Great Angel Food Distribution!

Great Angel Food distribution folks!

44 people got fed this month! Everything went smooth and we had THE BEST volunteers you could ask for!

Pat yourselves on the back! Then get ready to come again next month!

See you then!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kids Rescued in Prostitution Bust - Go FBI!

The quote is from the article referenced below:

"We together have no higher calling than to protect our children and to safeguard their innocence," FBI Director Robert Mueller said Wednesday. "Yet the sex trafficking of children remains one of the most violent and unforgivable crimes in this country."

According to the article referenced below the FBI arrested almost 350 people — including nearly 300 adult prostitutes — and rescued almost 400 child victims!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080625/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/child_prostitutes

Now this is the way to use our tax dollars! My concern is that the article also states that the operation that led to the rescue of these kids ended this week.

Please politicians, if it's not broken don't fix it. With this many kids rescued can it really be the time to stop the operation?

Many of the visitors to our forums and groups know the realities of child (teen) prostitution. I'm encouraged that some victims are being rescued and I hope you will be encouraged too. Even though the operation that led to the rescue may be over that doesn't mean that we have to give up and accept what's happening. The kids deserve more!

There is nothing to keep us, as individuals, from being educated about the modern day slavery of human trafficking. If we sense that something is wrong it sometimes is. If you can read this blog you can go online and found out more. There are excellent resources listed here.

If you are in a bad situation and need help to get out call 911. No one deserves to be controlled, hurt or abused. Not you. Not anyone. Help is available. It's ok to make the call. Healing is a long hard road. But victims walk that road every day and in the process we become survivors. There are people who care and will help you. Don't give up looking until you find those people who will help.

The following resources may also be helpful. Check them out only if you are certain that your computer usage is not being monitored. If there is any doubt go to a public computer.

http://www.loveisrespect.org/
http://www.missingkids.com/


As individuals, you can be a part of the solution. Check out the links below to become educated. If you even suspect someone is being trafficked, forced into prostitution or sexually abused call for help! Don't try to figure things out on your own or be a hero.

The government human trafficking website is: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking You can also read the above links for more information.

Be educated. It's our first line of defense and a victim's best hope.

Thrift Shop Yard Sale Saturday!

We're having a big thrift shop yard sale on Saturday! Next weekend, we'll be continuing our $3.00 bag sale. PLUS, our furniture and household items will be a whopping 50% off! This is a great time to stock up!

The hours are 11:00 - 4:00 on Saturday.

All proceeds help us help others in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. Also, Saturday is our Angel Food distribution day.

Jesus In the Park -(World's Fair Site) WOW!!

If you missed the Jesus in the Park event yesterday I can only say one thing. "Shame on You". You missed a treat. This was our first year. We weren't sure what to expect. Now, I wonder what on earth took us so long to get there.

Jesus in the Park took place at the World's Fair site. It's definitely not my favorite place. Don't get me wrong. I love the park itself. It's just that finding a place to park my car is a confusing nightmare. And yes, I was one of the lucky winners who received a mandatory invitation to contribute to the city's coffers. But despite this, I am very glad I came.

A rainy morning caused the event organizers to rearrange plans on the fly. This is never easy. Yet, they made it all seem well-planned and streamlined - despite the rain.

A few minutes after setting up we were joined by Camp Wesley Woods. During the little spare time we had I chatted with Rose about the camp and what it offers. A veritable treasure trove of help, she was also able to give me information on the Wesley Foundation and their work on UT campus.

But the real highlight was in the people who stopped by the booth.

Led by Lennon-Seney United Methodist Church and sponsored by The Knoxville District of the United Methodist Church Jesus in the Park is an inclusive outreach event. Great pains were taken to invite Knoxville's street people and homeless. Everything was kept free from the hot dogs to the inflatables to the entertainment and worship service. No love offering was taken. None was expected.

We witnessed several touching moments.

• Two women stopped by our table to talk. They are no less children of God than you or I. They are also both victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse and sexual assault. At our booth, they shared their stories with us. We gave them encouragement and books.



• Another guy stopped by from the streets. Younger than most we talked with, he too was a victim of sexual abuse, child abuse and other atrocities. Yet, he has a firm belief in Jesus. He shared with us that sometimes, this is "all" he has and seemed surprised that we were willing to talk to him.



• One man stopped, left, came back and stopped again. He told us his story of how he was abused as a kid. Later in life he messed up, lost his family and found himself on the streets. He told us that he'd tried for awhile to get his life together but that it didn't work. The result is a 14 year old son that he has not seen. Today, is father's day. He asked that we pray that he see his son. There was an urgency in his voice when he asked. You see, he says he has cancer and no insurance. He knows his days are numbered and asked us simply to pray.

Without hesitation we did. My daughter and I bowed our heads and asked God to heal the areas that need to be healed. We asked God to clear a path for the man to see his son and to make all hearts receptive to the healing that could happen. But we also recognized that it was on His time schedule, not ours and that we would accept His answer and thanked Him for His love for us while we are yet sinners.

Then, the man started to cry.

He said that it has been a long time since love was shown to him. He was very touched that we, who are strangers, would take the time to pray for someone we didn't know and will probably never see again.

That touched us.

My daughter and I looked at the man as he wandered off and shook our heads. Why would we not pray for someone we don't know? At some point in my life, someone did the same thing for me. Are we not called to bow our heads and do just that?

Jesus calls us to be "in the world, not of the world". Because of Jesus in the Park yesterday, I have a clearer vision of what those words mean.

If you can come next year, please do.

The worship service was wonderful.

The evangelists were terrific. The dancers were superb and the preaching was amazing. The youth dancers of Souled Out really resonated with the teen/college age crowd. The music was wonderful. I had heard of Willie Kitchens but I had never had the experience of hearing the music made by he and his wife. If you get the chance to hear them, go. Forget about keeping your feet still. You can't stop the wind. This couple has a tremendous music ministry.

When it comes to an inspiring message Bishop Swanson (prayerfully supported by his wife Delphine) never fails to "bring it home". His speaking and inspiration to others is already a legend in the Holston Conference. This past Sunday through Wednesday he led Holston's Annual Conference in Lake Junaluska, NC. This is a grueling almost 4 days of 12 hour meetings. But he projected an energy and enthusiam that kept you drawn to his message. If this "energizer bunny" was tired it never showed.

There can be little doubt that Jesus was there throughout the event yesterday. I have not been this inspired since I took part in A Queen's Banquet by Stepping Out Ministries in Morristown a few years ago. Part of yesterday's Jesus in the Park will always stay with me. I was touched, awed, inspired and spiritually strengthened. It is always humbling to be part of what Jesus was doing and He did seem to be there, in the worship, music, conversations and tears.

For me, what I will always remember was the glimmer of Jesus in the tears of a street person in the middle of the park.

The world devours. It chews people up, robs them of their courage, their spirit and their homes. Then, when people are at their lowest the world spits them onto the streets. It leaves them to wander in their brokeness until someone crosses the street to pick them up. God is in that brokeness to heal and provide salve for the wounds.

I thank God for being there.

Domestic Violence Info Packs Given Out at Annual Conference

Another great year! We gave out lots of information and talked with lots of people. If you signed up on our mailing list we'll be getting in touch with you. We especially look forward to talking with you if you requested information about getting a speaker for your group.

Back in the spring Asbury UMC in Greenville, TN hosted our Oasis Church training on domestic violence. To keep costs down for attendees, the church staff made many copies of the training packets. Extra copies not used were saved and taken to Annual Conference. I'm thrilled to be able to report that ALL packets were given out. Not one solitary packet remained to come back home! A few people heard about the packets and asked. (We'll get them to you!)

Folks, this is unprecedented.

I'm very happy that the pastors and laity of the Holston Conference are making learning about domestic violence a priority. The Wesley Institutes gave CEU credit for those who attended the workshop in the spring. Two other churches are now interested in holding the training.

On a further note:

All brochures on domestic violence are gone.
All business cards are gone.
Most of the stat cards were taken.
Most of the flyers about Hope for Healing.Org are gone.

This by far and away tops the information taken at previous Annual Conferences.

If you stopped by and we were out of something let us know. Brochures and information is available on our website. If you need a hard copy and cannot print there is more at the office. We'll be glad to help you get the information you need.

Thanks for a great annual conference. We look forward to seeing you next time!

Jesus in the Park

We're spiffing up our display from Annual Conference for the free Jesus in the Park event. Yes, I did say free.

It's sponsored by the Knoxville District of the United Methodist Church. This is an all day worship event for the city of Knoxville. It all happens at the World's Fair park. The fun begins at 11:00 am. We've not been before and I am really looking forward to it. There are several bands, at least one dance team, evangelists, free hot dogs, inflatables and missions displays.

Here's the link. For more information check it out.

http://www.worshipinthepark.net/

Paid Job Training Positions Available HERE

Great news! I'm very excited. Today, we learned that we've been approved for several job positions through a great job training program for older adults.

This is through a federally funded program. The jobs are for one year. It is specifically for job training so it's a great opportunity to learn a new skill and meet people. We need folks to help with the thrift shop, outreach and events, office and more.

The opportunity is open to Jefferson County, TN residents aged 55 and up. People can start ASAP. Contact us. You might be just who we're looking for...

From AC at Lake Junaluska

This is being posted from beautiful Lake Junaluska, NC. Allie and I are hard at work at the mission's fair. We're handing out information about domestic violence and talking to everyone who comes by our table. So far, the response for trainings have been good. We're excited about the prospects and looking forward to varied ways of connecting with churches across the Holston Conference.

The good news is that all - yes, I did say all - of our training materials on domestic violence have been picked up. We offered these for free because the good folks at Asbury UMC in Greenville were kind enough to make extra copies for distribution. What a great way to help!

If you're here, be sure to stop by the booth! We've lots more info to give away, plus, we'd just be glad to see you. :)

Collectibles, Books now on eBay.

http://stores.ebay.com/hopeforhealingorg

Books, music and collectibles are now on sale in our eBay store. Choose from the 100 items already listed. Check daily for new additions.

In this time of high gas prices why not let the items come to you?

Proceeds help us keep us online and serving others.

Check us out. You might find something that catches your eye...

Victim Assistance Online Now has a Blog!

http://vaonlinefusion.blogspot.com/

Randy McCall, the brains behind Victim Assistance Online, is again putting cutting edge technology to work to benefit victims. His first blog post explains how the title for the blog "Fusion" came to be. He has some interesting, timely, ideas ideas for making it work.

The knowledge shared here and through the other online services provided by VAOnline are a great asset to everyone working with victims worldwide.

I'm glad to see such a great person doing such great things and look forward to reading, and being inspired by Fusion for a long time to come!

Domestic Violence Awareness at Annual Conference

It's that time again. We're getting the display ready to head to Lake Junaluska, NC. It's time for the Holston Annual Conference. Attendance is required for conference pastors and at least one lay member from each church. Displaying here gives us the unique opportunity to reach almost 1,000 churches in East Tennessee, N. Georgia, N. Alabama and the western part of Virginia.

We'll have a few items made by Hope Youth. These kids and teens are either volunteers or first time juvenile offenders. Tragically, most are already victims of domestic violence themselves.

I invite you to stop by our booth. Pick up information. Take it back to your church. Make hope happen for someone in your congregation who may need it.

See you Sunday!

Domestic Violence and the Workplace: Verizon Wireless Trains Almost 3,000 Managers Using SafeWork Certified Training Model

Domestic Violence and the Workplace: Verizon Wireless Trains Almost 3,000 Managers Using SafeWork Certified Training Model

Domestic violence often goes unrecognized in the workplace. Yet, 1:3 women will be abused at some point in their lives. Even when it is recognized people seldom know what to say or how to act. This is why I'm so excited to learn about the CAPEV and their program SafeWork by Safe Horizon - a leading victim assistance organzation.

I'm too excited to keep quiet about the huge step Verizon Wireless has taken to combat Domestic Violence in the workplace. According to the above blog entry by Kim Wells (Executive Director of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence aka CAEPV), almost 3,000 Verizon Wireless managers have been trained to not only recognize the signs and symptoms of domestic violence but they now know how to respond.

So many of the victims we work with express frustration in not knowing who to talk with or what to do. Employee Assistance Programs sometimes don't have the information. Many have had no dealings with our nation's complicated legal system. They don't know where to begin to access what help is out there. They are lost, hurting and confused.

Having someone in the company who is trained to recognize and act can only help break down the confusion that leads a victim locked in silence.
Kudos to Verizon Wireless for implementing the Safe Work Certified Trainer Program! May many other companies follow your example!

God Lives in an Alley

I write this post to remind us of our humanity. Every homeless person, street person, is someone's family member. We look away. We want to shield our eyes from the sea of humanity that is less fortunate. We don't want to think that could be us. Sometimes we don't risk talking to"them" for fear that poverty is contagious. They say that most American's are two paychecks from being on the streets. That was before gas prices skyrocketed. We don't want to be reminded that the person on the street could be us, or someone we love, so we don't talk to them.

Sometimes...

My husband and I are moving. Right now, packing is consuming much of my after work hours. Fortunately, my husband is taking some of the pressure off by collecting boxes.

He's gained a lot of experience through my work with Hope for Healing.Org. He's not as afraid to speak to people who live in circumstances that are less than idyllic. Doing so can be a humbling reminder of who God is and where He lives...

Like he was on Friday...

Compassion Coalition Furniture Ministry Needs a New Home

I just got this from the Compassion Coalition. If you can help them please do. Surely there's a business in the Knoxville area that needs a tax break.

The furniture ministry been invaluable to helping literally countless people find what they need to rebuild lives. It will be a terrible blow to the less fortunate in Knoxville if the doors have to close.

Thanks,

Gayle

________________________________________________________________________


The Furniture Ministry has 28 days left to vacate the current warehouse. We desire to continue bringing hope to households by meeting their physical and spiritual needs with this ministry, but we simply cannot afford to lease our own warehouse space. If you or anyone you know might allow us to use a space of at least 5,000 square feet rent free, please contact Charlotte Mack, Furniture Ministry Coordinator, at 865-251-1591 x 3 or charlotte@compassioncoalition.org.

Great Angel Food distribution!

Saturday's Angel Food distribution served 29 people. Making hope happen were 4 kids with restorative justice, 2 teen volunteers and 4 adult volunteers plus 3 staff members.

The deadline for this month is June 14. Angel Food's new menu will be posted later this afternoon. Boxes are $30.00. Specials are $20.00. There are no income requirements and no qualifications. Sponsors to buy boxes for those who can't are welcome. In the past both individuals and groups have sponsored. This is always a help to the recipients.

To order or sponsor just let us know. You can also use the handy online order form. There is an additional $1.00 processing fee.

Visit our eBay store. Make Hope Happen!

We just got a huge donation of quality Christian books. These are new. Most have the original store tags still attached. Proceeds support all of our great programs. Plus, the store provides valuable job training. Items can be shipped but free local pick up is available.

Check us out. Pick up books to read on vacation. Make hope happen for others today!