Stories | Love146.org

09
Jun

Interrupted Posted by Jo Coles

My friend Greg often talks about interruptions to our lives, those moments when our preconceptions and our mindset are interrupted and often we are left changed.

This happened to me this week at the sentencing of a 31 year old man for child sex trafficking. I'll admit, straight up, that I walked into the courtroom desperate to see this guy go down and to go down hard. Such a despicable crime deserves the harshest, hardest penalty possible and I wanted a long, long sentence. It turned out that I got what I wanted. He received 26 years in a federal prison.

However, there is a part of me that is changed forever from the experience. The offender, 31 years old, had ended up in this position after a lifetime of darkness. A single Mum struggling, sexual abuse as a child, passed from family member to family member, disregarded and uncared for. Gang involvement by 10, drugs, women, crime. As he sat weeping in the courtroom a part of me cried for the brokenness of him. If only as a child HE had been protected. If only he had been Loved…if only he had been taught how to Love others. Here at Love146 we talk about how Love can restore survivors, how it empowers and heals. This week I've expanded my gaze a little. This interruption has made me think a little differently. We failed this trafficker. As a young boy he needed to be protected and Loved. Instead he was molested and violated in a house used to sell crack cocaine, dismissed by his family and by those around him.

As we continue in our fight for abolition we need to look at the big picture. The brokenness of our own communities play a part. I'm convinced this man had no idea of the penalties for sex trafficking and that in itself is tragic, that his own moral judgement was so broken. We need to be teaching children to respect each other, to Love well.

At Love146 we are people of hope… it's a hard reminder to be challenged to hope for the perpetrator as well. To hope for justice (which we got), and to hope for restoration.

Interruptions while not always comfortable are needed. I am seeing things differently.

Jo Coles
Collective Shout Officer - Advocacy and Interns

PS - You can read the news report on the case here.

26
May

What does "Prevention" do? Posted by Gaz Kishere

It is a harsh reality of counter trafficking that prevention work is underfunded globally. Education lacks the emotive pull of more obvious intervention such as the rescue and restoration of young people trapped in commercial exploitation. It is said that prevention work is difficult to measure. How do you know that it works? This is one of the reasons we have an external research body monitoring the impact of Escape Magazine on schools with children who are the most at risk of trafficking.

Causes need to evidence themselves somewhere, it is just the way that things are. For us at Love146 we have always said that we are not actually about causes and issues, we are very much about people. Indeed, we are about that one person because that is where the rubber meets the road. It is of great importance for us when we know that just one person has been impacted and it is important that prevention can also be viewed in terms of the intervention it is making. Prevention continues to be the much needed fence at the top of the cliff stopping the next generation from falling off into the abyss which is commercial child exploitation.

Below is a letter received at the Escape office in Moldova in eastern Europe. The personal details have been changed to protect identity.

My name is Anna, and I am studying in 9th grade. I live only with my father but our relationship is very strained because of his frequent drunken feasts that are happening right here at home. I was compelled to hide away all my stuff, because otherwise he just sells it. Once, he came to me with a tempting offer - to travel abroad for work so I can earn some money and start my own life, he said. To work there it was not needed to know the language or job skills. I was close to agreeing to that. A week after his proposal, Natalia came to our school from a visiting team. She told us about the phenomenon of human trafficking and the dangers that beset young girls abroad. After a lecture she gifted us with nice Escape magazines. After reading Escape and hearing the advice of Natalia, I realized that my father’s proposal was a real trap. He continued to insist and even found people who could pay for everything. But I refused to go abroad. And I think this was the smartest decision in my life.

It is still difficult to live.

But I’m free.

Anna, 16 years old, High-school, Moldova

17
Dec

The kind of Love that inspires poetry Posted by Marilyn de Guehery

If you're on our email list, you received our winter update this afternoon (read it here). Designing our newsletters every few months is one of my favorite parts of being at Love146. The stories from our programs that I get the privilege of sharing and illustrating move me so deeply; it's hard to make it through a day of designing with dry eyes. The words from Remy, a girl in the Love146 Round Home, from this winter's update were some of the most profound and lovely. This morning, we got an update from our Director of Asia Aftercare, Dr. Gundelina Velazco, about Remy and her journey. Since you've just been introduced to Remy, I wanted to share it with you...

"The Round Home has become a world of poems, songs, metaphors. When the girls are encouraged to think in metaphors, then they are able to take stock of their lives in a less hurting way.

As they do so, healing takes place because they are more able to accept themselves and in fact be proud of themselves and be happy about their life. This is a universe removed from when they first came, hopeless and depressed about their life and full of shame."

-Dr. Gundelina Velazco, Director of Aftercare

A Poem From Remy

Wishing you the kind of Love that inspires poetry this holiday,

Marilyn de Guehery

Graphic Designer

Learn more about the Round Home here.

13
Dec

Serey Getting Married. Posted by Desirea Rodgers

You may remember some of Serey's story from our slavery book. About two weeks ago all of the Love146 staff rejoiced (in spirit) for Serey as she drove down the aisle (yep, she drove a bike) to be married. A couple of our staff, Paul (director of developement) and Steve (CEO) were lucky enough to celebrate Serey and RJ at their wedding.

I asked Paul if he would write down what the experience was like. Here's his story:

I travel to the Philippines often to oversee the Round Home building projects, and maintenance programs. During the last 3 years I have seen children come into the pink home (transitional home) and the Round Home in shock and pain, only to find them within a few short months dancing and singing, with smiles and laughter so beautiful I leave crying every time.

During my most recent visit I was able to witness “Loves fulfillment in perfection”. Serey (not her real name), one of our beautiful girls was married. It was there I saw the fruit of what Love can do. During the evening I kept thinking “How in the world can this girl, through all she has been through, ever learn to Love and trust a man?” It became clear to me when she gave a blessing to her family during the marriage ceremony. They embraced each other and cried uncontrollably, holding each other tightly while we broke into tears ourselves. We knew what the tears were. The gratefulness of her being free, and becoming a woman.

It was just a few years back when her father and brother traveled by plane to the brothel she was held in, only to be physically kept from her. I can’t imagine what it would be like for them to know she was only steps away, and could not change a thing.

Serey’s life began to change after she was rescued and brought to the Round Home. It was there she received therapy, schooling, medical support and most of all, Love. So here we were now watching Serey and RJ (not his real name) rolling down the aisle in the tri cart taxi (bike) we purchased for their livelihood, preparing to receive the vows that would start a family, and change generations to come.

She wore a pink dress with white lace, adorned with a silk veil, and carried a satin bouquet of pink flowers. RJ was dressed in traditional Filipino attire, black pants and a white barong shirt. The 2 hr service was well planned and executed, ending with Steve (Steve Martin, Love146 CEO) and I signing the marriage contract as sponsors, and finally the kiss that everyone was waiting for to seal their life’s agreement.

A Filipino style meal and traditional wedding cake was prepared and enjoyed by the 50 guests of family, close friends, Love146 staff and partners. We were honored and sat at the head table along with the immediate family, bride and groom. There was no loud music, and a very tranquil atmosphere ending with Serey throwing the bouquet over her head to be caught by a lucky girl whose dreams would soon come true.

I am grateful to have been a part of the wedding and to have witnessed the joy of freedom and restoration. It is through the efforts of all those who advocate and support the work of Love146 that make dreams come true, and change lives.

Restoration is a shockingly beautiful story. I hope in this season which reflects on hope, you are able to find your own shocking story of restoration.

Joyfully,

Desirea

06
Jul

Soraya sends a story. Posted by Desirea Rodgers

Almost daily we have amazing stories coming into our office. Stories of abolitionists, survivors, partners etc. I received this story last week from a 14 year old abolitionist who is part of a Love146 teen Task Force. I wanted to share it with you. Thank you Soraya for sending us your story!

It's amazing how children react when they are told bad things are happening to their peers. The other day I was babysitting, and one of the kids asked me what the 146 on my walls mean. I told her that it's part of a group I'm in that stops bad things from happening to kids her age.

"Why don't you just put all the bad people in jail?"
A lot of them are in jail, but there's more that aren't.

And soon enough I was being interegated by a seven year old, a seven year old who seemed astonished by the fact that she lives a happy life, while others her age are not.

"So the kids my age, don't go out to play? Or have mommies to tell them bedtime stories?"
No, the bad people don't allow for that.

Then a tear started to roll down her face, one single tear, that tear made me realize that no matter what age you could still care. "Thank you" was the only thing she uttured.

It puts me in awe when I see how attatched kids can be to others, that they haven't met. How they are soon enough ready to stop anything that is not keeping the happy world they know. How one child can become so emotionally attatched and not even know the details. That one little girl's sad, innocent eyes gives you more of a reason to want to stop the pain. Then I told her of a place, a wonderful place where the kids get to play and so many nice people can tell them bedtime stories. I was talking about the Round Home. Also how some kids will find their mommie, and crying, but their tears will then be of happiness. And to think in that ten minute conversation already twenty children were sold, but in the time I sleep, the time I dream, nearly 1000 kids are sold. Its all of this that keeps the passion for helping still burning.

05
May

Two worlds in one-- and both want to move. Posted by Gaz Kishere

Gaz here, writing from Moldova where I arrived yesterday at our prevention programme (gladly unaffected by the latest blast of icelandic volcanic ash!) I am here with the team who work on the ESCAPE prevention magazine for youth, with its 3rd edition now close to completion.

I spoke today at a state school for older economic orphans. Most orphans here in Moldova are not the result of deceased parents and war, but of mass economic migration often involving both parents. One orphanage in the city had 74 young people. 73 of these were economic orphans.

12
Jan

For Justice Posted by Glenn Miles

My wife Siobhan is 50 years old this year and I am 48 years. When we tell Cambodians they think it is terribly funny.

08
Jan

TREK UPDATE: Video Blog from the Red Light Districts Posted by Gaz Kishere

99% of European trafficking victims are not rescued.

CBI Love146 Video Blog #2: Prague/Nuremburg from CBI Love146 on Vimeo.

08
Jan

Trek Update: Nuremberg, Germany Posted by Gaz Kishere

Europe in some ways is like driving through American states; road trips are no big thing, the exception here being that each state or country has a language and culture all of its own determined by how much the place’s people have been shaped by either consumerism or communism.

22
Dec

The un-sexy truth. Posted by Desirea Rodgers