A Vision of Healing in Romania

Hello Friends, I wanted to let you know that I am home safe and sound from Romania. Our time was incredibly productive and things are coming together beautifully. 

I thought I’d share a highlight from the trip. It’s one that captures why we’re doing this work: the hope of unlocking Survivors’ transformation.

You may remember Snowy. She was the first child we rescued back in January of this year, just nine months ago. While in Romania, I met her, and it was surreal. She came to us infested with lice, sold by her family, and abused in ways we cannot fathom.

Artwork Courtesy of Hyatt Moore

She is now safe and sound in the home of a pastor’s family. She has the love of a mom and a dad. She has a little sister and a brother, and a dog named Sasha.

In the restaurant, she stood in front of me-- pink cheeks, a strong body, shy, sparkling eyes and a warm smile, looking as healthy as could be. She told me about school and how physics is her favorite class. I could hardly believe my eyes. She skipped around a restaurant with Beni’s daughter, tapping on the fish tank and playing with the fish.

While we ate together, her adoptive father turned to me and said, “Snowy didn’t know much when she came to us. She didn’t know the basic things a child should know. She didn’t even know personal hygiene. This girl has seen horrible things. She knows what pain is from A to Z. 

She has seen too much.

She has been through too much.

But God worked through you at just the right time. Now, we fight for her because she is our child. This is what we are supposed to do; it’s what we are called to do.”

In just nine months, Snowy has come a long way toward healing. Let’s see hundreds, even thousands of women and girls like Snowy brought into freedom!

One Key Partnership in Romania

Hello Friends,

Things have been heating up in Romania around trafficking, with more reports of abuses coming into the public eye. While the stories are heartbreaking, we’re excited to see this darkness come to light. It’s moving people to act! The government and citizens are starting to notice, and rallying against it. The army to end trafficking is growing, and we get to be a catalyst of it at a local level.

Beni has been hard at work cultivating strategic relationships near the property of the first Sanctuary. He’s been meeting with law enforcement, the education department, and government officials. They’ve all offered their partnership and support. The education department has even offered to let us use some public school spaces and let younger Survivors attend their classes. We feel so blessed by the favor we’ve received so far.

The Mayor in particular has offered to advocate for us. We’re learning just how many benefits he can offer an NGO like us! He has invited all of the residents of the Sanctuary to city-organized events. He’s granting us access to public schools, cultural venues, and even offered to assist us in accessing local funding. He’s offered to partner with us in receiving national sponsorships that require mayoral support. At his behest, the city is going to help us maintain the Sanctuary property whenever possible. He’s even extended us the use of the local pharmacy and medical clinics for healing Survivors.

In return, he’s asked us to train local parents, educators, law enforcement, and students using our seminars. We’re thrilled! Doing preventative work that stymies trafficking before it shatters more people is the best trade we could imagine. Together we’re strategizing the most effective ways to limit abuse and trafficking at a community level. Ultimately, we’re going to get programs started the benefit the whole community.

To keep this momentum going, I've been in Romania this past week. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks.

We’re grateful for your friendship and support. It’s amazing to watch God mobilize His people. Will you keep the energy moving forward and share about Uncaged with someone this week?

You hold the keys to freedom!

Pray for Our Trip to Romania

Hey Friends,

Just a short update — and a request for prayer .

  But first, let me share something from one of the six trafficking survivors we recently rescued : "I am so thankful to be able to walk the streets of the village without the fear that people will mock me or want to abuse me. I go to the church, and people smile to me and pray for my family. I am still suffering, but someone carries the burden together with me. Thank you for believing for me. " Survivor, age 21

Aren’t we privileged to carry the burden with these brave women?

Aerial view of the property for the first Sanctuary in Romania.

I am headed to Romania this month with a team of experts who will assist with a safety and security audit of the Sanctuary property that has been offered to us at a greatly discounted price.

We will assess what improvements must be made to the current construction to ensure safety for the survivors. We will also look at options for expanding the facilities in the future. There is so much possibility! We could literally care for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of survivors in the coming years.

While in Romania, we will be meeting with a contingent of leaders from various sectors: business people, government officials, law enforcement, pastors, educators, agriculturalists, lawyers .... people who are eager to support the work of Uncaged.

God is doing something exceptional in Romania. The momentum is incredible to see. Pray that we would find continued favor, provision and direction from Him.

We are grateful for your friendship and support. Please keep praying for us.

You hold the key to freedom!