Eagles Against Modern Slavery Event at Florida Gulf Coast University

On March 13, 2012 Beauty From Ashes (BFA) came to our very own Florida Gulf Coast University.  FGCU touches very close to BFA due to the fact that Julie Shematz, founder of Beauty From Ashes, is a current student at FGCU in the Master's program in mental health. It was great to see the organization I have been volunteering for, for the past 10 weeks, right at our very own university.

There was an attendance of about 50 students and family members. Eagles Against Modern Slavery gave out pizza, drinks and desserts. The night began with music by a live band and also showed a documentary called “Passion 2012 Freedom” The event took place right on the library lawn. It was a night of fun and purpose!

Before Mrs. Shematz took the stage to share her testimony with everyone Mrs. Hicks, Beauty From Ashes Program Manager, took the stage and asked everyone a few questions about sex trafficking. One student of FGCU came up on stage to answer Christa Hicks questions. She admitted she had no idea sex trafficking in Southwest Florida was such an issue. She also admitted she was only aware about sex trafficking abroad and did not know or ever think it was such a constant fight and issue right where she lived. One of BFA’s missions is to bring awareness to Southwest Florida. BFA succeeded in informing the crowd, including this young woman, about the issue at a local level.

Following Mrs. Christa, Mrs. Shematz took the stage. She told her testimony to all of us and quickly spoke about the issue and facts on sex trafficking in Florida. This is the second time I have heard Mrs. Shematz speak and every time I have heard her it brings me to chills. She is an over-comer and her story brings the truth that with intervention, everyone else who is struggling with sex trafficking can become an over-comer too! Let Beauty From Ashes help you. I believe that everyone walked away from this event better informed on the problem we have in our hands. Beauty From Ashes is where victims become over-comers.

 

My name is Gabriela Diaz; I am a graduating senior at Florida Gulf Coast University. I have a major in communication with a minor in Spanish. I was born a raised in Miami and moved to Fort Myers two years ago to continue my education at Florida Gulf Coast University. I am 23 years old and am excited to see where I am going next. I will be volunteering with Beauty From Ashes for the next 12 weeks in bringing awareness to Fort Myers about human trafficking.

Florida Takes A Stand By Passing Two New Human Trafficking Bills!

Right now, ask yourself…“Do I care about victims of human trafficking”? This crime is happening to children, teens, and adults. It is happening to women and men. It is happening to all races and all income levels. Traffickers are not discriminating who they prey on.

Florida has finally taken a stand on human trafficking by passing tougher laws. Floridians are speaking out, and starting to be heard. So long as there are victims of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking we must continue being a loud voice that cannot be ignored! We must push all of America to get tough on trafficking. We must stand together day by day and put a stop to these horrendous crimes. No human being should be subject to slavery of any kind. Every day people are getting away with selling humans for sex and forced labor. This must stop. And Florida is working to make that happen!

Recently there were two laws passed: the SB 1880 and HB 7049. The two bills that were passed will make the prison sentence of traffickers or smugglers, in Florida, longer. It will expand police authority for surveillance and also any seizure of property. It will also support treatment and housing for victims.

The Florida House has passed both of these bills in an effort to defeat Human Trafficking. These bills were passed in honor of all victims of human trafficking. Bill HB 7049, combines current state statues into one and increases penalties attached to convictions. As a result of this bill, tougher sentences will be imposed relating to the victim’s age. It will also give jurisdiction to a statewide prosecutor under the direction of the attorney general; making human smuggling illegal. It requires all traffickers who have been convicted, to be listed as offenders or sexual predators. This means they must register in their county and state. This brings awareness to Human Trafficking and makes Florida one of the toughest states on trafficking.

Now it is your turn, how will you take a stand? Click here to learn how you can get involved!

For more information on these bills go to:

http://www.sayfiereview.com/page/Legislative%20winners%20and%20losers

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/7049

http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2012/html/115

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/HouseNews/preview.aspx?PressReleaseId=512

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.

Christa Hicks is the Program Manager for Beauty From Ashes. She majored in Psychology at Florida Gulf Coast University and will graduate, this May, with a Master of Arts (MA) in Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University.

Southwest Florida Victims Help Battle Human Trafficking

When people think of a human-trafficking victim they often picture a child from a Third World country brought here against her will.

Many don't realize a victim also can be local, such as Fort Myers resident Julie Shematz. She was a 31-year-old student at Purdue University when she met her future trafficker 15 years ago. He was a Romeo who sweet-talked Shematz, she said, and promised to marry her. Then he convinced her to start stripping, which was the beginning of a downward spiral that eventually led to Shematz becoming a victim of sex and labor trafficking.

"I tried to commit suicide numerous times," she said. "You take drugs to numb yourself or try to prepare yourself to do what you have to do to make the money. It was this big, black hole that was just pulling me down and sucking the life out of me."

Southwest Florida law enforcement has not always understood the domestic aspect of human trafficking, but officials have been working the past few years to perfect their system for dealing with cases. They came together with local charities in a panel at Edison State College last month to highlight enforcement methods, educate the public and discuss roadblocks in prosecuting trafficking cases.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida saw eight human-trafficking cases result in guilty verdicts during the last fiscal year, Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Waid said.

The Collier County Sheriff's Office investigated nine human-trafficking cases in 2011, according to spokeswoman Krisi Lester. None of them resulted in charges filed.

There have not been many successful trafficking prosecutions in the county so far, and the lack of precedent makes it hard to get guilty verdicts, Lt. Brad Hamilton of the Lee County Sheriff's Office said at the panel. Victims also tend to be distrustful of law enforcement and unwilling to cooperate.

Shematz, whose nonprofit Beauty from Ashes is working to rehabilitate more than 10 local victims, said those who are trafficked don't always see themselves as victims. If the girl was seduced into the sex industry by a pimp, she often believes she loves her captor and refuses to testify against him.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office received a $450,000, three-year grant in 2005 to combat human trafficking, which at first the agency didn't know what to do with, Hamilton said. The county's human trafficking task force failed the first victim it was faced with, he said, noting he could not provide specific information about the case. One of the biggest problems was deputies obtained conflicting statements from victims' because they didn't know what questions to ask.

Last June, the sheriff's office started a Forensic Interview Team that works with the Children's Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida to make sure those interviewing victims are experts in social services.

New local efforts

Law enforcement recently formalized collaborations with nonprofits to provide services to trafficking victims, said Nola Theiss, executive director of Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships. Her organization also partnered with Abuse Counseling & Treatment Inc. and the local affiliate of Catholic Charities six months ago.

ACT, a Fort Myers-based center for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, started providing shelter for human trafficking victims a few years ago, therapist Yaro Garcia said. ACT hotline operators also received training in dealing with human trafficking victims. The shelter will sometimes see new human trafficking victims as often as every 15 days.

"Four years ago you never heard the term (human trafficking) around the shelter," Garcia said.

Catholic Charities started offering services to human-trafficking victims about two years ago, Program Director Alex Olivares said during the panel. Since then the charity has worked with about 55 victims.

Eslande Dambrevil, a junior at FGCU who attended the human trafficking panel, said she was not aware it was a domestic issue until she started college and got involved with an anti-trafficking group.

What was her reaction when she realized people from Southwest Florida were being trafficked?

"I cried," Dambrevil said. "It's really emotional."

Source:  News Press 2/5/12

mkendall@news-press.com

Mission to Stop Modern Day Slavery in South Florida

ESTERO, Fla -- It's called modern day slavery. Every year thousands become victims of human trafficking, some right here in southwest Florida. Now students at Florida Gulf Coast University are raising awareness about this crime against humanity. 

Jessica Bouchard and several friends have been working around the clock to set up this event. They tell WINK News they're trying to make people stop turning a blind eye to such a terrible issue, and their fight against human trafficking starts with some education. 

It's a light-hearted evening with a serious message.

"Every minute two children are sexually trafficked here in the world," said FGCU senior Jessica Bouchard.

Bouchard and others like junior Amanda Truxillo are bringing the dark subject of human trafficking into the light.  "Human trafficking is the second largest growing crime in the world and a 32 billion dollar industry annually," said Bouchard.

"Even evil this bad, 27 million people being enslaved, our main heart behind it is to to have people know and then act," said Truxillo.

From the band, to the tables full of information provided by local organizations, their goal is to attract their peers and spread a message of hope.

"Here, it's not really talked about so it's good to hear about whats really going on," said sophomore Kevin Richardson.

Joining them is the founder of Beauty from Ashes Ministries. Julie Shematz an FGCU graduate student experienced human trafficking first hand. "When I was finally able to get free of it, my heart went out to all the individuals that I had worked with across the nation, and I wanted to provided resources for them," she explained.

They hope their efforts here will have a lasting and life-changing impact. "Human trafficking awareness leads to prevention, intervention and restoration," said Shematz.

Want more information?
Visit http://www.beautyfromashes.org/

Source:  Wink News 

God's Communication Through Nature: Beauty From Ashes' Staff Retreat

Discovering this idyllic place, we find ourselves filled with a  yearning to linger here, 

where time stands still and beauty overwhelms.

This past week, I found myself in a faraway place memorized of its beauty and peaceful bliss. It’s as if time stopped the single moment I entered nature’s presence at The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park. This was officially my first camping trip and I was truly blessed to go with the staff of Beauty From Ashes Ministries on their first retreat. I found myself closer to God over the four day weekend, and whoever would have thought God would speak to me through nature.

I remember the second day I spoke with founder, Julie Shematz, and I asked her how I could hear God’s voice more clearly. She explained that God is always speaking to us, the question is, whether or not we are paying attention and listening. She told me that He even communicates to us through nature. As we spoke more on this subject, it penetrated my heart. I began to have a different experience about the retreat. I was able to clear my head from the world’s distractions and focus on God and the beauty He created around me.

I recall the afternoon I spent on the Suwannee River beach, I took my bible and journal with me and God began to speak to me. I heard nothing but the wind and the deep brown water of the river. I sat in the sand and felt the smoothness of it against my skin and I became at peace. My mind was clear and God spoke to me through nature. The water represented Psalms 23:2 “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,”. God led me to quiet waters and through the quiet waters He showed me that He was in control of my life because He is peace maker. He is my maker, so automatically I’m entitled to peace.

Not only was that the only thing I learned, but He gave me beauty for ashes. When I sat around the evening camp fire with Julie, Christa Hicks (BFA Program Manager), Marisa (Christa's daughter), and Karen Zeigler (Life Coach, Author, & Inspirational Speaker . . . also the horses and camper owner), God showed me how I represented the ashes being burnt and how through the ashes came this beautiful fire that was burning bright. That’s what God has done for me personally. He gave me beauty for the ashes my life once was.

I learned over the weekend, from being with the beautiful strong women of God I was surrounded by, that it’s not about outward beauty, but it’s a heart that loves God. Not one of us wore make up or jewelry, we were all comfortable in our own skin naturally and I saw the beauty in authenticity.  I could see the beauty in our hearts, which showed what beauty really is.

The bible says in Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.” I understood right then and there that “Beauty From Ashes” isn’t just a title but it’s the Word and its truth. These beautiful women of God aren’t seen because of their outward appearance, but because of the fear of the Lord, the love of the Lord. That is to be praised, that is beauty and that is why God gave them all beauty for ashes.

God gave me the same thing. He showed me why He called me to this organization at this point in my life. He is building me into a strong, bold, woman of God. He has placed this organization and the women of God from Beauty From Ashes to train me and help mold me. I became more grateful and learned how much God really loves me and how He is forming me into a stronger woman of God. He gave me three examples over the weekend and I was truly encouraged and blessed from the whole experience.

We were truly blessed by Michelle's presence at our first staff retreat. She overcame many fears and experienced a lot of firsts, of which I think I can safely say on behalf of the rest of us, was a blessing to experience with her. It was the first time she pet a horse, rode a horse, wore cowgirl boots and a cowboy hat, built and sat around a campfire, went camping, rode in the back end of a pick up truck, and drank out of red solo cups.  :+)  We love you, Michelle.  Thanks for allowing your faith to override your fears.  The memories of our retreat with you will be remembered for a lifetime. - Julie Shematz 


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.

Human Trafficking 101 at Cypress Lake United Methodist Church

 On February 21, 2012 I attended an event for Beauty From Ashes (BFA) at Cypress Lake United Methodist Church in Fort Myers. This was the first time I met Julie Shematz, founder of Beauty From Ashes, and heard her share her testimony as well as present on the works of BFA. It was great to see so many people in our community concerned and passionate to help BFA’s cause.

 In 2010 the department of Justice said the average age for a girl or boy to be sex trafficked is 13 years old. I have cousins who are 13 years old and I could never imagine their innocence violently given to a world of such darkness. BFA believes in intervention, prevention and restoration. These women and men should not be treated as criminals but as victims. These women and men need more than just to be saved from sex trafficking. They need a safe home, counseling and a very strong support system. Beauty From Ashes gives them the help they need and they need your help to do this. BFA is the only survivor-led sex trafficking organization in Southwest Florida. With your help Beauty From Ashes can assist more victims to become overcomers.

Beauty From Ashes is a Christian based nonprofit organization. Mrs. Shematz shared this verse from the Bible, which demonstrates a lot of the meaning behind the beliefs and feelings BFA stands for.

“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”  Psalm 82: 3-4

Gabriela Diaz is senior at Florida Gulf Coast University majoring in Communication with a minor in Spanish. A native Florida resident, she is originally from Miami, and a volunteer for Beauty From Ashes Ministries. 

Beauty From Ashes' March 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. Many great things are planned for March, and we are counting on your prayers to cover them all!

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 the security of knowing 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 surrendered heart ready to commit to His path. 

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. Pray His free gift of love and life through our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ will be shared during our March outreach!  Pray that in His perfect timing that He'd bring all the details together & open the doors into unreached areas we are considering for upcoming outreaches.

ASSESSMENT/RESOURCE CENTER:  Praise 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. Thank Him for opening the door for us to hold our weekly life skills and support group at Lee Memorial Hospital in central Fort Myers. Lee Memorial Hospital is located within walking distance to areas ripe with prostitution, strip clubs, and other sex industry work. Agree with us that God would bring the women He wants us to serve to us in both locations and that the staff of Lee Memorial Hospital will be as welcoming to us as were the staff of the United Way House. 

STAFF: The staff returned from their first retreat this week, where they were able to spend 5 days in Northern Florida camping and horse back riding. Pray for them as acclimate back into their work schedules and for a spirit of unity and harmony to reign. Pray for new staff as we begin the search process for hiring an administrative assistant position(s). May God send us the perfect person(s) to assist our Executive Director and Program Manager in the day to day operations and events.

VOLUNTEERS and INTERNS: Thank you for your prayers in the month of February! God worked abundantly by raising up new volunteers committed to serving on a regular basis.  Please pray our new gift assembly leader feels His peace and energy as she begins serving. Pray for strength, encouragement and commitment for current volunteers and that God would raise up more called, anointed, and dedicated servants ready to reach more people for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  Please pray that God continue to instill a fire in the hearts of men and women to commit their time and resources in reaching, rescuing, and restoring victims as they become over-comers.

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: Praise God all of February's events were abundantly blessed by HIm! We are grateful for the events He has orchestrated for March. 

• Please pray for our upcoming Strip Club outREACH, taking place March 10th.  

• Pray for Life Focus TV as they film for a documentary on human trafficking, highlighting the work of Beauty From Ashes (BFA) Ministries on March 9th & 10th. As the show airs, pray victims from across the United States are moved with hope and that they reach out for help. 

• A group of Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) students will be hosting 72 hours of prayer, March 12th through the 15th.  They've asked BFA to have a table present and our founder and Executive Director, Julie Shematz, to speak and pray on March 12th. Pray that He uses the event to stir the hearts of college students to action. Above all, pray that He uses this event to reach any and all FGCU students currently working or at risk of being sex trafficked or sexually exploited. 

• On March 17th, Julie will be presenting to Awaken Ministries women's group, Pure Passion.  

• March 21st through the 25th, BFA be at Sanibel Community Church's Missions Conference. On Friday and on March 23rd, Julie will be speaking at their dinner banquet.  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 continually provides the necessary financial support, allowing Beauty From Ashes, Florida's first human trafficking, overcomer led, community service agency to reach, rescue, and restore victims for His names sake. 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.  Agree with us that these relationships be protected and that our partners are blessed abundantly. Thank Him for churches that are partnering with BFA and supporting us as missionaries.  May God continue to lay on the hearts of pastors and parishioners a burden to raise awareness and support the work of BFA. 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISORS:  Praise Him for the 2012 budget that was approved!  Agree with us for God to provide health, protection, wisdom, encouragement, and divine direction for BFA.  May He continue to work through the Directors, as they operate in one accord and in tune with the Holy Spirit. 

  

OTHER LIKE MINISTRIES/AGENCIES:  Pray for humbleness and wisdom for all agencies, organizations, and ministries and a desire for unity in helping victims become overcomers.  May the level of professionalism and ethical concern for victims 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 performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He provides rain for the earth; He sends water on the countryside. The lowly He sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety."  Job 5:9-11

Thank you for your prayer support as we move into the spring season of 2012.  Know that we are praying for you.

Nancy Sampson & Sandi Spencer

Prayer Coordinators

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

Human Trafficking in Florida: Finally, Something is Being Done!

Most Americans believe human trafficking only exists outside of the United States, in far away countries, and that there is nothing they can do to help stop it. Human trafficking is a 32 billion dollar industry, and is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. And it occurs right outside our front doors.

In 2000, Congress passed The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which was created to stop human trafficking domestically and internationally, protect victims and prosecute those involved in human trafficking under federal law. Before 2000, no comprehensive federal law existed to protect victims of trafficking or to prosecute their traffickers. 

Florida is the third largest state for human trafficking crimes, second only to California and Texas. What our state is lacking that many other states have are adequate laws for punishing traffickers and preventing the crimes from occurring in the first place. This fact is supported by the absence of prosecutions under our existing state trafficking laws. Thankfully this is slowly beginning to change.

Two bills have been recently proposed in Florida: the House 7049 bill and Senate 1880 bill. They are both being supported by Senator Anitere Flores of Miami and Representative William Snyder of Stuart, who is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Additionally, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is showing support for these bills.

If passed, the bills would strengthen the existing Florida human trafficking laws by combining the three statutes into one statute. The Attorney General’s office believes combining the previous statutes will make it easier for law enforcement to do their jobs. Presently, almost all of the human trafficking cases in Florida are brought to the federal court under the federal law. One aim of this proposed legislation is to make Florida’s human trafficking laws more consistent with the federal laws already in place. The passing of these bills would make Florida the state with the toughest human trafficking laws. 

Currently, the trafficking of drugs such as cocaine is a more heavily punished crime than human trafficking. When I read this, I was in complete shock. I am incapable of understanding how our government would place more value on punishing drug traffickers than human traffickers. I know drug trafficking is a crime, and the offenders need to be adequately punished, but how is it possible that the welfare of humans is constantly being overlooked? This must stop! You can partner with organizations like Beauty From Ashes to work for change.

A Call to ACTION

Here are "20 Things You Can Do To Fight Human Trafficking in the US" and

8 Things You Can Do To Get Involved

Here is a message from Attorney General Bondi and Representative Synder: “If our nation is to continue serving as a beacon of freedom around the world, we must ensure that our communities no longer serve as havens for human trafficking. By strengthening Florida's human trafficking laws, we can keep our communities safe and ensure our basic human rights are protected.”

To read more about the above mentioned bills visit these web addresses:

http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/mobile/opinion/time-to-tackle-sex-trafficking-1.2699046

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/feb/16/pam-bondi-william-snyder-cracking-down-on-human/

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/article/240470/483/Fla-AG-Wants-Zero-Tolerance-for-Human-Trafficking

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/feb/16/pam-bondi-william-snyder-cracking-down-on-human/

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/7049

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/1880

Katie is an undergraduate student at FGCU. She will be graduating in April 2012 with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology and a Minor in Interdisciplinary Studies. She is a Senator in the FGCU Honors Program and is the Co-President of the Student Abolitionist Movement. Katie works part-time at FGCU as a Student-Athlete Tutor. She is in the process of applying to FGCU’s Master of Social Work program. She enjoys reading, volunteering, and horse-back riding. She was born and raised in Coral Springs, FL.   

Gift Assembly Day with Beauty From Ashes

When we decided to volunteer for Beauty from Ashes for our Civic Engagement class, we didn’t know what to expect. None of us had heard of the organization before, and we had only a vague idea about human trafficking. 

We certainly did not know about how prevalent it is in the United States. We were especially surprised to learn that Southwest Florida is one of the most afflicted areas in the country. 

The media in this area does not cover the human trafficking problem nearly enough. Our professor and most of the people in our class were very surprised at how serious the issue is in this region.

This week our group prepared gift baskets for victims of sex trafficking. We found it very satisfying to help members of our community who had been subjugated. It wasn’t easy work, but it helped us feel like we were accomplishing something. We know we are helping make Fort Myers a better place. This experience is making all of us appreciate how easy our lives are. 

Victims of sex trafficking really need our help, and we can really help by increasing awareness of this issue as well as helping comfort the victims with things like gift baskets.

When our group learned we had to spend time out of class volunteering, we were wary of what we would experience. 

However, even though we have only spent one week working with Beauty from Ashes, we feel that we have learned a lot already. At first we didn’t understand why the university we would require a class that included out-of-class work. All college students are very busy, and most students don’t understand how important it is to help people. However, I know I can speak for our group when I say that we are starting to learn this.

In addition to the time we spend at the Beauty from Ashes office, we are planning a separate awareness campaign. It is still in the early stages, but our group is planning to inform people about the problem of human trafficking in Southwest Florida. We will focus on educating fellow FGCU students, but we will also inform the community at large.

In conclusion, our first experiences volunteering for Beauty from Ashes were very positive. We learned how important it is to help others. We also learned that unfortunately, sex trafficking in this area is a huge problem. It’s going to be a huge challenge to eradicate this practice from this area, but we are looking forward to helping Beauty from Ashes accomplish this.

Alex McMillan & his civic engagement group at Florida Gulf Coast University

Words from the Heart of an Intern

Right at this very moment there is a child being trafficked. While we do as we please, there is someone who’s every move is being controlled and monitored. Living a life that neither you nor I could possibly imagine. Children as young as 11, are experiencing this everyday of their lives. Robbed from the comforts of their parents’ arms and tossed onto the streets where they are forced to sell their bodies daily in massage parlors, strip clubs, and through prostitution.

You might think I’m speaking about an international problem, but I am not. This is a common mistake American's make; I am talking about an issue that is greatly impacting the wonderful country of America, where we reside. 

Human trafficking is the 2^nd fastest growing crime in the world, and I can almost guarantee you that it has happened in your city. As we become more aware of this horrific crime the traffickers are doing one of two things; being caught by the police, or improving their operations, which includes expanding their operations into other cities and states. 

Those of us who are aware can spread the word and educate those who are not. As an intern at Beauty From Ashes I can passionately say we will not stop working to REACH, RESCUE, and RESTORE victims of human sex trafficking. We will go through the trails and tribulations under the guidance of the Lord to continue helping victims become overcomers. 

Eslande is a Junior, majoring in Psychology, at Florida Gulf Coast University. Go Eagles! She was born and raised in Fort Myers, Florida. She considers herself as being "somewhat of a poet" and blogger who loves to play volley ball.  She currently interns at Beauty From Ashes Ministries and is a contributing writer for the news section of school newspaper, Eagle News.