Month: May 2022

Pop-Up at the Laundromat

Tuesdays we are in Riviera Beach, and Wednesdays in WPB. We average 2 to 8 women at each site per week. We would love to have these “pop-ups” at similar locations across the country. We are creating a reproducible template for taking this initiative anywhere it is needed.

Want to help?

• Level: Easy

Help us fund the program by monthly donations. Between laundry detergent, coin-op costs, refreshments and toiletries, each site costs roughly $150/month.

• Level: Medium

Pray for the Pop-Up meetings, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 3:30 to 5:00. 1st: Safety for all concerned. The site has good visibility, but it is in a hardscrabble part of the world – so there is always some level of danger for volunteers and participants. 2nd: We would draw a consistent group of women we could build relationships with. 3rd: Others would step up to staff additional Pop-Up sites. 
 

• Level: Hard

Volunteer!! Contact [email protected] for information regarding volunteer training and opportunities.

Interested in becoming a volunteer for LightHousePBC?  CLICK HERE

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Update from the John School

The John School has been chalking up some fairly remarkable stats with the individuals we have served in the classes. While we have organizational documents – the kind that induce REM sleep – we thought to share an update that was submitted to the District 15 DA’s office April, 2022, ago that sums up the impact to date:

On the buyers’ side, we have had several men who were also social influencers. The class impacted them so much that they said they would begin to advocate against commercial sex. One of them came up to Justin – the therapist who runs the buyers’ group therapy sessions – in tears, asking him how he could protect his 13 year old daughter. Several men have been in tears considering the impact of their actions on the women selling themselves. No shame! Just contrition over their choices and the damage done.

The buyers’ course feedback papers have been highly positive, thankful for the training, with high marks for the various sections. How cool is that!?!

On the sellers’ side, by the afternoon group sessions, they have been undone by the kindness, dignity and affirmation they are given – shocked that there is no shame or condemnation – and earnestly talking about what it would look like to change their lives. Every class has had one woman who wanted out. We have maintained contact with them and those still hesitating to take the risk – but at least they know there is support and resources available to them when they are ready.

The feed back papers from the sellers’ classes have all been highly positive as well.

IN THE VALLEY OF WEEPING

– by Becky Dymond

So Monday, I did an extensive intake on a trafficking survivor. As she told her story about her family of origin and abuse she suffered by her father, mother and sister, I began to weep. I was so grieved by the things she experienced – things God never meant a little girl to hear or suffer – events that will forever be a part of her memories, and how she defines reality and personal safety. I stopped and said, “I am just so sorry, so sorry that you experienced those things. No one should be treated like that – and I’m so sorry those things happened to you.” I was able to stop weeping – but it seemed like my tear gaskets were leaky for the rest of the day.


That evening – kinda sweet – she texted me, and thanked me, saying no one had ever wept over her story before… And that some day she hoped to be healthy enough that she could weep over someone else’s story as I had for her.

The next day, I was up early and reading Renting Lacy, by Linda Smith and Cindy Coloma, published by Shared Hope. It is the story of “Lacy,” a young teenage girl snared into sex trafficking by an older man, a pimp, who pretended to love her. He bought her affections – and devotion – through a few cheap meals, costume jewelry and gifts. I read a short chapter, then thought to read a bit more into the next chapter… Strategic error… I began to weep, and this time I could not stop. Sigh…

So I went to my office to spend time soaking in worship music – still weeping, still messed up by the cruelty, the sad and heartbreaking stories so many people have to share. I pulled up IHOPKC.org’s prayer room and sank into the loveseat in my office, trying (unsuccessfully) to pull myself together – since I had a day full of client appointments starting in a couple hours. I listened to the music for maybe a half hour – tears still coursing down my cheeks, cuddled up with a box of tissues. And then… the vocalist, Matt Gillman, began to sing from Psalm 84:

5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools.

7 They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.

As he sang about the Valley of Baca – which means weeping – I realized the Lord was speaking to me. These stories, the realities of modern day trafficking and childhood abuse, neglect and abandonment really do represent passages filled with pain, disappointments and hopelessness. But God is calling believers to act as His ambassadors – introducing His hope, bringing healing and restoring destiny. These elements transform the Valley of Weeping – times of intense pain and suffering – into springs of refreshing, nourishment and comfort.

And yes, I do hear stories that are intensely distressing and disturbing, even grievous… But I also carry the truth that God can redeem anything. He can take the swords that were meant to destroy us (Is 2:4) and help us beat them into plowshares – instruments of productivity and a source of nourishment not only for myself, but others in my sphere of influence. He can take the spears that were used against me and help me beat them into pruning hooks – producing fruit that is sweet to the taste and refreshing.

OK… That works.

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