Hi Friends,
As our world-class trauma therapy program takes place, I want to highlight a key element of healing: families.
Every survivor will live with a host family after their initial 6 weeks of stabilization. Doing so accelerates survivors’ healing and maximizes our use of the first Sanctuary. Survivors re-integrate into the real world quickly. It helps them taste freedom as soon as possible, while still getting the support they need to heal. Using this rhythm, we’ll be able to serve 400 survivors and host families in our first year of operating once travel bans lift.
Hearing how hosting a survivor transforms and blesses host families fills my heart to the brim. When I was in Romania this past January, I shared a meal with Snowy’s forever family. What her new father shared with me nearly brought me to tears.
Snowy’s new dad is the pastor of 3 small churches in Romania and the owner of a small construction business. When I asked how adopting Snowy had changed them, this is what he had to say:
“We had a life but we were not fulfilled as a family. We had thoughts and goals and dreams just like everybody else. But I always felt unaccomplished and unfulfilled.
I had been praying and asking, ‘Lord what else can I do to really fulfill the purpose you have for us?’
And then I looked back and reviewed the movie of my life. I remembered all the troubles I went through, all the things I didn’t have. I was orphaned at the age of 3. There were nights when I didn’t have anything to eat.
Then I understood what the Lord wanted from me. I realized as a former orphan that my purpose was to find joy in accepting someone into our home. God wanted me to offer another child what I did not have growing up: a parent’s love.
Soon after, Snowy came into our lives. Ever since you brought her to our home, our family has been different. God worked through you, and you came along at the right time. You have helped us see and to live out what God wants us to do.”
I was speechless for a moment. I knew giving survivors loving relationships would unlock their transformation. God was multiplying that transformation in ways I could never imagine!
I’ve had countless experiences like this one. Every step we take cascades in dozens of unexpected ways that bring hope and healing. I’m realizing that’s embedded in who we’re going to be at Uncaged. We hold the keys to freedom. All we need to do is open the door, and a wave of unbelievable transformation is going to pour out.
Right now, the most important way to secure this foothold for restoration is by owning the first Sanctuary. We only need $450,000 in order to completely own this center for holistic healing.
We each have a role to play in unleashing freedom across the world. And along the way, we get to fulfill our own God-given purposes, too.