 4/24’s Executive Race Director about how he would help me with all the details in hosting a race.
Even though I was hosting a R4TL race, I still had a very limited understanding of human trafficking. I read the statistics – 27 million slaves in the world today, a $32 billion industry, 80% of victims are women and children. These numbers were sobering, but it wasn’t until I read books such as Not For Sale and Half the Sky and watched Trade of Innocents and Nefarious: Merchant of Souls that it really started to sink in just how horrific the sex industry is. I realized then that this is what God had in store for me when I thought about “women’s ministry”.
On October 19, 2013, we had our 1st annual Run For Their Lives event in York, PA. We had 250 participants and over 70 volunteers. Every time I saw a participant raise his or her arm to show the name of a trafficked girl that he or she was running and praying for, I couldn’t help but get emotional. Seeing a sea of people—my community—come together to run for freedom was an amazing experience that I will never forget.
After the event, I had a gnawing desire to do more. I had this sense of urgency that I needed to get my passport just in case any opportunities opened up for me to go on a mission trip. Just two days after it arrived in the mail, I was given the opportunity to travel to Thailand to help with one of Freedom 4/24’s partners, the Home of New Beginnings’, annual Christmas parties. How could I say “no” when God clearly had His hand in it once again?
I can honestly say that my life was completely changed on that trip.
Forget about statistics.
To see it firsthand, to hear unimaginable stories about the girls—from the girls, it rocks you to your core. Thankfully, I was surrounded by other Christian women just like me – wives, mothers, daughters, sisters—all with the love of Jesus and a huge heart for these girls.
During the days we learned more about the Thai culture and prepared for the Christmas events. On the nights of the Christmas parties, we made our way into the red light district and bartered with the “mama sans “(the managers) of the bars for the girls’ “freedom” for the night so they could attend the parties. The cost of a girl was between $20 and $30. Actually bartering to purchase a girl like she is a commodity has left me with images and feelings that that I will never forget.
For the two nights of parties, we had over 200 girls attend where they enjoyed games, crafts, and delicious food, and were presented with the Gospel. My favorite part during those nights was watching the girls’ faces and seeing the worry and uncertainty of what would happen that night transform into a room full of laughter and tears of joy, not only from the girls, but also from the many volunteers. Many accepted Christ and left with gifts and a copy of the New Testament.
There was one girl in particular with whom I really connected. She spoke English very well, so she was able to share with me about her life and her dreams. Because of poverty and her responsibilities for taking care of her family, she is forced to work in the red light district of Bangkok. As we shared photos of our children and stories about our lives, I wanted nothing more than to take her away from that place.
I’ll admit, I struggled a lot when I came home. What was I to do with everything that I now know? The thought was overwhelming, and I began to feel pretty insignificant as a local race director. I wanted to be on the front lines fighting for these girls! I felt helpless. But, as I’ve processed through my experience, I have come to realize that even though I am not on the front lines, I am bringing freedom and doing justice. Through volunteering with Freedom 4/24 and hosting a race, I am a voice for these girls and a support for those who dedicate their lives to them day in and day out.
If I can make a difference, we ALL can make a difference.
I absolutely love being a part of the Freedom 4/24 family, and I am so thankful for the opportunities they continue to give me to serve along beside them.
What does freedom mean to you?
For people in the United States, July 4th (today) is Independence Day, which represents the many freedoms we have as a nation and as individual citizens. But freedom runs much deeper within us than just our location and physical well-being.
For me as a Christian, I see my greater freedom as being the freedom I have in Jesus. In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” God is the only one that truly provides freedom.For the girls at Christine’s House in Gulu, Uganda, a safe place to live, to grow, and to worship Jesus is the hallmark of freedom. These young women now experience this freedom because of the kindness shown to them through partners of Freedom 4/24.
Freedom has a whole new meaning when it is ripped away from you.
And freedom is a breath of new life when it is restored to you.
I write to you now from Gulu, Uganda where I have spent the week getting to know the young women of Christine’s House who were rescued as victims of sexual exploitation. I have cried with them as they shared stories of being raped and feeling the emotional and spiritual bondage that can come as a result. I have also laughed, danced, prayed and sang with them as they shared their newfound love and freedom in Jesus Christ as a result of being rescued into Christine’s house.
If you have given of your time and/or money to Freedom 4/24 in the past, thank you. You have breathed new life into these girls’ lives here in Uganda.
If you are still considering joining Freedom 4/24, please do so today. The need is great for people to step up in defense of children being sexually exploited and trafficked.
Even though I wish I could bring you to Gulu, Uganda to meet these girls firsthand, I know that I cannot. But I do hope that you will believe me when I say that the work of Freedom 4/24 here is truly life-changing. They really are “bringing freedom and doing justice” around the world.
In light of Independence Day in the U.S., if God is calling you to learn, act, give - to share freedom - please listen to His voice. The impact will be greater than you can imagine.
Be blessed and be a blessing.
-Michael, Freedom 4/24 Supporter
As many of you now know, The #F424Uganda team arrived at Christine's House in Gulu, Uganda just two days ago. We were greeted with the sound of "Christine's Girls" (a touching nickname they've given themselves) singing and dancing. That night they led us in worship - one of the most beautiful worship experiences I have ever had. The last two days have been filled with more worship, laughter, singing, and dancing. Christine's Girls are so beautiful, so innocent, and so joyful that it's easy to forget why they are there.
Today we were reminded of why these girls call Christine’s House “home” when several of the girls, ages between 13 and 18, shared their stories with our team. We listened as a 17-year-old girl shared her story of being raped by a friend, and the pregnancy that resulted, when she was just 15 years old. She shared the anger, bitterness, and guilt she experiences as the result of her exploitation. This young woman came to Christine's House in bondage as a result of the trauma she lived, but has since experienced true transformation. She felt love and acceptance from the staff and her fellow residents. She heard the Gospel and gave her life to Christ. She allowed the Holy Spirit to work within her, and she realized that if God forgives her, then she could forgive the man who raped and impregnated her.
This is just one of the testimonies of transformation we heard today. There are several others like it. Christine's House provides a loving, safe, Christ-centered environment for girls to come and receive the care that they need. His work here is amazing.
I also want to provide you all with an update on Sandra. This spring we shared another of Christine's Girl's stories with over 1,800 of you who ran and prayed for Sandra during a Run 4 Their Lives race. It is with great joy that I can share that I've met Sandra and she is doing incredibly well! For those of you who don't know her story, earlier this year she was raped and impregnated by her boyfriend. When her family discovered she was pregnant, she was immediately ostracized and lost the financial support for her schooling. With no other place to turn, she came to Christine's House where she is receiving prenatal care, healing from her trauma and finding hope in the Lord. She will give birth in just a few months and I am confident she will make a wonderful mother. I cannot explain to you the overwhelming joy that I experienced meeting a young woman for whom we've been running and praying.
Thank you does not begin to express how grateful I am for the support you give Christine's Girls. They experience new life, both on earth and through Christ, thanks to you and your support. You are making a huge impact in the lives and the eternities of girls in Uganda - I am humbled to be a part of this with you.
- Ryan Barr, Executive Race Director
While Uganda's bloody, 20-year civil war ended almost ten years ago, its effects can still be felt and seen today. Countless villages and towns in Northern Uganda were emptied by the Lord's Resistance Army's (LRA) reign of terror. With no place to go, a majority of those who fled resettled into IDP camps. Others stayed in their villages under constant fear of an attack by the LRA which would see the adults murdered and the children sexually exploited or forced to murder, maim, and destroy as child soldiers. One of the numerous lasting results from the civil war is the breakdown of the family structure, which has been a major contributing factor to the wide-spread sexual exploitation of young girls in Northern Uganda. This is the tragic backdrop which set the scene for the need for a girls rescue home and our funding the building and ongoing financial support of Christine's House.
There are a handful of days in my life that I will never forget--the day my wife agreed to go on our first date, the day we married, and the day each of our children was born. Today I've added another one to the list--my first full day at Christine's House.
I was up early today--less than 3 hours after I finished watching the US Men's National Team lose a heartbreaking "Round of 16" World Cup match to Belgium. I'm not normally an early riser--especially under these conditions, but today was different. Today was a chance to spend the entire day with the girls at Christine's House and I didn't want to miss a moment.
As we drove up the lights inside were just turning on. A few moments later, the girls assembled outside--before any light from the sun was apparent in the eastern sky--and began to sing. In the early hours of this morning, 18 girls and the accompanying staff raised their voices in praise. Their melodic "call and response" singing style, accompanied only by their clapping, was quiet and sweet, yet strong and full of joy.
After a few songs and a morning devotional, the girls began their morning routine. Some girls fetched water to wash the floor of their home. Others began sweeping the grass-less grounds surrounding their home clean from the previous days' activities. Still others began washing dishes from last night's meal and preparing the cooking fires to make breakfast.
Before the sun began to ever-so-slightly brighten the sky, while I could scarcely see much beyond 10-15 feet away, I heard the soft and strong voices of these girls singing quietly to themselves as they readied for the day. As the sun rose and chores were completed, I was greeted with bright smiles, warm handshakes, and the occasional, "Hello, how are you? My name is...."
After breakfast, the rest of the team joined three of us who arrived earlier. Some of the team pitched in to help the girls work their gardens, hoe weeds, and till the soil. Others spent time getting to know the girls as each group was curious to learn more about the other; and there were impromptu Acholi language lessons which produced an endless supply of giggles and laughter from the girls.
Shortly after lunch a feast was prepared to celebrate Christine's House and Freedom 4/24's involvement in making the dream of a rescue home in Gulu come true.
The pictures and videos I took of this
celebration do not do it justice. There were emotional and moving singing and dancing performances by elderly women from the community, the Girls Victory Club (Sports Outreach's local exploitation prevention group for young girls), and the girls at Christine's Home. Each performance was full of life and filled with hope.
Throughout the day I spoke with a number of the staff and advisory board members for Christine's Home. Each one told stories of the transformations they'd observed. In just a few short months of living at the home, sadness was replaced with joy; the quiet and withdrawn girls had opened up and begun the healing process; and those who came in hardened by the hurt and pain inflicted on them had softened and begun to allow the love of Christ to bind up their wounds.
I was hearing the same thing I observed: that in this place--at Christine's House--God was trading beauty for ashes.
-Tim Spaulding, President
Tonight we arrived in Gulu after a 7+ hour bus ride. After a quick bite to eat, we visited Sport Outreach's Good News Community Center, the 40 acre site where Christine's House sits. Over the next few days the #F424Uganda team will be spending all our time there. Personally, I'll be using my time to provide sexual abuse trauma counseling training to the staff and volunteers who work daily with the home's residents.
During our quick visit to the home before the sun went down, I am struck by what I saw. Many girls who are sexually exploited are considered outcasts of society, slaves who learn never to trust another human being, and objects to be used for the purpose of another’s gain. Sitting in front of my computer and looking at the pictures of the girls from Christine’s Home, it is not despair that I feel, which I often experienced after a day spent with trafficking survivors. Rather, I feel a sense of hope as I see this emotion in their faces and remember the joy I heard as they raised their voices in song tonight during our short but moving time together. The staff speak compassionately and see these girls as daughters and sisters. They speak of a hope for a future for each girl, whether it be learning a trade or seeking a university education. The staff recognize that simply rescuing a girl from a dire situation is not enough, because the problem is one that is systemic. Thus, intervention is occurring at an individual, familial, and community level.
It is my hope that as you read the blog posts this week and hear the stories of the staff and girls of Christine’s House, that as readers, you recognize that these girls have not been served the life they deserved – one of respect and dignity. But, because of the staff of Christine’s House and the support you provide, these girls are regaining their dignity, their sense of safety, and their sense of well-being.
-Dr. Amanda Rockinson-Szapkiw, Board Member
Our first few days in Uganda have been spent in Kampala, where our partner, Sports Outreach Institute (SOI), works extensively throughout the city’s 5 slums. At first blush, their work in the slums seems unrelated to combating exploitation and trafficking. But as I've observed these last three days, they truly work on the front lines of our struggle.
While there is no single "profile" of a potential trafficking victim, there are some commonly observed risk-factors such as poverty, lack of access to adequate health care, low education, and instability at home. As I reflect on the work I've both heard and observed in Kampala, it is quite clear that SOI addresses and counteracts each of the trafficking risk factors listed above.
SOI's work is about letting the love of Christ transform lives; it's about meeting the needs of the communities they work in through the avenues of sports, teaching, feeding, training, and public health. Faithful to its mission, SOI staff and volunteers dig deep and give much to see the lives of those they serve enriched and made better. Because of its holistic approach to outreach and ministry, all of SOI's work--especially their outreach to street kids and orphans--reduces risk factors for populations vulnerable to sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
While the primary purpose of the #F424Uganda team on this trip is to see the work we started and continue to fund at Christine's House, a rescue home for exploited girls, it's amazing to see how SOI's work in Kampala dovetails perfectly with our anti-exploitation and trafficking efforts in Gulu by aggressively and actively reducing trafficking risk factors for some of Uganda's most vulnerable populations.
Seeing the beautiful faces of children who have a home, a full belly, and eternal security who would otherwise be facing a bleak and tragic life if not for the preventative work of SOI gives me hope.
Tomorrow we begin our 6+ hour journey by bus to Gulu in Northern Uganda. There we will spend time at Christine's House, meeting and working with the girls whose lives are being transformed, providing trauma counseling training for the staff who interact daily with the girls, and meeting with the local community leaders who provide oversight and guidance for the home on the local level.
Stay tuned to our social media feeds (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) to get the latest blog posts, updates, and pictures of our time in Gulu.
-Tim Spaulding, President
Last year with your help, we funded the construction of Christine’s House, a rescue home for sexually exploited girls to heal, grow, and bloom into all that God has created them to be in Northern Uganda. This year, we provide ongoing financial support to Christine’s House and the rehabilitation of its 19 inaugural residents thanks to you and your generous gifts.
Later this week (June 26-July 7), a small team from Freedom 4/24 will join with Sports Outreach and head to Uganda to see first-hand all that God is doing at Christine’s House! Two staff members, Ryan Barr and Tim Spaulding, will be joined by Board Member, Amanda Rockinson-Szapkiw and her husband Michael on this trip.
While in Uganda we’ll be busy traveling across the country exploring new partnership opportunities, providing training and guidance for Christine’s House staff, and ministering and building relationships with the new residents at the house.
As supporters of our mission to bring freedom and do justice, we want to invite you to keep up with us as we learn, explore, and build relationships. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; and keep an eye out for our official trip hashtag, #F424Uganda. Additionally, our team will be posting stories and reflections on our time in Uganda while there, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter and blog updates at www.freedom424.org.
-Freedom 4/24 Uganda Team
On June 12th the world’s attention focused on Brazil, the host nation for the month-long 2014 FIFA World Cup—the largest sporting event in the world. To many, this comes as no surprise given the close association between “Brazil” and “soccer”—and for good reason, no other country has won the World Cup more than Brazil and its citizens are some of the most ardent and dedicated soccer fans in the world. But behind its beautiful beaches, perfect weather, and the glitz and glory of soccer, is Brazil’s rampant problem with child prostitution. In 2012, the National Forum for the Prevention of Child Labor estimated that Brazil had half a million child sex workers, second only to Thailand.
There are numerous reasons why a country has a problem with child sexual exploitation, including poverty and economic and social inequality—key factors in Brazil’s widespread exploitation. Though specific numbers are hard to peg, it is widely held that major sporting events—especially those of an extended nature—tend to compound and exacerbate pre-existing problems like child prostitution. In a CNN interview, Antonia Lima Sousa, a state prosecutor in Brazil said that major sporting events like the World Cup compound the problems of child sexual exploitation because “it involves a whole tourist network, from agencies, to hotels, to taxis…. With these mega events, [it’s] going to be organized much more via the internet.”
Leading up to the 2014 World Cup, Brazil has been in overdrive working to curb and combat the expected rise in child sex trafficking resulting from the World Cup related tourist influx. Its numerous government-funded initiatives include social media campaigns like the #itsapenalty hashtag aimed at raising awareness of the coercive and exploitive nature of commercial sex in Brazil and its direct link to trafficking.
So what does all this have to do with you? Plenty. If you’re reading this piece, you’ve taken the first step—learn.
The next step is to act. Activate your knowledge by turning your awareness into action. Events like the World Cup draw a world-wide viewing audience. Make the issue of child sexual exploitation in Brazil unavoidable to everyone you know; share this article; tweet using the #itsapenalty hashtag; use the tools at your disposal and do your part to raise awareness of the plight of the 500,000 trafficked and exploited children in Brazil.
Lastly, give. Become a monthly donor or make a one-time gift to Freedom 4/24 to help bring freedom and do justice around the world. Give so that today’s exploited children are tomorrow’s restored survivors. Give today to make a difference tomorrow.
-Tim Spaulding, Freedom 4/24 President
Nearly six years ago, I spent a summer working as an intern with the Home of New Beginnings, an organization that reaches out to sexually exploited women in the Red Light Districts of Bangkok, Thailand. I had several responsibilities in my role, but of all them, teaching conversational English classes to women who worked in these districts was my constant privilege. I loved getting to know these women. However, I was always conflicted by the “Catch-22” these lessons presented. On one hand my teaching served as an amazing way to develop relationships with the women who were working as prostitutes in local bars and massage parlors and earn their trust. On the other hand, I was keenly aware that their desire to learn English was rooted in their desire to better communicate with the Western, English-speaking men who bought their bodies nightly.
These women and girls were an immense source of joy for me that summer. They came to my class giddy, excited about learning and spending time getting to know me. We would smile and laugh together as I would gently instruct them on the proper pronunciation of words from a stack of 1st-grade-reading-level flash cards. They were possibly the kindest, most genuinely thankful people I had ever encountered in my life. Yet every night, as I tried to fall asleep, I couldn’t let my mind get over the fact that their work for the day was just beginning. The spark of life and exuberance that I had seen in their eyes, only a few hours earlier, was quickly replaced by the desperate, hopeless reality that they would again have to face a night of degradation, shame, and exploitation. How could I go to sleep knowing that within a three-minute walk, hundreds of young women were selling their flesh to men two or three times their age? How could I go to sleep knowing that these women with whom I had spent the afternoon were now clad in chintzy costumes, dancing lifelessly in front of men who saw them only as the numbers adhered to their skimpy outfits rather than as the kind, compassionate women I had grown to know, respect, and love?
Fear gripped me each night. Fear that I would somehow forget the reality of their pain. Fear that I would go back to my comfortable home in Virginia and would allow myself to let these women become a distant memory. Fear that I would forget the vastness of the issue and let my resolve to stand against it evaporate. Fear that I would not live with the same sense of urgency as I felt living in the midst of it all.
It was this fear that led me to write a journal entry to my future self. The excerpt below, composed on August 3, 2008, was written when my time in Thailand had just concluded. The dream of Freedom 4/24 had been conceived only days before, and I wanted to write something to remind myself of the heaviness that still had a tight grip on my heart from all that I had seen and experienced in Thailand.
“Christine, when you re-read this, recall how absolutely vile and disgusting [this industry is]…. Christine, right now hundreds of thousands of young girls your age or older - perhaps as old as or older than your own mother - are selling themselves, giving parts of themselves away forever. Don’t forget it, Christine. Let it soak in. Choose daily to bear this burden. Don’t turn your face. Lord, show me how I can be used…. Don’t let my insignificant [distractions] keep me from what you want me to do… Use me now to make this an unavoidable moral issue of my time and to be a help, support, and blessing to the Home of New Beginnings."
When I wrote that journal entry, I had no idea what would become of Freedom 4/24 and my humble desire to make a difference in the lives of exploited women and children. I had no idea that Freedom 4/24 would expand its impact to include countries around the world. I never anticipated that Freedom 4/24 would reach thousands of Americans by hosting events like Run 4 Their Lives and building partnerships with local anti-trafficking organizations around the country.
In founding Freedom 4/24 I did something simple: I took a step of faith. At the time I did not feel I possessed all the tools needed to start and run an organization, but I trusted God would grow what He birthed in my heart. Today I invite you to join me in taking a step of faith.
Maybe that step for you is hosting a Run 4 Their Lives race in your city; maybe it’s becoming a monthly donor to Freedom 4/24; maybe it's taking the first step toward using your unique gifts to help end sex trafficking; whatever your step of faith is I encourage you to take it. Turn your awareness into action and help change the lives of women and children around the world.
“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say that you did not know.” - William Wilberforce
- Post contributed by Christine Gelatt, Founder and Board Member
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