Shared Hope International Travel Blog

Last Stop- Saipan

sharedhopetravelblog — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:14:18 +0000

Linda Smith and Shared Hope Project Director Melissa Snow are currently in Saipan for the release of the assessment on domestic trafficking in the area. The prior visit to the Village of Hope in Fiji made a stop in the island a valuable addition to the journey- providing a unique opportunity to raise awareness of a critical problem and save more children from sexual slavery. The island – a US territory – has experienced trafficking of local children and Shared Hope is working with the local anti-trafficking task force to eradicate the sexual exploitation of children.

You can see a sample of some of the newly released media coverage of Linda’s visit in the Saipan Tribune and the Marianas Variety

Reflections of India 3

sharedhopetravelblog — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:49:47 +0000

A member of Linda’s management team makes her first trip to the Village of Hope. While you followed this blog have you wondered what it would really feel like to pack your bags and take off on this journey? Surely, there are a lot of unknowns- but once you see it (as you now have!) you realize that it really IS a place where miracles happen EVERY DAY! Patricia takes us through her experience:

Before going to India I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. When I had learned that we would be staying at the Village of Hope for two nights, I began to ask questions. I knew the Village was on lush property- maybe a jungle? That made me a bit concerned about critters. I then found out that the village was not air conditioned, which meant the windows would need to be opened at night. I imagined being in bed and having large spiders crawl through the open windows or ending up with malaria from mosquito bites. I really have traveled quite a bit, and have stayed in some rough environments, but I wasn’t in the mood to cope with large critters. I actually started to dread these two nights at the village and I worried about the food, water, bugs and my comfort. I prepared for the worst. I bought mosquito nets, power bars and the strongest bug spray on the market. I had prepared myself for extreme conditions. Sadly enough, all this worry distracted me from thinking about the people I was going to meet. I was far more concerned about my comfort.

God surprised me with an experience of a life time. The Village was beautiful. It was like a refuge. The food was great and the dorms were very nice. The bugs stayed outside so I actually got some sleep.

The women at the village were so joyful; it made it hard to imagine their pasts. These women were incredibly friendly and welcoming. They hugged us over and over saying “thank you”. I felt incredibly humbled by their kindness.

One afternoon I interviewed a woman who had been recently rescued. She shared her experience of being sold at 10 and moved to Mumbai to work in the brothels. As she described her experience I could tell she was embarrassed and felt ashamed. I couldn’t help but think of my little Gracie at home who is now 11 and how innocent she is. I can’t imagine what this would be like for a child. As I listened to her story, I wanted to cry. My heart ached at the idea that this person lived through such despair and abandonment. She said that one night she went to the church in the Red Light district and met an outreach worker. This worker invited her to escape and come to the village. As she was telling me this part of story she got this huge smile on her face and said, “That night I went to church, and I never went back, instead I came to the village.”

The rest of my time at the village I watched this woman. I felt like I was watching God’s grace in action. I watched her sing and dance with so much joy. I was amazed that God had taken her despair and turned it into dancing.

Now as I look back to how I felt about going to the village I feel incredibly humbled. I feel a bit foolish at all my food, bug and critter worries (I still used my nifty mosquito net however). In my life, God has continually amazed me. Every time I worry about something, I end up being amazed by God’s faithfulness. All my worries about the Village were completely unnecessary. In fact, God showed me a picture of His grace through these women and allowed me to dance and sing with them in a way that I haven’t done since I was a kid.

More Reflections of India

sharedhopetravelblog — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:44:01 +0000

Sheila is our fiscal manager and she traveled to India for the very important job of ensuring the highest level of financial accountability that our donors expect and that the girls deserve. She has submitted her reflections on the trip with you:

Our trip was definitely an adventure! With minimal experience in international travel, I was both thrilled & nervous most of the time. The incredible poverty and sadness of the living conditions of the people in so much of the Mumbai area was appalling. My first impressions were of the heat and extreme smells everywhere we went, but my heart was lifted when we traveled to the see the teenage girls the first day. They were so pretty & smiling & happy & giggly, being typical teenage girls with their shyness & curiosity. I was amazed knowing the backgrounds most have lived through. Then we went on to Ashagram to see the Village of Hope facilities that I’d only read about. As the Shared Hope accountant, I’d seen the operations described mostly in numbers. It’s just beautiful! The lush green countryside which surrounds the village made me feel that we were in a different world from Mumbai. The grounds are carefully tended by the women and the landscaping done by the young men of the nearby Boys program can easily rate with any I’d seen elsewhere. The staff & residents were so welcoming and even tho’ we were challenged with language differences, we knew we all were part of the same family of Christ. I was humbled by their commitment to their new skills training and their genuine servant hearts. It was a joy to share in their worship services & felt such connection with them.
We toured children’s home where the orphaned or “un-parented” kids of the HIV/AIDs mothers live. We had fun playing, reading books, and doing LOTS of hugging & holding with little kids. The staff is so loving! Then back to Mumbai to attend the Saturday evening church service. Being surrounded in the cramped & very hot building by so many women in brightly colored traditional Indian dress, I was again impressed with their faith & their reliance on the Lord. Our visit to the HIV clinic & the children’s shelter gave us the chance to see the all too real world that these women & children deal with daily before they are rescued. The service that is being done there on the streets to care & feed so many by Dr Preshant, Deveraj & their staffs is so vital, yet hardly even basic by our U.S. expectations.
I am feeling so very blessed personally to live in the Pacific NW climate and enjoy the many gifts I have in my life. I’ll never think of the numbers when I read the partner reports again without thinking of the faces of the women and children that I’ve met. The girls in the SHI pictures, videos & mailings are real people to me now even tho’ I may have mispronounced their names!

Reflections of India

sharedhopetravelblog — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:40:00 +0000

I have asked members of the Shared Hope Internatioal team to email some mental snapshots of thier experience in India when they are inspired so that we can add them to the blog. The experience is so heart wrenching that there are just moments when you have to stop to pray and reflect- and you might wish to join us. Here is the first response:

“India was a profound experience. It was wonderful to meet the women whose lives have been changed through the help of Bombay Teen Challenge and Shared Hope. I felt so humbled by these gracious, joyful women who been through so much and have so much hope for their future. The poverty is incomprehensible in Bombay, however I can see very clearly how our mission is about saving one life at a time.”

Fiji – In Nancy’s Own Words

sharedhopetravelblog — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:24:54 +0000

Nancy, a long time supporter and board member of Shared Hope International shares her story of Fiji:

What courageous women we have gotten to know at the Home of Hope in Fiji! Their stories cause us to gasp as we imagine what it would be like to walk where they have been–hurt by those they trusted, betrayed, and then shunned, without family or friend to turn to for help or comfort. Each culture we experienced has its own subtlties as to how it subjugates the most vulnerable human beings in its midst, but at the end of the day, the actors in the drama are the same everywhere–the product (child or woman), the opportunist (trafficker), and the consumer (rapist). The Fijian culture requires loyalty to family, no matter what–this includes turning all earnings over if needed, and coming under the authority of the eldest male (the “big daddy”). Extended families live together and may have 12-16 people living in a 2 room house. There is little stucture or discipline in their lives. Familial abuse is common. Often young girls are raped by family members and many girls told us of abuse starting at a very young age, between 6-8. The girl is usually too shamed to tell anyone, and when she does, would never be believed, or the incident would just be dismissed by “bula-bula”–the offender gives a whale tooth to the father of the girl and everything is set right…except of course, for the girl…

When the girl, who is often pregnant, finds her way to Home of Hope, she learns about a God of love, a God of order and discipline, a God of compassion and of justice. For many it is the first time in their lives that any self motivating behavior has been required of them…after all, an object doesn’t need to develop self discipline, establish goals, or dream dreams. We were in awe as Kari spoke to us and told us her story because when she had first come to Home of Home, she stuttered so badly that she couldn’t get a complete sentence out, and for the first six months she wouldn’t look a person in authority in the eyes. She was very articulate as she spoke to us, and looked us in the eyes. We learned that a few weeks ago this same girl stood up in front of a church service of 3000 people and addressed the men, pleading with them to not be “wolves” but be defenders of women and children.

We are so happy to be here to encourage the women at Home of Hope Fiji! Throughout our travels we have seen how important it is to assure victimized women that they are not alone–not alone in the abuse they have experienced, and more importantly, not alone in the journey to restoration. Indeed, they all crave stories of other places we have been and of their sisters in other lands that have risen beyond the status of victim to a life of victory. Lynnie and Mark Roche, who are the heart of Home of Hope Fiji, state uneqivocally that the girls that really heal are the ones that truly embrace Christ. Only He is Jehovah Rafa.

sharedhopetravelblog — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:02:46 +0000

What an experience in Fiji! Where tourists love to visit! The unimaginable goes on here. There are so many beautiful women and children here at the village that have no home to go to, no family to care for them, no trust in anyone, yet they have the faith in God that is beyond anything I’ve ever seen before! One thing they know is that with God on their side they will be able to accomplish so much. I have heard many unbelievably sad stories here, but at the end of every story each and every one of these girls has a dream, a big dream. Some want to be nurses and some want to work with abused women and children. They all want to be able to give back and help others. The beautiful thing that comes from the Village of Hope is that they are taught how to achieve those dreams!! With all of your support to Shared Hope International we are continuing to build up so many young women and their children to not return back to the people that have hurt them. These are strong women here and they have learned or in the process of learning how to take care of their children, take care of themselves and know they have a better life waiting for them! With God and the Village of Hope they can do it!

Fiji Update

sharedhopetravelblog — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:54:43 +0000

We had a significant flight mix up with Delta Airlines and we missed our flight. They showed the date of our flight on our tickets as a day after the flight actual left Nepal. The flights go out every other day. We had to leave the airport, find a hotel and spend a day straightening it all out. When it was done we then had to fly to Hong Kong and spend nearly a day there losing two precious days in Suva Fiji with our ministry partner and ladies we love.

Our attitude adjusted thought as we soon saw a news paper with a headline “Qantas Air Flight emergency landing’’ and a picture showing the plane with baggage coming out through a large hole in the side of the plane. The pilot dropped the plane to a safe altitude and miraculously landed the plane in Manila but the passengers were stranded and some of the luggage lost. The explosion was being investigated. We might not have gotten to Fiji at all if we had been on the plane as planned. We likely would not have our luggage either with it being a part of an investigation.

There are times that you can see the hand of God on your life and this was one of those times for me.

It is taking me a bit of time to quiet my spirit tonight. Everyone has gone to bed. As I listen in the quiet of the Village tonight I hear soft voices and an occasional baby cry as their young mothers are settling them for the night. There are nearly as many children as young women and girls here. My mind is traveling from person to person tonight going over the day. I spent time with several girls today who wanted to share about their lives. Many I know, a couple had just arrived. Several wanted to tell me they were now praying for a husband. That is a miracle in itself with what men have done to these girls. Nalini shared with me the healing she experienced now that she has forgiven the man who bought her as a child. One young lady is now working in the outside world. Another is leaving soon to work in a shelter for battered women. There are so many signs of healing expressed in their lives.

One of the new girls is within a couple of weeks of having her baby. She was molested from the time she was 5 until she fled. A girl here can not manage outside a family without being abused by the society and this is just what happened to her. A man pretended to want to help her but instead used this girl. As a result of what happened to her she thought she had no value. When she found out she was pregnant she decided to live to love her baby. She wants to stay here and I think that is a good idea for her. She can finish her education and start building her life in safety where no one can take advantage or hurt her as she finishes growing up. As we set together she kept saying ‘it is so quiet here’ and she expressed feeling safe. She is safe tonight because of so many in our Shared Hope family who make a safe place for her. As I think of her in her bed in the building right above me I am happy.

The new school buildings are coming up and will be open by the new school year. Both the pre school and primary school will be taking tuition paying students from the village making this one of the businesses operating on the village that are moving both the ladies and ministry to greater financial independence. Shared Hope pays the salaries of the women working in these business and the women use the money to care for the personal needs of themselves and their children and save to buy their own home on the village. Several women have moved to the small homes and are learning independent living. When they are ready to go out into the world they will have a skill as well as are able to recover the equity from their homes and have a start on a home in the village.

Lynnie and Mark Roche amaze me in all that they continue to do here. They manage one of the most innovative restoration projects that we have helped create where we have both moms and babies together.

The lives of the girls are living proof that our work here is giving hope and healing.

Pictures From Nepal

sharedhopetravelblog — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:01:38 +0000

She fills my heart with hope.

sharedhopetravelblog — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:01:13 +0000

After an evening of worship at the Village of Hope, I spent some time talking with one young woman named Smita, and hers is a story that truly shows the grace of God. When Smita was only 8 years old her cruel step mother attempted to sell her to a brothel in Mumbai. A family friend helped her escape, but to get away she had to run to a train station all alone and this tiny 8 year old girl had to spend a very scary night all by herself. The next day, Smita was hopeful when a woman was finally kind to her and offered to help. But this was a trick and the woman took her to the notorious red light district in Mumbai India and sold her to a brothel. At the tender age of 8 Smita was a slave to the brothel owner who groomed her for forced prostitution, and began selling her to men once Smita’s body matured. She lived in the most degrading conditions imaginable for another 4 years until she contracted HIV as a result of her slavery. With no medicine, she became very ill and was soon useless to the brothel. Alone and near death, Smita was rescued by an outreach worker and taken to the Village of Hope where she could receive proper medical treatment, nourishment, and love.

Smita was betrayed by everyone in her life until she was brought to the Village of Hope, and she had a very difficult time trusting anyone. Through the grace of God, Smita has come to know the Lord and has learned to trust again. She was willing to share her painful story with me because she knows that I would share it with people who love her and who want to help me rescue more girls just like her. As I spoke to Smita, it was evident that she was no longer the broken girl who was rescued from the streets, but a well adjusted woman who has learned to value herself. Because of the excellent medical care Smita receives, she now lives a healthy life and she has learned many new skills such as embroidery and jewelry making.

Your support directly impacts the rescue and long term restoration of Girls like Smita. She is just one example of the complete restoration that occurs at the Village of Hope in India, and there so many others who need your love today.

Restoring Lives in Nepal- Update from Linda Smith

sharedhopetravelblog — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:56:58 +0000

Nepal is a breath of fresh air after leaving the dirt and congestion of India. When we started rescuing and restoring trafficked young women and children 10 years ago, so many of the girls we had in Mumbai wanted to return to this beautiful place they remembered as home.

When we started, several of the girls in the Mumbai brothels had become trafficking victims, who had been sold by poor families, then moved 1000 miles south to Mumbai India, and forced into the violent life of child prostitution, their childhood stolen. Seeing the green surroundings this morning reminded me of why they wanted to come home and why I knew we had to find a way for them to come back safely. Within a few months of starting Shared Hope we started homes in Katmandu Nepal and brought the first 10 girls home. Their families would not accept them but Gods family in Nepal did and an organization now called Hope Nepal is helping young women like the first we brought here build new lives in the safely of the compound we built now over nine years ago.

Renu, who is traveling with me this week as my interpreter was one of the first young ladies who spent four years in our home here healing. The last year she spent in Bible College has really polished her English and she is now teaching girls at the village of hope in Mumbai working with Bombay Teen Challenge. She is planning to go back to college to get her business degree so she can work with groups that restore women and children.

When I first started this organization it was clear that I would be helping to raise the children of the women we rescued. Some had unborn babies and some infants and little children that slept under the bed they were forced to service clients in. Two of these little ones have now become young ladies. Pooja 16 and Mannisha 16 still live in the home we have provided for them here and go to a private Christian School. I met with the principle of the school last night and she said they were doing very well. It is hard to think that we are now looking at college for two girls the devil would have wanted to be where he had taken their mothers, a life of slavery. We will take them and 26 other women and children shopping later today. We had a dinner together at a resort near by last night to celebrate! Pooja and Mannisha danced for us during worship, I cried. They are beautiful in so many ways but their faith is strong and it is clear God has his hand on their lives.

I am overwhelmed with what God is doing with the precious ones he has allowed us to serve.

We will set a specific time for you who want to come and see the work you are such an important part of for next year. You just have to see to know what a big God we have. We should have the schedule set sometime later this Fall so let us know if you want to come and we will keep you informed.