An Invitation to Come Alongside. Will You Say Yes?

“I don’t think I could live with myself and feel like I’m fulfilling the mandate of God on my life if I said no to something like this,” Ben said about his involvement with Uncaged.

Ben and Marilyn Wendland have been partners in the anti-trafficking work of Uncaged since it was only a dream founder Kim Westfall held in her heart. They had known Kim previously while working together on another ministries’ management team. When she shared her vision for Uncaged with them, they were intrigued with what she was proposing. “The vision resonated with the biblical call to reach the vulnerable. The goal of bringing them to freedom is at the heart of the gospel message,” said Marilyn.

They met the rest of the Uncaged team, including European director Beni Lup. “It is great to be in a room with like-minded individuals, people wanting to do something with some of the tragedies around the world. If there is something we can do, we want to do what we can,” they said.

When asked why they chose to be a part of this work, Marilyn told us two words came to mind:

integrity and vision. She knew Kim Westfall’s integrity and was impressed by the Board of Directors and the experts in the field she surrounded herself with. “Uncaged connected with people who were on the ground already doing the work,” she recalls. Anti-trafficking and trauma-informed experts build a solid foundation for the work, and Marilyn said she knew the money they donated was going straight to the work, being stewarded wisely, and making a difference.

The vision itself is the other aspect that solidified the Wendland's trust in Uncaged. “It isn’t just emotionally or physically dealing with these people,” Marilyn said. “It is spiritually—on every level. It is a holistic approach and that is important.”

Ben and Marilyn live in Canada and knew that any money they donate would go further if they donated to a Canadian entity. So, they connected Uncaged with Millenium, an organization in Canada that supports ministries worldwide. They believed it would be a great fit and it has been. The connections in Canada continue to grow, and more churches and individuals in Canada are having an impact on the lives of survivors in Eastern Europe.

That’s because people like the Wendlands know that this issue is bigger than one donor, one founder, or even one organization like Uncaged. It takes all of us uniting to become the Freedom Highway! Ben and Marilyn invited Beni Lup to speak at their church and they said, “Beni shook the church when he spoke. He only spoke for about 10 minutes, but so many people came up afterward to share how what he said impacted them and asked how they could help.” They shared the word with their small group of about 14 individuals and invited family and friends to get involved in a cause that was becoming close to their hearts.

“I can just barely imagine the horror of being captured,” said Ben. “If we can bring to freedom some of these traumatized survivors, it is all worth it.” He said he would tell people to remember that expanding the reach of the Freedom Highway takes time. “Keep talking about it to people you know,” he encouraged. “They know people who know people.” He told us about a business partner who asks him every year where to donate funds he has saved to, and he has pointed him to Uncaged.

“It enriches your life, gives meaning to your life, anytime you look beyond yourself,” they shared. “We don’t live anymore for ourselves but for God, and this issue is at the heart of God. We take that to heart and there is joy that comes from giving. Whether you accumulate little or much, if you only live for yourself, it’s a very empty existence.”

“For those who have the ability to come alongside people such as this, who are doing this important work, please do,” they pleaded.

We are grateful to the Wendlands, to Millenium, and to all our Canadian partners. You believe in the work of Uncaged and you are sharing it with your networks. Thank you! We know your part in the transformation of survivors is so much bigger than any of us can imagine. Let’s keep building this Freedom Highway together and see many more lives set free!

Say yes to the invitation by giving today!

Point of View: A Day in the Life of a Survivor at The Sanctuary

In the last post, you shared in the journey of a survivor to The Sanctuary. She went from the unimaginable to a new beginning at a safe place.

She’s safe from her trafficker. She isn’t forced to serve multiple clients a day. The threat of violence is gone. What now?

When a human trafficking survivor arrives at The Sanctuary, she has usually been to the hospital first. After getting appropriate testing and medical care, she is physically safe. She has a room of her own, nutritious food to help her body heal, and a caring staff devoted to her healing. The transition from where she was to this place of peace can be overwhelming!

The first eight to twelve weeks is a period of stabilization. She is introduced to the Uncaged staff and the space. She has to get used to the structure of waking up at the same time as everyone else, sharing meals with others, and attending devotions.

In this time, she is free to hang out with other survivors and staff but this is not necessary. She might need time alone outdoors. She might engage with the animals. We will slowly begin to introduce therapeutic interventions to calm her traumatized nervous system.

Once she gets acclimated to the new environment, she will get involved in a

structured program to help her move toward healing her mind and heart. The program champions and integrates the best practices in human trafficking aftercare carried out by trauma-informed staff, therapists, and caregivers. The survivor will engage in a morning routine of breakfast, a small devotional time, and a mindfulness check-in. This bodywork and breathing time will help her connect her body and emotions for the day ahead.

She will have time for daily tasks like laundry and cleaning up and learn important life skills. She will be involved in different tailored therapeutic interventions every day including life maps, sand tray therapy, art and equine therapy, ropes courses, process groups, and psycho-educational classes. She has plenty of time for fun with a walk outdoors, time for breaks, games, and activities with others like games, movies, and music.

There isn’t a “typical” day because every survivor is different and we make sure to stay tuned into her particular needs. But structure and consistency are essential, too. And we are committed to walking with her day in and day out on her journey and to seeing her reintegrate into the community and thrive!

Point of View: A Survivor Arrives at The Sanctuary

What came before this is unimaginable. A victim of human trafficking approaches a car, looking back over the days, months, or years she is leaving behind. She is moving onto another place but the trauma she has endured stays with her. Perhaps she carries the physical bruises on her body, like Tamara who had black eyes, a fractured jaw and cheekbone, broken ribs, and internal bleeding when she recently escaped from her trafficker. She most certainly carries the mental, emotional, and spiritual scars that a life of slavery and dehumanization will leave on her.

She doesn’t know what home or family looks like, but she hopes to. She longs for a place to be safe.

The Uncaged team has been instructed on what to say to her to help her feel cared for from the moment she steps into their presence. She steps into the car, accompanied by staff who have been trained in trauma-informed practices. Gentle music plays on the radio as she watches the landscape change. The tree-lined road bends toward a barricade that lets her know she is protected inside the walls erected just for her.

The gate swings open to reveal orchards, the fruit hanging on the limbs in early spring. She drives past the new pony standing next to his mother and watches the dogs play in the yard. She sees quaint cabins, a swing, a pool, flowers blooming, and a garden lovingly tended. The first survivor who arrived on the property saw the roses covering an archway and gasped, “All these roses are for me.”

Staff approaches the car with a snack and a warm drink. They greet her and guide her toward one of the cozy cabins and tell her, “Welcome home.” They hand her a bag filled with a robe, slippers, toiletries items, and a journal. It is all hers.

She tells the staff the same thing the girl before her said: “I don’t deserve this.” She keeps saying, “I can never repay you for this.” The thing is, she can’t imagine someone gifting her anything. The life she left behind came with the condition of always being in debt. She had to pay for everything she had with her body. Her trafficker, her clients—they only took from her. She couldn’t even imagine a warm bed, regular meals, or a safe place. A free gift is not something she understands—yet.

She will settle into her room feeling protected, knowing she has gentle supervision 24 hours a day. Now she needs time to rest, to begin to heal and feel safe. The first concern that will be met is her physical well-being. She will receive any medical care she needs in the coming days and time to recuperate. Her new life is just beginning!