Broken Hearts. Open Hands.
In our partnerships with Forward Edge and Set Beautiful Free (an initiative of Bombay Teen Challenge), we are on the front lines of protecting the most vulnerable in our world – children and youth who find themselves in the center of sexual trafficking and forced prostitution. Trafficking can take multiple forms; sometimes rather explicit as we see in the red light districts India, and sometimes rather subtle and unreported as we encounter daily in the dump cities around Nicaragua. As Set Beautiful free so clearly states, all forms of trafficking is an affront against basic human dignity. We stand with our partners, and support them daily, to break form of slavery. To do that, we not only join in rescue, but in education and restoration, so that these children and young men and woman can break their cycle of poverty and have the choice to do something different with their lives.
For over six years, Paul and Ani, along with their family, have been serving at a home for girls who come from some of the most challenging and dangerous places imaginable. Before entering Villa Esperanza (“Village of Hope”), a ministry of Forward Edge, these girls lived in a dangerous environment, where they were at risk of physical abuse, sex trafficking, rape, teen pregnancy and drug abuse. School was most often not an option, and any chance to have a healthy childhood was lost at a young age. The Villa provides these girls with nutritious meals, a home with a clean bed and clothes, a good education, safe drinking water, medical and psychological care, tutoring, vocational training and emotional support. Most importantly, we’re showing them how loved they are by God, teaching them to follow after Christ, and helping them realize their full, God-given potential.
Set Beautiful Free is intervening to rescue, rehabilitate and restore victims of human trafficking through advocacy initiatives, opportunities of empowerment and safe shelter. Effective survivor care is the most important step in the road to recovery and unfortunately, many shelters are inadequately equipped to provide care and counseling to those who’ve been rescued from these situations. We desire to bring immediate relief to suffering women and children, and change the trajectory of their lives through our education programs, vocational training unit, health clinics and living quarters.