tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13390519104220867152024-03-12T21:34:16.697-07:00Restoration 1:99Ministering wholeness to men, women and children who have been caught in the trap of sex trafficking.Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-32248476531979732852020-09-14T07:59:00.002-07:002020-09-14T09:30:43.878-07:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNl8pbKjqokZ-xsOz59yM4uUx6b2JXB03VuEryGMemJRIHQoTu9Oo_vmgtnjs9SyxhOjRHx96aBgUQbxZiIOOfd2wIys5VEVcOxiouR2-twPY6scjM9Dzf2KSmh0Ciqsz8ulrhYlKCI1c/s1600/20200914_105747-743887.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNl8pbKjqokZ-xsOz59yM4uUx6b2JXB03VuEryGMemJRIHQoTu9Oo_vmgtnjs9SyxhOjRHx96aBgUQbxZiIOOfd2wIys5VEVcOxiouR2-twPY6scjM9Dzf2KSmh0Ciqsz8ulrhYlKCI1c/s320/20200914_105747-743887.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6872381654588199890" /></a></p><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div id="composer_signature"><div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8+, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone</div></div><div><br></div>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-3382063173413334532020-09-14T07:59:00.001-07:002020-09-14T09:30:27.711-07:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSwU8aT9GmK6ABvNgehiRNIvEhgtNhUUfCxig3Xe01_1oaTpjPzamXgSpTPn5OG73vm1KNXNNL1DyG0EZKExPLNy3G7QejRys0zA6q-Ey-qpcY4f4DIraOalWsKDNMBwjsDE_QXaSFS0/s1600/20200914_105751-727759.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSwU8aT9GmK6ABvNgehiRNIvEhgtNhUUfCxig3Xe01_1oaTpjPzamXgSpTPn5OG73vm1KNXNNL1DyG0EZKExPLNy3G7QejRys0zA6q-Ey-qpcY4f4DIraOalWsKDNMBwjsDE_QXaSFS0/s320/20200914_105751-727759.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6872381586355729922" /></a></p><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div id="composer_signature"><div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8+, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone</div></div><div><br></div>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-48389453611489790302020-09-14T07:59:00.000-07:002020-09-14T08:28:53.431-07:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGX_su9_jE4oUBhAySAnZjKHunRfGAn0f8XzsUF25ginWLQznCBukQ0v6cGHg9GpJQLKdy6e9TAyZHiQ29U-of8jAmSuLxQpgTqLA3P-1eWqD3BUPIP9qcSuSJc89nsMm7G0t0NlIC2HI/s1600/20200914_105800-733553.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGX_su9_jE4oUBhAySAnZjKHunRfGAn0f8XzsUF25ginWLQznCBukQ0v6cGHg9GpJQLKdy6e9TAyZHiQ29U-of8jAmSuLxQpgTqLA3P-1eWqD3BUPIP9qcSuSJc89nsMm7G0t0NlIC2HI/s320/20200914_105800-733553.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6872365722052261362" /></a></p><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div id="composer_signature"><div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8+, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone</div></div><div><br></div>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-66841098151712949412020-09-14T07:58:00.000-07:002020-09-14T09:30:10.774-07:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAraYypbP2CRIu-gUceDdf4dl6EHqXeZms7sEMEPhDs7-_OP58HdCzZnKzCunQsqB878O4E62dUmB5SwxfSJDZCDh4n3kSzzX2lcleAgOtsFNxKD2G4BeNbL2CMj-70kNdVnrLWVl2DY/s1600/20200914_105813-710894.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAraYypbP2CRIu-gUceDdf4dl6EHqXeZms7sEMEPhDs7-_OP58HdCzZnKzCunQsqB878O4E62dUmB5SwxfSJDZCDh4n3kSzzX2lcleAgOtsFNxKD2G4BeNbL2CMj-70kNdVnrLWVl2DY/s320/20200914_105813-710894.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6872381515349663074" /></a></p><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div id="composer_signature"><div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8+, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone</div></div><div><br></div>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-83441383886969450072015-12-17T16:38:00.001-08:002015-12-17T16:38:18.231-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">This has been a whirl-wind year that has brought many
exciting changes for Restoration One Ninety-Nine (R1:99)—a new name, mission,
and vision (</span><a href="http://www.r199.org/"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">www.R199.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> ). In fact, the past twelve years have been an
amazing, humbling journey as R1:99 engaged with sex trafficking survivors in
detention centers, psychiatric hospitals, residential facilities, on the
streets, and in community settings. Regardless of the place, each encounter has
been an opportunity to walk out the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15: 4-7,
where the good shepherd searches ceaselessly for the one lost lamb. During the
past 12 years, we have met many lost lambs along the way, with close to 2,000 youth
and adults participating in our prevention and intervention programs. Through
their participation, we discovered that in order to best serve survivors of
sexual exploitation, we needed a better understanding of childhood sexual
trauma and appropriate treatment strategies. We are happy to say that this is
now R1:99’s focus, and we are looking forward to new doors opening for us and
the survivors we serve in 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am grateful that many of the survivors still keep in
touch with us. Recently, I was contacted by Grace*. We met Grace at the youth
detention center when she was just 13 years old. She had been picked up for
skipping school but, unbeknownst to authorities, she was being trafficked. During
her first stay in detention, Grace refused to engage with anyone when R1:99
came to visit. She kept her eyes down and rarely spoke. After two weeks, she
was released to her parents, but in short time she was back in detention, and
this time her stay was longer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the next several months she slowly started to
trust us, and share bits and pieces of her story. The next time she was released,
she went to a group home in the community, where we mentored her over a period
of several years. We accompanied her to court, spent time getting to know her
family, and held her hand through many difficult times. At age 16 she returned
home, only to suffer sexual abuse from her father. She ran away from home, and
went missing for over a year. We prayed ceaselessly for her safety and safe
return, and one day I received a phone call from her. She was in a horrible
situation—although she was not being trafficked, she was living with a large
extended family that was clearly taking advantage of her. Grace’s situation
went from bad to worse, and she once again dropped-off of our radar for several
more years; again, we prayed that the Lord would protect her. She would contact
us infrequently, but when we tried to pick-up where we had left off and
intervene on her behalf, it was clear that she was not ready for change.
Regardless of where Grace was, we ended every conversation telling her we loved
her and asking how we could pray for her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At some point, those prayers took root, and Grace
chose to stop running from healthy relationships. She is now 22, ready to work
on her GED, and recently married to a good man. While sitting across from her earlier
this week, I saw a beautiful young woman who was serious about her future for
the first time in her life. She was filled with gratitude for our friendship and
how R1:99 had always been there for her. She expressed a strong interest in
joining our team to help victims of sexual exploitation. I can tell you that there
is no greater joy than seeing someone see their own self-worth and, in so doing,
become able to help with the healing process for other survivors of sexual
exploitation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so grateful for Grace, but my heart still
aches for the literally hundreds of other lost lambs who need our help. It is
with hope, and humility that I ask you to prayerfully consider making a
year-end financial gift to R1:99 in order that we can continue to be there for
survivors of sexual exploitation in 2016. </span></span>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-67792112999201706142015-11-30T13:15:00.001-08:002015-11-30T13:15:07.731-08:00We've Re-Branded!Hello Faithful Followers,<br />
<br />
If you are not already aware, we have been in the re-branding phase for most of this year. We are ready to launch the new website on Giving Tuesday. Please take a look around it and let us know your thoughts.<br />
<br />
CandaceRestoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-37254578697181269932015-04-23T18:24:00.000-07:002015-04-23T18:24:09.849-07:00Faithful in Prayer<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.christianfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/prayer-on-my-knees42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.christianfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/prayer-on-my-knees42.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Georgia;
panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:596986179;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-486086010 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the last post, I asked for readers to consider coming
alongside Restoration Ministries (RM) and standing against domestic sex
trafficking through commitment to prayer. Prayer is the backbone of this
ministry; RM’s staff devotes time to prayer and worship before each visit at
the detention center and psychiatric hospital. We believe that prayer breaks
strongholds over these girls, allowing them to see and receive God’s love for
them. We also believe that prayer position us to be ready to respond to any
need that we encounter with the grace and love of God. Prayer is vital to
sustain ministry and reap from the harvest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Please pray specifically for the following requests.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A suitable
facility in DC that provides living space for clients and room for counseling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A house to use
as a transitional/independent living residence for survivors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Financial
stability to afford rent and run programs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">For healing
and clarity over sexual identity issues, which many of our girls struggle to
reconcile.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Purpose, reconciliation,
and healthy outlets for our girls who self-harm through cutting and suicide
attempts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A business
enterprise such as a restaurant or café that would offer financial stability to
the ministry and entry-level job skills for our girls. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Free or
reduced cost services to create a new website.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Clear message
with the rebranding of our ministry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Clear
direction as we update old programs and create new ones.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">That God would
be glorified in all we say and do.</span></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-33414857180406800722015-04-08T16:26:00.006-07:002015-04-08T16:26:56.684-07:00Brokenness
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flowingfaith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.flowingfaith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2444.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The heart of Restoration Ministries’ (RM) mission
involves interaction with at-risk girls so that they can experience God’s love
through a genuine relationship. RM’s staff meets girls in their circumstances
and seeks to maintain connection long after crisis or situations change. Many
of these girls get lost in the juvenile justice system, moving back and forth
between detention centers, psychiatric hospitals or foster care because these
places cannot meet all their needs. Frustrated and alone, healing seems like a
far off dream instead of a present hope. RM offers hope by supporting girls
through legal battles, vocation training, counseling services, and finding
faith.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On March 12, 2015, The Washington Post reported a story
about an 11-year old girl who had been raped twice and wound up with a
conviction in the matter. Her reports were dismissed and the investigations
were halted for 6 years. This young girl and her family experienced anger,
hurt, confusion, and fear while waiting for someone to acknowledge their
reality and enter into their suffering. RM once cared for this girl as she
shuffled through the juvenile justice system. RM believes in being not doing. Being
present with an individual allows her to experience God’s love so that He can
bring healing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Take time to read <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/a-seven-year-search-for-justice/2015/03/12/b1cccb30-abe9-11e4-abe8-e1ef60ca26de_story.html" target="_blank">The Post’s article</a> to learn more about
the suffering of survivors, the complexity of the legal and social service
system, as well as the intensity of the recovery process. Then consider joining
our efforts through prayer. Prayer not only fuels our ministry but also creates
transformation in our girls. Faithfulness in prayer brings a harvest. </span></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-88271978350032778562015-02-24T19:27:00.002-08:002015-02-24T19:44:06.866-08:00Cultural Conceptions of Sexuality: Helpful or Harmful?<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">February brought on
discussions about love, relationships, and sexual behavior with the release of
“Fifty Shades of Grey”. Some people affirm the movie as an example of female
empowerment. Others dismiss it as merely romantic fantasy. Still some people
find the message it contains disturbing and harmful to society as a whole and
survivors of sexual trauma in particular. The movie brings into question the
basis of mutual, satisfying relationships. Are they rooted in sexual
gratification or genuine intimacy of mind and heart? Do they ascribe worth to
partners through their function and performance or honor the fundamental
dignity of a person? Survivors of sexual trauma often endure damage to their
identity since sexual exploitation gets presented as love. This distortion
breaks down survivors’ identity and ability to foster healthy relationships.
Sallie Culbreth, Founder and Director of Committed to Freedom, expands upon
this theme to address concerns about how “Fifty Shades of Grey” presents a
false reality and harms survivors.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.committedtofreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/FiftyShadesOfConcern.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.committedtofreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/FiftyShadesOfConcern.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Fifty Shades
of Concern</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There are many commentaries about the book,
"Fifty Shades of Grey" by E. L. James, and its recently released
movie. We feel compelled to add to those commentaries with attention to how the
book and movie themes impact survivors of abuse, exploitation, and sexual
trauma.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We
preface our comments by first addressing the issues of sexual behavior - that
which is considered normal and out-of-the norm. As the song goes, "No one
knows what goes on behind closed doors." Sex drives, preferences,
positions, frequency, foreplay (or lack of it), and needs are all factors in
how people have sex. The fact is, sexual behavior between consenting partners
is just that - it's between them.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sexual
chaos and dysfunction are common issues among survivors. This is particularly
true when your sexual point of reference involves manipulation and
exploitation. For many of us, our first sexual teachers were our abusers and
rapists. This creates challenging layers in the quest to become healthy,
balanced, and functional. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Enter
our concerns:</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Our
first concern is with how survivors see and experience themselves. For most of
us - especially in the early stages of recovery - we view ourselves as
disposable, worthless, or only having value in how we perform. Often, shame and
false guilt accompany those feelings of worthlessness. At the same time, it is
very common for survivors to be very experienced, sexually, and may look at
their sexual histories with the mind-set that nothing really matters because
they've already done so much. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With
these factors in mind, survivors may subject themselves or others to degrading,
dehumanizing, and sadistic sexual practices as a way to confirm their sense of
worthlessness. We should note that demeaning sexual practices also take place
in the most conservative religious relationships and the most liberal atheist
ones too, so this comment is not exclusive to BDSM (bondage/discipline,
dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism), although that is the primary focus
of our concern for this article.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Our
second concern is imitation by sexual predators who, unlike the characters in
the book, do not seek consent (although the capacity to consent to an unknown
experience is questionable from our perspective) before subjecting their target
to BDSM. With the spotlight recently shown on high profile cases such as Campus
Sexual Assault, Military Sexual Trauma, and child predators like Penn State's
Jerry Sandusky, it is very clear that predators have no regard for their
victims. Sexual predators are ruthless and we are fearful that the mainstream
acceptance of these themes may darken the already dark souls of predators
through imitation.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There
is a vast difference between being sexually adventurous - of exploring
sexuality in all its wild variations with a consenting partner - and pursuing
or being pursued by sexual experiences that continue to chip away at survivors'
already shattered sense of sexual self and self-worth. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sex
is a fabulous gift and part of recovery is learning to embrace that reality. So
enjoy your body. Enjoy your partner's body. Experiment. Have fun. Be
adventurous. Be connected. But the concern and caution we issue is this: make
certain that all of your sexual experiences are consensual, that you fully
understand or communicate what that "consent" actually means, and
your sexual expressions and encounters serve to keep you moving toward a deeper
sense of well-being, dignity, and health.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As those
who work to offer survivors a path to empowerment and well-being, our concerns
reach beyond the morality of these themes. Our concerns are that people who
have been sexually broken, exploited, and betrayed not participate or be forced
into experiences that reinforce the sense of being worthless, disposable, and
dehumanized. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Through
the years, we have listened to distressed survivors who acknowledged that the
only time they feel sexually alive is when they are being sexually degraded.
The dark side to that "alive" experience is how it reinforces the
lies of worthlessness and indignity that people in recovery are working so hard
to overcome.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Our
"fifty shades of concern" come from decades of work with survivors.
We, and those we work with, have been the targets of sexual monsters who were
not compelled to view us as human beings worthy of respect. We were simple used
as body parts for the predators' gratification, with no regard given to our
humanity. This is one very substantial reason that recovery is so challenging
and sexual well-being is so elusive. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>We
have concerns.</b></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Written
by Sallie Culbreth and Anne Quinn</span></span>
</div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">©2015
Committed to Freedom</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This
article was reprinted with the permission of Ms. Culbreth. To read more
articles or to learn about her organization, please visit <a href="http://www.committedtofreedom.org/">www.committedtofreedom.org</a></span></span></div>
</div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-27549029150563107972015-02-11T19:24:00.001-08:002015-02-11T19:24:09.021-08:00This is Love
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div id="irc_mimg">
<a data-ved="0CAcQjRw" href="http://www.go-bless.com/wordpress/2013/08/love-you-love-more-love-most/" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px none; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="300" id="irc_mi" src="http://www.go-bless.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/God-is-love.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i></b><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The
Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Psalm
103:8</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> As Valentine’s Day approaches, many
of us consider our worth in comparison to the relationships in our lives. For
the ones characterized by loving-kindness, this idea validates us. Yet for the
ones characterized by abuse, love becomes a confusing concept. Still others of
us may be disconnected from mutually satisfying relationships where we can give
and receive love in a healthy manner. This reality steals our joy since we were
made for community. When so much of our focus rests on deriving our value from how
others perceive us, we can become disheartened. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yet there is One who sees us clearly
and loves us deeply. His love redefines our lives and fills them with joy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Bible describes God as love. Who God is as a person defines our understanding of love. Psalm 103: 8 says that God
is “merciful” and “gracious”. He offers compassion and kindness, providing
light in our desperate circumstances. He uses His power to forgive us and bring
us into a relationship with Himself as a reflection of His love. The closeness
we have with God builds up our spirit instead of crushing our heart. God’s love
abounds in our lives; it is present in great supply. He faithfully lavishes
love on us by treating us with great affection as a reflection of our value and
an expression of His delight in us. His love refines us so that we know our
worth and radiate His love to others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>May we receive His unending love for
us today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-57635494836917543882015-01-19T13:25:00.001-08:002015-01-19T13:25:29.664-08:00Portait of a Survivor
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> One of the first questions
people ask about domestic sex trafficking involves how individuals become
victims and if victims share common qualities that make them at-risk for
exploitation. Although trafficking occurs in diverse communities throughout the
United States, many victims share a background of brokenness and vulnerability.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The average age of entry into domestic sex trafficking is
12 – 14 years old. Often these young children do not know their fathers, live
in a chaotic environment, and have already been a victim of sexual abuse. They
lack safety and protection, making them easy targets for traffickers. Pimps form
relationships with victims by offering them attention, affection, and even
material possessions. This fosters an emotional connection within the victim,
which further ties them to their traffickers. This emotional exploitation
causes significant harm as victims gain a distorted view of love and lack an
identity outside of a relationship with their pimp.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Trafficking survivors experience holistic harm from
victimization. They may be exposed to violence, disease, manipulation, and
threats. Long term stress and repeated trauma influence well-being. Survivors
may possess a mental health diagnosis of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, any
mood, anxiety or psychotic disorder, depression, personality disorder, and/or
substance use. These disorders signify deeper soul issues that need healing as
well as affirmation of strengths. Counseling offers a safe place and trusting
relationship to process brokenness and equip survivors for restoration.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After encountering such a desperate portrait of a
survivor, many people want to know how they can help. Restoration Ministries
believes that the effectiveness of our work comes through prayer. By prayer we
break down strongholds in the lives of clients and claim healing for their
hearts. As you make time to pray, please ask for God’s continued favor on
Restoration Ministries and our relationship with the DC social service systems.
Pray that we will build genuine relationships with the girls, conveying God’s
love for them through our presence. Pray that God would deliver them from
darkness and put a hedge of protection around their lives. Pray that our girls
would place their faith and trust in Jesus. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thank-you
for joining with us to serve survivors through prayer!</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8UxCGxHIFY7mnGfnLv9N_InLT8fPbuT2g14WeqvmgBa8ofXRYY-wikWNX6Wi_Z2WTN6kgoFby2ea7E_KDKoIm2blyzPIS1eim9NmXvYVNXHjzCYIMIEV5nf8Cj5BnOPe4X3VLNaMAjI/s1600/Panel+Event.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8UxCGxHIFY7mnGfnLv9N_InLT8fPbuT2g14WeqvmgBa8ofXRYY-wikWNX6Wi_Z2WTN6kgoFby2ea7E_KDKoIm2blyzPIS1eim9NmXvYVNXHjzCYIMIEV5nf8Cj5BnOPe4X3VLNaMAjI/s1600/Panel+Event.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">(Restoration Ministries’
panel event on caring for survivors of domestic sex trafficking)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-24963052374726464492014-12-30T15:48:00.002-08:002014-12-30T15:48:54.251-08:00Good News of Great Joy
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who
are bound.</i>” </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Isaiah 61:1 (English Standard Version)</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These words about Jesus ring out during the Advent
season. God has drawn near to us through the birth of His son. We are not
alone, forsaken or forgotten. God loves us and brings us into relationship with
Himself through Jesus. This good news is not solely for the important or
powerful but rather for the poor, brokenhearted, and enslaved around us.
Restoration Ministries (RM) works with many youth that fit this description.
They have been abused, outcast, and are fearful of a future without hope. God not
only provides all of us with hope but also offers joy through His presence. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At RM, we believe that our work is a ministry of
presence. We faithfully reflect God’s love and fellowship to needy hearts by
meeting with at-risk youth on a weekly basis. This work builds trust and
fosters opportunity to point youth toward a relationship with God. The
Christmas season allows us to directly express the good news of Jesus by
blessing our girls with gifts of affirmation and encouragement.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This year our Ambassadors joined together to create handmade
cards with verses and notes. Due to the abundance of effort, each gift bag
contained 10 cards. The girls had multiple messages conveying their value and
God’s lavish love for them. Additionally, the Ambassadors donated gift cards to
bless the girls with a special present during the holiday season. The gifts
serve as a reminder that each girl is important to us and precious to God. We
are thankful to all the Ambassadors for expanding the impact of our work
through their generosity. We are grateful to God for His continued to blessing
over this ministry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilV6gfbP94fEy3otVqyYt7uN-2gbE6reuJ7MGSSPCTz8OlJuUsuswgBwjk9FhZqcHqoknCIj-82lAlRXivBl3YATF5NTh_804hNekRRKn6gwl6v6Odaql4HjduSlitSbnUR8LXjHNhfk/s1600/Ambassasdors+XMas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilV6gfbP94fEy3otVqyYt7uN-2gbE6reuJ7MGSSPCTz8OlJuUsuswgBwjk9FhZqcHqoknCIj-82lAlRXivBl3YATF5NTh_804hNekRRKn6gwl6v6Odaql4HjduSlitSbnUR8LXjHNhfk/s1600/Ambassasdors+XMas.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-38838535694442153892014-12-17T15:13:00.003-08:002014-12-29T07:07:09.174-08:00A Prayer for Healing<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://scriptoriumdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Advent-candles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://scriptoriumdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Advent-candles.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
holiday season brings a different tone around the youth detention center. Many of
the teens are looking forward to spending time with their family, receiving
gifts and transitioning out of the system; however, this is also a season where
hurtful emotions are triggered and memories of loss are relived. I have found
that many of the youth are still dealing with their painful past and striving
to overcome it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
topic at last week's group meeting was sexual assault. Four youth members and one case manager
attended it. The youth were eager to tell their stories and each
one was able to relate to the other. I opened the conversation by having
them describe their general views regarding sexual assault and sexual
molestation. All of them agreed that there was no difference between the
two because both actions had the same results. They stressed the fact that the
victim is left traumatized and ‘messed up’. They also remarked that both
assault and molestation are unwanted and forced encounters, making them similarly offensive.
In unison, the youth agreed that the individual who suffers from assault or molestation is traumatized. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Each
one of them had a sexual assault or sexual molestation experience. Most, if not
all, of them experienced being assaulted or molested between the ages of 5 - 18
years old. Unfortunately, the assaults were at the hands of someone they
trusted and/or a family member. Most, if not all, of the assaults were
a set up by the perpetrator. As I listened to them disclose their stories,
they shared a common coping mechanism. That mechanism is forgiveness and
it has helped with their survival. The idea behind forgiveness was to let
go of the experience and not let their perpetrators have control of their lives
or minds. This was a process that took time but eventually each youth has
adapted and worked to overcome their trauma as best as possible. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
was overwhelming to witness their eagerness and resiliency to survive these
events; however, my hope is that they take advantage of individual therapy to
fully heal from trauma and rebuild an identity that affirms their value. The
healing process will be a long one; it could take years. Through weekly
group meetings and tough discussions, the youth discover how past trauma
influences their present life and sometimes they re-live their traumatic
experiences. Individual therapy will help them contain the emotions
from these damaging situations so that they can experience peace. This season points me
back to Christ whose great love for each of us brings healing and restoration
to broken lives. My prayer is that every youth at the detention center comes to
know God’s love as we continue to minister His presence.</span></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-39309892427819617152014-11-19T04:04:00.002-08:002014-11-19T04:04:49.900-08:00Expanding Outreach to DC's At-Risk Youth
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
line-height:107%;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
Restoration Ministries (RM) has been given the opportunity to
serve high-risk youth, ages 15-21, committed at a recreation center in NW,
DC! In DC, 18 year olds are not automatically emancipated from the system
since committed youth exhibit a habit of getting into trouble. Committing these
young people in the system, whether that system is foster care, juvenile
detention or both, provides a way to wrap extra services around them to help
ensure success as a young adult. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
The recreation center consists of approximately 175 teens.
Most are male, some are female, and a few identify as transgender. Many of the
youth do not have nurturing relationships in their lives. Most have no clue
about the identity of their biological father or their father has been locked
up and they have no relationship with him. These youth experience mental health
issues, drug addictions, and struggle to understand the need for an education. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
At the center, our clinical therapist spends a considerable
amount of time meeting the youth in their circumstances; playing pool, ping
pong, and just chatting in the lounge. These times provide precious and
necessary interactions, building a strong foundation so that the youth will be
able to trust the therapist. This enables us to effectively screen for sexual
abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. We also offer a weekly
psychotherapy group on various topics that appeal to the youth. So far the
youth express interest in discussing and receiving help for their anger. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
Recently a mother came to one of the meetings and imparted wisdom
to the group regarding her mistakes in dealing with anger. The youth received
her honesty, allowing them to discuss positive coping skills. A young male shared about his issues with the group home and his desire to be reunited
with his family. He said that he is trying stay under the radar (not get into
any trouble) so that he can get discharged. Another youth discussed how
the loss of a family member has been hard for her to deal with yet she desires
to be a role model for her younger sister. These meetings help the youth
gain awareness about how their decisions influence their future, including
their chances of being discharged from the group home. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
We count it a privilege and honor to sow into the lives of these
youth. We ask for your prayers for continued favor with the youth, their
families, and the city. We also ask for wisdom and discernment as we bring
the light of Christ to the dark places. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-65822999738899848922014-11-05T13:59:00.000-08:002014-11-05T13:59:06.096-08:00The Ripple Effect of Abuse<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Advocates for
survivors of sexual assault carry an urgent message to the public. This message
explains the ripple effect abuse has on victims, family members, and
communities. Sallie Culbreth, Founder and Director of <a href="http://www.committedtofreedom.org/" target="_blank">Committed to Freedom</a>,
wrote a recent article about victim blaming. She wisely places responsibility
for victimization and its consequences with perpetrators and indifferent
bystanders. Her insights will help readers become more aware of the impact of
abuse.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-color: #000000; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1px; color: #aab4ab; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<b>Feeling the Impact's Ripple</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<img align="left" border="0" src="http://www.committedtofreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ripples.jpg" height="128" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="170" />
I'm a seasoned traveler - meaning that while some families need a mud
room, we need a suitcase room because I'm either packing or unpacking.
This week, I was scheduled for a flight that coincided on a day that was
extremely stormy throughout most of the country. Consequently, flights
were cancelled or delayed in a domino-fall kind of way until it impacted
me. All my flights were so delayed that I never made it on a plane. Not
only that, but I didn't make it to my destination, which meant that the
group that brought me in had to scramble to come up with a Plan-B
because it was doubtful I would make my first presentation. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Abuse
impacts the victim in devastating ways, but that impact can ripple out
with the potential of taking out many more people and opportunities than
the abuse recipient. We saw this a few years ago with the exposure of
Jerry Sandusky's predatory sexual abuse of children facilitated by his
affluence in the Penn State football program. As the facts unfolded, it
was revealed that the actions of this man were known, covered up, and
allowed to continue for years by an entire institution of the
university's and community's leaders. The NCAA sent a clear and
appropriate message with stiff sanctions, drawing a line in the sand
that declared this kind of intentional blindness, callous indifference
for the victims, and breathtaking cowardice will not be tolerated. The
result: the actions of this one predator destroyed the lives of his
victims, his family, his charity, and his university's football program.
Who was to blame for this ripple? Jerry Sandusky and the cowards who
looked the other way.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In
another recent story, a high school football program in New Jersey was
suspended because of a hazing incident that boiled down to sexual
assault of younger, new players by other students. What was stunning to me was the uproar that took place
when the season was cancelled by the school superintendent. Who was to
blame for this cancelled season? Those who committed these atrocities.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In
my home state, we have had a series of high profile sexual assault
cases that have been treated in a cavalier and irresponsible manner, in
my opinion, including the bonding out of a man accused of serial rape
and kidnapping in my own community. His victims were terrified and his
freedom meant that our community was filled with anxiety and fear until
he was again arrested on additional charges. Another case involved a 31
year old woman sexually assaulting a 13 year old boy and two young teen
girls. What is stunning about this is the victim blaming that has taken
place on public forums. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Abuse
and sexual assault needs to be taken seriously, understood accurately,
and not tolerated under any circumstances with very firm and clear
cultural, political, religious, and social sanctions. There is most
definitely a ripple effect when predators act that can often take down
many others besides the actual victims. People may raise a ruckus about
football programs or churches or clubs or schools that suffer the
consequences, but the blame rests squarely on the predators and those
who facilitate their predatory behavior.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Amplify
the outrage of a lost football season with the shame, humiliation, and
suffering of the victims. THEN look me in the eye and tell me it's not
fair. And here's the bottom line: it is not fair that a predator has
stolen so much, hurt so many, and violated the vulnerable. Organizations
and communities will either take these situations seriously or there
will be sanctions that have a ripple effect which stings enough to
change the attitudes and actions of those who would otherwise choose to
look the other way.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
© 2014</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Written by Sallie Culbreth, M.S. - Founder<br />
<br />
This article was reprinted with the permission of Ms. Culbreth. To read more articles or to learn about her organization, please visit <a href="http://www.committedtofreedom.org/">www.committedtofreedom.org</a></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-3882198461139675312014-10-03T15:02:00.003-07:002014-10-03T15:10:59.466-07:00Volunteer Interviews<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"맑은 고딕";
mso-font-alt:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-font-charset:129;
mso-generic-font-family:modern;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1879047505 165117179 18 0 524289 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:1;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Restoration
Ministries (RM) operates with the help of faithful volunteers. Each person
possesses conviction to see the end of domestic sex trafficking and to offer
God’s love to survivors. We offer their stories so you can understand the
passion behind this work and get glimpse of God’s faithfulness in this ministry.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Name</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO;"> <span style="mso-themecolor: text2;">Cindy Cha</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How
did you become aware of domestic sex trafficking (DST)?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;">I became aware of domestic sex trafficking when I was
approached to lead my small group on a local mission trip program (called “Intencity”
started by my church). My friend who was on a staff at church’s mission
department had just learned of this org in DC called Restoration Ministries.
She told me about what the ministry does and asked if I would consider
partnering with this ministry for this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was also the very first time I ever heard of human trafficking
existing right here at home. Our group went through a very intense all-day
training and all of us took an entire day to digest the shocking information we
received. Until then, we never knew that these girls were being raped and sold
as commodities so young in age and this was actually happening right here in
the US</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO;">. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What would you like people to know
about DST?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO;"><br />
<span style="mso-themecolor: text2;">That it is a very deep,
complex issue that is so intertwined with other social, economic issues within the
society. Making the difference is not about running around hotels and streets
for a few weeks looking to rescue victims, but about committed individuals who are
willing to work alongside survivors to support and empower them wherever
they’re at in the process.</span></span> <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;">Prayer, preparation (education) and commitment are
essential for being an effective advocate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How long and in what capacity have you
supported RM?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;">I have been with RM for over 7 years now and I started
as the first batch of volunteers when Candace started the volunteer
mentoring program back in 2007. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For few
years, I volunteered to work with the girls at the youth jail and psych
hospitals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently, I oversee the
Ambassadors of Restoration Program. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Please share a verse that encourages
your work as an advocate.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">My
grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;">2 Corinthians 12:9</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tell a brief story that illustrates the
influence of RM in the lives of their clients.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;"> </span>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:1;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"맑은 고딕";
mso-font-alt:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-font-charset:129;
mso-generic-font-family:modern;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1879047505 165117179 18 0 524289 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> I will never forget the very first time
that </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> met</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> her at the youth
jail</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">She was</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> only sweet 16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She described herself as worthless,
unlovable, and deserving of her pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">She asked for a
prayer. As we</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> la</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">id </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">our hands on her in prayer</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">her body shook so hard with pain as she
cried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had been prostituting herself
since she was 14, under the control of her pimp. Her family </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">rejected her</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Her only brother was close death from a drive-by
shooting. Her dad was in jail and she never really knew him.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">God allowed our paths to meet through Restoration
Ministries’ program. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
young girl is smart and creative. Once she wrote a rap expressing her life and performed
it on a volunteer appreciation day. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">She gave me warm,
tight hugs every time I saw her. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">She </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">stayed connected with RM and</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> earned a GED and was accepted into </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">a </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">college</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> with a full scholarship.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">B</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">ut after only few weeks into </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">her freshmen</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
year, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">before I was supposed to start as her mentor, she
has</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> gone back to her pimp, and has not been
heard from again</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> She </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">wa</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">s
the first of many girls I met </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">through RM </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">that followed with similar, horrifying
stories</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so grateful
that even though I have no idea where she is now, to this day I can still lift
her up in my prayers and place my hope in that she is in God’s hands. Because
of Restoration Ministries, such paths are still being crossed where these girls
have chance to share their stories and we can commit to praying for them. It is
the only faith-based organization in DC that offers commitment and building
relationship with these girls to journey together with them, with love and
compassion, to find the injustices and speak up on their behalf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly believe what we can do for these
girls is very limited in our own human abilities… but we can always place our
hope in Christ who will do His mighty work through us. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Name</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: <span style="mso-themecolor: text2;">Evan Orie</span></span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Age</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: <span style="mso-themecolor: text2;">25</span></span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Occupation</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: <span style="mso-themecolor: text2;">Software Developer</span></span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-themecolor: text2;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tell
us something about yourself</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: <span style="mso-themecolor: text2;">For the most part, I could be characterized as your
stereotypical geek. I like to play video games and really enjoy the fantasy
genre, be it movies, books, or board games (e.g. Lord of the Rings, Star Wars,
Magic: The Gathering). I am a cradle Catholic from a biracial family (my mother
is white, my father is black), which has given me a pretty unique perspective
on life in general. My spiritual life started to bud during my early years in
High School when my beliefs were first challenged. Since then, I have steadily
grown closer to the Lord, though my faith has definitely had its peaks and
valleys.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How
did you become aware of domestic sex trafficking (DST)? </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">The topic of sex
trafficking was, more or less, a tangential thought that came into my head
during my college years when I was struggling with the concept of Christian
sexuality. During that time, pornography was a huge weight on my shoulders that
I had kept secret from everyone I knew. However, when God finally helped me
climb out of that hole, He put a fire in my soul to be vocal about my experience
so that other men like me could hear my story and know that they aren’t alone.
This passion got me asking the question “Why is pornography so pervasive? What
gets these women into this industry?” From there, I had many conversations with
various women about the importance of self-worth and beauty in their lives. I
learned that many women who go into pornography or get caught up in DST are
people who have broken families and never had their thirst for true,
unconditional love satisfied.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
motivates you to advocate for victims and survivors?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">I view DST as a social
justice issue. Society has shown time and time again that it has no empathy for
these women and men. For some reason, it doesn’t matter why or how these people
became victims; the simple fact that they have been sex trafficked makes them
“tainted”. This is absolutely ridiculous and heartless. All people are God’s
children and deserve to be treated with respect and love. I advocate for
victims and survivors because others often shutdown their voices.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Share
your vision for creating awareness about this issue. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">In my own life, I have
seen that the best way to spread awareness is through personal relationships.
While reading facts and statistics can be helpful, they often do not lead a
person to real empathy without a personal connection. During my time with
Restoration Ministries, I have learned that nearly everyone has a personal
story of their struggles with sexuality but we have all been conditioned to
keep our struggles secret (caveat: I recognize that sex is a private thing but
there are circumstances when we really do need to talk about it with others.)
If we can break this system of secrecy, then I think our hearts will be more
willing to feel true empathy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How
long and in what capacity have you supported RM? </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">I
started getting involved with Restoration Ministries during the Summer of 2013.
Since then, I have filled two roles: I was a group leader of one of the
Ambassadors of Restoration. My group in D.C. was quite a diverse group. Our age
range spanned from Twenty-Somethings to Retired, included women and men, white
and black, and even various nationalities. This coming Fall, I will be leading
another group, which I very much look forward to hosting.I have also worked as
the Website Administrator for RM. I make updates to the site, set up online
fundraisers, and generally help out with anything computer related.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in 1.0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in 1.0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Please
share a verse that encourages your work as an advocate. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">Matthew
25:31-46</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in 1.0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">“When
the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will
sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he
will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from
the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I
was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was
sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the
righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed
you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and
welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison
and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did
it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in 1.0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text2;">“Then
he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal
fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no
food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not
welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not
visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not
minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as
you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And
these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal
life.”</span></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-37651072260205402452012-09-24T09:47:00.000-07:002012-09-24T10:03:59.284-07:00Addicted To Love by A.K.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /> </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Every
week we visit a youth detention center called Youth Services Center (YSC) and
the psychiatric hospital (PIW) in DC to meet with around 10-20 girls at each
facility, between the ages of 11 and 17.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We provide opportunities for the girls to share their frustrations of
the day and their dreams for the future. We discuss a multitude of issues from
the dangers involved in social media to the tricks pimps use to lure vulnerable
girls from their families or group homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>RM also allows the girls to express themselves through creative outlets
by participating in a therapeutic art component following the discussion. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had always believed that most girls who are
sex trafficked must be physically beaten into submission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From working at RM and better educating
myself on sex trafficking, I see that there is also a deeper, emotional
enslavement and manipulation that comes first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rachel Loyd writes in her book “Girls Like Us” that an estimated one in
four girls are victims of sexual assault or abuse before the age of
eighteen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children who are victimized
through sexual abuse often begin to develop deeply held beliefs that shape
their sense of worth. They begin to believe that their worth is only in their
sexuality. These thoughts then shape their ideas about the world and people
around them and it becomes no surprise when children begin to act in accordance
with these belief systems. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">It
may appear that young girls choose to stay with an abusive boyfriend or pimp
who is exploiting them for money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However the desire to be loved and have a family is so strong and
overpowering in domestically trafficked girls that it doesn’t take long for
their pimp to create that illusion. If you haven’t had proper love and care,
then a substitute will feel like the real thing, because you’ve got nothing to
compare it to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pimps act on the girl’s
desire by creating a family-like structure of girls who are wives-in-law and
led by a man they call Daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pimps
provide a place in which the girls feel wanted and in gratitude they will do
just about anything. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Rachel warns
that, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">“the
greater the girls needs for attention and love, the easier it is for the pimp
to recruit them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more unhealthy
patterns they’ve learned, the less a pimp needs to break them down, and the
less he needs to teach them because it all seems so familiar to the girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For girls who have grown up with an alcoholic
or drug-addicted parent the stage is set for caretaking and codependency
patterns that are helpful in making girls feel responsible for taking care of
their pimp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Violence in the home trains
children to believe that abuse and aggression are normal expressions of
love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abandonment and neglect can create
all types of attachment disorders that can be used to keep girls from ever
leaving their exploiters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For girls
who’ve had nonexistent, fractured, or downright abusive relationships with
their fathers or father figures, it’s easy to draw them in. The desire to be
wanted is so strong that some girls will put up with beatings just to get a
little of that affection they so deeply crave.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are not addicted to drugs and alcohol but to love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">When
I entered the juvenile detention center for the first time I felt intimidated
and overwhelmed by the level of the security they had to lock up
adolescents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to imagine what it
would feel like for a 13 year-old girl who was just brought in by the
police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guards escorted us down a
long hallway, through several holding cells and finally to the girls unit or
“pod” as they call it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We entered one of
the classrooms and soon the girls began to come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it quieted down and we began our
discussion, the girls shared what was on their minds; their frustrations,
doubts, hopes, and fears. During the art activity we are able to just be girls
together. We make bracelets, finger paint, and even sing and dance
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Week after week I see more and more girls
become interested in our discussions and activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see girls begin to uncross their arms and
pull their chairs closer to the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cracks in their defensive walls become large enough to allow some of the
girls to trust us as we build relationships and share our faith with one
another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Girls are beginning to allow
themselves to be vulnerable in front of us and admit that they are scared, miss
their families, and need help. They ask us to come to their court hearings,
pray for their families and admit that they can’t make it on their own. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">It
is difficult not to feel anger and disgust as the girls begin to open up about
the abuse and trauma they have suffered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Monica* shared that she was recently reunited with her older sister who
had disappeared 3 years ago after being sold as a sex slave to a gang by her
boyfriend in exchange for drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
told the group how her sister had been tied to a bed and beaten with a chain to
the point that her face was so distorted that Monica* didn’t recognize her the
first time she saw her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Laura*
shared that more than anything she wanted her mother to love her but would have
to go to a group home because her mother doesn’t want her and her aunt has been
physically abusing her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me that
she felt so much pain that it was a relief when she would cut herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cutting herself with a razor or whatever she
can get her hands on, even the edge of the tube of her toothpaste, actually
felt good compared to the feelings of abandonment and loneliness she felt when
she thought about her mother or the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Without
relying on my faith in Jesus Christ it would be difficult not to get
downhearted and see these girls only as victims, rather than as the survivors
they truly are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I know their
burdens will become lighter if we carry them together. I find the most rewarding
part is providing the girls with the opportunity to pray together and lift up
their struggles, hopes, and fears to the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Laura has a long road ahead of her but when she left PIW to go into a
group home she was expressing herself by writing songs and poetry rather than
cutting herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no easy
solutions but Restoration Ministry offers ultimate hope and healing through the
love and mercy of Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christ
reveals us to ourselves and through his love we can come to truly know who we
are and for what we are created.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I
have been reminded of the pearl and how it is formed – out of pain and
irritation. A tiny piece of sand slips into an oyster’s shell and begins to rub
against the soft tissue, causing irritation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Its response is not to expel the irritant, but rather coat it with the
same material that lines the mollusk’s shell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Over time and after layer upon layer of this coating, the irritant is
transformed into a beautiful, valuable, and unrepeatable pearl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Many
of the girls we minister to at RM are seen by society as ugly, unwanted oyster
shells lying on the beaches of life, beset with trials and problems too
difficult and complex to tackle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
Mathew 7:6 Jesus preaches about the pearl of great price being like the kingdom
of God, and also warns us not to throw our pearls before swine and risk their
being trampled underfoot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the
oyster, these girls have experienced many irritations and trials in their young
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They grieve innumerable losses
and carry heavy emotional burdens, but through Restoration Ministry I have seen
the hope and faith of many strengthened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just like the pearl, through all their turmoil and stress, the love of
Christ begins to wrap itself around their pain and hurt and I see these girls
as our Lord created them, unique and precious gems.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-12401418066290960742012-06-18T19:00:00.001-07:002012-09-24T09:52:32.399-07:00Reflections from Valued Restoration Ministries' Interns<br />
<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></h3>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;">Ministry of Presence (by M.C)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At Restoration Ministries we serve a population that others sometimes neglect. Throughout their lives, the precious young girls we minister to are neglected and abused. It takes time and commitment to break through their hardened exteriors, but most importantly it takes the love of Christ. We strive to display to each girl the love of her Heavenly Father who sees special promise in her, who deeply desires to resurrect the parts of her spirit beaten down by abuse, and who will never leave her or forsake her. We do this by slowly, carefully building trusting and honest relationships. We give each girl a safe place in which to open up her heart. Our goal is to develop long-term friendships with the girls we serve in order to bring them to wholeness in Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We often say we are a ministry of presence. This year the Lord has revealed to me the power of continuing to show up and give time and gentle attention to those who feel broken, alienated, and forgotten. One afternoon I was coloring quietly with a young lady that I have been seeing for months when she looked up at me and said, “I know now that God is real and that he loves me because you always show up. I never have to doubt that you will be here. You just love me, without judging me, and you don’t even have to”. Her comment almost brought me to tears as I realized that slowly the Lord had begun to reveal himself to her through one person’s simple act of just showing up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So we continue to show up each week, and the Lord is present with us and moving in our midst! This year so far we have had the opportunity to speak purpose and destiny into our girls’ lives on numerous occasions through holding parties, making art together, and sharing thoughts in group discussions. One week we discussed self-esteem and the girls beamed from ear to ear as they talked about how God sees them as beloved daughters, victorious, righteous, and precious in His sight. It was beautiful to see the Lord dispelling the lies that are ingrained so deeply in the girls and filling those empty spaces with His truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As we continue to be faithful with what He has entrusted to us, the Lord stays close at our side. . Each day we see the cracks in our girls’ self-protective shells widen a little bit, and we are reminded over and over that “where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – M.C.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-53057033507313868522012-06-18T18:54:00.001-07:002012-06-18T18:54:20.509-07:00A Legal Intern's Reflections on Rewarding, yet Heartbreaking work<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reflections from a Restoration Ministries' Intern (by B.I.):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Interning at Restoration Ministries in Washington, D.C. has already proven to be a great learning experience. I go every Friday to the Psychiatric Hospital of Washington and every Monday to the juvenile detention center called the Youth Services Center to meet with around twenty girls ranging in age from 11 to 17, some of whom have been sex trafficked, to participate in what the founder of Restoration Ministries, Candace Wheeler, calls “a ministry of presence.” During my second week at Restoration, I was called upon, due to a change in staffing, by God and Candace to lead the teams at the psych hospital and juvenile detention center in our weekly discussions. As a mom of three boys, I found it a little daunting to deal with a room full of girls, but have grown to love it and to really love the girls. They need so much of it. Restoration has also been blessed with a great team of women this summer, and I feel honored to work with and know each of them. A true team spirit prevails here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">During our time at both facilities, we read through a discussion sheet focused on a particular topic for that week and follow that up with an art activity that compliments the discussion. The discussions always deal with spirituality, health and wellness, prostitution and trafficking, or job skills but always with a Christian focus and scripture. This week, my last of four weeks of leading discussions, I was blessed with a team of musicians to play worship songs, and I taught the girls sign language for signing the words of part of one of the songs. It was a big hit and led to a prayer circle time at both facilities that led to the girls’ speaking out their own prayers to God, something they also write on paper so we can tape it to our “wailing wall” and continue to pray over back at the organization. It was powerful and moving, and God was clearly present. Some girls began to cry and to seek one-on-one attention and prayer from the team, which each of the members was glad to do, the true rewards of the work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The goal of every discussion time is to get the girls to open up and begin talking with the ultimate goal of building relationships with them. It’s through that process that they are more ready to reveal the truth about the things they have experienced, including sex trafficking. Once it’s clear that there is a possibility of a girl having been trafficked for sex, Restoration Ministries begins another level of working with her, sometimes for years. The work is both rewarding and heartbreaking and the success stories, due to the complexities of sex trafficking and the layers of trauma, are incremental, and few and far between. However, Candace has never wavered in her commitment to the challenge and calling God has put on her life. She has walked for over eight years through the trials that come with this work to maintain that commitment with an integrity and determination that God is beginning to reward in great ways. It has been a wonderful time to be interning here to see what God does when we are faithful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Candace’s goal for any law student interning at Restoration Ministries is to provide the intern the opportunity to get to experience the reality of girls who have been trafficked, in hopes it will create a greater sensitivity towards the victim for the intern’s future practice in law. In addition, a legal intern is able to get a firsthand understanding of domestic rather than international trafficking, something that often gets overlooked. I have been richly rewarded in both of these ways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My other responsibilities as a legal intern have been to create legal agreements for new volunteers, interns, and independent contractors; to attend D.C. and Northern Virginia Task Force meetings; to meet with the local judge who handles all of the prostitution cases dealing with juveniles; to meet with the U.S. Attorney who heads the D.C. Trafficking Task Force, and to attend several forums on trafficking, one at the state-of-the-art FBI Northern Virginia Resident Agency in Manassas, Virginia. I will soon be doing a nighttime ride along with local police officers who focus on prostitution and possibly will be able to sit in a few prostitution court cases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add to all of that how much I love the city with its unbelievable number of people; my hour commute to and from Bethesda, Maryland on a sometimes un-air-conditioned and always jam-packed crowded Metro train; the long, high escalators leading out of the dimly lit train tunnels to my lovely summer home and host in Bethesda; the restaurants on every corner with every possible delicious cuisine; and the amazing sights in D.C. including my favorite recent discovery, the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden. This is where tourists and interns alike sit in the midst of a circle of neatly pruned trees by a reflecting pool, shoes on the ground behind them, cooling their feet in the pool’s waters, feet steaming from the blocks and blocks of required D.C. walking. Arcs of water stream across the pool, starting low and rising to a crescendo, all meeting in the middle. Breathtaking! Yesterday, a duck dive-bombed into the pool to get crackers from some kids sitting near me. I have never seen a duck from quite that angle, legs dangling as he soared above trying to pick the perfect landing spot. I feel like that duck. First year of law school is like legs dangling, looking for a place to land. I feel I’ve found it for this summer. Thanks so much to those who have made it possible, Candace, Regent, and donors. Six more weeks and lots more to come…. – B.I. </span>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-17264722612672077622012-06-18T18:53:00.001-07:002012-06-18T18:53:32.458-07:00To Learn and To Serve<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p>Reflections from a Restoration Ministries' Intern (by C.W.):</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span> </span>I had no idea what to expect coming into my job at Restoration Ministries (RM). The one thing I was for sure about is that it is exactly where the Lord wanted me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The first day of my internship I walked in expecting a morning prayer meeting (as my boss had mentioned to me in an email). I love conversing with the King so I figured it would be an awesome start to the day and I really thought it was just going to be a <i>start</i> to the day. Well, after meeting my boss and touring the office I found out that it was not just a <i>morning</i> prayer meeting but that Thursdays are prayer DAY. We spent time in prayer/worship from 9am until around 3:30 in the afternoon. Awesome! I admit, I was a little intimidated coming into a prayer meeting for an organization I knew very little about. But, the fact that this ministry operates out of reliance on our creator was such an encouraging first impression!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Through time in prayer, I really got to see how much my boss, Candace, really trusts God for. She asks for small and specific things as well as big things beyond our control. As my co-workers prayed, I listened and started learning about the ministry and what they actually do. I was filled with questions that spilled out as soon as we had a break from prayer. It was such an interesting way to get a feel for the organization.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I learned that a big part of what RM does is to go into the Youth Detention Center and Psych Institute weekly and provide a prostitution/intervention and prevention program. The girls age from 11-17 and have been brought to these facilities for things such prostitution, running away from home, self-harm, or suicidal tendencies. Each weekly meeting has a different topic of focus that could range from sex trafficking to future careers. RM gives each girl an intake form to try and gauge her history of sexual exploitation. If RM feels that the girl has been a victim of sex trafficking, further measures are taken to gain more information and provide services/resources for the girl’s healing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RM also seeks to establish long-term relationships with the girls so that when they are released from their current facility, they have a place to turn for further help. This is just a summary of the work that RM does and has been doing over the past 8 years, there is still even more that goes on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before starting this internship there were two things that I felt the Holy Spirit wanted me to expect: to learn and to serve. It has been less than three weeks and I have already seen those things play out. I have been learning so much by spending time with Candace and other team members. Candace has had to sacrifice so much for this ministry that the Lord has obviously called her to. She has been so faithful to His prompting but it has not been easy. D.C. has been a hard place to plant this ministry and finding community to back her up has also been a trial; however, she stays faithful. It is so encouraging to see how much Candace really believes the Lord and trusts Him. I feel that a big reason I am here this summer is to serve her and lift her up as the Lord continues to use her. I am also so blessed by Beth who is a legal intern here at RM. She has children my own age but has honestly become such a good friend and sister to me already. She has an incredible story that Christ has and is using in her life. He shines brightly in it and that has so challenged me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Though much of my work is very “interny” and mundane, that was expected and I am happy to do it. I am so blessed to be able to spend time with the girls at all. I feel a strong calling to be here and the Lord is definitely sustaining. Not everyday is joy-filled but I am praying that I can find gratitude in small things such as making copies or organizing files.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” Matthew 25:23<span> </span>- C.W.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-36227045982518242202012-06-18T18:52:00.002-07:002012-06-18T18:52:26.714-07:00Through a Man's Eyes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reflections from a past Intern (by M.L.)</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a man working at Restoration Ministries, I was changed in a way I will never forget. As a third-year counseling student seeking a practicum site, I discovered this ministry to sexually exploited girls and decided to get involved. When I first walked into the center to meet with the director of the program, I immediately saw the Wailing Wall filled with prayer requests from the girls they were working with at the Youth Service Center (YSC) and The Psychiatric Institute of Washington (PIW), and it made an impact. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was generally aware of human trafficking but believed it was mainly happening in foreign countries. By reading articles from CNN and other online resources, I became more aware of prostitution and sex slavery in the United States. While growing up in Northern Virginia, I had heard of areas in D.C. where women were being prostituted. However, learning the facts from third parties made the reality feel distant. I did not take it seriously since I did not have any direct involvement with the issue and it did not affect anyone I knew. All of that changed when I started working personally with girls at YSC and PIW through Restoration Ministries. The real damage of sex trafficking is undeniable when a girl is sitting in front of you, telling her story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span> </span>To hear from these young girls how so many of them had survived being molested and raped by their own family members, before finally being sold into prostitution, was gut-wrenching. Their heartbreaking stories of being abused sexually, emotionally, and mentally are ones that have stuck with me and caused me to re-evaluate how I view and relate to the women in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One area I have dealt with is the messages and references made toward women in the music and movies I consume. Before working at Restoration Ministries, I saw a “pimp” as a man who was able to have a lot of women, and I saw the number of women a man had as a badge of merit. However, seeing up close the damage a pimp really causes changed the way I saw that type of man. This simple concept helped me re-evaluate the things I watch and listen to, which is something all Christians should do. The Bible says in Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Working with these girls meant that I had a rare chance to see with new eyes how my actions might affect others, and gave me an opportunity to learn how to truly convey God’s love to them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 48pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After realizing the impact men had in the lives in these girls, and how deeply I as a man could influence the women around me, I knew that I would always be a work in progress. There will always be the need for me to renew my mind and set boundaries on what I watch, what I listen to, and how I act. I encourage every man to monitor what he allows to enter his mind. The Bible clearly states in Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, <b>guard</b> <b>your</b> <b>heart</b>, for everything you do flows from it.” There is nothing that we will indulge that will not surface in our actions and in our relationships. Let’s be careful what we let into our minds, so that we can know that what flows from our hearts will be Godly love. – M.L.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-7114566420771919172012-03-20T13:15:00.000-07:002012-03-20T13:15:35.021-07:00Restoration Ministries hosts their 5th Annual Benefit Concert!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On Friday, March 16, a diverse and vibrant crowd gathered at Ebenezers Coffeehouse to listen to the musical talents of Bethany and the Guitar and learn more about the programs and services provided by Restoration Ministries for survivors. We had an amazing turnout and want to thank everyone who made the evening a success!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidbDl1qcuVeqDBkqR5fNMAfJJ1Bt-rVfuUf1H80lcwWlLkpMAigiQjN8sdefApKAsoPwbMjNgjtOqKOzf7yu_a0XmB1JYVF_QhvIpeJPPrhIKHFPpPzSQcb9mzhW1jN8hu-ZglTMFPyCw/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidbDl1qcuVeqDBkqR5fNMAfJJ1Bt-rVfuUf1H80lcwWlLkpMAigiQjN8sdefApKAsoPwbMjNgjtOqKOzf7yu_a0XmB1JYVF_QhvIpeJPPrhIKHFPpPzSQcb9mzhW1jN8hu-ZglTMFPyCw/s320/photo+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Restoration Ministries team members and board members</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-LMn6TTFfuizBYAT5Vh_8xVUd87CZZei52QmNKVxxCDachvwsfqrVYL4hTPnrGARpksIoFc6Fh5oFVNv4FZw0He936OF2YkpsQcEV_2dcP1eoIuzBUXtlXL65c9GggLg_h5KBkucz3Y/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-LMn6TTFfuizBYAT5Vh_8xVUd87CZZei52QmNKVxxCDachvwsfqrVYL4hTPnrGARpksIoFc6Fh5oFVNv4FZw0He936OF2YkpsQcEV_2dcP1eoIuzBUXtlXL65c9GggLg_h5KBkucz3Y/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bethany and the Guitar band members</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RVUU3grFNSe4lQsehd0HKbBpRC8N4MlDyBFOZFSmF_-4Rqzc5kFMPWrtJhgnBOSCPIyPnl6ODlzkjQAgaQiWU2LW5KfcKI6SKCbYN7g7PASthN911_9wflYAzqmOZVwllT1sqPnDWDE/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RVUU3grFNSe4lQsehd0HKbBpRC8N4MlDyBFOZFSmF_-4Rqzc5kFMPWrtJhgnBOSCPIyPnl6ODlzkjQAgaQiWU2LW5KfcKI6SKCbYN7g7PASthN911_9wflYAzqmOZVwllT1sqPnDWDE/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Emcee Elizabeth Knox interviewing Founder and Director; Candace Wheeler</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> and Caseworker; Megan Cesar</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIxxfy2bur-1ALh9japHku0zYr6vukxIf3jsX3rfUN1ZLIs13AqJF47LZa4sOBW2-3zngEhdMIlbmwh5JptXsEiR3HhKb5L1BXTqWc1qZYSimqOu5Xw4dkOy7QMX02xXhfjZSvAf0gGY/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIxxfy2bur-1ALh9japHku0zYr6vukxIf3jsX3rfUN1ZLIs13AqJF47LZa4sOBW2-3zngEhdMIlbmwh5JptXsEiR3HhKb5L1BXTqWc1qZYSimqOu5Xw4dkOy7QMX02xXhfjZSvAf0gGY/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-33373427581664904932011-11-15T13:46:00.000-08:002011-11-15T13:47:25.536-08:00In the midst of darkness, an RM case worker sees glimmers of incredible Hope:<div class="MsoNormal">As a counselor in training I have always had hopeful aspirations of “changing lives”. It has always been my heart’s desire to be used by the Lord to bring hope and healing to the broken that He loves so much. What those of us in the helping professions often don’t consider is that in our attempt to change lives we will be radically changed ourselves. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">At Restoration Ministries we go into the youth detention center and the psychiatric hospital each week and the girls share their lives with us. We are allowed the privilege to walk with them through their pain. As we meet them where they are each week they begin to let down their guard. They embrace us even with all our imperfections and over time relationships begin to form. We see the Lord touch their lives and as a result we are changed. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Through this process the Lord has radically shifted my view of life through my interactions with these girls. As I hear their stories of brokenness I am overwhelmed by such deep pain that only He can heal; but I am also witness to their hope, strength, and resiliency. I am amazed each week at how He is faithful to move in our midst. It is the seemingly small moments that have the greatest impact on me in this ministry.<br />
<br />
My first day as I walked through six doors that slammed locked behind me at the youth detention center something deep within me shook. I entered the classroom and looked into the eyes of 8 young girls that sat sleepily in front of me and thought "they are just kids Lord, how can they be here?” They went on to share their hopes and dreams with us that day. They had such big dreams for their future; they wanted to travel, to be doctors, lawyers, counselors, and artists. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As I sat with one young lady during her craft she began to open up to me, “I want to change my life when I get out of here and I don’t want to end up back here” she said, “I want to be a counselor and to help people who have been through the pain I have been through”. She beamed from ear to ear as we continued to talk about her goals and I had the opportunity to speak God’s truth into her life. As group came to a close she hugged me tightly and thanked me for talking to her. I was overwhelmed with God’s love for her and began to get just a small glimpse of why we do what we do at RM.<br />
<br />
In the past two months I have seen more than 80 different girls, each with a story to tell if someone would just take the time to listen. In September, we met Lisa* who cried as she shared with the group that she felt like she had no value. Her father sexually abused her then stuffed her in a trash can filled with water to drown her. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In October, we met Daija* who shared that she was ashamed because her aunt tied her to a chair and made her watch pornography when she was 7 years old. We also met Cassie* who had the entire group in tears as she shared about her former heroin addiction and how she wanted to change, but nobody in her life believed in her. Everyone from her parents to her judge told her she was nothing but a menace to society who could never be anything, but trouble. She sobbed as she screamed, “I just want to be loved is that too much to ask?”. The girls in group hugged her and we cried with her as we told her we loved her and about God’s love for her. The entire group asked for prayer that day. The stories could go on and on, they never get easier to hear, but they all impact us and cause us to look to the only ONE who can heal hurt this deep.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps the most impactful experience for me was my encounter with a 15 year old girl named Mariah*. After group one day Mariah was sharing her story with one of the other RM team members. She became overwhelmed by her pain and ran back into the classroom in tears. I sat next to her on the sofa and she fell into my arms. As she sobbed she whispered through her tears “it’s not my fault, I’m scared and I don’t want to die”. When I asked her why she feared for her life she was too overwhelmed to share, so I asked her if I could pray for her. I held her in my arms and prayed over her until she was calm enough to talk. She went on to share with me that she had been forced to have sex, beaten, and held at gun point several times when she ran away from home and she didn’t feel safe going back. In the past month we have continued to work together both in group and on an individual basis. I have seen tremendous progress. As she continues to share her story with me, God brings opportunities for me to share His love and His plan for her life. In addition to talking about her story, we have worked on coping skills for her anxiety and goal setting for the future. However, most importantly she agreed to let me share her story with her social worker so that she can get the help she needs when she leaves the hospital. There is still tremendous healing that needs to take place, but the healing process has begun. God in His goodness has given me the grace to take part in that healing process even if only for a short time.<br />
<br />
In this ministry stories like these are endless. Some people ask me if I get mad at God for the horrible things I hear or if I feel hopeless. The answer is no; I see the hope every day. We continue to show up and in turn God is faithful to show up as well. I have realized we may be the only love and truth some of these girls ever experience. Lives are changed one moment at a time as we continue to yield ourselves and allow ourselves to be used by God. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Written by M.C., posted by L.L.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-88894503609043613232011-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:002012-09-24T09:55:44.941-07:002011 DC Stop Modern Slavery Walk<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihd_C8EuUVsdSmYFWYP5T4XZQGKUwU8_JbXlSFKY8Z_Ls51_Xs1iwcSHzY4AMykmlf282FC5Z_kuwEDanlGgcBbZqr0wyOaVR0ecClauVmxJ2P0YnFCoYhtoNFWmZqCpgDHD7yOPutSio/s1600/IMG_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihd_C8EuUVsdSmYFWYP5T4XZQGKUwU8_JbXlSFKY8Z_Ls51_Xs1iwcSHzY4AMykmlf282FC5Z_kuwEDanlGgcBbZqr0wyOaVR0ecClauVmxJ2P0YnFCoYhtoNFWmZqCpgDHD7yOPutSio/s320/IMG_0061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several members of the RM team!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXLB8rUwUSvm8fLkItU6lCRYazqODa40UpDXEIysG6m4G1cgYTSZkscApG1nEmGeqqPoSMHzyGC8n5oZzEVgFdv5PS_oNiAW0hduKCUfroBjLoKchBFhOzdq3Tv8WAE4TxJjNgW6fEzA/s1600/IMG_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXLB8rUwUSvm8fLkItU6lCRYazqODa40UpDXEIysG6m4G1cgYTSZkscApG1nEmGeqqPoSMHzyGC8n5oZzEVgFdv5PS_oNiAW0hduKCUfroBjLoKchBFhOzdq3Tv8WAE4TxJjNgW6fEzA/s320/IMG_0064.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting the walk to the fantastic, upbeat drums!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thank you to those of you who came out and supported Restoration Ministries at the 2011 DC SMS walk! It was a beautiful, crisp October morning and activists from all over the D.C. metro area were energetic as we joined other anti-human trafficking organizations to take a stand against modern day slavery. Check out our album on Facebook to see more pictures: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.265087550193573.55121.123643591004637&type=1 </span>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339051910422086715.post-5327124481908774692011-10-18T18:25:00.000-07:002011-10-18T18:25:47.498-07:00DC Stop Modern Slavery Walk - This Saturday!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Join us this Upcoming<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Saturday, October 22, 2011 for the D.C. Stop Modern Slavery Walk</span></b>. Join hundreds of other advocates against modern slavery and human trafficking as we walk on the mall taking a stand against injustice. Sign up at: http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=482690 and join the Restoration Ministries team. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From the event website: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: 15px;">The event will include a 5K walk, anti-trafficking resource fair, luminary speakers, and incredible musical performances.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong>Schedule:</strong></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span></span></span><br />
<blockquote style="font-size: 12px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">8:00 - </span>9<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">:</span>0<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">0 am - </span>Check-in</span></strong></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">9:</span>0<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">0 am - Walk Begins </span></span></strong></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">1</span>0<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">:</span>15<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>am<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - Performers, Speakers & Information Fair </span>Begins</span></strong></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">1<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">:00 pm - Event Ends</span></span></strong></span></span></span></div></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"><strong><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">How:</span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">All participants must <a href="http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/waiver.asp?ievent=425974&lis=1&kntae425974=344F37BF992447F097EE0B3D79815CBF">register</a> to walk. Children 13 and under can participate for free</span>, but must also register (required by the National Park Service).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Length of Walk:</strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">5K (3.1 miles) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">There is also an alternate .5 mile walk around the pond by the family activity area.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong> </strong></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"><strong><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;">W</span></strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"><strong>here:</strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">National Mall - Constitution Gardens</span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Constitution Avenue NW and </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-size: 13px; white-space: pre;">20</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">th St NW Washington DC</span></span></span></strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></strong></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 12px;"></span></span></span>Restoration One Ninety-Ninehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07958114633490949282noreply@blogger.com0