October 9, 2024
Time is a curious thing at Onehope Refuge.
Some days rush by, while others call us to pause. In every moment, important work is being done—whether it’s through counseling, prayer, or simply being present. Writing this newsletter reminds me of the immense impact of each passing hour.
We’re grateful to share this with you. Thank you for being part of every moment.
Over the course of July, August and September we’ve had:
31 doctors’ visits (routine care, physical therapy and two unexpected hospital stays)
129 hours of counseling, addiction support groups and life skills training
219 hours of devotions, church visits and prayer + worship sessions
3 new school years (our kids are so smart & capable!)
1 leadership development retreat with the Institute for Shelter Care
203 hours of service from faithful volunteers
Our first-ever defendHERs Giving Campaign kicked off last month:
As you may recall, we have an audacious goal of raising $600,000 by year-end. These funds will be used to support (and expand) existing programs + purchase land for our 2026 campus vision. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US THUS FAR!
If you are considering a donation, thank you in advance. Every single dollar counts.
Other ways to help us achieve this goal:
SHARE! Sharing about our ministry with friends and family is so helpful in gaining support. Will you take a moment to do that now? Forward this email .. call/text a friend … how about inviting them to our newly refreshed Facebook page (linked here)?!
Volunteers needed:
Our current volunteer team of 15 is nothing short of AMAZING! And truth be told, we still need more folks to come alongside us in this mission. Are you interested? Know someone who is? Priority volunteer positions include childcare + drivers to critical care appointments. Please contact Dana and/or visit our volunteer page to get plugged in.
A full circle moment for one of our survivors this month:
Imagine this (and stick with me till the end, please!) …
For as long as you can remember, you’ve lived your life in survival mode. Your childhood was marked by abuse, neglect and violence. In adulthood, you were lured into sex trafficking. Every day was life or death. Literally. You had children. You longed to care for them. Protect them. Give them the life you never had.
Many times, you turned to the community (and its resources) for support. One of those was the local food pantry. Week after week, you stood in line, outstretched your empty plate and watched as strangers filled it up.
You were overwhelmed, yet grateful. Scared, yet nourished.
Fast forward to October 2024. You made the insanely courageous choice to create a new life at a place called Onehope Refuge. You made it through the “stabilization” part of the trauma-informed program and now, you’re entering the “restoration” phase. There are talks of you securing a job yet first, you must volunteer.
On the list of potential give-back opportunities: The food bank!
Immediately, you say “YES!!” You try to stop the tears, but they just keep coming. You can hardly believe that tomorrow, you’ll be standing on the “other side” of the serving line. You reflect on your former self … how far she’s come. You pray over the people you’ll meet. You pray for their lives. Their struggle. Their faith. You share your reflections with your friends at Onehope Refuge. You inspire them all!
As the leader of this organization … as a team member … as a survivor here … some days can be really hard. We long for glimmers of hope. Evidence of healing. We pray for this. We work towards this. And when it comes … in micro moments like the story above … we are reminded: even in the midst of messy (maybe especially in the midst of messy), miracles still abound. God is here and good. All the time, God is good!
Scriptures we’re leaning into these days:
Psalm 147: 3. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Galatians 6: 9. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Will you pray with us – and for us – throughout October? Your love and continued support means everything. Thank you. Below is a list of ongoing prayer requests.