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September 15, 2012 by SHI Staff

A Personal Experience with the Defender’s Pledge

I am deeply passionate about this issue of sex slavery. I have three little girls of my own and I cannot imagine any of them going through what many of the girls saved by Shared Hope have gone through. I am so grateful for the work that Shared Hope is doing and I want to thank you for taking a strong stand as a man to see this horrible injustice come to an end.

As for how the pledge is working out in my daily life, I can say that I am doing my best. I have abstained from pornography, prostitution and any form of commercial sex . . . to the point that I hardly even watch television or movies any longer. Sex is used in almost every form of commercial entertainment and marketing, it is almost inescapable, but we must try to avoid it at all costs—even if that means canceling our cable, passing on the latest movie and choosing to skip the magazine aisle in the grocery store, whatever it takes.

I could do a better job of holding my friends accountable for their actions toward women and children. I know everyone around me knows where I stand on the issue, but I wish I were more outspokenon the issue. I am continuing to pray for boldness in that area.

I feel I am taking action to protect those I love from this market. I am trying to instill in my little girls an understanding that they are beautiful because they are created in the image of God, not because the culture or anyone else tells them so. I don’t want them to ever fall into the trap of being more concerned with their outside beauty than what is on the inside. I know that sounds like a cliché but I believe that is one of the fundamental lies that lead girls and young women into the commercial sex lifestyle.

Aaron

September 6, 2012 by SHI Staff

CNN – As Sex Trade Increases around Conventions, Shared Hope Steps Up

“Our message is not to accuse America’s political leaders of engaging in the commercial sex industry,” Shared Hope founder and president Linda Smith said in a statement. “On the contrary, we are asking them to no longer be disengaged on the issue.”

“As the leaders of our nation, we need lawmakers to stand against the driving force of the illegal commercial sex industry that claims thousands of American children each year,” said Smith, a former congresswoman. “That driving force is demand.”

FULL STORY: As Sex Trade Increases Around Conventions, Faith-Based Groups Step Up Efforts

August 30, 2012 by SHI Staff

Media and News Coverage, August 2012

Aug. 30: Tampa Bay Times – Amid RNC, Law Enforcement Targets Sex Traffickers In Tampa

Aug. 9: Christian Broadcasting Network – Group: Any Child Can Fall Victim to Sex Trade

Aug. 6: Congress Recognizes The Egregious Suppression Of Global Justice Regarding Child Trafficking

August 17, 2012 by Guest

Baking Toward Freedom: How One Woman is Changing the World From Her Kitchen

In the United States alone, at least 100,000 children are exploited through prostitution every year. Based on the facts, it is easy to understand how an individual might feel completely helpless and alone in the fight against child sex trafficking. Gail Ferguson, a baker from Virginia Beach, Virginia, understands the powerless feeling that tends to overwhelm individuals who desire to make a difference in the trafficking of children.

When a bicycle accident put Gail out of work, she started baking in order to make ends meet. Eventually, Gail became a licensed baker and started to work out of local restaurants. Gail was asked to bake around 300 cake pops for a women’s conference at her church. She soon realized that such a large number of cake pops was no easy task for one woman, and she vowed that day to never make another cake pop! However, the vow was short lived when Gail realized her tasty treats were a huge hit. Everything clicked for Gail when she was able to hear presenters from the conference talk about the realities of the sex trafficking industry.

“I realized that God could use the little cake pops in a big way to make a difference in a child’s life that is caught in human trafficking. And it was something that I could do now!”

Gail knew at that moment how she could use her passion and talent for baking to combat the sex trafficking industry, and she realized she could do so from her kitchen.

Gail started small. She began selling her newly named Freedom Pops at local coffee shops in the area. She was able to display brochures and information from the conference’s organization alongside her Freedom Pops, and she gave the organization a percentage of her profits. Soon, a friend of Gail’s brought Freedom Pops to her office at the Christian Broadcasting Network. Again, Gail’s desserts were a hit, and she received numerous calls for orders. One of the calls happened to be an interview request about Gail and her Freedom Pops. Gail was ecstatic about the prospect of an outstanding boost in business; however, she had a funny feeling in her gut that it was not the right time to grow her business.“I knew that orders would soon come in from everywhere, and I was still doing this out of my home. As much as I wanted to say yes, I knew that I had to wait for this interview to happen. I knew I needed to take my time to give this the best I had. I knew I would have more miracles to talk about and better opportunities to share with the world if I waited.

Freedom Pop 2_Gail and family — (From Left) Gail’s daughter Perry, Gail’s mother, Gail’s daughter Brooke, and Gail

Although unknown to Gail, the timing was actually perfect. That same day, Gail watched an interview on CBN with Shared Hope International’s founder Linda Smith. Gail was so moved and inspired by all the work that Linda and Shared Hope International were doing both abroad and in the United States to stop human trafficking. She began displaying Shared Hope’s brochures alongside her Freedom Pops. According to Gail, that’s when the ball really started rolling.

The following December, she had so many orders for Freedom Pops ranging from treats for bible study groups to Christmas gifts for businesses’ VIP customers, not to mention the growing demand from her usual coffee shop and restaurant orders. Although her business was growing each day, she knew that this was the perfect time to take her stand in the fight against human trafficking.

“I felt that God was telling me to give all my profit in the month of December to Shared Hope. And so I did. And to top it off, that month Shared Hope was matching all the gifts that were being given.”

Gail continues to use her Freedom Pops as her way to take a stand and make a difference in the lives of children caught in the sex trafficking industry.

“They have helped make people aware of this crime and the growing rate that it is taking place in our world. I see so many of us pulling together , knowing it is going to take all of us working together to put a stop to human trafficking and see freedom become a reality for these children.”Although the fight is far from over, Gail and her Freedom Pops serve as a constant reminder that one person can make a difference in the fight against trafficking. The power to end human trafficking lies within individuals like Gail who utilize their skills and passions to raise awareness and bring about change within their communities.

Interested in learning how you, like Gail, can make a difference in the lives of children right now? Visit http://sharedhope.org/GetInvolved.aspx for details on how to start.

For more information about Freedom Pops, or to place an order, contact Gail at freedompopsAOoco@gmail.com

August 15, 2012 by SHI Staff

Reunited: How Reshma Reclaimed Her Baby

Reshma looked like a child herself as she lay sobbing for her baby. In painful recovery from a C-section, but with no baby in her arms, she was inconsolable. Seven months earlier, she had nearly decided to abort, but a missionary she happened to meet in Kathmandu urged her to preserve the life and promised to take the baby and raise it. Besides abortion, that was her only other choice.

Reshma’s pregnancy was the result of one of the many times she was raped. From a remote village in Nepal, she was lured to the city with the promise of work, and ended up enslaved by a bar owner that sold girls for sex along with the drinks. She had no family to run to, no friends in the city, knew of no place to flee where she and her child could survive, so in mid-May when the baby came, the nameless little girl was delivered from Reshma’s womb into the hands of the missionary family.

The family had heard about Shared Hope’s partner, Asha Nepal, outside Kathmandu—a place that understood and loved young women like her and would offer her a place to recover from her surgery—and they made arrangements for Reshma to come to Asha Nepal. She was received with warmth and tenderness, something she was amazed to experience. But more than that, she learned that this was a place that was alive with children also! As she lay on her bed, hearing their voices, the regret of giving up her baby overwhelmed her. She had no idea there was a place like this–that would love and care for her—much less her child too!

The Shared Hope team arrived at Asha Nepal the day after Reshma came to them and was immediately caught up in the dramatic events as Asha Nepal’s director interceded with the missionary family to reunite mom and baby. With sadness but with blessing, they agreed to give back the precious little one that Reshma named “Angel.” There was great emotion at Asha Nepal and a joyful welcome into their new family when little Angel was placed in the arms of a beaming Reshma.

The timing of the Shared Hope visit was serendipity! It gave us a first hand, vivid demonstration of how our supporters love and generosity changes tears of sorrow to tears of joy! We’re so thankful!