You would have noticed it too...
It was only a small glimmer of hope
in her survivor eyes, but it was there.
She was finally safe!
Imagine the flood of emotions in this resilient and courageous young woman.
The “Welcome Home” sign on the front door greeted our newest resident, a survivor of sex trafficking in America. Against all odds, she was one of the few that has found safety, grace, and love in a restorative survivors’ home called Refuge for Women SoCal.
She exited Goldie, our old but beloved van, and climbed the porch stairs of her new home. Before entering, she paused at the bright yellow bench, a work of art with inspirational scriptures weaved among the floral images of new growth.
That is where I saw that look again… that tiny flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, she had finally found a safe place to try again. But this time, she is not alone.
This is where your support hits home… it gives her a second chance at life.
Each new resident’s pause at that yellow bench is a whirlwind of dreams, fears, and anxiousness of the days to come. On that porch, your support empowers her first steps in a journey of trauma healing and reclaiming a life that was stolen.
Will you consider a generous gift to fill more beds for women here at Refuge?
Recovery from complex trauma isn’t cheap. But redeeming a life is a worthy investment.
In fact, our last 3 beds are open and in need of program funding. Each resident’s housing and program expenses are just over $50,000 per year. This village of support provides all services at no cost to her! Her focus is to simply begin again.
With $200,000 in funding from this appeal, we can fill our home in the next 45 days. That sounds like a lot to raise in December, but we can all do it together, right?
So why this Refuge home? Why is this so urgent?
On her own and without support, 8 of 10 “rescues” end up back in the hands of their traffickers. And her dark cycle of trauma goes on and on and on.
In bright contrast, 7 out of 10 Refuge graduates do NOT return to the sex trade, or to the addictions that made them so vulnerable to exploitation.
Providing access to our Refuge recovery program is her BEST option.
Everyone deserves a chance to live free and grow into the full person that God intended her to be. Could you consider one more gift today?
Your gift changes her life, for eternity.
Gratefully,
Dan DeSaegher
Executive Director
PS –There are survivor candidates in the admissions process with the hope to come to Refuge SoCal. Please consider mailing your year-end gift today. Thank you!
