Filtered by Tag: #transformation
For years, Marlene was trapped in sexual exploitation far from home. Fear overtook her when a friend from the brothel was murdered. Bolivia has one of the highest femicide rates in the world; every three days a woman is murdered, and women in prostitution face an even higher risk.
Read MoreI have lived in El Alto, Bolivia almost all my life. My parents worked in the copper mines, and 30 years ago moved to the city where they raised my four sisters, my brother and me. I have watched the city limits explode, reaching out further and further. I’ve seen up close how difficult it is for migrants to learn a whole new way of life, to navigate intense poverty, limited options and racism…
Read MoreOur program begins with intervention: meeting women in brothels and health centers, building relationships and trust. We believe that if Jesus came upon someone in the road who needed healing, he would heal them. Perhaps he would never see them again, but that one interaction still had an impact, still glorified God, and was still a work of the Spirit. We believe that even if we never have the opportunity to follow up with a woman, the interactions we have in the intervention stage still make an impact…
Read MoreAt 12 years old, Vania* has experienced more hardships than most adults.
Read MoreWhile most five-year-old boys are playing fearlessly among a multitude of friends, Franz,* with a limited vocabulary was timidly saving his own life and that of his family.
Read More"God stand in this place! Settle in my heart, take Your place and come, reign in every corner of my heart, be the Lord of my life, of my dreams, of my fears and my questions. May you be the center of everything, in every process, anoint my heart with your Holy Spirit, and pour Yourself out as oil that soaks and restores the deepest part of my being."
Read MoreA visit to Bolivia will take your breath away. Literally. When you fly into El Alto, Bolivia, you land at an altitude of 13,325 feet. Your body is taking in approximately 1/3 less oxygen than normal and it takes more energy and time to do even simple things, like walking through the airport with your luggage.
Read MorePerhaps all too often I can get caught up in the weight of this work, the difficulty of true healing processes, and thus trying to take seriously what we do, which is certainly merited. But what if the most healing, therapeutic thing we can do is to hug our child or draw together or laugh?
Read MoreAngela has worked hard to never have to return to prostitution. On average, a woman attempts to leave the streets 7 times before finally becoming free. But Angela is going strong, supporting even her grandchildren.
Read MoreHonestly, I understand why Ada was mad at God. Misfortune and disaster seem to hunt her, and it’s hard not to blame it on an all-powerful Father.
Read MoreOn a chilly Wednesday evening, a small team made its weekly visit to the red-light district, and met Vanessa.* At 28 y/o, she had resorted to prostitution a few months prior to make ends meet for her two young sons.
Read MoreAlthough she visited our ministry center years ago, she wasn’t quite ready for change. But when she hit rock bottom, she knew where to turn for help.
Read MoreWe walk into the first brothel; only red lights illuminate the shadows of utter darkness inside. The heavy smell of incense and alcohol, along with the pulsing music, adds to the stifling atmosphere. It’s hard to breathe in here.
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