You never gave up on me
By Sharaya, Human Trafficking Advocate
Patience and endurance are important strengths to acquire when working with sex trafficking victims. It often takes time to build a healthy relationship with them and it takes patience to help them get back up when they stumble time and time again.
Lux* is a client I have worked with for several years, watching her stumble repeatedly in her young life. Tri-Cities was not a healthy or safe place for her to live anymore, so we ended up moving her to a safe restoration home in a larger city where she could obtain more housing services. She had been addicted to drugs for a very long time and needed to be in a different city.
After Lux was moved and in a safe spot, she would ask me to come and visit because I was her only support. Every visit I have with her, she thanks me for pulling her off the street and not giving up on her when everyone else did. She calls to ask for advice in everything and will tell all her friends, “Sharaya saved my life.”
It has not been an easy few years, but God is good! Lux ended up being baptized and loves God with all her heart. She said just the other day that she wished she would have listened to my advice years ago because it would have saved her from a lot of heartache. But she thanks God that He put me in her life and that I never gave up on her.
*Name and photo have been changed to protect our clients
