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August 2011 Prayer Letter
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![Healing Hearts Ministries Internaional [LOGO]](https://www.healinghearts.org/nimages/HHLetterhead_Web700.png) Dear Friend, Sex Trafficking! I'm sure that you have heard this term widely used in the news media by ministries and secular organizations. It seems to be a hot topic today. Organizations are popping up all over the world and people are getting involved, including movie stars like Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. The Lord started speaking to my heart many years ago about this issue and I began to pray and ask Him if Healing Hearts could help in some way. Since then I've researched the topic and found that it is extremely complicated and delving into rescuing victims can be very dangerous. This month I would like to ask for your prayers as we continue to step out in faith in this area as we see the Lord open doors. I would like to share one open door with you. Hope House by Cindy Stashenko Within the first week of moving to Asheville, North Carolina we heard about 'Freedom Worship Celebration,' at a July 2nd outdoor concert. Featured artists included Big Daddy Weave, Francesca Battistelli, Chris and Conrad, Matt Maher and more. There were several tables for local ministries and On Eagles Wings Ministry caught my eye. As I was visiting, the founder, Emily Fitchpatrick, was introduced onstage to speak because On Eagles Wings Ministry was the featured ministry for the evening. Hope House is the first safe house for OEWM (On Eagles Wings Ministry). It is for young women rescued from the sex trafficking industry. Somehow I felt like Healing Hearts could come alongside this ministry, so I prayed. After returning from Healing Hearts National Conference, having had a chance to talk with Sue Liljenberg about the opportunity, she gave me the green light. I contacted Emily by phone and told her about Healing Hearts Ministries and the Hem of His Garment Bible Study and asked if they would be interested in meeting. I met the team in November. They did not have any residents at the time, but I did get to present to the team and learn more about their ministry as well. Emily used to work in hotel management in Durham. They jovially smirk when they say Hope House got started because two moms got really angry over sex trafficking issues. At this first home they take girls up to the age of 18. They have connections with law enforcement and get referrals from various sources; officers, courts, parents of girls in trouble, etc. Many times Hope House is offered as an alternative to going to juvenile detention. They do not take local girls for safety and confidentiality reasons. The need is greater than they are able to meet, but they also have connections with other safe homes and many more are beginning all around the country. Emily contacted me in January because they were getting residents again and wanted to get started with the Hem of His Garment study. Recently they have had four residents and have two on their waiting list. In addition to the founding leadership team, Hope House has a resident director, an assistant, and three summer interns, as well as volunteers who spend time at the house or taking residents to the gym, counseling appointments or other outings. On Eagles Wings Ministry also has two other facets to their ministry. They have Rahab's Hope which is a call center set up to reach out to prostitutes around the country. They scour newspapers and call the classified ads to reach out to ladies. Some hang up, some want to talk, some ask for help, and sometimes involuntary trafficking is identified and the local authorities are contacted to help. Another facet is the strip-club ministry. They put together pretty care packages to deliver to strip clubs from Asheville to Charlotte and into South Carolina. They put in chocolate, small gifts and information for encouragement and counsel. They included our Healing Hearts brochures in 200 care packages with the last delivery around Christmastime. The women are astounded that Christian ladies would enter a strip club to give them a care package, "Why would you do this for me? Aren't you a Christian? Don't you think I am awful?" On Eagles Wings Ministry will soon open 2 more safe homes in the local area which will take ladies 18 to 24. They already have ladies in line for those spots. We started the Hem study with their staff and any residents who were interested. We have had some rocky starts due to timing since their staff has been coming onboard in staggered stages, but it is going well. One group is on lesson 7, another group is on lesson 2 and some will start after the first group finishes. At first the residents did not want to participate and were appearing to run the other direction when they heard it involved the Bible. However, their curiosity was very obvious and quickly two of them showed an interest and are now participating. One of them is 12 years old. I have such a soft spot in my heart for each of them and would ask you to pray, pray, pray. Thank You Lord for this awesome privilege and opportunity to see You move! Blessings in Christ, Cindy Stashenko I echo Cindy's request for prayer as we partner with this ministry to help these young women transition back into a normal life. They are so broken and need Jesus desperately. Just as God opened the door to Hope Place in Washington State where we are ministering to homeless women, many who have prostituted and used drugs, God is opening doors for us to take one further step in partnering with other ministries and organizations to help heal women coming out of the sex trafficking industry. Only Jesus can provide a solution to this problem. Please prayerfully consider helping us with a financial gift this month. Any amount is greatly appreciated. Credit card donations can be made via our website, www.healinghearts.org, by clicking the Please Donate button. May the Lord bless and keep you always. In His Love  International Director |
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To Make a DonationYou may use the donation form on our website to make a donation, or you may also submit your check to the address provided below. Healing Hearts Ministries is a federally registered non-profit corporation, all contributions are tax deductible. One hundred percent of all contributions made to Healing Hearts go directly toward supporting the various aspects of our ministry no "administrative fee" is collected by a fund-raising service. All donations and expenditures are internally and independently monitored and audited. Annual financial statements are available upon request. We thank you for considering contributing to our ministry. Your contribution will enable us to reach out and touch individuals who need the hope and healing message that only Jesus has to offer. To donate online click this link: https://www.healinghearts.org/donate Send checks to: Healing Hearts Ministries PO Box 44670 Rio Rancho, NM 87174 phone (505) 355-6922 |