An Intern's Perspective on Human Trafficking

“Vindicate the weak and fatherless; 

Do justice to the afflicted and fatherless; 

Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. 

Rescue the weak and needy; 

Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

Psalm 82:3-4 NSAB

The weak, the fatherless, the broken, the distressed; all of these women and children are looking for love. What can one say about love; well first one must realize that God is love. Without true revelation of knowing that God is love it‘s impossible for the broken to become fully healed. I believe that in order to help the broken and the lost; we must be the light in the darkness. Beauty From Ashes’ National Sex Industry OutREACH & AfterCARE training showed me that this world we live in is a sex-saturated society.

This is a growing issue that has taken over our country and untimely the world. This drastic issue is the work of the enemy. The ultimate question is what can we do to defeat the war on human trafficking and sexual exploitation. His name is Jesus. That is our weapon.

It is time that we as a body of believers fight back, the enemy can no longer have control, the church must be awakened and arise.

Beauty from Ashes Ministries is dedicated to this fight and helping victims of human trafficking.

To reach and restore one must be able to point the victims to God. Counseling and safe homes are an important part of this; although, without our God‘s love there won’t be complete healing. Without the proper training and the right humble heart to fight there will not be a defeat. It is a call to die and learning to be a follower of Christ, whom shows love.

The training opened my eyes to how badly the sexual industry is distorting lives and ultimately destroying our society. It also helped me learn the difference between human trafficking and sex trafficking. It thoroughly explained who the victims are.

80% of the victims targeted are young girls or women. This touched my heart and created an even stronger passion within me to do something about this issue.

Florida is reported to be the third highest state with the most human trafficking in Amercia. I was shocked to know this goes on in my own state. Children and women are being forced to work as slaves against their own will. This brought sorrow to my heart and caused me to really want to get involved as much as possible to raise awareness to this issue.

I’m graduating from college this semester and I want more college student’s to be aware of how bad human and sex trafficking has become. The youth of this generation can really get involved and create a change that will have an impact on our country and the world forever.

Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry and is also the second largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world.

Since interning at Beauty From Ashes Ministries, God has truly shown me the outcry for all of the victims. He has also caused a passion to arise in my heart to do all I can to raise awareness.

Through testimonies, watching movies, reading more information, and the training, the light of my calling has been shown to me. It opened my eyes and caused me to see the hurt that God feels for all the victims who are exposed to this demonic crime of injustice.

Michelle Morton is a senior at Florida Gulf Coast University and an intern with Beauty From Ashes. Her major is Communication with two minors in Journalism and Intro Disciplinary Studies. She was born in Tampa, Florida and now resides in Fort Myers, Florida. In her spare time she performs spoken work and writes for the campus newspaper, Eagle News.

Beauty From Ashes February Prayer Alert

Dear Faithful Intercessors,

Thank you for your continued commitment to intercede for Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries.  Your prayers are priceless to us and those we serve.  The month of February is an exciting and busy month, which means prayers are needed!

CLIENTS:  Please pray for our local and national clients' mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.  Agree with us that they have sound minds and the courage to commit to the long term healing journey.  May they receive a revelation of God's love for them and who they are in Christ.  Thank God for the work He's done already in their lives and His faithfulness to complete it.  Please pray for our new clients as they begin their journey of healing and building new life through Christ, as well as for a strengthened commitment in the lives of all our clients.

OUTREACHES:  Thank God for the favor we have with sex business management and employees.  Pray that the Father's love will be evident in and through the team as they operate in unity and one accord.  May those we reach receive the revelation of who God is, how much He loves them, and may they embrace the truth that will set them free to be everything they were destined to be.  Praise God for answered prayer; we have added 2 committed new outreach team members. Valentine's Day is 3 days after our February outREACH so please be praying God would use tour team to reveal His free gift of love and life through our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ!

ASSESSMENT/RESOURCE CENTER:  We are continuously grateful for His provision of our new assessment/resource center:  Continue praising Him for our partnership with the United Way, the Salvation Army, and Lee Physician's Healthcare Systems, where we are providing comprehensive and integrated mental health, medical, dental, social, and spiritual services to victims of commercialized sexual exploitation. We are encouraged and lifted up by your prayers and ask that you please keep them coming! God is answering in MIGHTY ways. 

VOLUNTEERS and INTERNS: Thank you for your prayers in the month of January! Our interns and volunteers were able to jump into the new year with an abundance of energy, which God used to serve our clients!  Please continue to pray for dedicated and faithful interns for next semester as well as volunteers willingness to serve on a regular basis. Pray for strength, encouragement and perseverance for current volunteers and that God would raise up more called, anointed, and committed servants. Please pray that God continue to instill a fire in the hearts of men and women to commit their time, energy and resources in reaching, rescuing, and restoring victims as they become overcomers!

LONG TERM RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM:  Pray for God's direction, provision, staff, volunteers, and community engagement for existing programs and His perfect timing for ours. 

EVENTS: Praising God that February is another busy month filled with events.  Please pray for our upcoming Strip Club outREACH, taking place February 11.  We are immensely grateful to be a part of McGregor Baptist Church's Global Impact Celebration this February 1-5th.  Our founder and Executive Director, Julie Shematz, will be teaching 3 workshops to The Girl Scouts of Gulf Coast, at the Girls Protecting GIrls Event, February 18th.  Also at McGregor Baptist Church, Julie will be presenting to the Fit For Eternity women's group on February 8th. February 21st, she is presenting Human Trafficking 101 and the operations of Beauty From Ashes at Cypress Lake Methodist Church.  February 25th, our Program Manager, Christa Hicks, will be speaking to the women at Faith Farm Ministries for their Alumni dinner.  May all the details of this months events come divinely into place with passion, purpose, clarity, and hope.  Agree with us that hearers at awareness events will be inspired to become doers in the fight against human sex slavery here in the United States.

FUND RAISING: Praise God for His unending faithfulness; He is answering your prayers for local churches to partner with us through hosting events and supporting the mission of Beauty From Ashes as Florida's first human trafficking, overcomer led, community service agency. Pray that God would continue to raise up more businesses, agencies, churches, ministries, and individuals to initiate creative fund raising for BFA.  

PARTNERSHIPS:  Pray that God would continue to align us with the professional, governmental, private, corporate and faith based partnerships that are of His perfect will and nothing less.  

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISORS:  Please continue to pray for health, protection, wisdom, encouragement, and divine direction for BFA.  May all Directors operate in one accord and in tune with the Holy Spirit.   

OTHER LIKE MINISTRIES/AGENCIES:  Pray for unity amongst one another and humbleness, wisdom, and patience in reaching, rescuing and restoring victims.  May the level of professionalism be raised and licensed counselors and professional service providers unite with them to provide restoration services and program development.  Pray for balance, biblical priorities, and protection of marriages and families.  May strong boundaries be established and maintained for aftercare providers.  May God's strength and encouragement be imparted to all in the name of Jesus.  

FRIDAY PRAYER:  Join us in the spirit every Friday from 8-9am EST to intercede for the victims of commercialized sexual exploitation and sex slavery, as well as the agencies servicing them.  CLICK HERE for Prayer Guide. 

BFA E-NEWSLETTER:  CLICK HERE to sign up.

"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:29-31

Thank you for your prayer support as we embark on a new season.  Know that we are praying for you and on behalf of Beauty From Ashes.

Nancy Sampson & Sandi Spencer

Prayer Coordinators

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

239.939.9218  | 877.4BFA SOS (877.423.2767) Toll Free Help Line

Physical Address:  The United Way House | 13279 N. Cleveland Ave. | N. Fort Myers | FL | 33903