Fire in Her Eyes
We had the best lunch the other day. The NH Leadership team had a celebration lunch with one of our NH4 Graduates to celebrate her success and her graduation from NH4, our Independent Living Program. If you’ve been a friend to NH for some time, you know Gaby. She was the second graduate of our Residential Program, she has spoken on behalf of Survivors all across the US as a Survivor Leader, and she’s grown into the most impressive and articulate woman we’ve had the chance to work with over the last five years. So naturally, WE OFFERED HER A JOB! I still can’t believe it. Gaby has so many gifts and strengths to offer our team, other participants in our programs, and the community. As a Peer Specialist Consultant, Gaby will train and educate the community on the realities of human trafficking and what it takes to heal from sexual trauma.
During the lunch, I asked why she wanted this job and what is leading her to join our team in this way. With tears in her eyes and fire in her voice, she said, “So many women have been victims of sexual exploitation and there are so little services. [These] women deserve the opportunity that I got. There are so many women who are lost and nowhere to go… They deserve so much more.” I couldn’t be more thankful Gaby took the opportunity to come to NH and begin her healing journey so that now she can spread the hope that she received over the last several years. Gaby is a leader equipped to serve and love and lead other survivors out of sex trafficking. Praise God!
We offered this job to Gaby for a number of reasons, but one reason includes our growth as an organization. We are weeks away from opening The Gathering Place, our intensive Day Program, as well as additional programs in the Elgin area and downtown Chicago. When I’m most excited about regarding these expansions is that our mission hasn’t changed. We are better positioned today to serve more women than we ever have – we now have multiple programs to offer women, but the result of each is changed lives. With every program we offer, we can count on these consistent outcomes for participants:
reduction of vulnerabilities that make women and girls targets for traffickers
restoration of families that have been broken and destroyed because of trafficking
deeper relationships with God through pathways to know His love found in Jesus
decreased exploitation of women and girls because of community awareness
Be sure to read through our prayer requests below – there is SO much happening! We believe God is expanding the services and reach of Naomi’s House because the need is greater than it has ever been. And the same can be said of how we feel about our partners and community supporters…we have never been more thankful for you all. Your prayers, your donations, and your support are directly impacting the lives of the women we serve at NH. Thank you.
God bless you,