A 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 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 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 MoreI often get asked what our success rate is like at The WellHouse. This is such a difficult question to answer! Who or what defines success? In the realm of residential living offering an array of pertinent services, does success come when boxes are checked indicating a year of programming completed, or is it as simple as a survivor remaining even one night on our campus escaping multiple sexual assaults that she would have typically experienced out in the world?
Read MoreIt was an incredible 2023! As we were focused on The WellHouse mission that includes honoring God as we assist in the recovery of sex trafficking victims and offer meaningful restoration services, we were continually humbled at God’s amazing protection and provision. There is simply no other explanation! This year, more than ever, we have come to realize that all of us are better than one of us.
Read MoreNot only is The WellHouse connected to those who can provide adequate training, we are willing to be the link, provide training, and mentor. Our desire is that we make and receive referrals with those in whom we can have confidence that we are likeminded, as we serve a population of people who have put their trust in us to stand in the gap for them as they bravely walk the journey of healing.
Read MoreThere are countless articles and research on the topic of Trauma Informed Care. How it is defined often depends on whose perspective is being given. A residential living setting such as The WellHouse provides a unique perspective since we are literally living and interacting daily (24 hours per day actually) with those who have experienced severe complex trauma, often since childhood.
Read MoreAnd now, as all the efforts have given way to true service for the most vulnerable among us who have endured unspeakable horrors, we see the need to expand the Team. The average age of WellHouse Child youth is 13-14, meaning their abuse likely began much earlier, and the incidents of familial trafficking (family members trafficking the child) bears out the 50% rate of occurrence found by recent studies.
Read MoreMeasuring success in not always black and white! In our world of residential living, we can provide data on how many were served, how many services were offered, how many “graduated”, and so forth. But, measuring internal effects that guide a person to become who she was created to be differs from person to person.
Read More“The wonderful privilege of journeying with survivors of human trafficking as they take advantage of opportunities for restoration is life changing – for the survivor and the helper. Along the way, we’ve also enjoyed facilitating an organizational structure that allows us to manage and grow great leaders.”
Read MoreIn the spirit of vulnerability and transparency, I am sharing openly with you in this article. We are all very willing to share when great things are happening, but, how about when there are challenges? How willing are we as partners, collaborators, and friends, to rally around one another in support when things are less than great, as they often can be in this work?
Read MoreAt The WellHouse, that opportunity to embrace faith will always be an option. And, it goes much deeper than just an option – it is life-transforming. Just ask any of the twelve survivors in the new book or the many, many more. For me, it epitomizes eternity!
Read More2022! The 12th year since The WellHouse was founded!
We enter it asking God to prepare our hearts for this year, while also petitioning Him for protection from danger, destruction, and division, and for allowing us to see and experience Deliverance. Deliverance for survivors who have divinely been sent to The WellHouse as well as Deliverance for all involved who are daily faced with the warfare of the enemy.
Read MoreLast quarter I reported on five major projects currently in process at The WellHouse. I want to share exciting, momentous updates on three of these projects! Please rejoice with us at God’s goodness and pray for us as we continue to seek and provide the highest level of care to some of the most vulnerable!
Read MoreWellHouse Child definitely dominates our workload these days as we anticipate the completion of the home this month! Our hearts are full and prayers are abundant as we look toward the day when youth who have witnessed and experienced some of the worst atrocities of mankind find safety and healing in an environment of love! We believe there are young girls right now hoping --and some even begging God--to into the hands of someone to protect them.
Read MoreThe tragedy that unfolded in the Atlanta Asian massage parlors was no surprise to those of us who work in the space of anti-human trafficking. We have met victims of this industry. And, while we understand the concerns of racism against our Asian American friends, we immediately identified this as an issue of sexual exploitation.
Read MoreThe WellHouse was founded through a God-given vision in July 2010; however, the first rescued survivor came to The WellHouse in January 2011. So, we are both in the midst of those 10 years since founding and nearing the 10-year mark since receiving the first survivor!
Read MoreWhen I was 15 years old, I felt the gentle nudge from my God calling me to serve those who seemed helplessly disadvantaged. It never crossed my mind how far this “calling” would take me into a dark world of evil, egregious behavior! What vulnerable human beings are forced to endure defy anything I could have ever imagined.
Read MoreThe events of 2020 have been heavy. Trying. Shocking. Distressing. However, I take great comfort in knowing that the God we serve knew exactly what this year would hold, so while it has certainly flung us into a very different pattern of living and thinking, it is still always safe to trust Him and His ways.
Read MoreAs I write this, the COVID-19 crisis has hit full force. One week, we were being trained on the basics of healthcare relating to the virus; the next week we were in full blown crisis mode! Today, we are standing together, with our community, to fight this and protect those whom we love—including our survivors.
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