Hope. It is contagious, yet elusive. David Murray, of Ligonier Ministries, gave 10 Reasons to Hope (When All Seems Hopeless) in a recent blog post. He contends that hope moves us forward, energizes the present, lightens the darkness, and brings healing. Hope is a beautiful gift.
As one contemplates the horrors of human trafficking in the U.S. and around the world, hope appears absent. Yet, according to the staff at Exodus Road, hope is coming.
In the heart of one of the largest and oldest red-light districts in the world, former prostitutes bend over tables bending wires to create high quality jewelry. Women that had fallen victim to the belief that they were only worth $45 a night to the highest bidder, now work respectable jobs, attend education classes, bring home paychecks that are above minimum wage, and have opportunity for childcare, if needed.
This, this is hope– blooming and growing, literally, right in the heart of one of the most
sexually exploitative environments in the world. Sustainable jobs are transformative for an impoverished woman, as they are neither a short-term fix or a quick-and-easy hand-out.
And this is the kind of transformation that the NGO, Nightlight International, has consistently fought for over their last eight years of work with exploited women in Thailand.
One of the most encouraging things about this is that you and I can be involved. The rescued women and girls at Nightlight International create beautiful pieces of jewelry that t
hey then sell to support themselves and their families. This month (through February 12th), they are hosting a giveaway, where you can win one of these pieces of hope.
Even if you don’t win the giveaway, I would encourage you to purchase a piece of jewelry for yourself or a friend from their store. It’s a small way of bringing hope and redemption to the women of Asia.
Hope IS coming. Thanks for joining us in that, Abigail!