Joy, Freedom, and Victory Found at Retreat!

This past weekend was a BLAST at RAHAB Retreat! Staff, volunteers, and the women we serve all traveled to a nearby camp to experience a weekend of fun and growing in faith, community, and worship.

For the first time, women from both our Canton and Akron Drop-Ins got to go … and experience the love of Jesus together!

The Monday after Retreat, the Drop-In buzzed with excitement as women came by and talked about the memories they made.

One friend talked about how she attended a session about fear. Afterward, she decided to overcome one of her own fears: a fear of heights. In line for the zipline, she declared that Jesus had her back, this was a “new beginning,” and she had no fear!

After getting harnessed in, she was full of joy as she jumped from the platform. “Thank you, Jesus!” she yelled as she zipped down the line, her hands held high in victory.

This was one of many moments of pure joy and freedom at Retreat. Chains were broken, and lives were changed.

After a weekend like this, it is evident that we are truly honored and blessed to serve these beautiful women, and to have your support as we do. We thank those who donated, prayed, and helped make this event possible for these precious daughters of God!

Share Your Joy Jar Moment

What brings you joy today? We want to celebrate with you!

At RAHAB, we commemorate God’s awesome work through Joy Jar Moments: victories, positive experiences, and milestones written down by our staff, volunteers, and the women and youth we serve. At any of our program spaces, you can find a jar full of these joyful moments. 

We believe every victory is worth celebrating because we know these moments are steps forward in a journey to freedom and healing. God does not wait at the finish line to rejoice with us — He celebrates in the here and now because He loves us!

It is a privilege to go back to read through each of the moments collected in these jars to celebrate what God is doing in the lives of our friends. 

You are a friend of RAHAB, too — and we want to hear what brings YOU joy! 

Submit your very own Joy Jar Moment today … and we’ll celebrate with you! Together we have the power to eradicate human trafficking right in our own community. By donating, volunteering your time, offering your services, spreading awareness, and partnering with us, YOU are joining the fight to end trafficking. 

As part of our mission, we want to celebrate your joy with everyone! Your Moment could be featured on our Instagram and Facebook pages or may even be included in a very special project we are working on.

Your support of vulnerable women and youth brings us joy, and we thank God for you!

Staff Highlight: Russellé Pratt

Russellé Pratt, our Training Coordinator for The Willows (Minor Community-Based) program, has experienced deep down what it’s like to love the vulnerable the way Jesus does.

She came to RAHAB two years ago after one of her professors at Malone University suggested she apply for an internship. Shortly after, she was hired in as Volunteer Coordinator for the Stark Drop-In Home … and she really enjoyed her time there:

“Just being with the women and truly seeing the love that God has for each of them is always so amazing to see,” Russellé says. “I love hearing the testimonies and just sitting in fellowship with them. My most memorable moment was after I led devotional in the Drop-In, and I shared a bit of my own testimony. One of our friends approached me and said, ‘When I look at you, I imagine this is what Jesus must look like.’ 

“I was taken aback, but then she went on to explain that it wasn’t about looks, but rather the way we as staff love on them and encourage them without judgment. I fought hard to hold back my tears that day. I think about that moment often.”

Today, in her role as Training Coordinator for The Willows, Russellé is able to educate and empower community members, professionals, and guardians on not only human trafficking awareness, but also about how to provide the best support and care for trafficked youth.

Russellé also points out: “Being at RAHAB has given me the beautiful opportunity to KNOW the Jesus I’ve heard of all my life. But it’s always been through church sermons, Bible scriptures, and stories. Here, I see His love and miracles daily, and it brings me so much joy. I learned that above all, God is about love. Truly, genuinely loving one another. No matter our social, cultural, or economic differences.”

Staff members who have a heart for serving the vulnerable exemplify Christ’s compassion and grace. Thank you for empowering our team to do what we do best!

Blog Story: My Mentee Was Saved in Jail

Did you know RAHAB has a blog? 

It’s where you can read survivor stories, as well as articles about trauma and healing, education and awareness, and more. You can subscribe to our blog just like you subscribe to our e-newsletter. Visit rahab-ministries.org/blog to sign up.

In the meantime, we want to share a special blog post with you …

My Mentee Was Saved in Jail

Selah’s Place Mentors are volunteers through our Minor Mentoring Program. They are paired with a teenager we serve to build trusting and safe relationships with them. One of our mentors had an amazing experience with her mentee. Here is a small piece of their story:

I first got connected with my mentee several years ago. At the time, she was a teenager and was experiencing many of the things that can make someone vulnerable for exploitation, abuse, and human trafficking. During this, we would meet regularly with each other for all kinds of fun, whether we went on a new adventure or simply shared a meal and caught up.

My mentee always makes others feel good about themselves, despite the hard things she might be going through. We have stayed in touch regularly throughout the years. We always make time to see each other through both good times and bad — and LOTS of life changes!

Recently, I hadn’t heard from her in a few days and wondered if everything was okay. I happened to be looking through a local jail roster and saw her on the list. My heart immediately went out to her, knowing that she was probably feeling scared and lost. After praying for her, I felt as though I should set up a time to go visit her.

When I arrived for the visit, she ran to me and gave me the biggest hug. She told me that she had been so scared since her arrest and she was praying to God that I would find her in jail. Me scrolling through the roster was no accident! We had an amazing conversation about the Lord and how she knew that when I prayed, things would happen. I told her I would continue to pray for her during her time in jail. I encouraged her to keep reaching out to God, too, because He hears her!

A few days later, we had another visit set up to discuss court and developments in her case. As we were catching up, she shared with me that an employee at the jail brought her some books to read, including a Bible. I asked what she had been reading, and she shared with me that she had been going through the Psalms.

She told me that as she was reading the Bible the night before, she felt the Lord speaking to her through the Psalms: she needed to ask God for forgiveness and turn to Him! She told me that she prayed to God that night and asked for His forgiveness. Ever since, she has felt so much hope and peace! Her demeanor had visibly changed in the few days since I last saw her. She said she wanted everyone else to meet God like she did.

In sharing this, she told me that when RAHAB first came into her life she didn’t understand why.

Getting to witness this after years of knowing her is the biggest miracle and the answer to a thousand prayers. We don’t always get to see the fruit of seeds God has planted, but I am so glad that He allowed me to this time. This is why we will never give up on those that we serve — that they may come to deeply and intimately know Jesus as their Savior!

To become a mentor for RAHAB, fill out the volunteer application on our website. We are always looking for people who are willing to be positive influences in the lives of those we serve!

Your prayers and partnership are making a real difference in the lives of women and youth! Thank you for your role in helping survivors “come to deeply and intimately know Jesus as their Savior!”

Community Trainings

You play an important role in the fight against human trafficking through your prayers and partnership with RAHAB — but you can ALSO advance our efforts even further by participating in our community trainings! 

These are special courses designed to equip the public with the knowledge and tools necessary to eradicate trafficking right here in Northeast Ohio!

RAHAB hosts trainings on a multitude of topics, including:

  • Human Trafficking 101, 
  • Trauma Bonding, 
  • Needs and Vulnerabilities, 
  • Trauma-Informed Language, 
  • and Self-Care.

All trainings are completely free and open to the public, and we invite you to explore and register online.

The need for public education in these areas is vital, as there are many misconceptions surrounding human trafficking. But through community training and ministry, we are determined to set the record straight!

Some common misconceptions:

  • “I need to be a direct care provider to receive training on human trafficking.”
  • “Trafficking victims are often people who were kidnapped and held hostage while being trafficked.”
  • “It will be obvious to me if I meet someone who is a victim or survivor of trafficking.”

The facts:

  • You don’t need to be a direct care provider — or even be in regular contact with survivors — to receive training on human trafficking!
  • In our 20 years of working with survivors of human trafficking, we know that the women and children who are forced into trafficking are rarely victims of kidnapping. 
  • Trafficking survivors and victims are not always easily identified: They could be any race, gender, socio-economic class, occupation, or age. Survivors often are able to blend into a crowd, and they are unlikely to even identify as a victim of human trafficking. This means you could interact with them anywhere.

Each of our trainings are given by our Training Coordinator with The Willows, Russellé Pratt. Russellé has direct care experience with survivors and is a certified Northeast Ohio Trainer. 

Educating our community on trafficking is a powerful tool in preventing trafficking right here in our own communities. Being aware leads to identification, which leads to many more survivors receiving the services they desperately need.

Thank you for the important role you play in eradicating human trafficking through education, prayer, and partnership. We hope to see you at one of our Community Trainings soon!

Restore Lives Beyond Your Years

Did you know a well-planned estate on your part TODAY can help trafficking survivors beyond your years tomorrow?

It’s true!

Updating or establishing your will or trust to include RAHAB Ministries as a beneficiary empowers you to reach out to survivors, raise awareness, educate the community, and restore lives with joy for God’s glory — well beyond your lifetime.

And we stand ready to help you! Email Brittney Bush at [email protected] today.