When someone has only known prostitution and sexual exploitation their whole life, basic needs suffer. Reading, writing, and essential life skills are just a few of the areas that victim’s of exploitation need in order to find the confidence to walk in freedom.
LightForce’s Lighthouses are a place of hope and resource. At these houses, victims of sexual exploitation, women and men, have the opportunity to learn how to read and write while learning necessary life skills to further their pursuit of freedom, hope and future dreams. Two to three days a week tutors and volunteers teach basic reading and writing, while one day is set aside for cooking and other trade classes.
In addition to teaching, Lighthouses function as a safe place for children to come and receive a good meal, get necessary tutoring, play and just be a kid for one day a week. In many rural, impoverished areas, young children are at risk of forced prostitution. Our vision is to give children the opportunity to receive the love they may be missing out on.
We have been so so blessed to begin this project with our house in Nicaragua. This house is the first of many that we hope to open. We are slowly getting some furniture and we hope to be able to purchase the table and chairs next week for the children to sit at during tutoring.
My heart melts at all the little faces that fill this house. At times it can be so loud and chaotic but somehow this chaos is beautiful. Many of the women and children have stories that break your heart and often I will choose not to share their stories with you. I can tell you though that this house has become a sweet place for many children to come and play inside. If the walls could speak, they would tell you about all of the laughter, hugs, games and even at times tears that transpire here in, Lighthouse.
Friday is our grand opening to a particular community where there is extreme poverty and many children at risk. One of our kids we work with, Olga, is from this community. Up until now, we have been selective in allowing people from this community into the program. However, Anita has worked hard to screen and decide how many other people we will allow to come and learn. Many times I wish I had all the money in the world to let every kid in, however, we have narrowed it down to 30 something children to feed and work with one on one. We are trusting God.
Olga was our trial and I hope to one day share her entire story. I will say that Olga needs your prayers. Sexual exploitation is a degrading weapon used to rob children of a childhood. She is twelve years old but only in the second grade. When we first met Olga, she never smiled and was not even attending school. Her eyes haunted me, more so than any other little girl I have ever met. I remember not sleeping well after I first met her and Anita took me first thing the next morning to see Olga. I asked her if she was interested in going to school and what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her reply was an emphatic yes and that she wanted to be a lawyer. She smiled. Finally, a smile!
We placed her in a good school and she reports to us everyday before and after school. It is my favorite time of the day, helping her with her homework and loving on her. We all do. Olga is part of our family and on Saturday, we will add many others like her to our home.
Please continue to pray for our safety, the women and children, and our ability to sustain the Saturday feeding programs.
LightForce’s Lighthouses are a place of hope and resource. At these houses, victims of sexual exploitation, women and men, have the opportunity to learn how to read and write while learning necessary life skills to further their pursuit of freedom, hope and future dreams. Two to three days a week tutors and volunteers teach basic reading and writing, while one day is set aside for cooking and other trade classes.
In addition to teaching, Lighthouses function as a safe place for children to come and receive a good meal, get necessary tutoring, play and just be a kid for one day a week. In many rural, impoverished areas, young children are at risk of forced prostitution. Our vision is to give children the opportunity to receive the love they may be missing out on.
We have been so so blessed to begin this project with our house in Nicaragua. This house is the first of many that we hope to open. We are slowly getting some furniture and we hope to be able to purchase the table and chairs next week for the children to sit at during tutoring.
My heart melts at all the little faces that fill this house. At times it can be so loud and chaotic but somehow this chaos is beautiful. Many of the women and children have stories that break your heart and often I will choose not to share their stories with you. I can tell you though that this house has become a sweet place for many children to come and play inside. If the walls could speak, they would tell you about all of the laughter, hugs, games and even at times tears that transpire here in, Lighthouse.
Friday is our grand opening to a particular community where there is extreme poverty and many children at risk. One of our kids we work with, Olga, is from this community. Up until now, we have been selective in allowing people from this community into the program. However, Anita has worked hard to screen and decide how many other people we will allow to come and learn. Many times I wish I had all the money in the world to let every kid in, however, we have narrowed it down to 30 something children to feed and work with one on one. We are trusting God.
Olga was our trial and I hope to one day share her entire story. I will say that Olga needs your prayers. Sexual exploitation is a degrading weapon used to rob children of a childhood. She is twelve years old but only in the second grade. When we first met Olga, she never smiled and was not even attending school. Her eyes haunted me, more so than any other little girl I have ever met. I remember not sleeping well after I first met her and Anita took me first thing the next morning to see Olga. I asked her if she was interested in going to school and what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her reply was an emphatic yes and that she wanted to be a lawyer. She smiled. Finally, a smile!
We placed her in a good school and she reports to us everyday before and after school. It is my favorite time of the day, helping her with her homework and loving on her. We all do. Olga is part of our family and on Saturday, we will add many others like her to our home.
Please continue to pray for our safety, the women and children, and our ability to sustain the Saturday feeding programs.
Olga, ready for school with her new supplies!
Olga.
Laura, helping Olga with her homework.
