Our weekly visit to a brothel to bring hope and compassion to the women working there. Our visit was marked by both tragedy and moments of connection, highlighting the harsh realities faced by these women and their resilience amid unimaginable circumstances.
During our visit, we learned that one of the women had been murdered by a client. This woman, a foreign national, had been trafficked into the brothel when she was just 14 years old. At the time of her death, she was 22. A week prior, she had shared her dream of finishing school and moving to America.
This loss weighed heavily on the women and the atmosphere within the brothel. That week we spent quite a significant of our usual visits. The administrator (pimp) allowed this extra time, recognising the women’s need for comfort and support after the recent tragedy. Interestingly, she also played a protective role, ensuring our team’s safety and instructing clients to wait while we spent time with the women, pray with them, and listen to their stories. This unusual dynamic revealed the complexity of her role within the system.
Another woman, Ai, opened about the isolation the women experience. She explained that while they work together, they know little about one another and each other’s families. This lack of connection further underscores the challenges they face, not just physically but emotionally and relationally as well.
This visit highlighted the harsh realities of human trafficking, exploitation, and the loss of dreams and dignity that many of these women endure. However, it also demonstrated the power of presence, prayer, and listening in providing moments of comfort and hope.
Malika is a young woman from Tajikistan, is a poignant reflection of the challenges faced by many women in her community. Growing up in a traditional society,
In the fall of 2022, catastrophic flooding swept across Pakistan. In the chaos, a landslide tore through the remote mountain village of Kunis taking homes and cropland with it.
On registration day, over 80 women filled the small yard around the building where training would happen!
“I never have missed a single day and I have my best time here in this center.”
In trafficking situations, women are often not able to get the medical attention they need, or they can’t afford to eat enough.
We are so thankful that these girls weren’t trafficked by this woman. It is an ongoing battle as these traffickers are looking for children from vulnerable families- like this one.
Our weekly visit to a brothel to bring hope and compassion to the women working there. Our visit was marked by both tragedy and moments of connection,
“After participating in some lessons, the women start to change their life with each other and they’re encouraging each other.”
A new generation of younger farmers, having access to the internet, are considering how to incorporate technology with traditional farming practices.
The women in this group are empowering one another to be peacemakers within their families and communities through sharing their stories and affirming positive change.
Our Agricultural Cooperation for Development (AC4D) project in Jordan is working within communities to support farmers with immediately adoptable and cost-effective technologies to aid in to management of the most pressing issues in smallholder agriculture in the Middle East.
Now I am trained enough to do different types of stitching and I have already started earning.
We were amazed by the administrator’s care and her wanting to protect our team.
Her sister was stunned that Rosa, herself, was willing to assume the shame.
10 years into the Syrian conflict, people remain resilient for their children’s sake, and they still hope to go home even if they can’t imagine how that will work out.