Not For Sale!
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Things like food, cars, shoes, clothing and concert tickets are for sale, NOT YOUNG GIRLS! These precious girls have been rescued in small villages along the border of Belize and Guatemala from human trafficking. These beautiful girls are learning to live a new life free from the trauma they have experienced at such a young age.
For the first time, these girls are experiencing their life being celebrated! They are getting to know what true love really looks and feels like. They are being taught what it means to be valued, heard and seen. Because of the unconditional love of God these girls begin to understand that they are not alone and that someone truly cares and hears their cries and are coming to help. The Word of God is truly renewing their mind, one day at a time.
As they enter into the sewing program they are received with open arms. They begin their journey as they are introduce and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They then begin building a beautiful relationship with him through learning his word. These first steps are vital in their growth and recovery. They are taught that there are no limits in God. The Word of God breathes life into them and helps them to know their new identity and worth.
Unfortunately, the impoverished third-world countries offer little to no resources for these children and families who are in desperate circumstances and need. Due to this, there are very few sustainable opportunities for individuals, families and communities to pull themselves up from the grips of extreme poverty.
This is why this type of vocational, life skill development and leadership training is life giving and desperately needed to take the beginning steps toward positive change. Fortunately, we have gained access to a few of these small villages to help these girls see a way out and create a new life for herself and family.
The CHALLENGE: Young girls just completing their 6th grade education and becoming young single mothers being enslaved and trafficked while trying to raise their children on their own. They are commonly illiterate or under-educated and extremely vulnerable to trafficking and sexual exploitation. Because of this, many struggle to survive day to day. With the desperation to help provide for their family or children, many become prey to drugs, prostitution, or are lured into human sex trafficking.
THE SOLUTION: What solution can we offer a young girl or a desperate young mom who may not even know how to read or write? How can we give her an opportunity to provide a life for herself or her family with little to no money and no opportunities?
We have moved in and established a strategic plan for growth and expansion with the "You Sow...She Sews" vocational sewing program. This program is targeted to small villages and extremely disadvantaged communities within the country. In this endeavor, the focus is toward the prevention, rescue and release of victims of human trafficking. Our vision is to equip these impoverished girls with tools to change the current trajectory of their life forever. For many, this will be the first time she will not feel alone and know that someone cares. Each student will be provided with the encouragement, tools, and education and skills to provide an income for her family. This training will bring hope and value to her and allow her the be set free from this destructive life of bondage that she has been unwillingly entrapped in.
THE STRATEGY: When a young girl enters the program, she commits to a simple yet very effective training. Each student is provided a brand new sewing machine to use during her training. Along with this, she is provided all the items needed to begin this life-giving opportunity, (fabric, thread, scissors, and all the notions, etc.) During the training, she is taught the basics of sewing, but most importantly, she is taught the basics of the Word of God. The Word brings lasting change, healing, and restoration. Once she completes the program and has shown faithful, she receives a certificate that is recognized as vocational training through the Department of Education and she is gifted her new "freedom" sewing machine. This machine is purchased by partners and is totally free of charge to the student so she can begin her new life. She now can apply for a license to start her own business. She will continue her journey through the program growing to new levels of wisdom and freedom. She along with others will assist in sewing things for the boutique and help in making clothing to be purchased to bring income into her home and also back into the program.
There are 156 villages in Belize and our program is in 4. Our goal is to have this program in as many villages in the country that we can reach. Imagine the change this can make! When you sow… she sews! She is sooooo worth it!
Thank you for helping us reach these girls!