Twenty years ago, a small group of women gathered in a church to the east of Portland and began to pray. This may not seem too surprising, but what they prayed about certainly was. Long before the term “sex trafficking” became familiar in the state of Oregon, this very subject is what these women had gathered to pray about. 

On the Ground Floor with the Hands of Hope Mentoring Workshop

Twenty years ago, a small group of women gathered in a church to the east of Portland and began to pray. This may not seem too surprising, but what they prayed about certainly was. Long before the term “sex trafficking” became familiar in the state of Oregon, this very subject is what these women had gathered to pray about. 

Two decades later, I sat in this very church, listening to stories of lives redeemed by grace, ushered from darkness into light and beautifully healed, by the power of God. The answers to these women’s prayers can be seen in many ways. Today was only the beginning of one of them, through the Hands of Hope Mentoring Workshop.

For two days, over 40 men and women, from 15 different churches and anti-trafficking organizations, gathered to hear more about the opportunity to mentor those who are on the road to healing from sexual slavery. The workshop was the first step in putting this specific vision into action. Participants received training on understanding the effects of trauma, establishing appropriate boundaries, connecting with and supporting their mentee and developing strategies for helping them move forward. Potential mentors were encouraged to see their interactions as a cross-cultural endeavor and to approach these exchanges with humility and compassion. Workshop speakers included:

Gary and Linda Tribbett – Uniting the Body of Christ to Serve Our Community.

Kristin Lumm-Williams, Lifeworks NW – Mental Health of Traumatized/Abused Victims

Rebecca Bender, survivor, author, speaker, advocate for anti-trafficking – Mentoring a Survivor

Christina Causey, Adorned in Grace – The Woman at the Well

Janice Beeghly – Staying Spiritually Healthy as a Mentor 

“As a mentor, you are teaching someone to live differently,” explained Christina Causey. She spoke about the need to actively model the life we are trying to guide these girls towards. “[Jesus] showed them their sin by showing them something different. That’s what builds fires. That’s what changes lives. That’s what builds God’s kingdom.”

Rebecca Bender, a survivor of human trafficking who now provides trainings all over the globe, gave participants an inside look at how their mentee might be feeling, thinking and acting. She stressed the need for helping them find healthy coping mechanisms by exploring their interests and hobbies with them and assisting with their transition to “normal life,” in whatever ways possible. “Mentors are the people who see the potential within them and help them get there, teaching them along the way,” she clarified.

As I sat around the table that day, women shared how God had been creatively drawing them into taking action against the devastation caused by human trafficking. Sharon, a volunteer seamstress with Adorned in Grace, started working with the ministry simply by delivering cookies. She didn’t think she could work directly with young girls, but soon found out she actually enjoyed it. “It needs to keep happening,” she voiced, regarding the Hands of Hope workshop and the importance of reaching out to these survivors. “They don’t have anyone else.”

Another workshop member shared that she was attending Hands of Hope because the issue of human trafficking had bothered her for some years. “I can’t do nothing anymore,” she declared. “I can’t let it keep bothering me and not do anything.”

When talking about such a huge problem as sexual slavery, one can easily become overwhelmed by the enormous atrocity we are fighting. The numbers are staggering and the trauma so severe. Above all, however, “We go with a very, very powerful God to rescue, set free and restore,” assured Gary Tribbett, co-founder of Abolition Now. The worst thing a mentor can do is view herself as a savior, instead of Christ. In the end, it’s not about what we say, what we think or what we do. It is all about Christ.

While describing her own journey towards Christ, Christina summed it up well:

“I want to choose to not let that define who I am.

“I want to choose to not let them win.

“I want to choose to be victorious.

“I want to choose to help others and accept God’s grace and forgiveness in my life.”

It is a choice that each of us, mentor or mentee, has to make every day.

If interested in learning more about the Hands of Hope Workshop email [email protected]