Sex Trafficking Awareness month is in January. The statistics of trafficking nationwide, and especially right here in California are devastating. California is a destination state, meaning it’s a top location where traffickers bring victims and capture victims. Part of our focus in Cru City is to help fight this horrific evil and we are so thankful for the ways we have seen the Lord move as we work to bring prevention to the local schools, partner with other organizations and churches to bring awareness to the community and partner to bring spiritual mentorship and Jesus’ love to survivors in a local safe house near us.

“The situations that sex trafficking victims face vary dramatically. Many victims become romantically involved with someone who then forces or manipulates them into prostitution. Others are lured in with false promises of a job, such as modeling or dancing. Some are forced to sell sex by their parents or other family members. They may be involved in a trafficking situation for a few days or weeks, or may remain in the same trafficking situation for years.

Victims of sex trafficking can be U.S. citizens, foreign nationals, women, men, children, and LGBTQ individuals. Vulnerable populations are  frequently targeted by traffickers, including runaway and homeless youth, as well as victims of  domestic violence, sexual assault, war, or social discrimination. https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/sex-trafficking

*Ana, a survivor, who is now an advocate for women freed from trafficking—receiving some of the baskets to give to the ladies she works with.

This past December Michelle had the opportunity to share about sex trafficking and her work at a local safe house with the women’s study at our church.  The women there desired to show the love of Jesus to the women in the safe houses by making Welcome Baskets for them. 15-20 welcome baskets were created to give to the women during Christmas and 2019.  It was amazing to see the love these women put into the baskets and the prayers. They were received joyfully and it makes an amazing difference for these women to feel that someone cares for them and that they feel Jesus’ love through others.

Please continue to pray for these women.  Pray that they would experience the gospel and His true healing through their time at the safe house.  Pray for Michelle and the other women involved there—for wisdom in how to connect with these survivors, and being able to show patience and unconditional love to them as they begin their journey of healing.

Nepal Praise Report!

Pastor Krishna (on left) & Joseph (on right)

5000-6000 women and children are trafficked from Nepal to India each year. About a year ago after Joseph spoke at an   outreach to fight sex trafficking, a local Pastor (Pastor Krishna) asked if we could partner  together to end this evil and help the church planting efforts in Nepal. A year later, after many conversations, doubts, emails, MOUs, WhatsApp messages, raising the finances, and prayers over multiple cultures and languages, the project has  begun! Two Nepali women are now being trained in Mumbai, and they will return and train other women in  micro-enterprise of advanced sewing, garment bag making, and jewelry making – to empower the women and prevent further trafficking.  We are excited to see the church planting efforts in Nepal strengthened as well, since many women from the community are desiring to be a part of it. We have already seen 3 women put their trust in Jesus at the Nepali sewing centers!  Please be praying for these two women as they are being trained in Mumbai.  Pray for them after they leave the training and return to Nepal to begin teaching other women in Nepal at the sewing centers the skills they learned.  Ultimately that these women would gain valuable skills to keep them and their family out of poverty and the evils of  trafficking and that these women would hear the gospel through the church plants connected to the 5 sewing centers in Nepal!

Family Update…

We had a wonderful Christmas celebration as a family, loved having Luke home for a month from college and enjoyed many family times of games, movies, dinners together, and Christmas traditions.  As many of you know Joseph was in dire need of a newer car and the Lord blessed him with a wonderful car—thank you for everyone who prayed for his car need and gave financially. We are so very thankful.