My childhood was full of joy until the age of five, when I was sexually abused by a family friend. Three years later my parents divorced, and it drastically changed my life. Seeing my father leave our home, not knowing when I would see him again, broke something inside of me. In that moment, the enemy planted seeds of unworthiness and anger within me that would change the course of my life over the next fourteen years.
Read More2025 has already been an extraordinary year! We have welcomed new survivors into our program, celebrated the graduation of two residents, and introduced exciting updates to the WellHouse Women program. Through every milestone, our incredible volunteers have remained steadfast in their support and commitment to The WellHouse. We are deeply grateful to each of you who dedicate your time, energy, and effort to this mission.
Read MoreI want every resident that passes through our doors to know that they always have direct access to the King of Kings, and that he has brought them out from a place of darkness and into the light of his glorious presence. God is always present with them, providing comfort and support in times of fear and uncertainty. No spiritual attributes are needed to become a daughter of the King.
Read MoreEven after more than a decade of witnessing God’s extraordinary provision for The WellHouse, I still find myself grappling with the temptation to worry—particularly when it comes to funding. I suspect that many CEOs and Executive Directors of nonprofit organizations can relate. However, rather than dwelling in uncertainty, we must ask ourselves: what proactive steps can we take?
Read MoreOver the past months of December, January and February, The WellHouse has welcomed 11 new residents from all over the country. But that’s not all—we completed construction on our new Stabilization Center! This essential expansion to the Stabilization Center provides a larger space for the critical first step for survivors as they transition into a stable and secure environment.
Read MoreJanuary is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and January 11th specifically is designated as “Wear Blue” for Awareness. In the state of Alabama, which is inundated with awareness efforts, social media posts, training, education, etc., is it time we paused and asked about what Action really means?
Read MoreHappy New Year! Our hearts are full as we look forward to 2025 and all God has in store for The WellHouse and the residents we serve. Before we venture too far into the new year, we want to take a moment and look back at all of the exciting moments and milestones from 2024.
Read MoreA person who believes that being a leader means being in charge without being challenged and believes he/she owes accountability to no one is anything but a leader and displays a character that fails to love. I am especially grateful this year for how we have chosen to grow in the scriptural commands of loving God and loving people. Leaders are being developed, have the space to grow, and the willingness to be obedient to the commandment to love, as simple as it sounds, demonstrates the very essence of success.
Read MoreAs the darkness consumed me, I began to slip away from everything I once cherished, losing myself in the haze of heroin. I fell into the arms of a man I mistakenly believed cared for me, who lured me back to drugs and introduced me to a dangerous means of income—a life of exploitation. What began as an exchange of time transformed into a nightmarish existence where my body was currency, and my dignity was stripped away.
Read MoreThanksgiving and Christmas can be particularly challenging for our residents as many of them miss their families deeply. That said, we do our best to create an environment here full of love, compassion, and joy while acknowledging that for most of our residents, this holiday season will feel different than the past. Thanks to many volunteers and their earnest effort, our campus has turned into a winter wonderland! Our women and children get to enjoy Christmas decorations in the comfort of their homes, and it is likely that some of them are experiencing this for the first time.
Read MoreThe arrival of these six new residents is a reminder of the body of Christ at work. Your prayers, generosity, and acts of service enable us to answer God’s call to care for the vulnerable. Together, we are not only meeting immediate needs but also showing survivors the transformative love of Jesus. We believe every individual is created in His image, deserving of dignity, safety, and the opportunity to live a life filled with hope and purpose.
Read MoreHolidays can be a time of great joy, gratitude, and fellowship; however, for a lot of our women and children it can also trigger feelings of loneliness, loss, guilt, sadness, fear, and shame. Because of this, a lot of the work I am doing with my individual clients as well as in group therapy has focused on learning and practicing coping skills that can help get through difficult seasons. Healing is never linear and oftentimes the holiday season will remind us that we need to step away from processing through our trauma for a time and focus our attention on reestablishing our sense of safety and security – within ourselves and the environment around us.
Read MoreMy first date was with a 63 year old man, and after dinner I very quickly realized this was not something you get paid for without any touching involved. And I didn’t leave untouched. As much as I hated it, I could not deny that I felt powerful with the money and the illusion of freedom. An illusion of freedom that would soon become my prison. I grew up in a healthy and stable family, but I was living a double life. I was using drugs and being reckless at age 14.
Read MoreWe are in a season at The WellHouse of offering more opportunities for the adult residents who bravely seek to have their lives restored. Faith remains the foundation as we move forward with a new level of programming that will more carefully identify individualized needs including the fact that some need more time to reach certain levels and others need less. Time restraints will be removed as our staff, partners, and volunteers pour into survivors with the goal of guiding them to an ending filled with moments of which they can be proud and can excel.
Read MoreWe had an exciting, but big undertaking to tackle this summer - moving into the new barn on our campus. Thanks to many of you, we were able to build and move all of the furniture into the barn within our desired timeframe! We are well aware that we could not have done it as efficiently without all of our volunteers’ help. Our residents now get to enjoy the peaceful barn because of your hard work.
Read MoreResidents at The WellHouse have walked through unimaginable tragedy and trauma. Of course they are sinners, as we all are, but they have not allowed this to harden their hearts! Instead, they desperately cry out for glory, as they come to know the only One who can truly heal them. They beautifully humble themselves to be exalted by Him. Their worship is the most beautiful sound!
Read MoreWe know that for many of the survivors on our campus, substances have been used as a form of escape from their childhood trauma and trafficking. Our goal is to offer them physical, emotional, and mental safety so that they can live in peace. It is consistently true that those we intake into the program are brave women making the choice to heal, grow, and restore their lives.
Read MoreWhat motivates you? What gets you up in the morning, dressed and out the door – affirmation from loved ones, tangible rewards, attaining your personal or team goals? Whatever it is, you can be sure your unique life seasons and dreams have shaped it. For a survivor of human trafficking, motivation can be tricky. When you’re fighting for your life, survival is often the only motivator.
Read MoreWe are dedicated to healing and success for our residents, and we constantly seek to improve our programs and services to accomplish this for each unique woman and girl. Thus, we are intentionally seeking to establish and maintain communication with former residents to both check on their status offering resources if needed, as well as evaluate our organization.
Read MoreThanks to The WellHouse, all of those doubts I had about God are a thing of the past. Today I believe God has always loved me, even when I didn’t love myself. Today I fully understand the price Jesus paid for my sins and knowing that he has forgiven my sins has helped me to finally forgive myself. Best of all, today I can finally see what I couldn’t see for all those years. I survived my trauma because God has been protecting me, and will always protect me. I am never alone.
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