Have you ever ridden on a train? I mean other than the little ones that go around a figure eight track at the fair? I’ve ridden on the Tweetsie train in Boone, North Carolina, but I haven’t done any real rail travel. It is said to be fast, efficient, economical and relatively safe; however, they can derail causing inconveniences, injuries and, sometimes, death. Just a quick Google search this morning turned up an article about a train derailing in New York City and one derailing in Chicago, two cities who are known for their rail travel.
A derailing train is a good picture of what happens in a young girl’s life when she is taken into the world of human sex trafficking. It doesn’t just impact the life of the young girl taken; it impacts her parents, family members and friends as well. I’ve had the opportunity to sit down and talk with family members of victims of human sex trafficking. I’ve talked with mothers, grandmothers, uncles, and friends. Some of them are still waiting and wondering when or if they’ll ever see their loved one again. Others have managed to move forward from the wreckage because their loved ones have come out the other side of the nightmare and are in the midst of putting their lives back together, piece by piece. Still others have seen their loved ones come out of the lifestyle of trafficking to find they’re now strangers. In some cases, the girl will return to the lifestyle because she is convinced that’s all she’s good for, that’s all she is capable of doing, and no one really wants her around.
Victims of human sex trafficking can experience post-traumatic stress disorder. They can experience flashbacks and difficulty assimilating into a normal family life without counseling. Organizations like Wellspring Living offer a safe environment for survivors to receive the care they need. Wellspring offers a three pronged approach to treatment, focusing on the mind, body and spirit of the survivor.
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Wellspring. They offer three different programs. They have one of the few programs in the country that is devoted to treating girls ages 12-17 who have been victims of human sex trafficking. They have a program for women 18+ who are victims of human sex trafficking, as well as other destructive lifestyles, and they have an Empowered Living Program for girls 17-22 who are survivors of sexual trauma and are ready for a supervised independent living program.
Wellspring is independently funded and raises some of their financial support through their four high-end second-hand retail stores called Wellspring Treasures. You can support the work Wellspring Living is doing by giving financially or by donating your gently used clothing and household items to one of their four stores which can be found in Virginia Highlands, Kennesaw, Duluth or Peachtree City.
Click here to learn more about Wellspring Living and find out how you can become a voice for hope for a survivor of human sex trafficking.
In Matthew 25:40 Jesus says,
The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'”
How will you get involved in the fight?
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