We’re thrilled for the release of Trade of Innocents in the Fall and want to invite you into our excitement. Starting this week, we’re interviewing people and organizations on the subject of human trafficking in preparation for the movie. Perhaps you’ve heard of some of our friends. Maybe some of these names will be new to you.
1. What exposure to human trafficking led to the formation and your involvement with Restore Innocence? How did you find out about the needs and how did you know where to start meeting them?
I was first exposed to the realities of human trafficking in 2008 when I saw a heartbreaking video depicting statistics and stories of victims overseas. My heart instantly broke and my life would be forever changed. I had no idea that there was such a thing as human trafficking and as a former school teacher, children were my passion. I could not imagine anyone harming these girls in such a cruel and horrific manner.
Being new to the issue and just starting to really grasp what was needed, we thought we would travel overseas and help in Cambodia. But as I did my research, I found an overwhelming lack of aftercare for victims in the United States. In the 2009 Trafficking In Persons report they had only four shelters listed with a total of 45 beds. I was completely blown away! The U.S. was incredibly lacking in aiding our own girls who were victims. I knew then that we were called to help locally.
So we started our journey of opening the Cinderella House, an aftercare facility for victims of human trafficking. Our vision is large, helping girls from the point when they are first rescued to the day they are ready to start life on their own again, and all the years in between. Healing is a long-term process and we want to journey with them. We are in the process of opening our first Cinderella House this fall!
2. How would you describe the role of Restore Innocence and its impact in the fight to abolish trafficking?
The goal of Restore Innocence is to gather the body of believers together and stand as one. We believe that we need to all work together, pulling from the resources God has given us, to truly make an impact and help the girls in the most effective way possible. If it is truly about the girls, then it doesn’t matter who is doing what, but what matters is how we can help each other.
3. What surprised you the most in learning about human trafficking?
When I first began my research and really started diving into the issue, I was really surprised by the lack of aftercare facilities for the girls who had been rescued. I did not think that we would be paving the way for aftercare in our country.
4. How has your vision been shaped in this process?
As we began assessing needs and seeing what we could do while we were in the process of opening the Cinderella House, we meet with local law enforcement, including the F.B.I., and asked them what their needs were. We were surprised to learn that often times when girls are rescued they can be arrested for their own protection and therefore have only the clothes on their backs, which often times can be used as evidence. Some are placed in child protective services or taken to a shelter or youth facility for their protection.
We decided that we could easily come alongside and support the law enforcement and the girls by providing them with something we call Restoration Bags. These bags are filled with full sized hygiene products, new clothes, a blanket, stuffed animal and an encouraging letter. We have heard over and over again how valuable these bags are to the girls and how they are truly making a difference. This has been a great way for our community to get involved and give. We have since branched out to 18 states across the country, working specifically with F.B.I. Victim’s Specialists. We are continuing to grow this program and hope to expand to all the states.
5. How can the average citizen get involved with Restore Innocence or help in the fight against human trafficking?
We definitely need your financial support. We would not be here without donors contributions. We are opening the Cinderella House soon and we rely solely on private donors and foundations. You can also go to our website and find out more information about our Restoration Bag program, the Restored Bow product line and our Mentor Program and contact us for ways to get involved.
Prayer is another important part of our ministry and committing to pray for the victims, the traffickers and this issue as a whole is incredibly important and one that we cannot take for granite. The power of prayer is incredible. Our website: www.restoreinnocence.org.
I love the girls that we work with and am so blessed to know them. We did a photo shoot with some of them for our benefit dinner this year and we had such a fun time being girly and taking pictures. One of our girls took on the role of “director” and was posing the other girls and saying the funniest things to get them to laugh and relax.
It was like watching best friends getting ready for a dance and I felt like the mom, proud of who they are and how far they have come in their journey. They are like any teenager I know and they just want to have fun, be normal and live life. So that is what we try to do, make them feel like princesses and walk beside them through their journey.
7. If you could be any princess, which one would you be?
I love that you asked this question! Honestly I would be Cinderella because I love her story and can very much relate to it. ☺
Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your heart with us!
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Innocence and The Cinderella House on Facebook here.
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