Those of you who have been journeying with me know that Uncaged began with a vision: children in cages being released and healed.
It took me some serious soul-searching and exploring to understand what this vision would look like in real life. Today, you and I know it looks like Uncaged. We are freeing the captives, releasing precious women and children from bondage. Even better, we come alongside these brave survivors to make sure they keep their freedom. We equip them to heal. We’re not just unlocking the cage, we’re destroying it to make sure each survivor is never trapped again.
This month, my heart has been carrying the plight of the millions of children enslaved around the world. Almost half of the survivors in Europe are minors. It turns out that the average child survivor is enslaved at just 13 years old. Just last year, we rescued a child who was much younger, only 3 years old when we found her. Remembering her condition is almost too painful to remember, and I will spare you the details. Let me just say this: it’s time for each one of us to do whatever we can to end this evil right now.
You already know the heartbreaking stories of Oceana, Snowy, and her 4 siblings. You may also recall how much restoration and healing they have already experienced in a few short months with Uncaged. Oceana is in school and loves to learn. Snowy is playing the piano and learning English. Her siblings are dreaming about future careers as florists and dentists. Each one feels loved. Children, like all survivors, are more resilient than we can imagine!
These precious children are just a few of the 53 children, both survivors and children of survivors, that our team has accompanied since 2005. We are ready to do more!
Every child who comes to us, whether they are a trafficking survivor or the child of a trafficking survivor, will participate in our world-class program at The Sanctuary. They will receive trauma therapy, housing, and education. They will even enjoy fun things every kid loves like art, music, and movement therapies. This wraparound approach is what unlocking the cage looks like in real life.
Support from people like you is what makes this transformation possible. We know it takes roughly $16,000 per year to provide holistic support to a survivor of any age. Today, I want to invite you to prayerfully consider coming alongside these children by joining with Uncaged.
Let’s bring freedom to these children once and for all!