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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Celebrating 5 Years, Licensed Therapists, Outreaches & More BFA News


Wow, how time flies! This month marks Beauty From Ashes 5th anniversary of being approved as a 501(c)3 public charity and we are just astonished at what God has done. To celebrate this milestone & many others, we'll be launching our new website soon. It will feature daily domestic news stories regarding sex trafficking and commercialized sexual exploitation (CSE), a new blog, simpler navigation, videos, media & more. FaithNetwork has been working with us since October of last year to get it exactly the way we want it & we can hardly wait to share it with you.

We thank all of you that have supported us through prayer, encouragement and monetarily over the past 5 years. Our milestones are yours. Without you we would not of been able to do what we have been able to accomplish. Know that we love you and appreciate you. We also know the BEST is yet to come and look forward to the what God has for us in 2010. For a Summary of Milestones: CLICK HERE

LICENSED THERAPISTS: February 11th at the Lee County Human Trafficking Task Force, Lieutenant Brad Hamilton of the Lee County Sheriff's Department, reported the biggest gap they see is in victims services (due to a lack of funding & resources) and specifically mentioned mental health & after care. We are excited to share with you that Beauty From Ashes have been offered the services of 7 local licensed therapists! They are Christians too!!!! The amazing thing is. we didn't even share the need with them, their overseer came to us! Truly a demonstration of Jehovah Jireh providing for our needs. I have personally worked with a Dr. Bobbie Maybee locally for 6 years and she's been seeing survivors I bring to her in the past three months. This gives us 8 licensed therapists that can provide mental health care services to the precious clients of Beauty From Ashes. Praise God!

STRIP CLUB OUTREACH PRAISE REPORT: We served a delicious Valentine's Day meal and gave away gift bags filled with the Word of God and beauty supplies at our local adopted strip club, Saturday February 13th. Big thanks goes out to the cooks and all who donated gift items! The team was asked to pray with 1/2 the employees and participated in group prayers inside the locker room throughout the whole time we were there. The best news came late in the outreach when we were informed that one of the dancers Julie led to the Lord AND prayed she be filled with the Holy Spirit last month LEFT the business for good AND was BAPTIZED! PTL! To view pictures of the outreach: CLICK HERE

STRIP CLUB OUTREACH: Our next outreach is this Saturday, February 27 6-10pm. We'll be serving up another comfort meal. Since we have been offered the therapists AND a facility to provide additional restoration services to these women, we are considering increasing our local outreaches and doing them every two weeks. Relationships are KEY and by going in more regularly we hope to bring more depth to the ones we have already firmly established. We will need more workers to accomplish this. Please contact us if you're interested in cooking, shopping, gift assembly or being on the outreach team.

BIBLES NEEDED: We are in need of Bibles to distribute during outreaches. We firmly believe in the power of the Word not returning void and include it in every outreach. We don't want to hand them lipgloss & a business card, we want to give them what will change their lives forever! If you, your church or organization can provide them, please contact us.

WHY SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMS SUPPORT ACT SENATE S2529 NEEDS REVISED: Please read what the human trafficking experts are saying in regards to this important victim's assistance act due to go to senate & let your senators know it's a great first step, but it needs to be revised.

COMPLEXITIES OF ACQUIRING A 'NORMAL' JOB FOR SURVIVORS OF COMMERCIALIZED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: "Regardless of the diverse variables that pull the survivors back into the exploitation, they deserve the basic human right and opportunity(s) to be restored." - Julie Shematz. Reporter Youngbee Dale of the Norfolk Human Rights Examiner asked Julie to answer the following questions: "Why [do] women who worked in sex industry tend to go back to the industry despite the exploitation? Why can't they make a living out of waitressing or working at Walmart or something?" To read Julie's full response, click on link above.

NEW PORN HARMS WEBSITE: BFA Adviser, Patrick Trueman, former Chief of Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section of the United States Department of Justice, is overseeing this revolutionary, research & fact packed website on the harmful effects of pornography. Please check it out.

PRAYER REQUESTS: Send yours to: prayer@beautyfromashes.org
1. OUTREACH - May hearts be hungry for the Word, softened and they receive the love of Jesus that enables them to trust and obey God as their Savior and Lord. Give us wisdom and workers for expanded outreaches.
2. VICTIMS & SURVIVORS BEING SERVED - Strength, healing, encouragement, transformation of their minds and open doors where there seems to be no way.
3. SEX TRAFFICKING RESTORATION - FREEdom™ PROJECT- We submitted two federal grant applications this past week for the critical resources needed to serve survivors. We also in the process of applying for grants and to foundations. May God grant us favor to receive the funding & necessary resources to serve at a greater capacity than ever before. If you are interested in finding out more regarding this detailed one year business plan, please email us. We absolutely believe God's Word when it says the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the righteous & the transference of these funds, however, would you please also agree with us that God raise up the body of Christ, in particular churches, that will support our work as home missionaries?
4. WASHINGTON DC - We have been invited to come to DC to meet with senators, congressman, their staff and key players that effect legislation and funding appropriations. Please pray all the details come together in God's perfect will and timing.

WEEKLY GLOBAL PRAYER FOR CSE VICTIMS: Please join us every Friday 8am-9am EST to pray for the victims as well as the organizations reaching, rescuing, restoring & advocating for these individuals. Prayer Guide: CLICK HERE

WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY: Come out for food, fellowship and fun. Mondays 5:30 - 8:30. Call 239.939.9218 for location.

BFA MONTHLY TEAM MEETING: Saturday, March 6th 9am - noon. Call 239.939.9218 for location.

NEW VOLUNTEERS ORIENTATION MEETING: Saturday, March 6th 12:30 - 3pm. Call 239.939.9218 for location.

WE NEED HELP: Accounting, Administrative, Internet/Social Networking, Gift Assembly/Shopping, Cooking, Outreach, Event Coordination, Case Management, Mentoring & Babysitting. Contact Julie if you are interested.

CHILD OF GOD FUND RAISING CD: For your love gift, we will give you our private label, Child of God, CD for a minimum donation of $35 plus $5 shipping as a way to say thank you. To give online securely online, CLICK HERE or send cash, check or money order to 5100 S. Cleveland Avenue, Suite 318-148, Fort Myers, FL 33907.

E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP: Email us at newsletter@beautyfromashes.org

If you're interested in scheduling BFA to speak or exhibit at your church, meeting or event, please contact us or call 239.939.9218. Remember, awareness leads to intervention & prevention of human slavery!

In His passionate love & fire,
Steve, Julie & the FREEdom™ Team

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries
Where Victims Become Over-Comers
239.939.9218
877.4BFA SOS (423.2767) International Toll Free Help Line
www.BeautyFromAshes.org

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