OutREACH Care Packages for Inner City Teens & Volunteers Needed

OUTREACH CARE PACKAGES PRESENTED TO HINDS FEET MENTORING SERVICES:  Prevention and intervention are vital to combatting the reality of human sex trafficking locally in Lee County, Florida.  Community partnerships are crucial.  On Wednesday, January 19th, Beauty From Ashes (BFA) Ministries presented 17 outREACH care packages to Pastor Judy Sykes of Hinds Feet Mentoring Services that included the BFA Child of God CD, make up, hair products, and bibles.  Pastor Sykes oversees an inner city mentoring program to individuals aged 12 - 25 in Fort Myers, FL.  

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:  BFA is in need of mature, stable minded and committed servants to serve in the following capacities: 

Administrative:  2-4 hours a week or more

Prayer Team:  Meet for one hour locally and respond to email prayer requests

OutREACH:  Strip club outREACHes locally (Training required)

Gift Assembly:  Meet the 1st Saturday of each month & to ship care packages when needed

Social Media Team:  Moderate social media websites 

Food Coordinator:  Liaison with community restaurants 

Graphic Designer

Mentors:  Fulfill Titus 2:3 with young women and girls that have been victims of commercialized sexual exploitation  (Training required)

If interested, please send email to Jenni Blye at jblye@beautyfromashes.org or call 239.939.9218.  Application, references, and back ground check required for some positions.  

JANUARY - NATIONAL SLAVERY & HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH:  7 things that you can do to become a slavery abolitionist:

1. GET INFORMED - Read "Child Sex Trafficking: Definition, Scope, Recruitment and Control, Developmental Impact, Challenges, Intervention, Treatment and Advocacy" by BFA founder, human trafficking over-comer, and Florida Gulf Coast University graduate student, Julie Shematz.  Watch the BFA home page for the latest in domestic human trafficking news.

2.  SIGN UP for the BFA E-Newsletter and stay informed about legislation, trainings, outREACHes, and community engagement.  To sign up, 

CLICK HERE

3.  SPEAK UP - Share the information by talking about it in person to your friends and family and through social media.  Contact your local press and ask them to do a feature on the topic this month. 

4.  SCHEDULE AN EVENT in your church, school, business, club or group.  For more information on BFA human trafficking presentations, CLICK HERE. 

5.  VOLUNTEER with agencies like BFA that are on the front lines making a difference.

6.  GIVE OR RAISE FUNDS to support grass root, domestic, anti-trafficking, and victim service provider agencies.

7.  PRAY & FAST that the captives be set free.  For Prayer Guide, 

CLICK HERE

JANUARY STRIP CLUB OUTREACH REPORT:  3 women receive Christ as Savior and 3 quit!  For report & photos, CLICK HERE.

BREAKING FREE LIFE SKILLS & SUPPORT GROUP for former and current sex workers meets on Wednesdays from 1-3 pm at Barry University on January 5th.  Free lunch and complimentary child care provided.  Registration required.  Contact Julie Shematz at julie@beautyfromashes.org or call 239-939-9218 to register.  

theCALL2XXX:  Join us weekly, locally and globally for prayer to abolish slavery and for the organizations reaching, rescuing, restoring and advocating for the victims.  Fridays 8-9am EST.  For more information and prayer guide:  CLICK HERE  To meet with team locally, contact 

Jenni Blye at 239-939-9218 or jblye@beautyfromahses.org.

PRAYER REQUESTS:  Now you can submit your prayer request via our website!  

CLICK HERE to send us your prayer request.  

We care for you and have a team that prays over your every need.  

DONATIONS:  Your partnership is vital for us to continue providing education, advocacy, and reach, rescue and restoration services to victims of commercialized sexual exploitation.  Please consider becoming a partner by giving a year end tax deductible gift today.  For  $25 or more we will send you our  Child of God CD.  For secure online donations, CLICK HERE or mail your check, cash or money order to Beauty From Ashes, 13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste, 56-623, Fort Myers, FL 33907.

BFA E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP:  CLICK HERE

BFA MAILING ADDRESS UPDATE:  Our new mailing address is 13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste. 56-623, Fort Myers, FL, 33907-3871.  Our physical location has not changed and is still at Barry University.  

Thank you for partnering with us as we educate the community, advocate for, reach, rescue and restore victims of commercialized sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.  

Passionate for victims to become over-comers,

Julie Shematz

CEO & Founder

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

January Strip Club OutREACH Report & More!

JANUARY STRIP CLUB OUTREACH REPORT:  On Saturday January 8th, 2011 Beauty From Ashes™ (BFA) had our monthly Strip Club OutREACH. We were blessed to have the founder of the Hope Project in Michigan, Amanda Chapman, and one of her volunteers, Sara Karnes join the team.  The team prayed before the outREACH thanking God that He would do a new thing and asked for something radical; that 2 women would quit and leave the club that evening.   God was faithful and answered our prayers!   As a fragrant candle filled the musty locker room with a sweet aroma and praise music played, the team served up homemade baked ziti, an Italian salad with all the fixings, rolls, and mint and chocolate three layered cake to the employees.  They listened intently as the women began sharing their heartaches and encouraged them with love, hope, and truth.  Three women prayed to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior, 2 left the club immediately following their confession and another put in her notice to quit after finding out that BFA could provide to her a full scholarship to become an Certified Nursing Assistant!  We were also exited to hear that the manager bought his girlfriend a 'pink' bible for Christmas that she is reading everyday!  Additionally, the team was able to give away CD's of Bill Weise's testimony and Rick Pino's music to every employee and customer in the club.   To God be all the glory for He will be faithful to complete the good work He has begun in each person's life!  To view outREACH photos, CLICK HERE

JANUARY - NATIONAL SLAVERY & HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH:  1-11-11 was the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and BFA hosted a corporate prayer gathering at Barry University from 8-9am.  Community engagement is necessary in order to tackle this global and national problem.   Awareness leads to prevention, intervention, and restoration.  Here are 7 things that you can do to become a slavery abolitionist:

GET INFORMED - Read "Child Sex Trafficking: Definition, Scope, Recruitment and Control, Developmental Impact, Challenges, Intervention, Treatment and Advocacy" by BFA founder, human trafficking over-comer, and Florida Gulf Coast University graduate student, Julie Shematz.  Watch the BFA home page for the latest in domestic human trafficking news.

SIGN UP for the BFA E-Newsletter and stay informed about legislation, trainings, outREACHes, and community engagement.  To sign up, 

CLICK HERE

SPEAK UP - Share the information by talking about it in person to your friends and family and through social media.  Contact your local press and ask them to do a feature on the topic this month. 

SCHEDULE AN EVENT in your church, school, business, club or group.  For more information on BFA human trafficking presentations, CLICK HERE. 

VOLUNTEER with agencies like BFA that are on the front lines making a difference.

GIVE OR RAISE FUNDS to support grass root, domestic, anti-trafficking, and victim service provider agencies.

PRAY & FAST that the captives be set free.  For Prayer Guide, 

CLICK HERE

For more information and how you can get involved in raising awareness about human trafficking, CLICK HERE 

BREAKING FREE LIFE SKILLS & SUPPORT GROUP for former and current sex workers meets on Wednesdays from 1-3 pm at Barry University on January 5th.  Free lunch and complimentary child care provided.  Registration required.  Contact Julie Shematz at julie@beautyfromashes.org or call 239-939-9218 to register.  

theCALL2XXX:  Join us weekly, locally and globally for prayer to abolish slavery and for the organizations reaching, rescuing, restoring and advocating for the victims.  Fridays 8-9am EST.  For more information and prayer guide:  CLICK HERE  To meet with team locally, contact 

Jenni Blye at 239-939-9218 or jblye@beautyfromahses.org.

PRAYER REQUESTS:  We care for you and have a team that prays over your every need.  Please send them to prayer@beautyfromashes.org or submit them through our website, 

CLICK HERE.

DONATIONS:  Your partnership is vital for us to continue providing awareness, advocacy and reach, rescue and restoration services to victims of commercialized sexual exploitation.  Please consider becoming a partner by giving a year end tax deductible gift today.  For  $25 or more we will send you our  Child of God CD.  For secure online donations, CLICK HERE or mail your check, cash or money order to Beauty From Ashes, 13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste, 56-623, Fort Myers, FL 33907.

BFA E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP:  CLICK HERE

BFA MAILING ADDRESS UPDATE:  Our new mailing address is 13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste. 56-623, Fort Myers, FL, 33907-3871.  Our physical location has not changed and is still at Barry University.  

Thank you for your continued support.  Together we are building momentum and making a difference!

Passionate to victims become over-comers,

Julie Shematz

CEO & Founder

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, 

   because the LORD has anointed me 

   to proclaim good news to the poor. 

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 

   to proclaim freedom for the captives 

   and release from darkness for the prisoners, 

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor 

   and the day of vengeance of our God, 

to comfort all who mourn, 

 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— 

to bestow on them a crown of 

beauty 

instead of ashes, 

the oil of joy 

   instead of mourning, 

and a garment of praise 

   instead of a spirit of despair. 

They will be called oaks of righteousness, 

   a planting of the LORD 

   for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV

1-11-11 Nat'l Human Trafficking Awareness Day Corporate Prayer & Strip Club OutREACH

1-11-11 NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS DAY:  Fort Myers, FL Tuesday, January 11, 2011 we are inviting you to pray with us for Human Trafficking Awareness Day, as the body of Christ is vital to the true abolition of slavery. This is the human rights issue of the day and as church, we need you to be at the forefront of the anti-slavery movement.  Please join us for prayer from 8:00 am until 9:00 am at Barry University or where you are.  Unity and being in one accord is key.

You can make a difference, not only with your prayers, but also by making others aware.  We, at Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries, are at your service to assist you in preparing to address this national and global crisis.   CLICK HERE for 8.5x10" flyer promoting the awareness month and the local prayer gathering on 1-11-11.  To read a research paper on the topic written by BFA Founder and CEO, also a human trafficking over-comer and FGCU Graduate Student, CLICK HERE.  For more information on the National Slavery & Human Trafficking Awareness Month, CLICK HERE

STRIP CLUB OUTREACH:  Saturday, January 8th 7pm - midnight, Fort Myers, FL.  The BFA OutREACH team will be delivering a home cooked meal of baked ziti, salad, and pies to the employees of our 'adopted' strip club.  Below is from one of our outREACH team members, Shelly Lantz:   

"I am getting prepared for the beginning of the New Year and our First Strip Club Outreach for 2011 will take place next weekend.

 

I am so blessed to be able to go back to where God rescued me from and be a witness of my Lord’s saving grace and mercy to these precious girls that mean so much to him. I sit in awe as I see His Holy Spirit work in this place it leaves my jaw on the ground.

 

Please pray for our Team!  Julie, Annie, Jenny, Shelly and all the others that are working behind the scenes to make this possible.

 

Last year when Julie Shematz from Beauty from Ashes™ Ministries approached me about going back into the strip clubs to love and share the gospel of Christ with these women, I was already involved in Prison ministry and said “um,  I don’t think so.”  I never dreamed I would set foot back into a strip club again after all the garbage that life put me through in the past.  I believed that stripping well would give me the money and resources I needed to live a better life.  BIG LIE!!!  It started innocently and ended in the biggest nightmare ever.  I was bound in the adult entertainment business for over 25 years in a life of addiction, prisons, institutions, drug rehabs one after another, 15 arrests and two prison sentences even one overseas. Well I guess that says enough about where this harmless beginning could end for a person in this lifestyle.  So now you can see why going back in terrified me.

 

But God said “NO, Shelly it’s not where you think you should be, it is where you feel less effective that I can work through you the most and be seen through your life to touch these women.”  A place of surrendering our own desires and allowing God to lead us were we feel we are the least effective is exactly where He can use us.  It's not my testimony that touches these girls’ lives because I rarely even go there to speak about me.  It’s all about Jesus and who He is and what he can do.  I am there to listen, learn, grow and be stretched.  God shows me the depth of my sinfulness and what He did for me each time I step foot back in that club.  I then go in utter amazement in gratitude for Him rescuing me and say “Oh my Father, you can rescue whoever you please” and I look at those woman as his precious daughters and see with eyes that would view eternity rather than here and now. 

 

So this is why I do what God has called me to do and the team does as well.  We do it for Him and Him alone.  Thanks for allowing me to share and this is why we need your prayers.  Love you all and many blessings as we enter into New Year 2011." 

theCALL2XXX:  Join us weekly, locally and globally for prayer to abolish slavery and for the organizations reaching, rescuing, restoring and advocating for the victims.  Fridays 8-9am EST.  For more information and prayer guide:  CLICK HERE  To meet with team locally, contact 

Jenni Blye at 574-855-7215 or worshipperwithsong@yahoo.com.

BFA PRAYER:  May all who we influence receive the free gift and reason for the season, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  

PRAYER REQUESTS:  We care for you and have a team that prays over your every need.  Please send them to prayer@beautyfromashes.org

DONATIONS:  Your partnership is vital for us to continue providing awareness, advocacy and reach, rescue and restoration services to victims of commercialized sexual exploitation.  Please consider becoming a partner by giving a year end tax deductible gift today.  For  $25 or more we will send you our  Child of God CD.  For secure online donations, CLICK HERE or mail your check, cash or money order to Beauty From Ashes™, 13300 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste. 56-632, Fort Myers, FL 33907.

For the LATEST NEWS REGARDING DOMESTIC SEX TRAFFICKING, visit our home page:  http://www.beautyfromashes.org

BFA E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP:  CLICK HERE

Building Momentum in 2011,

Julie Shematz

CEO & Founder

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers