Hello Friends, It becomes clearer and clearer to me why we are being so strongly called to open our first Sanctuary village in Romania. Our team there recently met with more than 20 anti-trafficking organizations at the European Freedom Network Conference in Italy. They were shocked to learn that Romanians are the most trafficked people in all of Europe — over 65 percent of survivors being rescued are from Romania and Moldova!
The reality is that the government of Romania is struggling to stem the tide. In fact, the country was just downgraded on the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) watchlist. That designation means that while they are trying, the government is still failing to meet even the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking. While this is terrible news for Romania, I think it opens an incredible opportunity for Uncaged. With our model and our resources, I believe we can assist the government in powerful ways. For instance, when we visited in January, a government official asked us to help with a nationwide trafficking awareness campaign.
I am in Italy right now, and the Lord keeps bringing victims right in front of my eyes. As we drove down the highway the other day, I saw several young ladies on the side of the highway. One was doubled over in just her undergarments and high heels, in desperate need. The other night at dinner, I unknowingly sat right across the street from a brothel. It was hard to eat as I watched the traffickers and johns circling these women. It was heart-breaking. This makes me desperate to get the first Sanctuary up and running. We want to create a place of peace and safety where survivors, like the young ladies I saw on the side of the highway, have access to everything they need — trauma therapy, spiritual care, medical attention, education, vocational training ... even things like music, art and physical therapies. We believe they can be healed and restored and reintegrated in to society where they will make a difference! An incredible opportunity is taking shape, and I have great news to share about first Sanctuary. But you will have to wait for the next eblast to hear more ...
Until then, thank you for your support and encouragement. Please continue to pray for us, and for the survivors.