Updating…

Family, Free the Girls, Interns, Short-Term Missions, The Lighthouse Project - June 4, 2014

It’s definitely time for a quick update. Our internet was iffy for the past few weeks so I haven’t been able to post anything, not to mention we have been running, running, running for days! We are in the homestretch of the school year for the kids which means final projects, tests, and a general wrapping up of 1st and 4th grade. I can’t help it, the last few weeks of the school year are always bittersweet for me. I hate the fact that my kids are growing up so fast, and I am looking forward to having them around all summer. We also have continued to have growth in our ministries with the Lighthouse Project welcoming more homeless men and women each week, and the addition of another girl […]

Mother’s Day Celebration

Free the Girls, The Lighthouse Project - May 15, 2014

Yesterday we had a big Mother’s Day celebration with all of the moms who are involved in our programs. We invited all the moms from the Lighthouse Project, as well as the moms involved with the Free the Girls project. It was great to get all of the girls together and have a fun time with them. They were welcomed at the door by one of our volunteers who dressed in a suit and gave each a rose. Then they came into our “salon” where they got their hair and nails done. After everyone got their makeovers we had some snacks and played a game. We also had a guest speaker, our friend Evelyn, who has a beauty salon here in San Salvador. She shared with the women some reflections […]

Getting Creative

Free the Girls, Fundraising, Human Trafficking, The Lighthouse Project - April 10, 2014

Next week is Semana Santa (“Holy Week”) and everyone goes to the local beaches during the vacation days. Costa del Sol is a popular beach in El Salvador, and next week it will also be the site of an art exhibit featuring original paintings by men, women, and children involved in our programs and ministries. The idea is a creative one, and it was developed by a generous donor and friend who offered to sponsor an exhibit featuring works of art painted by survivors of trafficking, and men and women who have lived on the streets of San Salvador. The artwork will be sold, and the money invested back into our projects. This past week our artist friends have given several painting workshops and we have all worked to help […]

Connecting

Free the Girls, Human Trafficking, Urban Ministry - March 21, 2014

When a women is sexually exploited she is entrapped, held down, by lies that are like iron chains. The lies are strong and hard to break and they wrap themselves around her soul. The chains are engraved with words that whisper in the night. You are worthless. Sex is the same as love, and it’s the only love you‘ll get. You deserve to be used. You are alone, and no one cares. You are ugly and utterly unlovable. The work before us is not to offer trauma counseling, or legal advice. But rather, our work is to support the women as they walk through those processes, and to walk with them further as they struggle to integrate into a normal way of life. We work to build relationships and offer […]

Love

Free the Girls, Human Trafficking, Justice, Kids at Risk, Thinking About God - February 13, 2014

I spend a few hours each week with women and girls that have survived the horror of being sold, and of being exploited for someone else’s gain. I’m not a psychologist, and I’m not a trauma counselor. Those are not my roles in the lives of these women and girls. I simply try my best to be a truth-speaker, a supporter, and a friend. Every Thursday I have a small group discussion with some of them on a topic related to God. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, so this week, love seemed like the natural thing to discuss. Love. How on earth could I begin to talk to these girls about love? They’ve lived through trauma and pain that I couldn’t find in my darkest nightmares. Life has not brought much […]

Human Trafficking Awareness in El Salvador

Free the Girls, Human Trafficking, Immigration, Justice, Kids at Risk - January 22, 2014

Yesterday as I was driving around the city the word “La Trata” jumped out at me. This is the Spanish word that refers to human trafficking…the buying and selling of people. Within an hour I saw two billboards and one bus explaining that “La Trata” is a crime and urging women and girls not to be deceived. This is huge. The truth is that despite the hotness of the topic of human trafficking in the States, many in El Salvador are unaware of the problem. Girls disappear, and women are sold into horrific situations of forced prostitution and domestic servitude. Hopefully that will begin to change. The new campaign, led by the First Lady of El Salvador, includes television commercials aimed at preventing child trafficking, and signs around El Salvador. […]

Christmas Shopping and Fireworks

Advent, Family, Free the Girls, Holidays, Human Trafficking, Kids at Risk, Third Culture Kids - January 14, 2014

El Salvador is a nation with many fatherless children. Because of crime, violence, immigration, and poverty many kids are growing up without the love and support that a family provides. These children spend much of their childhood being moved from one protection center to another which offers housing, but little else in terms of support and nurturing. There are also other types of centers, shelters, and private homes around the country and some children find themselves here because they were abused, have special needs, or are victims of horrible crimes such as human trafficking. This Christmas we were able to bring some love to some kids in El Salvador who have no family to love them, to nurture them, or to guide them. We realize that our efforts do not […]

Human Trafficking in El Salvador

Free the Girls, Human Trafficking, Immigration, Justice, Kids at Risk, Urban Ministry - January 11, 2014

Today has been declared National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the U.S., and the whole month has been declared Human Trafficking Awareness Month. This is an issue that many people are aware of in the U.S., and great strides are being taken to identify and protect victims. Here in El Salvador, human trafficking or “la trata” as it is called, is an issue too. Here is a quick overview of the situation in El Salvador: -women and children are far more likely to be trafficked than men -poverty is the number one risk factor for girls and women that become victims -the majority of victims are sexually exploited, but there are some who are forced into agricultural or domestic servitude -El Salvador is a source, destination, and transit country -within El Salvador, victims […]

Opportunity

Free the Girls, Justice, Kids at Risk - October 28, 2013

Opportunity. When we hear the word we think of choices, risks, new beginnings. To a victim of trafficking, a modern-day slave, it’s a foreign word. When you are owned by another human being you don’t get to dream, to risk, to take hold of your future. Last week, we had the privilege of hosting Dave Terpstra, Co-Founder and Global Director of Free the Girls, in our home. I was reminded again of how thrilled I am that we get to work with this organization that believes in giving opportunities to victims of sex trafficking. We have women and girls that we interact with every week who have never had an opportunity. What a gift it is that we can offer them a choice, a chance to start their own business, and to […]

Yes, I am a Slacker

Family, Free the Girls, Third Culture Kids, Transitions - September 22, 2013

I have been completely slacking off on this blog. Life is running away with us these days since we’ve been back in El Salvador. So here’s the short list of what we’ve been doing instead of blogging: Connecting…Lots of new doors and connections have been opened up since our trip and we are excited about new opportunities to serve the streets in El Salvador! Expanding…The El Faro ministry is all set to expand with new workshops, new woman are becoming involved in the Free the Girls program, and I’ve had some new opportunties to work with girls at risk in San Salvador. Circling…We’ve been in a holding pattern with a few transitions in our ministry, but we will update you soon! Appearing on national television…Ok, so Jon and I haven’t […]

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