July 2023

July 2023

Nevertheless She Persisted

Freedom doesn’t come easy and as we celebrate one of the greatest days in American history, we invite you to celebrate another journey to freedom from a different land of red white and blue, where some of the struggles of vulnerable young women transcend the borders of language and country - Cebu, Philippines.

That the pandemic has been challenging is an understatement. Evil thrived and intensified the injustice in the lives of so many more vulnerable women around the world.

While hope was being tested across the globe, 5 young vulnerable women in Cebu, Philippines were given a chance at building a future they could never have imagined. In April 2021, we opened our doors in Cebu to work in the lives of women escaping the worst evil that exists - being trafficked.

May, a minor, was among the 5 who joined us. She was only 16 years old when she was presented with a job away from her family - to work as a housemaid in Cebu City. In a short span of time, luring her with more money, she was offered work at a restaurant. Without the knowledge of her parents, she decided to act on this ‘opportunity’ and her life has never been the same.

In this seedy bar, her phone was taken and she was isolated. Eventually, she gained access to a phone, was able to alert her parents, and May and two other girls were rescued!

In the months ahead, May found support in a shelter home where she stayed until she turned 18. While she received care and her day to day needs were being met, she struggled and was not prepared for a life of independent living.

Seeking validation in relationships, she soon found herself trapped in an abusive one which not just deepened her scars but opened fresh emotional wounds. May grew increasingly unstable and had suicidal thoughts on more than one occasion. Struggling with daily financial issues, she continued to lack direction and a plan for her life. There seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

This is the woman we met when she stepped into our Sanctuary in April of 2021.

The first few months in our sanctuaries are about building relationships and creating a safe place to be themselves. We also begin with some basic financial training. May’s journey of true freedom began.

Through education, counseling and multiple one-on-ones, May slowly grew in the habit of saving, budgeting and managing her expenses. Step-by-step, she took control of her debts. Growing in confidence, May was assured she could handle her issues through discipline and focus.

Throughout this time, May had also been coping with the anxiety of having an ongoing case against her trafficker. She came face-to-face with him at every hearing and dealt with the trauma that this created. She started seeing a psychologist to overcome her sense of helplessness and deal with her suicidal thoughts.

We continued to provide her with a safe and nurturing environment where she felt supported and understood. In February, when her case came up for a final hearing, the verdict went against her and sadly, her trafficker was set free. We feared the worst - how would she take this fresh blow?

However, the very next day, she picked herself up and began focusing on her future. Our intentional walking with her for two years had shown through in her perseverance and resilience toward dealing with what would have seemed like defeat.

May persevered and when her lawyer appealed the verdict, the court changed its verdict and the trafficker was sentenced to prison!

She was offered a job in a rehabilitation program by the government and accepted. May will work part-time so that she can continue her college education.

We don’t live in fairytales and many of the girls that we work with, can spend their lives chasing after that fairytale of ‘happily ever after’. We know that the celebration is in their acceptance of not just ‘what was,’ but also of moving into the mindset that life doesn’t always have to be the same and they can overcome and move forward despite setbacks.

I know you join us in wishing her well!

Your continued support is what gives women like May a fighting chance as they work hard to reclaim their lives.

Since we opened our doors in Cebu, we have grown from 5 to 10 young women.

Help us always keep our doors open to the many, many more who are working hard to reclaim what was stolen from them.

And with that I hope you all had a very happy 4th of July!

Warmly

Max Fernand

Executive Director

I am sad to leave the Sanctuary but I am happy to be able to pursue my dream.

- May from our Sanctuary in Cebu, Philippines