Human traffickers find easy prey amid the rubble of Haiti

Island of Lost Children - The Atlantic
(January 18, 2010)

International Justice Mission - Seven Trafficking Perpetrators Convicted

Happy 2010!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. November and December were some great months! Here are some highlights…

• Thanksgiving in Rome! My visa requires that I leave the country every 180 days, and a week in Rome was the perfect way to obey the rules, get some fresh air and enjoy time with my great friend, Michelle, who so graciously agreed to meet me half way between here and home!

• At work, December was almost entirely consumed with Christmas parties- eleven in all-hosted by IJM aftercare staff at each of our partner aftercare homes. Throw in shopping for gifts for all the residents and home staff and organizing the food and programs and you discover that the social workers I work with should be moonlighting as party planners. They did an amazing job!

• At home, we did some fairly high class Christmas decorating, complete with a homemade Nativity scene and an (outline of a) Christmas tree! Christmas in South Asia was low-key and relaxing. Though it was a bit sad to be far from family and friends, remembering Jesus’ birth affirmed the reason I came to South Asia in the first place- service out of gratefulness for the sacrifice made on my behalf. It felt right to be here this year.

• Our office had seven convictions of perpetrators in November and December! We talk a lot about making structural change around here, and these convictions are a critical component to doing just that by making perpetrators think twice about exploiting women and children for profit. To read more, please click on the link above.

As we start 2010, I am thankful for all the headway God allowed our office in 2009 and hopeful for what is to come as we begin this new year of seeking justice. I realize I am basically just speaking in bullet points now, but I have some specific projects I want to update you on things around the office (mostly specific to our aftercare department) and ask for your prayers for our work!

• Implementation of the Protocols for Minimum Standards of Care is an on-going project with one of our partner aftercare homes. Please continue to pray for positive and trusting partnerships between IJM and the partner aftercare home to make this place a model facility for girls rescued from commercial sexual exploitation.

• Partnership with the government homes is tricky business, yet absolutely necessary. All rescued women and girls spend at least some amount of time in a government home immediately following rescue, some for just 21 days while most spend upwards of 4 months to one year and beyond. Our hope is to improve relationships with these homes in order to gain better access to the residents as well as be able to make crucial infrastructure improvements to the facilities, meet basic needs, and enhance rehabilitation and reintegration programs.

• Building a more efficient case management system is also on the agenda for our case managers this year. I am excited about the opportunity to work closely with the social workers to do this, though, as with nearly everything I’ve worked on since coming to IJM, I feel a little in over my head by the task.

• Please pray for some crucial positions in our office to be filled: Assistant Director of Aftercare, Clinical Programs, Counselor, Case Manager, Director of Investigations, and Director of Church Relations. Pray that God brings qualified candidates with a passion for the work of justice to join us.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your on-going support, prayers and encouragement. I wish you all the best in 2010!