The Root of a Realized Dream: House of Engedi

In honor of today, Blog Action Day and its special emphasis on human rights this year, I decided to join what can be a depressing conversation with some freakin’ amazing news. News of a place that will be a safe haven for adult survivors of sex trafficking. Girls who’ve been forced, coerced, or enticed by trickery, flattery, gifts and a false dream…into a life of selling their bodies to strangers night after night. This is where they can call home, learn, relax, grow and heal.

Money’s a tricky thing.  Contrary to what some may feel, it’s not the root of all evil. That’s the love of money. It can turn an honest person into a hoarder and thoughtful person into a fool. But depending on the hands it is in, and the heart of the beholder, one lump sum of money can seriously alter the course of lives…and yes, for the better.

My friend, Jennifer spent too long on the streets. She’d tasted abuse and knew well the numbness, highs and lows of being strung out.  She ended up being led, she says by God, to a home that had people in it who actually cared about her. They truly loved her enough to invest in her. Years later as she looks back, she says with her beautiful smile, it was that experience that led her to have an “atomic bomb” type of passion for the vulnerable. The house she was set free and delivered in birthed the dream of a new house…one just for girls that knew the same kind of pain she’d felt. It would be called The House of Engedi.

Just a few months ago, it was still in the distance. The dream, that is. She could see it in her mind. The unconditional love given in that place. That would have to be foundational, but The Beatles were off… that’s not all you need. Resources, mental health therapy and spiritual support would be offered, it would spill out beauty, have horse stables on the property, an empowering learning center, a comforting dog as their companion, top-notch leadership and artwork displayed. Some day.

All that was really needed was the money.

It happened so fast. A woman back east was Googling what organization she should help out, and stumbled upon The House of Engedi’s meager website. Many wouldn’t look much further, but this woman was drawn in by Jen’s mission to be the first to offer long term care and rehabilitation in a safe house just for survivors of sex trafficking over 18 years old. It would be the first and only of its kind in the entire state of Oregon. It wasn’t just Jen’s mission, but her past that moved this woman to tears…and then to action. She wanted in.

Disclaimer: The next thing that happened might challenge your belief in the goodness of mankind.

Jennifer went to get the mail and opened it with her husband. A card and a check burned in her hands. She thought for a moment that she read a six-figure number and nearly lost control, but when her husband corrected her and read the amount written alpha-numerically on that long line, she really lost it. This woman went from stranger to friend, to investor in human lives and will soon be instrumental in the restoring of human rights.  Jen called me as she was about to deposit her gift of one million dollars. I was at the skate park, and I could have sworn she was having a hysterical breakdown of epic proportions. This was serious. But it turned out her cries were those of joy and of praise to God. It was true. It was legit. It was God and how he used that woman to bring hope to so many.

Just a few weeks ago, on October 3rd, their offer on a home was accepted. The entryway squeals, “welcome home!”, The kitchen is immaculate, the inspection of the entire place went as smooth as it could. And now it is THE House of En Gedi, Jen’s dream, literally come true. Not only has the gift of money to this organization gone toward this long term facility, just this week a second shelter was purchased – this one a drop-in day shelter for the girls on the streets of downtown Portland. Ran by a sister organization, Hope82 and in close partnership with the Portland PD, police will now have a safe place to drop off girls who’ve been rescued or are trying to escape “the life”.  This day center will be complete with showers, safety, computers, food, resources and of course non-stop love. Its name? The Hope House.

Jen with Ember, their Great Dane pup newly donated to House of En Gedi

This is pretty crazy. Just when Jen thought all odds and even some friends were against her, a woman showed up and changed everything with her heart to see brokenness mended and her funds to build homes that would restore dreams. With God’s provision, direction and supernatural hand in everything that’s happened this year, she is at peace. “I don’t have to lay in bed and cry anymore trying not to wake my husband, thinking of all the girls out there who need help”. It’s really happening.

This is far from the end of the story, but what a beginning, right? To learn more about Jen and the House of En Gedi, and to pick the story up from here, simply ‘like’ the Facebook page or her meager website.

The Lone Freedom Advocate

Still pondering a dream I woke up from this morning, about a cute little creature that escaped me and fell through a crack in the floor. I reached for it, but it had fallen too far. I looked closer to find it had fallen thru to a lower level, right into someone else’s lap. Safe. Not lost. I hurried down the stairs and to my surprise, in those few moments, it had grown. My family and I played with it happily.

Last night at the Newberg awareness event I let myself get discouraged bc I’m not technically with an org…or a representative of a non-profit. I’ve also been trying to reconcile the loss of friendship with a survivor.

I’m by myself now, and doing what I can from where I am with what gifts I have been given. I let myself feel disconnected with diminished purpose…until the sun broke, and I realized that I am a representative of Something even better – the One true God, Author of Salvation, Redemption and Transformation.

The belonging & covering I felt in my 2.5 yrs. w/SCTNow pales to that of who I am in Christ. The 2 yrs I spent mentoring a survivor were not the end. He has more for me to do, more for me to speak life into. Much more.

I am the lone Freedom-Advocate!
And I’m ok with that, cause I know that I am never alone. The important things are, that I:
keep loving on my family,

keep praying and acting on behalf of the oppressed and

keep my head up.

A Tribute to Kelsey Emily

This morning, I noticed this rose. One of three. Of the others, one was big and robust with peachy petals still turned in, and one was cherry red in color, dainty, content in drinking its life water. I removed them from the cream pitcher to leave this single flower that stood out to me.

I’d like to give her a chance to bloom. I don’t know why she hasn’t, except that I cut her away from her original source of nourishment.

It wasn’t her fault.

She would’ve been able to open up and become more. She would’ve been able to bless more people, much longer with her stunning beauty and pleasing colors. There must be two dozen of her friends still thriving from the same source and soil. They are dancing in the wind as I type this.

But now I fear it’s too late for this one. We won’t get to witness the potential she beheld.

She is gorgeous. Her smile fascinates. Her eyes shimmer.

Her soul thirsts for sustenance. Her spirit, for significance. Her memory, for honor.

Her name is Kelsey Emily.

A Man to Fight for You – Pt.2

In July of 2012, a Toronto man saved a woman’s life by stopping traffic on a busy interstate as she stepped off of the bridge above it.  The coverage explains his behavior as instinctive.

But if it were, wouldn’t this heroism happen a lot more? Wouldn’t women feel less helpless and more secure if the men in their lives were physically there to listen, comfort and protect them?  The woman from this story was determined to jump into eternity.  But just as determined was a stranger that seemed to jump off a page of a Marvel comic book. Why? He noticed her and deemed her worthy to save. Which begs the question, “what made her worthy?”

For a fresh take on why men come to the rescue of women, I brain-picked Superhero film and comic fanatic /Youth Pastor of  Horizon Community, David Conlee:

1.  What’s your favorite superhero movie, and why?

Iron Man. His character, Tony Stark is deeply flawed, doesn’t have super powers, he’s not an alien, he wasn’t created by some industrial accident.  But he’s a man with resources who leverages it all to right the wrongs he sees in the world.

2.  Many of these films portray an ordinary man that discovers an injustice and inherently fights it. In 2002’s Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire seems to keep rescuing cutie, Kirsten Dunst, who continually finds herself in sudden danger. Is it instinctive for men to rescue vulnerable women?

I do believe that men desire to be providers…and because of that we want to solve problems, right wrongs, and rescue the “damsel in distress”.  Men want to fix things, so when a woman is in trouble it taps into this primal nature to save her and make it right.

3. What about you?  Presuming you were able, would you be less likely to rescue an unattractive woman?

Probably at least at a subconscious level.  Men are visual processors and physical beauty is a motivator for us.  It would depend on who she is and how much I would have to risk to rescue her.

5.  What’s your favorite romantic comedy?

I’m a sucker for Pretty Woman (ironic given the subject matter above)!

Remember Lyla from Part 1? This survivor of sex trafficking prefers a sappy romantic comedy to a superhero film any night…27 Dresses being her favorite. They let her visit a world where a girl is actually honored enough to pursue. Where she’s no longer alone. Her boundaries are respected, and he was “there, to make her better”.  For 90-138 minutes, she’s transported out of reality, and into an almost giddy trance.

Why Not Intervene?

I think of that woman on the bridge and wonder if she felt there was no reason to go on living was because she didn’t believe she was worth a man’s time.  Whether it’s a “Good Samaritan” showing deep concern, or her husband or father offering non-performance-based love, I’m convinced that more men have got to intervene.

Men, you can make a conscious decision to intervene when you see a woman in desperate need, attractive or not. In doing so, you destroy the barrier of perceived inequality. She is made in the image of God just as you are, worth just as much as you are.

Another that must be destroyed is the barrier of making her prove her worth. How can she prove it if she doesn’t realize it herself?  Besides, trying to prove one’s own worth is exhausting.

I venture to suggest that she is worthy to be fought for simply because her lungs still hold breath and her life still holds purpose.

The Foundation on Which All Bricks of Justice Will Stack

Some people think prayer can be a waste of time. Some don’t do it anymore because they believe God isn’t listening. Or that human trafficking has become such an overwhelming evil that prayer cannot even touch it – let alone affect anyone involved, on a personal level.

But about fifty mere human beings that do believe in the power of prayer gathered together at River West Church in Lake Oswego for a city-wide prayer meeting about sex trafficking, the chilly morning of January 12th. Why pray? Karen Masulis of Compassion Connect followed her heart and organized this meeting because she knows that prayer is a crucial step to freedom. A stong foundation on which all bricks of justice for the oppressed will stack.

Fresh coffee, muffins and OJ were set out as she welcomed us. We lifted up the name of Jesus with an acoustic band, and no time went to waste.

First on the prayer-docket: awareness.

Kate Wilkins from the Adorned in Grace Store gave ideas on how to pray for this city and the world to become increasingly aware of trafficking. Education is absolutely crucial and must be prioritized before we can expect an army of freedom fighters to rise up and advocate for those in the trenches and those at high risk. We must pray for fresh ideas, campaigns, open minds to hear and respond, and for individuals and churches to be willing to take their blinders off long enough to let a painful burden move them.

Next, Karen led the charge for advocacy.

Victims and survivors need our prayers! And they need more advocates who are willing to fight for them. They need peace and healing, to experience real love and to learn life skills. Many will need legal help, dental and medical care, tutoring and counseling.

What better time than now to focus on prevention?

Linda Tribett from Adorned in Grace Design Studio shared the story of Christina and her 11 year old cousin, the only two in their family, throughout many generations, who have not experienced sex trafficking, first-hand. KATU 2 recently aired her story – how she was born to a 13 year old victim of forced prostitution, but how the cycle ended with her. Now she helps other at-risk girls reach their potential, working for Adorned in Grace’s Design Studio.

More of us must spend ourselves on prevention. This hidden diamond of efforts will leave you tired, and wondering, “how many lives am I truly impacting? How have my hours of time even mattered?” I know from experience, prevention may not give instant or even visible results in your lifetime. But that invested time really is making a difference. It is. So please, get involved in prevention. Pray for our education system, PTA groups, youth groups and their leaders, and for a lot more people willing to mentor a young person from age 7 or 8. I dare to ask who of you would venture into the land of sometimes intangible results, investing in awareness projects or in a young life? Because the investment is really in their future. It is instilling self worth and a faith in our God of justice. The Mentoring Project, The Reality Project, or Big Brothers Big Sisters are preventing the destructive cycle of sexual abuse. In this busyness of life, I challenge you to recheck your schedule. See if you can offer yourself, your supportive words, your listening ear. Indeed, now is the time.

Outreach and Rescue: the dirty work.

Liz Alston of Shared Hope shared the hope of her favorite scripture, James 1:27. “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”

This “caring” means to literally take on the distress they are suffering, as your own. Those on the front lines of rescue and outreach are putting themselves at high risk to do just that. What an honorable calling. Remember those in under-cover garb, surrounded by surveillance and those in law enforcement who are forced to investigate unspeakable acts. Those who must subject their eyes to the evidence of sickening crimes. They must deal with that, as must their families as a result – and all in the name of pursuing justice. Pray for their protection, their sleep and dreams, their marriages and family life, and bright glimpses of hope and success from their tireless work.

Victims don’t need jail time. They need high-quality, state-supported centers and shelters. 

A freshly shaved-headed Chris Coffman of River West and Door to Grace dared to look inside this gaping hole many would rather step around because of its vastness: our lack of shelters.

It is not too big for God. Fewer budget cuts and more foster families would be miraculous…those willing to offer a “forever home” for victims who deserve to experience belonging. To feel agape love. Psalm 68:5,6 says “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows – this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.”

Below is a boatload of some local centers, shelters (or those in the making) and organizations whose work could surely use our pleading for heaven to rain down its resources, wisdom and lasting influence:

• Freedom’s Breath
• Janus Youth’s Athena House
  
• Christie Care
  
• House of Engedi (Corvallis)
• Redemption Ridge (Medford)|
• ARMS
• Called to Rescue
  
• Door to Grace
• SARC
• A Village for One
• Portland’s H.T. Task Force

Lastly, Kris Kennet from Door to Grace focused on the REACH program. This plan, when set in motion, will create a whirlwind of hope and healing for survivors. Its focus points are Restoration, Education, Art and Activities, Community and a Home. Environment is everything for these precious ones. But volunteers are a crucial ingredient that help Door to Grace provide life skills, cooking, sewing and designing skills, GED training, encouragement to express themselves through art, and wisdom on how to establish and maintain healthy relationships, tips about boundaries and parenting their little ones.

It may seem like a lot. All these details to pray about. But are we not in a fight? This is ammo. Sometimes the answer comes – the miracle shows up – because of the simple fact that everyday children of God go to Him with confidence, faith and specifics. Trusting Him to listen, work out the details and answer when the timing is perfect. Even when prayer seems useless, it is never a waste of time. There is God. He cares. And he is listening even now.