October Update: An Ounce of Prevention

They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the fight against human trafficking, this phrase couldn't be more true. If we could stop the flow of vulnerable people who are so easily lured by traffickers, we could greatly reduce the number of people who have their lives taken from them. We had some exciting movement in our attempts to bring our prevention program to the schools in Orange County, FL. Read about it in our latest newsletter here.

August Update: A New Adventure

This month, Sarah is off to a new adventure. She is stepping out in faith in a direction that God has been leading her over years and years. Now is the time. See what's new and see some other photos from our summer in our newsletter here!

May Update

This month not only hear about a huge breakthrough in our ministry but also get a glimpse of our family. It's birthday month in the Pippin home! Read the whole newsletter here.

8 Years After Tragedy

Every year on 4/16 I reflect a lot on what happened that day at VT; but more than remembering where I was and what happened, I wrestle. I struggle with the evil that happened in my town on my campus. I am burdened with the questions of why God would protect one of my friends, yet allow another to be killed.

Both friends loved God. Both had loving, supportive families, with bright futures ahead of them. Yet one is gone, and the other enjoys his life as a young father. Why? What would Lauren be doing today if she were alive? She would most likely be a missionary in another country, serving God and loving others. Maybe she'd be a mother also raising her kids to know and love God and people.

Beyond the isolated incident on that spring day in Blacksburg, it makes me look at all the evil in our world. We live in a society where people are enslaved so that we can pay less for products, where domestic violence is rampant, and children are forced into prostitution to satisfy the lust and greed of men. This is not to mention the terrors of ISIS, Boko Haram, and others around the world. Evil is rampant. It is not just Active evil, but Passive disinterest. If the U.S. came together, we could easily feed all the hungry children of the world, but we don't. We don't care enough. There are so many problems in the world, we get overwhelmed and change the channel when we see the images of the starving children in Africa. Out of sight, out of mind. I'm guilty as charged.

I'm left with questions of why and I don't have an answer. I am certain that if God's grace was NOT present, our world would be far, far worse. However, why does He choose NOT to act in some situations while He does in others? Why does He prevent one child from being taken by human traffickers while others suffer years of abuse? Why did one class barricade the door 8 years ago, while others did not?

I believe the Bible is true and God is loving, so in faith, I believe God knows what He's doing and try to trust that He had the best in mind for each victim and their family. Suffering draws us closer to God and opens us up to deep life change more than anything else, so I know from experience that God can use the painful times to grow us. Often, it's the only way He can get our attention. I wish this were not the case. I don't like to hurt. Can't there be another way to get our attention?

In my own life, I believe God used this and other loss soon after to begin the process of showing me a lot about myself, my heart, and my issues. I shared more about this in my reflection last year. But I also believe He used it to open my eyes to the reality that God calls His people to actively pursue justice and work against evil. Had I not gone through the evil that one student chose to inflict on others, I may not be so passionate about working to fight for justice and an end to human trafficking today. I have seen evil and I want to stop it with God's help. I guess there's a silver lining in my story. I only hope there is some good that can be found in each life that was touched by this tragedy.

Today, I pray for those who loved and lost 8 years ago. This day must be gut wrenching for many of them still. I ask God to be close to them and hold them this and every day. May He continue to bring hope and healing to those who are hurting as a result of this and every tragedy in our world.

neVer forgeT

February Update: Answered Prayers!

2015 has been a bustle of activity. From the National Weekend of Prayer to End Slavery to the 7th Annual Orlando Human Trafficking Awareness Day event, we have been quite busy. But these things are just the tip of the iceberg. We are most thrilled about the opportunity we were given to bring our new dynamic human trafficking prevention program to a public high school. Check out our full update to read more about it here.

Strength and Justice

Sitting in the same room with a victim of trafficking and 3 of her traffickers is an eerie experience. Today I did just that. I never spoke with them, but I listened and I learned. The 3 traffickers were sentenced in a federal court to years in prison for their abuse and exploitation of this teenager.

I looked at these people and thought, "How could you be this capable of such horrible evil?" They looked like any normal person you'd pass on the street. I saw their families crying for them. The ring leader even had a family and young children! I feel for the kids who will reap the consequences of their father's terrible choices and pray that they do not follow his path. He will be in prison for the next 20 years.

But what touched me most was the courage of a teenage girl who had the strength to testify against her captors, people she had trusted who turned on her. In today's sentencing, she bravely shared how she has been recovering from the drug addiction the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by her traffickers. She is still in counseling but is growing. She will have a different life if she carries such courage with her into her future. I believe she will because to stand in the courtroom with the very people who abused her took guts, and she may have more than anyone I have ever met. I admire her.

In the span of a few minutes, I witnessed human strength on two ends of the spectrum. On one end was strength used to degrade someone for selfish greed. On the other was strength used for justice, to make things right (righteousness). God was in that courtroom today giving His strength to this teenager. He was also present, bringing justice and restoring order to a broken world. The justice system in our country may not be perfect, but today was a good day. Today, traffickers went to prison for a long time and will no longer be able to exploit and abuse children.

Now we pray for this soft-spoken teen's continued healing and restoration but we also pray for those entering federal penitentiaries. We pray that God would intervene in their lives, that they would truly repent and their hearts would be changed by grace. We pray for them knowing that, if the circumstances were different in our lives, we could have made the same horrible choices, and we praise God for His grace in our lives that kept us from that path.

Making up for Lost Time

In our transition, life has been a bit busy, so we apologize for not posting our prayer updates from the past few months. They have been quite full. We hope as Christmas approaches you are also able to slow down and enjoy the season. Maybe you'll have time to read our past few newsletters. You can view September, October, and our Thanksgiving note. Thanks for your prayers!

New Ministry Focus

In our most recent newsletter, we wanted to let everyone know that we are making a shift in our ministry focus.  To learn more about the details of our work, check out our newsletter here.  Thanks for your prayers!!!

Seeing Jesus in the Most Surprising Places

Sometimes I'm amazed at the faith people have to walk into difficult places to serve the Lord. A few weeks ago I interviewed a graduate from one of the Cru ministries who is serving God in an amazing way, loving some of the most difficult people to love. Below is the short article I wrote up about Laura. As I finished up writing I couldn't help but thank God for her and pray for her.  I hope you will do the same.

photo courtesy Julianna Boehm Photography

“It’s hard work but it’s unmistakably filled with the heart of God,” says Laura when asked about her job as an occupational therapist within a state forensic psychiatric hospital. This hospital exists for people who have committed crimes from murder to assault and are placed there due to mental illness. Laura says, “A good day is one where no one hurts someone else.”  

In college, Laura was drawn to occupational therapy because she desired to help people engage in everyday life skills. As she shadowed occupational therapists, her interest grew and she knew this was her calling. She believes God has sent her to be an advocate for some of the most marginalized people in society.

She says, “Despite the horrendous things some of them have done, I look at them and say, ‘You are a child of God. I care for you. You are loved and valued.’” Recently one of her patients became suicidal and she was able to speak truth to him that he is a valuable person whose life is meaningful.

After her time in Cru at the University of Indianapolis, she received training from the Medical Strategic Network. This helped her see how her profession as an occupational therapist could be a ministry. Now she says, “My primary ministry is my work.” Some days Laura and her co-workers fear for their lives as they work among dangerous criminals but she also experiences Christ daily in the eyes of patients who are made in God’s image.  

The difficulty of the job has created common ground with her co-workers. They all experience the fear, the exhaustion, and the brokenness. Recently, she held a dinner for all of her co-workers and discussed several essays she had written as she has processed her experiences in the job. All of these included prayers and presented her faith openly.  She shared part of the essays and then gave bound copies to everyone. It was a great opportunity to help her co-workers put language to what they have experienced, see Jesus in it, and open the door for many spiritual conversations to come.  

Laura couldn’t do it alone. She is surrounded by a church community who values what she does and how it relates to the gospel of Christ. She meets to pray with friends from church every morning before she goes to work. Supported by the encouragement and prayers of many friends, she continues to serve the least of these daily, showing them the love and mercy of God.  

Laura is a SENT ONE!

  

May Update: End of a Dream

Setting Captives Free

When someone is rescued from a life of human trafficking, many times they are extremely disillusioned.  They have been told that law enforcement is out to get them.  They are often scared to cooperate with authorities due to fear of retaliation by their trafficker.  

One simple gesture can make a big difference in the ongoing healing and restoration of the victim as well as the possible conviction of the perpetrators.  What is this gesture?  A gift.  For someone who has had everything taken from them, to receive a gift that says, “We care about you,” speaks louder than words.  

This is why we are coordinating efforts to provide every sheriff’s office a rescue backpack.  These contain immediate needs like toiletries and clothes for the victims who often escape with nothing but the clothes on their back.  

The backpack drive is a wonderful way for the community to engage in the fight against trafficking in our area.  We have seen churches, businesses, and individuals donate to the cause.  

There is a great need for them too.  During the month of April, Florida Abolitionist assisted 13 victims who were rescued from a life of slavery.  Most of these received backpacks and are on their way towards a new life.  Please pray for each of them, that God would heal their hearts and restore their souls.  

The End of A Dream

Two years ago, we embarked on a journey to adopt a child from China.  Honestly, we thought we would have her by now.  But in the Lord’s wisdom, He had the process take longer than expected in order to show us that His plan for us is not to continue with the adoption.  We’re honestly a bit confused.  When we started the process, we felt clearly led by the Lord one way and now feel clearly led in the opposite.  It doesn’t make sense to us, but we fully believe that God is good and that He is leading the way. 

We are experiencing a lot of emotions right now.  We are currently grieving the loss.  It feels like dying to a dream we have had for a long time.  To be honest, we fear what everyone will think.  Will you think we are heartless, selfish, not trusting God?  But, at the end of the day, before God, we have to do what is best for our marriage and our family.  We don’t know what the future holds and as we continue to hold a special place in our hearts for vulnerable children, we trust that the Lord will give us new opportunities in the future to be a blessing to kids in ways we had never before imagined.  

We’d like to thank you for your faithful prayers as we have been in the adoption process.  We ask that you continue to seek God’s face on behalf of the orphans of the world. Also, we ask for you to pray for us as we grieve the loss of the dream.         

Reflecting on 4/16/07, 7 Years Later

Seven years have gone by since that horrific morning in Blacksburg.  In some ways it feels like yesterday and in other ways it seems like ages have passed.  That day our son was approaching his first birthday, now he's a second-grader; our daughter, she wasn't even a thought.

I can remember so much of that day, 4/16, a day Hokies everywhere memorialize.  A day we all change our Facebook pictures to the VT ribbon.  A day we pray for the families and friends deeply affected by the loss of loved ones so senselessly.  And a day we all remember where we were and what we felt when we heard the news.

That morning, we were at a Cru staff meeting a few miles from campus when we got a phone call from one of the Moms on our team who was traveling out of town and heard on the radio that there had been a shooting on campus.  Immediately we turned on the TV to see what was going on.  We watched, along with many around the country, as the number of victims rose and rose throughout the day.  There was nothing we could do but watch and pray.

Eventually we decided as a staff team that we should make sure everyone in our movement was accounted for so we began calling students we knew to see if they were OK and asking them about others.  We learned that campus was on lock down and many students had to stay in their classrooms all over campus.  Tracking down students took all day because cell phones were jammed with terrified parents calling to check on their children.

That night we gathered as a movement with a few other Christian ministries on campus to pray.  It was there that I found out that Lauren was missing.  Her best friend hadn't been able to reach her, her roommate hadn't seen her, and she had class in Norris Hall that morning.  Once again, we prayed.

My heart sank when Lauren's best friend, along with a group of students, went to her room only to find that she still wasn't there well into the evening.  We could only think the worst but prayed for the best case scenario.  Maybe she was just injured or was at the hospital with a friend.  After all, this girl loved God.  Surely He would spare her life.  The next day I got a phone call that she was one of the 32.  She was one of 3 students in our movement who were killed that day but the only one I knew personally.

She was the most spiritually mature freshman I have ever met and she loved blessing international students.  In my experience, freshmen rarely jump right into international student ministry.  She was unique, one of a kind, with a deep love for the Lord.  I can still remember her prayers with a group of students 4 days before she was killed.  She praised Jesus saying, "Lord, You are just so awesome! I just love You so much!"

I couldn't help but wonder, "Why, God? Why would you take such a wonderful servant of Yours who would have had such an amazing impact on so many lives?"  I know that through her death, many have heard her testimony and have placed their faith in Christ but I still ask the same question.  I don't have an answer.  I don't believe I ever will on this side of Heaven.  The only comfort I have is what I heard her parents share, that they know she is where she longed to be, in God's presence.  If He gave her the option to come back, there's no way she would do it.

In the midst of these questions and doubts I was expected to lead students who were experiencing the same things.  While dealing with the fact that the deadliest mass shooting happened on my campus in a building where I had a class as a student, it was my job to comfort others, to offer spiritual guidance.  I had to stuff my feelings, my fears, my sorrow.  It was the only way I knew to get by.  One of the guys in my Bible study was in Norris and was saved by the teacher's glance down the hall and the students' quick thinking to barricade the door with a table just before the gunman came to their classroom and shot through the door in attempt to get in.  What did I have to offer him as he processed this terrifying event and the survivor's guilt he felt?  I mostly just listened.  I hope I didn't talk too much.  I honestly remember not knowing what to say or even what questions to ask.  I recommended a counselor.  (Today he's married, expecting his first child, and loves the Lord.  I'm really proud of him.)

Looking back, I'm sure I tried to have super-spiritual answers to everything.  That part is fuzzy in my memory.  I think I passed along a John Piper article about the problem of evil.  I felt helpless in a desperate situation to try to help others when I really needed help, myself.

The tears finally flowed on Thursday night at our weekly meeting.  I couldn't stuff it down any more.  It was essentially a memorial service with an open mic for anyone to share about students who were killed on Monday.  Hearing students share about Lauren touched me deeply and I let it all out, there in a room full of people.  I just didn't care what people thought.  (Where did I get this idea that to be a man means you don't cry anyway?  Thanks, media.)

The shootings began to open my eyes to the harsh reality that suffering is part of this life.  It doesn't matter how much you pray, how much money you give, how often you share your faith, or what kind of job you have - suffering happens.  In my head I knew this - of course, the Bible says that we'll suffer.  After all, Matthew 5:45 says, "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." But in my heart I believed that if I dotted all my i's and crossed all my t's then God would keep the rain away.  

4 days after the shooting, my grandmother passed away.  More sorrow.  More rain.  More questions, "Why now?"  So instead of going to Lauren's funeral on Sunday, I attended my grandmother's.  The contrast was, and still is, crazy to me.  The loss of young lives cut short and the celebration of a life well lived.  Still, the sadness piled up.

Within the next year our suffering would continue as we lost 2 children to miscarriages.  This time the pain was closer, more personal than before.  Once again, I thought, "Why, God?  What have I done to deserve this?"  I was mad at God and told Him so.  But when He felt far off, He was right there.  Over the months that turned to years, I'm seeing that God doesn't give us what we deserve.  If He did, we wouldn't have all the blessings we experience.  I deserve the punishment that Jesus endured for me on the cross.  Writing this is a good reminder for me with Good Friday coming up in a couple days.

I'm seeing glimpses of how He has used these difficult things in my life to connect my head to deeper places within my heart.  I do a lot of thinking but rarely know what I'm feeling.  I'm also seeing how much of a control freak I am, working so hard to avoid any kind of pain.  I'm beginning to learn that control is just an illusion, albeit one that I still fight for.  Even more, He has shown me my propensity towards legalism and how I was treating Him like a divine Santa Clause who I expected to grant my every wish.  But He desires more than that.  He wants a relationship with me.  God deserves to be more than a checklist.  I want more than that too.  I want it to be real, not just some formula to get what I want now and eternal bliss when I die.  I want in on the divine mystery.  If God really lives inside of me all the time, if He really did everything the Bible says, then the Christian life is about more than checking off boxes.  It's deep, it's life changing, it's real.  It's freedom.

Today I can thank God for the hard times but I still grieve for the 32 families and hundreds of students who were more deeply impacted by the shootings at Virginia Tech than I was.  My heart breaks for them and I pray that they can somehow trust God without knowing why.  I don't expect to ever know the answer.  Maybe we'll find out when we see Him face to face.  Maybe we won't.  My desire for myself and for everyone who hurts is for the suffering to refine us all into the people who God has made us to be.  May we all remove the masks of performance, let go of control, and trust God to love us, hold us, and lead us.  May we all be free.

neVer forgeT

March Update: CARE for AIDS

Every 16 seconds, someone in Sub-Saharan Africa will die from HIV and AIDS. Two friends from a Cru Bible study at Vanderbilt, Justin and Nick, heard God’s call to bring hope to the victims of this epidemic.  

While Justin was in college, he began to understand the grave problem of HIV and AIDS in Africa.  On a trip to Kenya, he met two local pastors who had a vision for how they could mobilize the churches in their country to care for people in need.  However, they lacked the resources and organizational skills necessary to launch an effective movement.  

On the same trip, Justin met Pamela, and AIDS victim.  Suffering, she had been cast out of her village and forced to live in a tiny shack.  Her husband had left her and taken her children away, blaming her for contracting HIV even though it was not her fault. Justin’s heart broke for Pamela as he heard her story, but he was hopeful because of her faith in Christ.  At this moment he thought, “This is why the church exists. To extend the love of Jesus to people like Pamela.”  

When Justin returned to Vanderbilt he started a non-profit called CARE for AIDS to mobilize Kenyan churches to care for families suffering from HIV and AIDS.  His Cru Bible study encouraged and affirmed him.  His roommate and friend, Nick, went a step further and agreed to be Justin’s first employee.  

As the friends graduated, Nick moved to Kenya to lay the foundation for the ministry’s work in partnership with local churches while Justin remained stateside to build the organization’s support base. God has allowed them to use the strategic leadership skills they learned in Cru to train Kenyan leaders to have a ministry.  These leaders have have ministered to thousands.  

Churches take people through a 9 month program that consists of spiritual and physical counseling, a food supplement, and training on how they can make a living and provide for themselves.  Their goal is that as their lives are transformed, the participants attribute that change to the Lord.   

Pamela’s life is one that has seen an amazing transformation.  Once shunned, now that she has gone through the program she has seen God do some amazing things.  She has become much healthier, has reunited with her family, and is even providing financially for them.  

To date, more than 4,500 families have come through the program with CARE for AIDS.  That means that more than 10,000 children now have a family to grow up with.  And now, close to 1,000 people have made a decision to follow Jesus Christ for the first time!  Watch the video Blair produced about them here.  Please pray for our initiative to send many more grads into the world like these!

Praises

- For Justin and Nick’s faithfulness to follow Christ

- The holistic fruitfulness of CARE for AIDS

- The privilege to play a small part in graduates’ ongoing ministries

Prayer Requests

- For the ministry of CARE for AIDS

- For seniors who are getting ready to graduate to hear from the Lord on the direction for their futures.

- Healing for 3 victims of human trafficking identified this month. One has yet to be rescued, so please pray!

Unity: February Prayer Update

Jesus prayed, “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”  We are seeing an answer to His prayer in our city as over 40 churches have come together to fight human trafficking! 

Regardless of their theological opinions, all Christians can agree that modern-day slavery is evil.  Men and women are created in God’s image and deserve to be treated as such.  As a result, churches are looking for ways to engage in the fight.  It is so encouraging to see so many people with a desire to do justice in our community.  

This is why our anti-trafficking ministry, Florida Abolitionist, has created a church partnership program.  In the past few months, I have had the privilege of sitting down with a number of local pastors to hear their desires for their churches.  They all want to help end human trafficking but don’t know how.  

By partnering with Florida Abolitionist, we give them resources to educate their congregations, volunteer opportunities, outreach events, and other tangible ways of getting involved in the fight against modern-day slavery.  This allows their congregations to serve the Lord in our community.

One of our partner churches held a month-long campaign.  Each week, they invited a different expert to their church to speak about the issue.  Then they held a documentary screening to further inform their congregation.  After that month, many people came to the church leaders with a desire to continue to engage in the problem.  Now this team meets regularly and they are coming up with a plan for how their church can most effectively continue to engage in the fight locally.  

Some churches focus on directing funds towards victim services while others are volunteering their time.  One church is even making a plan to purchase and run a home that will be a shelter for survivors of trafficking to receive healing after their rescue!  

As God’s church bands together, the issues that plague our cities can be eradicated.  It has been wonderful to watch churches with differing theological viewpoints come together around this issue.   

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Praises:

• For a great turnout to the human trafficking awareness event in downtown Orlando last month!
• For the way God is cutting through theological differences to unite the church!
• For 3 victims of human trafficking rescued last month!

Prayer Requests:

• For unity among God's people to bring about His Kingdom purposes
• For continued favor from the Lord in the fight against human trafficking in the greater Orlando area
• For wisdom as we partner with churches to help them engage in the fight against trafficking

January Update: Following Jesus

After coming to Christ through Cru’s Destino movement at UT El Paso, Jenade grew in her faith and learned to share that faith with others.  She loved telling people about Jesus so she planned to join Cru staff after graduation.  However, she felt conflicted because she also thoroughly enjoyed her major, athletic training.  

As a result, God led her to take a year to intern as an athletic trainer to see what it was like.  During that year she asked the Lord to show her how He might use her as a trainer.  He answered her prayer by giving her opportunities to have spiritual conversations with athletes on a regular basis.  For the first time she saw how God could use her in a job she loved.  This was confirmation that the Lord was sending her to reach athletes for Him by working as an athletic trainer. Now she works at Central Michigan University where she has numerous opportunities to tell students about Jesus and build them up in their faith.  

One of these students was Jenna. Jenade began to mentor her soon after she started to follow Christ.  During their time together Jenade asked, “Is there someone you know who is interested in spiritual things?”  In fact, there was!  Jenna’s sister was also an athlete at the school and was very interested.  So they set up a time to meet with her.  To both of their surprise, after going through a simple gospel presentation, Jenna’s sister surrendered her life to the Lord!  

Jenade often tells the girls she mentors that she meets with them because people took time out of their busy schedules to meet with her when she was in college.  Because God’s people invested in her, she is now investing in others.  She believes that she has been sent to the campus to encourage others in Christ and share the gospel.  She says, “It’s what has changed my life and it would be awful if I did not share that same message with others.”  

Jenade is the kind of graduate we are working to send all over the world. Someone who follows Christ and makes Him known. It was a privilege to work with Jenade and produce a video that tells her story as an encouragement to students across the country.  Our desire is for students to watch it and say, “I could do that!” We pray that it will be a blessing to you as it has been to many others. Check it out at here! 

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Praises: 

•  For graduates like Jenade who honor the Lord in their workplaces!
•  For the 2 trafficking victims who were rescued last week in Orlando.
•  For the Lord's goodness to us, His children.

Prayer Requests:
•  January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Please pray for the Lord to continue working to set free the millions of slaves in our world.  
•  Pray for 2 trafficking victims who were rescued last week in Orlando.  Pray for their healing and recovery from the trauma they endured.
•  Pray for Blair as he continues to cat vision for the many ways students can serve God by telling stories of graduates and producing videos.   

24 Rescued!

Awareness: The First Step to Freedom

Last week, authorities in South Florida rescued 24 Orlando kids ages 12-17 who were being forced to sell cheap items door-to-door.  They were dropped off alone in neighborhoods, picked up at the end of the night, and had every penny taken from them - all from an organization that claimed to be a charity!  Thankfully, these kids have been freed and their traffickers have been arrested thanks to people in the community who were aware of human trafficking and knew what to do. 

A friend of mine saw these children in Orlando just a few weeks ago, and he found it suspicious.  He got as much detail as possible and alerted law enforcement.  This began an investigation that eventually led to their freedom.  When law enforcement found them in South Florida, they were being transported in a single cargo van with plywood dividers blocking the doors to prevent their escape.  The threat of violence and being so far from home forced the children to comply with their traffickers’ demands.  This type of forced labor is becoming more common and happens right under our noses.  Thankfully, my friend knew what to do when he suspected something wasn’t right. 

 This is why one of the things we must do is raise awareness of the atrocity of modern-day slavery.  Last month, I had the opportunity to do just that by speaking to a high school of about 370 students.  These students need to know what is going on in their world both for their own protection and for the safety of their friends.  It was a privilege to share with them about slavery here and around the world and how they can keep themselves and their friends safe.  Many of them have become passionate about the issue and are continuing to learn how they can make a difference here and around the world.  

As our community becomes educated about the issue we all become equipped to make a difference in the lives of those being oppressed.  We take awareness seriously because it truly leads to freedom.  

For more details on the rescue, read the full article here.

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Light Sabers and Candy

 These days, our home is filled with little Jedi.  Our son loves Star Wars and everything related to it from Star Wars Legos to Angry Birds Star Wars.  If it has Star Wars on it, he likes it.  

Our little princess has followed suit by adding Princess Leia to the Disney Princesses she loves.  So, it was no surprise when the two of them wanted to be the twins - Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia - for Halloween this year.  It was a fun night in our neighborhood with friends.  

The kids are doing well.  Our Princess is enjoying preschool and ballet while Little Man is having fun with soccer and Cub Scouts.  So they’re keeping us busy, but it’s worth it to see them growing and learning new things!

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Praises

• God bringing rescue to the 24 kids from Orlando last week
• Opportunities to spread the word about human trafficking in area schools
• The blessing of children
• God’s faithfulness to us and our ministry

Prayer Requests

• Healing for those who were rescued
• God to move His people to act in fighting injustice around us
• Our continued adoption process - we’re still waiting!
• Our kids to grow in their love for Jesus

Don't Call the Fashion Police!

 In January of 2010, Chandler joined the world as we watched horrific images of destruction when a massive earthquake hit the poverty-stricken island of Haiti.  Soon after, she heard of an opportunity to travel there on a Cru summer project to help rebuild homes and lives.  She jumped at the opportunity.  Little did she know that it was her life that was going to be changed, perhaps the most, in the process. 

When she arrived in Haiti she came face to face with overwhelming physical hardship unlike anything she had ever seen.  However, as she met Haitian followers of Christ, she witnessed joy she could hardly comprehend.  While serving these wonderful people, she fell in love with them and vowed one day to return. 

Back on campus at the University of Texas, Chandler was studying fashion design and really loved it.  She dreamed of doing that type of work but also longed to make a difference in the lives of Haitians.  She wondered, “How could fashion help people rise out of poverty?”  While meeting with some missionaries from Haiti, the Lord gave Chandler an answer. 

Three months after graduating and getting married, she and her new husband moved to Port au Prince, Haiti where they work with Haitian Creations to empower locals to provide for their families through multiple business opportunities including producing jewelry and clothing. They see lives changed daily as they provide sustainable jobs for families who were once going hungry.

Lives of people like Yvetta and her family.   Yvetta was a single mother of three unhealthy boys.  Uneducated and impoverished, she needed to learn how to read and make a living.  First, she attended their literacy training, and then their jewelry training.  Now, she is not only able to read but has become an expert at crafting jewelry and has quite a business.  Her home, that was once a 5’ x 5’ cinderblock space without a bed for herself or her family, is now much larger with furniture for everyone.  Not only that, but her three sons are also in good health!  Through a sustainable job, God has used Chandler to help Yvetta change the future for her family.

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:45).  Chandler is truly serving our Lord.

It is stories like Chandler’s that encourage us in the work we do - helping students experience God’s love and, as a result, follow Him wherever He leads after graduation.  We pray that every student would hear and respond to God’s call on their lives the way that Chandler has.  Please join us in that prayer!

Advocating for the Victim

 One of the greatest needs we have in freeing victims of trafficking is caring for them immediately after their rescue.  When this happens, it is incredibly important to establish trust.  It helps greatly when first-responders can give them a gift.  Many have never been given anything, especially for free, so when we provide a backpack with personal items and a gift card to buy more suitable clothes, it goes a long way.  These bags run about $150 each and can mean the difference between a victim getting help and returning to the streets.  If they trust those around them, they will testify against their trafficker and get help.  If not, their trafficker goes free and many times they will go right back to their abuser. 

Yesterday, the FA president, a member of law enforcement and I met with security leaders from the hotel and lodging association.  Tourism is the biggest market in Orlando.  It's also one of the reasons why trafficking exists in our city - people come here to have a good time and are willing to do whatever it takes to have it, even if it means exploiting children.

The officer who was with us has already trained many hotel managers of the signs of human trafficking because, let's face it, prostitution happens often in hotels and needs to be reported.  These leaders were eager to do more, so they asked us to share with them what else they can do to help.  As a result, they have agreed to supply 150 survivor backpacks!  This is a huge blessing and will supply the need for over a year.  Praise God!

Later that afternoon, we met with the city commissioner to ask him to help us better care for victims by providing the funds to hire a victim advocate.  This person would be present when victims are rescued and help establish trust immediately.  He agreed to help us develop the funding! 

We are working hard to ensure that as law enforcement does their part to identify and rescue trafficking victims, these kids receive the care they need in order to find complete restoration.  Please join me in praying that when victims are rescued, we will provide a loving response to help them immediately.

July Prayer Update

When God Speaks

A little over 5 years ago, we first heard about the atrocity of human trafficking.  At the time, we were filled with compassion, but honestly, didn’t think there was anything we could do.  It quickly slipped to the back of our minds as many global needs often do. 
   
 A few years later, while I (Blair) was reviewing materials our staff team produced to help students identify the Lord’s calling on their lives, God spoke - not audibly, but very clearly.  As I read questions like, “If you started a business or organization to solve a need, what would it be?” and “What issue would you like to see someone write a bestselling book about?” among others, Human Trafficking (or modern-day slavery) was my answer to many on the list.  At that moment God’s Spirit said, “What are you doing about it?”  That question was all I needed.  The answer was, “Nothing.” But God wasn’t just asking a question, He was nudging me to do something.  I immediately started learning more about it to figure out what I, a missionary, could do. 
   

Freed Child in India - Photo courtesy Lisa Kristine

 The first thing I learned is that the problem is huge.  Human trafficking is the world’s fastest growing crime with over 20 Million people enslaved in our world.  Plus, it’s not just happening overseas, experts estimate that at least 100,000 people are trafficked within the United States every year - forced to do everything from prostitution to agricultural work to domestic service.  Then I learned something more eye-opening.  It’s happening here - Orlando - home of Mickey and Minnie, the happiest place on earth!
   
I found a Christian organization leading the effort to combat trafficking in Orlando, called Florida Abolitionist.  I immediately got involved and haven’t looked back.  In my short time volunteering with them, we have educated thousands of people about the issue in order to protect our kids, given support and services to many who have been rescued, and have enlisted God’s people to join the fight in churches throughout the city. 
   
As we’ve been involved, our eyes have been opened to God’s heart for people.  We are all made in His image and He loves each of us and is a God of justice and mercy.  A theme throughout Scripture is God’s heart for the needy, oppressed, and poor.  Psalm 146 says “Blessed are those who...execute justice for the oppressed.” Jesus, in Matthew 25, goes as far as to declare righteous those who serve “the least of these.”
   
Why do we share all this?  Because God is giving us a unique opportunity to fight human trafficking here and around the world as Cru partners with Florida Abolitionist.  Starting in the Fall, we will continue minister to college students and graduates, mobilizing them to change the world, but we will also spend 2 days a week in the City of Orlando, following the Lord as He sets the prisoner free (Psalm 146:8).  We are very excited about this opportunity and ask you to please pray for God’s favor.  In such darkness, His light must shine.  Please join us in asking Him to free the oppressed and to use us, His people, to do so.  

Freedom: May Prayer Update

Stand 4 Freedom

 “Hey, what’s this all about?” John asked as I stood on campus at UCF holding a cardboard sign.  I told him that we were with the International Justice Mission movement and were participating in their Stand 4 Freedom event where students took shifts to literally stand up for 27 continuous hours in order to raise awareness about the 27 Million people trapped in modern-day slavery.  He replied, “That’s cool, I thought you might be some kind of church.”
          
A little thrown off, I asked more and learned that he had recently heard about an anti-slavery movement started by a church that he felt was a bait and switch effort to try to gain converts without doing any tangible work to fight slavery.  He was happy to hear that IJM is an organization that is actively freeing slaves around the world but he did nothing to hide his disdain for the church.
       
Since he knew that IJM is a legitimate organization, not just a group hiding an ulterior motive, he stayed around for another minute or two.  As he did, we were able to explain that Christians are engaging in the fight against slavery  because we are all made in God’s image and He calls us to “do justice” and “love mercy.” Then he sailed away on his skateboard.
       
With such disdain for formal religion, without a miracle, John will never attend a Cru meeting or a church.  In order for Christians to reach people like him with the truth of the gospel, we must go to them because they’re not coming to us.  Engaging in things that are on God’s heart that students, like John, also care about is one way to bridge the gap.  As we do, we can have wonderful dialogues about the love of God.  That is why it is so crucial for all believers to “do justice” and “love mercy” and “give the reason for the hope that you have.”  By doing so we show people a fuller picture of the God we follow and they will begin to “taste and see that the Lord is good.”

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Birthday Season

With our kids’ birthdays less than 2 weeks apart, this time of year is quite celebratory!  This year was special because the Pippins treated the kids to a weekend at Disney.  Addy is enamored with Princesses, so the highlight for her was getting to meet many of them.  For Aiden, his favorite thing was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - a roller-coaster ride.  We had a blast and it was great to have Sarah’s Mom and the Pippins all in town to celebrate with us!

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Praises:
• God’s work freeing slaves from oppression around the world through IJM
• Opportunities to connect in meaningful ways with students who need Jesus
• Our wonderful children and the opportunity to celebrate them with our family

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Prayer Requests:
• For God to draw John to Himself
• For the new student leaders of the IJM movement to have wisdom and guidance
• For our children to continue to grow in their love and understanding of our Lord
• For our continuing adoption process

Great News! April Prayer Letter

En Route to China

After months of requesting documents and having them approved by various government agencies, our dossier is finally complete and is currently on its way to China!  We are very excited to have the tedious process of the paper trail behind us.  Once our documents arrive in China, they will be reviewed and then our names will be added to the waiting list.  Once we are on the list, we could be matched with a child at any time.  When a child is available, they will send us the information in a “referral.”   Then it is usually about a 6 month wait before we would travel to bring our child home.  Please continue to pray that the Lord would match us with the child He has prepared for our family!

Perseverance in Prayer

When Janette started working for a large bank, her trainer, Tiffany, made quite an impression.  This hardened 30-something seemed to be the last person who would be interested in talking about God.  As a result, Janette decided to talk to God about her.  As she prayed, she intentionally invested in Tiffany’s life, getting to know her and showing her that she cared.

For 3 years, Janette prayed with perseverance that the Lord could and would work in Tiffany’s life.  She often invited friends in her Bible study and other Christian co-workers to join her in praying for Tiffany.  Finally, an answer came.  Over a meal, Janette had the opportunity to explain Jesus’ love and sacrifice very clearly; however, at that time Tiffany wasn’t quite ready to surrender everything to God.  She’d been in control of her life for quite some time, so it was scary to let go.

Several months passed and were filled with many more spiritual conversations, then one day Tiffany shared with Janette that she had invited Christ to save her soul and be the Lord of her life.  After praying for her for 3 1/2 years, Tiffany had become a Christian!

Janette is just one of the many graduates that I have the privilege of connecting with on a regular basis from across the country and she is a wonderful example of the power of prayer.  In our fast-food culture, we are often discouraged when God doesn’t answer our prayers immediately.  Janette persevered and offered not only her prayers, but herself, to her friend.  Through Janette’s faithfulness God did a miraculous work in Tiffany’s life.  Praise Him for His amazing love!

Praises

• The completion of our Dossier!
• For God’s faithfulness to hear and answer our prayers
• For Janette’s perseverance in prayer and intentionality to show God’s love to her co-workers
• For the Lord’s amazing grace!
• For the many graduates who are representing Christ to a broken world

Prayer Requests

• For Tiffany’s growth as she continues to surrender her life daily to Jesus
• For Janette’s continued faithfulness and witness to other co-workers
• For the Lord to use many grads like Janette
• Please continue to pray for our adoption process