Faithful in the Fight (Volunteer Testimony)
“I learned about the horror and evil of trafficking when I was in college. My best friend worked at a safe house after college, and because of that, I began to see what aftercare looked like and how complex the problem was. For me, sex trafficking wasn’t something I could know about without committing to learning more and doing something, even if it was small. I Googled “anti-trafficking organizations in Dallas” and became familiar with Traffick911 and International Justice Mission (IJM).
"I also learned more about what to look for in my line of work as a flight attendant. Many industries are becoming more aware of the problem and committing to providing training for their employees. The travel industry is no different. It’s imperative that people and work groups continue to grow in their knowledge about how to spot trafficking and how to respond to it.
"Around that time, which was almost 10 years ago, two young women got on stage at The Porch in Dallas and mentioned that there would be meeting after the service for people who were interested in learning more about human trafficking and possible ways to get involved in the fight. I jumped at the opportunity, knowing that engaging the local church was a great way to respond, especially about something so overwhelming.
"In the early years, I remember learning new terms I’d never heard before about what can happen to victims. I was sometimes overwhelmed by the problem and discouraged by the statistics I would hear. Bute at the same time, I was encouraged and spurred on by the community I was building with people who had the same conviction I did about stopping this atrocity, if possible.
"The empathy I felt was strong when I remembered that it could happen to me or any of the young women in my family. It’s a sobering realization and something I couldn’t ignore, knowing that I would want someone to fight for me if I were ever trafficked. It took some time to find my place in the fight, but I clearly heard the Lord prompt me to focus on what was in front of me and not overthink to it.
"At that time the Reclaimed team was going out once a month on what we called hotel/motel outreach. I was extremely far out of my comfort zone, but I learned so much and continued to come back each month. It was so clear that even though I might not be able to see tangible fruit in this ministry every month, God was moving, and that’s all that mattered. Each month I questioned my involvement, and each month I would get a small nudge from the Holy Spirit in different ways confirming that this is where He had me. My confidence in outreaches grew and we eventually shifted to street outreach which was also outside my comfort zone.
"Myself and my community surrounded that season in prayer asking God if I was “wired” to serve in this way. Again, God clearly reminded me that He was with me, working through me and created me exactly how He wanted on purpose and when it comes to serving Him, He asks us to be faithful and He fills in the gaps. I became sure of my decision because I could see the specific ways the Lord prepared me for that time. Training for that kind of outreach was humbling but the experience was invaluable in gaining a complete picture of the very complex world of trafficking. I was blessed to grow in trust and unity with my team, and serve in community.
"I joined the Reclaimed leadership team two years ago to help shepherd our current volunteers, to help new volunteers process where they should serve, and to onboard new volunteers with Reclaimed. At the beginning of 2022 I switched from street outreach to focusing on building relationships with women in the safe house we partner with in Denton. This has been the sweetest journey so far and a very natural serve for me. I can clearly see God’s hand helping me grow to understand more of the deeper roots of this issue as well as leading me to love and care for the people He places in my path.
"The Lord continues to remind me of His heart for justice and the miracle that we are not just reconciled to God as our Father. We’re also invited in to play a part in His redeeming work."
"Whoa and wow! That’s what keeps me involved in this fight even when it’s mentally, emotionally, or spiritually taxing. There isn’t a month that goes by that I don’t learn something new about this problem. It’s quite a broad industry and complex problem that keeps me praying and leaning on the Lord as I trust Him in the fight and for healing.”