The Freedom Highway is Expanding into Moldova

You’ve supported us as we responded to the dire need for protecting Ukrainians from trafficking this year. The war in Ukraine is far from over. Last month, the world watched as a large dam was bombed and flooded villages and cities. We watched from far away, but our team in Europe heard from the people who lived it.

Their villages were devastated, and their animals drowned. Everything they owned went under the water. If that was not enough, those that tried to escape were fired upon by the Russian army. Hundreds of people need refuge and are trying to save their lives by fleeing into Moldova and Romania.

An ally organization has opened its schools and homes to 500 Ukrainian refugees. 200 of those refugees are children, under 14 years of age. We know that war makes a perfect opportunity for traffickers to prey on vulnerable people fleeing. The organization contacted our team and asked them to intervene. Thanks to the support of donors like you, we were ready to respond!

Our team traveled to neighboring Moldova to meet those arriving. We provided food, medicine, and clothing, and are making sure that these children are not being trafficked by criminal networks operating in the area. The needs continue to grow, as those people have nothing. They need clothing, medical care, food, hygiene, products, school supplies, and emotional therapy for their trauma. Many of them swam or floated for miles and have lingering health concerns.

Providing for basic needs helps these people settle in a free country and trust Uncaged as we educate them on how to protect themselves. In the first days of handing out brochures and training people to recognize the signs of trafficking, we realized organized groups of traffickers had been identified in the area. They were able to identify several people in the group that are potential traffickers. This is a normal strategy traffickers use: embedding themselves in refugee populations to recruit people. Authorities were alerted and our training is already reaping the benefits of keeping these people safe!

We are training those working with these refugees and they are continuing to educate others. Anti-trafficking education is rippling outward throughout Moldova and more people are gaining knowledge and being protected! This is how you reach a nation! This is how we blanket Eastern Europe with anti-trafficking strategies and ensure people stay free.

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!