Trafficked in Your Own Home

Can you even imagine being trafficked in your own home, and by your husband?! This was the story for Talyssa. She had the courage to reach out and ask for help while evading her husband’s gaze. Our team swooped in and rescued Talyssa and her 2 precious children just days ago. Talyssa’s husband is an influential lawyer. He forced her to have sex with his friends and a variety of customers. He threatened that she’d be kicked out to live out on the streets if she didn’t. He would keep the kids and do God knows what with them. Talyssa did what he said. It may sound like she was naive, like she should have fought from the beginning, but the truth is she was severely manipulated and brainwashed. She feared for her children. Her husband would make his demands under the guise of ‘If you love me….” After exploiting her, Talyssa’s husband would bring her a rose. He thought it would wash away her trauma.

He forced her to sign documents that took all her assets. And then, from her earnings as a sex slave he was able to purchase 3 large apartments. Talyssa has never set foot in those apartments. Our team is investigating to see if they are being used to traffic other women like Talyssa. Right now, it seems like her husband could be part of a much broader trafficking ring. Talyssa’s nightmare began to end when a concerned church member notified our team. This is the power of knowing the signs of trafficking! The church member saw bruises on Talyssa’s neck and arms. We began to investigate. Discreetly, they found a way to get our information to Talyssa. She took the courageous step of reaching out to us when she saw an opportunity, and we were ready to act!

Your support not only rescued Talyssa but also her 2 small children. 3 lives saved. Now begins the hard work of restoration. Right now, they are broken physically, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. But we know Talyssa has the courage to survive and keep her children safe. Our ultimate goal is to see her healed, restored, with a sustaining career and stable life. With the right support, we know she will achieve it. We will keep you posted as this family of 3 progresses. You are unlocking the cage for women like Talyssa and her children.

Tumin: Paving the Road to Freedom

I was in the backseat of a car hurtling down the highway in Romania, headed back to my hotel where I would sleep ALONE. My mind was racing. How on earth was I going to be able to sleep?

After just a short time in Romania, it quickly became apparent that “the bad guys” knew what I was up to. I won’t go into details, but things happened that proved to me that they knew who I was, where I was, and what I was up to. This made me very uncomfortable. Obviously we were dealing with some ruthless and reckless individuals that were capable of incredible acts of violence. These people were capable of horrific things. If they want me “gone,” they could make that happen.

I was shaking with fear in that car. At that moment, I heard a friend’s words in my mind saying, “Kim there are going to be times when you are filled with fear. And it’s ok to FEEL fear .... but it’s not okay to give into fear.” At that moment, I prayed, “Ok God, I am coming to you filled with fear. I need you to surround me with your peace and protection. I will not give into fear, but you have got to help me here.”

An hour later I was crawling into bed, wondering how on earth I would sleep. Oddly enough, I don’t even remember my head hitting the pillow! The next thing I know, I was waking up at 6 am. And I awoke in the midst of a profound dream...

In the dream I was with my “first love” from high school. This was interesting to me as my devotionals in the previous days had talked of how Jesus is to be our first love. In the dream there was a profound, deep and pure love between me and my first love ... like nothing I have ever felt on earth.

He looked at me with incredible love in His eyes and said “Kim, I have a word of blessing for you from my Father.”

I responded, “Oh, what is it?”

With a glint in His eye he said, “Tumin.”

A little confused, I replied, “I don’t know this word. Is it an old Greek or Hebrew word from the Bible?”

He just tilted his head with a grin and said, “You don’t know this word?

At that moment I woke up. I fumbled for my phone and immediately typed “Hebrew translation for Tumin” into the search bar. Nothing came up.

Next I typed “Greek translation for Tumin.” Nothing showed up ... except at the bottom of the screen it said “Romanian translation for Tumin.”

I had goosebumps. I screen captured it quickly and sent it to my European Director immediately with a note, “Can you tell me what this word means?”

He immediately called me and said, “Where did you get this word?”

“You wouldn’t believe it,” I told him. Then I thought about his life, which has been full of incredible miracles. “Well, actually you might believe it,” I said, “It came to me in a dream.”

He replied “Well ‘tum’ is what we pave our roads in, so ‘Tumin’ means paving the road.”

What a moment. I realized, in the midst of fear and total uncertainty, my First Love’s Father was telling me that He was paving a road. In fact as we studied the word a bit more we learned the deeper meaning: the process to fill the cracks in the road, to prepare ways. It comes from the French word “bitumin” which translates to covering the road or making ways.

And my First Love’s Father has been making a way ever since. Paving the FREEDOM HIGHWAY that will bring Romanian trafficking survivors home to Romania where they will experience their healing journey. They are walking down the road to Freedom, paved by their Heavenly Father.

I am so encouraged. He is in this. It is His work. And He has been so faithful in reminding us that He is with us, paving the road.

Thank you for joining us in bringing FREEDOM to His children in cages.

"I learn 5 bible verses and give them a rose."

Every girl dreams of falling in love with a great guy. Someone who spoils her, says romantic things, brings her a single rose, dreams with her about a beautiful new life that they can create together. And that’s exactly what traffickers do. They prey upon that vulnerable, sweet hope of young (and not so young) women. It’s called, "the lover-boy method." These traffickers have it figured out. In fact, they often intentionally look for victims in churches.

Darius, a former trafficker, explained, "They are more innocent and trusting. And of course, virgins fetch a hire price." His scheme worked like this: he learned 5 bible verses to gain acceptance and admiration at church. Then, he would pick one at a time. "I knew that if I told them I loved them 5 times and gave them a rose, they would be mine."

You might think these women are naive. Not exactly. We have had the privilege of rescuing nurses, mature women (age 56!) and even a police woman.

It can happen to anyone. But of course, young women and girls are the most vulnerable. So what’s the solution? EDUCATION. Through our international coalition of freedom fighters, we have access to a curriculum called SPEAK UP. It was designed by a panel of experts to teach school-age children how to protect themselves from becoming victims of trafficking. Kinda important, right?! Now, we have the opportunity to “plug and play” this curriculum into the school system in Romania, blanketing the entire country in this critical education tool. Our team is currently working to translate, contextualize and implement this effective component. And here is where you can help.

We have created a petition encouraging the Romanian government to adopt the SPEAK UP program and make it a regular part of the education system. Remember, 78% of traffic survivors found in Europe are Romanian. They are the most trafficked population in all of Europe! We love Romania and we want to see her beautiful children protected. Help us by signing the petition and sharing this important information with a few friends. It’s time for the good guys to get organized ... and that means US. Together we can begin to turn the tide of trafficking,