SAconnects, Volume 5, Number 5 — June 2019

VOL. 5, NO. 5 • JUNE 2019

the magazine

Out of the

darkness The Salvation Army lights the way for survivors of human trafficking

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Featuring:

New York Staff Band Eastern Territory Staff Songsters Daily Corps and Beach Bible Studies

with special guests

General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle

July 27 – August 2, 2019

JUNE 11—14, 2020

C O N G R E S S PA FARM SHOW COMPLEX • HARRISBURG, PA WITH

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JUNE

contents VOLUME 5 | NUMBER 5

in every issue 3 from the editor 4 an active army 5 relevents 22 snapshot 30 wholly living

departments 6 great moments From the historic streets of London to those of New York City today, The Salvation Army has a long and rich history of addressing the problem of human trafficking.

7 20/20 vision highlights See how The Salvation Army combats human trafficking in Manchester, N.H., Hartford, Conn., Wilmington, Del., and Syracuse, N.Y.

24 FAITH in ACTION

10 A New Day

Many of the women trying to escape human trafficking in the Kensington section of Philadelphia are addicted to drugs, including some mixed with fentanyl. Authorized Salvation Army staff have used NARCAN to help save the lives of overdose victims.

15 Messengers of Light

These Salvation Army women and men go boldly where few dare to share God’s love—into the heart of massage parlors and strip clubs in the underbelly of New York City.

20 Treasured Pearls

The Salvation Army is battling human trafficking on many fronts—around the U.S. and perhaps where you live.

26 testimony Read Iryna’s compelling story of survival and recovery from sexual trafficking.

28 Q & A Michelle Hannan is fighting the good fight against human trafficking in Central Ohio.

32 to your health Are you a weekend warrior who squeezes your exercises into 1 or 2 days per week? Find out the pros and cons of doing so.

Inspired by the street ministry of Major Betty Baker, Major Susan Wittenberg has a real heart for sexually trafficked women. She and teams of other women minister to them through the “Pearl Essence” outreach in Brooklyn, N.Y.

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2019 JUNE

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from the editor the magazine

your connection to The Salvation Army

USA EASTERN TERRITORY TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioner William A. Bamford III Commissioner G. Lorraine Bamford CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel Kenneth O. Johnson, Jr. COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY Major Tonie Cameron EDITOR IN CHIEF Warren L. Maye MANAGING EDITOR Robert Mitchell EDITOR / HISPANIC CORRESPONDENT Hugo Bravo KOREAN EDITOR Lt. Colonel Chongwon D. Kim ART DIRECTOR Reginald Raines PUBLICATION MANAGING DESIGNER Lea La Notte Greene GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Keri Johnson, Joe Marino, Mabel Zorzano STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ryan Love CIRCULATION Doris Marasigan COMMAND NEWS CORRESPONDENTS PENDEL Major Kathryn A. Avery EMP Jaye C. Jones GNY Major Susan Wittenberg MASS Heather MacFarlane NNE Cheryl Poulopoulos PR & VI Linette Luna SNE Laura Krueger WEPASA Captain Kimberly DeLong Territorial Music Liaison Derek Lance Territorial Youth Liaison Captain Gillian Rogers

THE SALVATION ARMY

MISSION STATEMENT

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

SAconnects is published monthly by The Salvation Army USA’s Eastern Territory. Bulk rate is $12.00 per month for 25–100 copies.

Single subscriptions are available. Write to: SAconnects, The Salvation Army, 440 W. Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739.

Vol. 5, No. 5, June Issue 2019. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: SAconnects, 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. SAconnects accepts advertising. Copyright © 2019

by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory. Articles may be reprinted only with written permission. All scripture references are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless indicated otherwise.

Evangelism on Stage The other night, I had the wonderful pleasure of seeing an extraordinary stage play entitled, “Come From Away.” It was based on the remarkable true story of how residents of the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, hosted 6,700 unexpected visitors from the sky when their commercial airliners were grounded for several days in the aftermath of 9/11.

On stage, and in the midst of great music, acting, singing, and choreography, I witnessed a surprising and heartfelt tribute to The Salvation Army. In response to the crisis, uniformed soldiers had apparently housed, fed, and comforted busloads of world travelers who were confused and worried about their future.

There I was, seated in a secular theater, listening to actors on stage quote Scripture as they reenacted a time when Christians stepped up and made a difference. I thought, am I watching evangelism simultaneously played out on stage and in real life?

When the word evangelical is used these days, it is usually in the context of a political debate, rather than a spiritual outreach. The phrase “Evangelical Christian” is rarely heard anymore.

Evangelical actually comes from the Greek word evangelion, which means good news or gospel. Historians believe that William Tyndale, a leader in the Protestant reformation, was the first to coin the English word, evangelical. In 1531, Tyndale wrote in a commentary on the book of John, “He exhorteth them to proceed constantly in the evangelical truth.”

In our next issue, we’ll examine evangelical truth in light of today’s world and take a thoughtful look at how Salvationists continue to advance it.

From the Army’s National Seminar on Evangelism, to the Army historically, which has been on the cutting edge of strategic evangelism, we’ll explore how believers are sharing Christ on the stage of life.

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— Warren L. Maye, Editor in Chief

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an active army

The Freedom 5k On the Monday morning of The Salvation Army’s annual week of camp meetings in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, as many as 200 people will dress in running shorts, sneakers, ball caps, and with numbers pinned to their T–shirts. In front of the local high school, they’ll commence the Army’s annual Freedom 5K Run/Walk.

The Freedom 5K began with four Salvation Army officers: Major Eunice Champlain, Major Evan Hickman, Major Beth Foster, and Lt. Colonel Kathleen Steele. They would wake up before camp meetings and Bible studies to run together through the town.

Other Salvationists who lived in the community, as well as Salvationists visiting for the summer, also made time to run between pier festivities and corps meetings. The officers recognized this trend as an opportunity to start a new ministry. They could raise awareness to help survivors of human trafficking, a cause important to each of them. The officers found sponsors in their respective Army divisions and invited others to join them.

In August of 2014, they held the first official Freedom 5K Run. They equally distributed the funds raised among the divisions to support various anti– human trafficking ministries.

Two years later, the Freedom 5K Run organizers pledged to donate all the money raised to the Well, the Salvation Army’s center for human trafficking survivors at the Portland (Citadel), Maine, Corps. At that time, Major Annette Lock, secretary for

by Hugo Bravo

program for the Salvation Army’s Northern New England Division, was the corps officer in Portland. Every year since then, she continues to volunteer at the Freedom 5K. “Even with the limitations of hosting a race on Monday morning, the Freedom 5K still welcomes around 200 runners every summer,” says Major Lock. “The Salvation Army promotes the 5K locally, around the Eastern Territory, to corps, and to families who plan on attending the Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings. We also reach out to other anti–human trafficking organizations, as well as to local running clubs.

“The Well runs on a small operating budget, so the Freedom 5K is an integral part of its funding,” says Lock. “It helps pay for everything from gift cards, to clothing for women who need it, to lodging for victims who are working with law enforcement.

“The women who come to the Well are ones who you would meet in any community. They have aspirations for education, employment, and families of their own,” says Lock. “But they have also suffered horrible circumstances as victims of human trafficking. The Well is a support system that will listen and help them go through the maze of services that allows them to move on from their past.”

When the Freedom 5K participants complete their run this summer, they will all know that they have helped survivors of human trafficking put the pieces of their lives back together.

TIPS FOR RUNNING YOUR FIRST 5K • If you’re training, decrease your running mileage as the 5K approaches.

Training close to the big day is about storing up rest so your legs are ready for race day.

Rather than long practice runs days before the race, do two or three short runs (with occasional quick sprints) to prepare you for the tempo of a race.

• Get two or three nights of good sleep before the race. It’s normal to have pre– race nerves that may keep you up the night before the race, so beat the jitters to the punch by sleeping well early in the week.

• Have a simple breakfast on the morning of the race. Oatmeal and dry fruit, a sports bar, or a bagel with peanut butter are high– energy, easily digestible options. Feel free to include coffee if it’s part of your morning routine. Also, try to eat at least 90 minutes before you run, and stay hydrated, even if it’s not a particularly hot day.

• Keep a steady pace while running.

New racers make the mistake of giving their best effort in the first mile, making their bodies work too hard too soon and fizzling out early. Instead, start conservatively, building your effort throughout the run, and finish stronger than you started.

• Having a short mantra for your run can help maintain focus. It can be only a few words, such as “I can do this,” or “On to the finish line.” You can also look to the Bible for inspirational verses on your run, such as 2 Timothy 4:7 (I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith) or Philippians 4:13 (I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me).

The Salvation Army Freedom 5k will be held on Monday, July 29, starting from Old Orchard Beach High School. To sign up to become a runner or to donate to help fight against human trafficking, please visit runsignup.com/Race/ME/OldOrchardBeach/2016Freedom5k.

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JUNE 2019

relevents

Arielle Curry, director of the Salvation Army’s anti–trafficking effort in Philadelphia, Pa., talks about the importance of female leadership, her women’s event–based ministry, and how the women helped by the New Day program also serve the Kensington community. interview by Hugo Bravo

The newest role in my life is being a mother to my two–year–old son Oliver. It has also been my hardest role, but one that I love and have enjoyed so much. I’m happy with how The Salvation Army has been with new mothers like me who also want to handle careers. The Army knows that I carry a lot of responsibilities in my work life, but they also understand the responsibility that I have waiting at home.

As a young intern working at my first job, it was important for me to have someone like Jamie Manirakiza value my opinion on this new project to help women. That type of female leadership changed my life. Helping women was my passion, but I needed Jamie to guide me, help me see what I was good at, and what I needed help with. Now, we have young women working at New Day who are as passionate about helping survivors of human The New Day to Stop Trafficking Program began in 2010, when trafficking as Jamie and I. Good leadership Jamie Manirakiza, who at the time was working with the Army’s HUD 202 did a lot for my career and my potential. I older adult services of Philadelphia, took on the extra responsibility to want them to also experience that. focus on anti–human trafficking efforts. I was her first intern, working the night shift at New Day’s first service, a drop–in center in Kensington, Pa. I met women traumatized from rape, abuse, and addiction. In only a few years, New Day went from barely having any money to help others, to a When I began a women’s million–dollar annual program with a drop–in center, a transitional home event–based ministry at my for women, a task force that works with law enforcement, a 24/7 hotline, church, Bethel Philadelphia Mills, I and services for women who suffer from substance use disorder. thought, it would be nice to have 50 women come. Instead, we welcomed close to 300 during our first meeting in 2014. Every year since, One night during my first year at the Kensington drop–in center, a we’ve grown. Now at our events, woman came to our door. We knew her well; a pimp had found her when we have about 650 women from she was 15. She later had five of his children. That night, she was going to the church. In these meetings, throw herself in front of a train, but she came to us because she knew that we host workshops, giveaways, we would care about her. What New Day does is create safety for a populagames, and family activities. I use tion that feels unsafe. We remember those who think no one will remember my ‘Type A’ personality at my job, them. Today, we have a special wall in Kensington where women can leave but to do the best work that I can their handprints. With us, they will always be safe, valued, and remembered. daily, I need a creative outlet like this event–based ministry.

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2019 JUNE

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great moments

visionaries for

freedom Since our inception, The Salvation Army has been a pioneer in combatting sex trafficking. Our founder William Booth believed that to serve the oppressed, we must fight on the frontlines of hell. This conviction led him and his wife, Catherine, to the darkest corners of Victorian England where women and children were being forced into prostitution and sold to brothels throughout Europe.

A movement is born In 1885, William, Catherine, and Bramwell Booth teamed up with William T. Stead, the editor of the Pall Mall Gazette. Together they hatched a plan to purchase 13–year–old Eliza Armstrong for five British pounds to expose how easy it was to buy and sell a child for prostitution in London.

Stead wrote about their controversial stunt in a series of articles called, “The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon.” His reporting on child sex trafficking caused an uproar. The alliance of new abolitionists seized this opportunity to collect nearly 400,000 signatures from outraged citizens on a

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petition to raise the age of consent.

In Booth’s bold fashion, he rolled up the two–mile–long petition and delivered it to Parliament in an open wagon, trailed by a brass band.

Legislators could not ignore the blaring will of the people and their campaign succeeded in changing the age of consent from 13 to 16.

Gaining momentum At the turn of the century in Japan, Captain Gunpei Yamamuro began mobilizing The Salvation Army. He discovered thousands of women and girls were being entrapped by brothel owners who forced them into prostitution until they paid off a loan made to their families. Yet their hope for freedom was sadly a dark illusion because the debt owed was never–ending.

Armed with a special edition of the War Cry magazine, Salvationists marched into the brothels with a message of empowerment and refuge.

Brothel owners fought back violently, but the battle ensued. Once again, the Army partnered with the national press. The public pressure forced the

government to amend legislation providing protection for anyone enslaved in the brothels, and raising the age of consent to 16. Within a year, 12,000 women fled the brothels and were liberated.

Within 30 years of the Booth’s exposure to the horrors of sex trafficking, The Salvation Army opened 117 homes for women and children who were escaping commercial sexual exploitation. Our early influence in fighting this social injustice was rooted in compassion and in the fierce commitment to the abolition of modern–day slavery. These two forces were planted in the souls of Salvationists who came alongside survivors.

Catherine Booth said, “I felt as though I must go and walk the streets and besiege the dens where these hellish iniquities are going on. To keep quiet seemed like being a traitor to humanity.”

Outreach in Hell’s Kitchen In the late 80’s, Hell’s Kitchen was the underbelly of Manhattan. Here, a spirited Scot named Major Betty Baker started an outreach for women embroiled in street prostitution. Every

1885

1900’s

William and Catherine Booth work to raise the age of consent.

The Salvation Army opens homes for women and children escaping prostitution.

JUNE 2019

by Jennifer Groff

weeknight, Baker and an Emergency Disaster Services driver loaded up a canteen with drinks and snacks and cruised the streets between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. The pimps had a reputation for being violent, and she had some dangerous run–ins, but Baker was never deterred. Her fearless mission was to serve, listen, and talk to the poor and shunned, showing them the mercy and unconditional love of Jesus.

Decades later, in New York City, commercial sexual exploitation has evolved but remains prevalent. Now, migrating women, mostly from China and Korea, are deceived into believing they have a chance to live the “American Dream.” But when they arrive, the dream twists into a nightmare. Traffickers disguise themselves as friends, promising them a place to live and a job as a masseuse. Yet the lie becomes apparent, exposing a cruel reality when they are forced to sell their bodies to paying customers.

In January 2019, a revival of Baker’s outreach began for women working in massage parlors and strip clubs. Once again, with the support of Emergency Services staff and vans, outreach teams descend on city streets. They visit the women, offering them an uplifting gift. With each visit, the Army’s message to those who are

oppressed by exploitation and abuse is a reminder of the essence of who they truly are: Purposed, Empowered, Appreciated, Respected and Loved (Pearl). The “Pearl Essence” outreach program demonstrates its members’ belief that liberation is within their reach by offering relevant “first step” services such as free meals and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in local corps.

The power of this seed–planting ministry can best be described in Baker’s own words, “Our past, present, and even our future are somehow interwoven, so that kindness manifested in the past, can reflect in the present and be felt in the future.”

Our legacy today Our past and present anti–trafficking work share the same passion for awareness, legislative advocacy, prevention, and outreach for women and children vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Today, we are also present at the forefront as leaders in training staff, supporting law enforcement, and educating the public on domestic human trafficking issues.

Across the United States, The Salvation Army now has 43 anti–trafficking programs with 92 staff members in positions devoted solely to the cause.

In the Eastern Territory, the hubs of human trafficking in our cities have an array of programs serving survivors including street outreach, drop–in centers, holistic case management, trauma therapy and safe housing.

Our grassroots approach to programming means we adapt to the diverse needs of women and children who have been harmed by gender– based violence. Last year we reported: • 3,123 survivors of gender–based violence • 28,591 nights of shelter provided • 1,754 case management clients • 2,889 referrals to partner agencies for services • 308 program graduates By coming alongside our most marginalized and oppressed communities, we bear witness to the scourge human trafficking has on so many souls. We have made history and we will continue to help lead the way by showing mercy and compassion for the disempowered, healing for the hurting, and companionship along the pathway to recovery for survivors of exploitation.

This is The Salvation Army’s birthright. So, we fight; and fight we will—to the very end.

—Jennifer Groff is the community engagement director for the Greater New York Division and is active in the “Pearl Essence” outreach.

1980’s

2019

Major Betty Baker starts an outreach in Manhattan to sexually–trafficked women.

The “Pearl Essence” outreach is making a difference in New York City.

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20/20 vision highlights Fighting human trafficking is a major element of the USA Eastern Territory’s 20/20 Vision. Last year, the territory hired a full–time anti–human trafficking coordinator. Discover what is happening in Syracuse, N.Y., Wilmington, Del., Hartford, Conn., and Manchester, N.H.

SYRACUSE, NY 677 S. SALINA ST.

The Salvation Army provides a shelter and services for young runaways in Syracuse and Rochester in upstate New York.

Linda Wright, the Empire State Division’s director of social services, said the numbers are not large, but the Army has seen some human trafficking victims among the youth.

“We provide safe housing and a case manager who will stay with them long after they are no longer in need of our shelter or safe housing services,” Wright said. “It’s a team approach.”

Wright said it’s often difficult to get the young women to talk and share their circumstances, but the Army does see trafficking victims who are sometimes exploited by an older boyfriend or another person in their life.

“It is underreported and gets lost with all the other factors,” Wright said. “The women are often struggling with a whole bunch of other things and trafficking gets lost in the scenario.

“We connect them with other services and make them aware of the risks their choices are creating for them.”

In the Eastern Territory

We served 1,042

survivors of human trafficking.

We provided 3,483

emergency response calls for victims of human trafficking.

We trained over 5,300

people during community awareness events.

Information from 2018

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JUNE 2019

WILMINGTON, DE 400 N. ORANGE ST.

Federal and state law enforcement officials recently contacted The Salvation Army and asked for space to house women recovered from human trafficking. The Army, which operates a 52–bed shelter in Wilmington, has set aside two rooms for such survivors—for now.

“In the last three months, we’ve had five people come in and self–identify as being trafficked,” said Captain Tim Sheehan, the Delaware state coordinator for The Salvation Army.

“That has led to a much larger discussion and an aggressive timeline to get a real anti–human trafficking program up and running here in Delaware. The entire state of Delaware has no facilities for this.

Women who are recovered are literally being transferred out of the state to safe places.”

Sheehan said The Salvation Army is launching a program called “Restoration Now,” which will culminate with a new recovery shelter for trafficking victims within three years. The plans also call for a caseworker, who will direct survivors to services and help them “get their identity and the beginnings of their life back.”

The Army received a donation for the first–year salary of the caseworker and Sheehan considers that the first phase.

“We are speeding up the process and getting other partner agencies across the state who can help us get the wraparound services needed for these folks,” Sheehan said. “We’re on the cutting edge of putting something together here in Delaware that will fulfill William Booth’s vision: ‘While there is a poor lost girl left lost upon the streets, I’ll fight.’ We’re trying to answer that statement here in Delaware.”

Sheehan said all three corps in the state will also receive anti–human trafficking training.

“We are being intentional about bridging the corps and the shelter,” he said.

MANCHESTER, NH, CORPS 121 CEDAR ST.

HARTFORD, CT, (CITADEL) CORPS 225 WASHINGTON ST.

Connecticut offers a proliferation of rent–by–the–hour hotel rooms, where commercial sex exploitation can often be found.

“Even though we’re a pass–through state, we see a lot of prostitution taking place in our hotels and in our nail salons,” says Krystal Ambrozaitis, the anti–human trafficking coordinator for the Southern New England Division. “We’re not necessarily a destination where people come to buy and sell, but they’re just passing through Connecticut via I–95 and I–84.”

The problem has led the division to open a drop–in center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays at the Hartford (Citadel), Conn., Corps, known as the “Hope Roots Center for Women.”

“We offer the women food, hygiene items, and clothing,” Ambrozaitis said. “It’s very much a drop–in center. They can come in and go whenever they want to. We don’t collect any intake information. We understand the women are still actively engaging in the lifestyle. We’re really providing a safe space for them to come and get something to eat.”

The women who want to get out of the lifestyle are connected to a full–time “survivor support specialist,” who is a case manager.

Ambrozaitis, who is also the division’s Pathway of Hope coordinator, said the program is called the “Bloom Initiative.”

“We serve both men and women, so we didn’t want a name that was too feminine, but something that was really transformative and kind of speaks to the services they’re going to receive and the journey they go on,” she said.

“We work with survivors on goals, life skill development, and budgeting. It’s very much survivor–driven. They come to us and decide what goals they want to work on, and we help them make those community referrals and access those services.”

The survivors also have access to spiritual counseling from local corps officers, including Major Candy Fritsch.

The word gets out about the drop–in center during Thursday night street outreach, where trained Salvation Army volunteers pass out “Bloom Bags” that include hygiene items, snacks, socks, and a card with information about the center.

Ambrozaitis said the issue of human trafficking “touches everyone” in one way or another.

“It’s not that everyone is a survivor or a buyer or a trafficker, but even members of the general public are touched by trafficking.”

Major Armida Harper and members of the corps lit a spark when they helped a woman caught up in strip clubs and sexual exploitation escape that life through The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope program.

“Seeing this woman doing so much better kind of gave us a passion for this issue,” Harper says.

The corps opened a new drop–in center in February known as “Oasis.”

“There are drop–in centers in Manchester, but none that are specifically for women,” Harper said. “A lot of times, the women are at the drop–in centers with the traffickers and customers who are victimizing them.”

Harper said the corps set aside a room that offers seating, a television and DVD player, a refrigerator, a coffeemaker, a place to do crafts or play board games, a computer, and a phone.

“We’re here and we’re open,” Harper said. “Our hope is to not only invite women we know are trafficked, but women who are homeless or addicted or at risk of being trafficked. Then, as we get to know them through the drop–in center, we can help support them out of the life.”

Harper said Case Manager Daisy Cruz’s workload has increased by 10 hours. She’ll use the time to connect women to program services. Other groups, such as the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force, will help staff the center. Harper has been a member of the group for two years.

“It’s really going to be a group effort in the community, which I’m really excited about,” Harper said.

Harper has been involved in anti–human trafficking education for many years, including when she lived in Kenya, East Africa.

While Manchester is a city where the federal government assigns refugees, Harper said she hasn’t seen too many foreign women coming to the drop-in center.

“A lot of the women who are trafficked are not foreign and many of them are right from Manchester and are staying in Manchester,” she said.

“People who are immigrants could be vulnerable for trafficking, but a lot of the trafficking victims we’re seeing are not necessarily physically trafficked into Manchester. Many people are brought into the life and exploited through coercion or false promises or threats or addiction.”

Harper, who was once stationed in Kenya for The Salvation Army, said the anti–trafficking work in Manchester reminds her of those days.

“I think what gives me the heart for this is the individual who may be out there that can benefit and have their life changed through this program,” she says. “I realize this is a macro problem and I can’t solve it. That was something I had to learn in Kenya—that I could not solve all the issues that were brought to me. I couldn’t feed all the children. I couldn’t fix all the drought or the poverty, but whatever good I was able to do, with God’s help, was still good. I feel the same about anti–human trafficking and this drop–in center.

“If there is one woman or individual who can realize that they have worth beyond what their exploiter has told them, or what they owe someone who is victimizing them, it’s worth it to me. If they see there’s something they can give to society and be a different person, and through this program we can help them get there, it’s worth it to me.”

2019 JUNE

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A New Day for overdose victims

by Robert Mitchell

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JUNE 2019

Some people go to work every day, but wonder, Am I making a difference?

One person who doesn’t ask that question is Susan Jones, the coordinator of The Salvation Army’s New Day Drop–in Center in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. In the past year, Jones has used NARCAN nasal spray to help save the lives of two people from opioid overdoses. At New Day, as many as 15 people have been revived from overdoses.

“Multiple people have been revived here at the center by paramedics,” Jones says.

Jones first administered NARCAN to an overdosed woman. The staff realized something was amiss when she failed to return from a restroom at the center.

“I immediately recognized she had overdosed and we had to get into action,” Jones recalls. “She was probably not even overdosed for a minute and a half and we were able to revive her. That’s remarkable that we could have that kind of response as a team. In hindsight, it’s amazing that we have access to these kinds of things and were able to respond as quickly as possible.”

KNOWING THE SIGNS Arielle Curry, director of anti–human trafficking for the New Day Stop Trafficking program, The Salvation Army’s anti–trafficking efforts in Philadelphia, said the staff at New Day is trained to monitor the bathroom. They also build relationships with the women and know their habits.

“Had that initial piece not happened, it doesn’t matter if you NARCAN someone when it’s too late,” Curry said. “It’s a process. It’s not just administering the NARCAN, it’s everything leading up to it.”

Jones later saved a man who had overdosed on the sidewalk outside New Day, but she had help.

“It was definitely a team effort,” Jones said. “Our staff was integral in getting him into a safe space. There’s a rescue breath position you have to get the person in and that’s all a team effort. Thankfully I’ve been trained a couple of times, so I was familiar with the steps.

“There were other community members around.

One person was doing rescue breaths, another person was administering NARCAN, while another person was calling an ambulance, still another person was

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checking the surroundings and making sure that not a lot of people were crowding around. There’s a lot that goes into making sure that a person’s rights are preserved, while also contributing to saving their life.”

A NEW DANGER Every staffer at New Day is trained and carries a NARCAN pack that includes an oximeter, which measures oxygen levels; a pair of gloves because some of the opioid drugs can permeate the skin; one–way breathing masks, which go over a victim’s face for administering rescue breaths; and two doses of the NARCAN nasal spray.

Jones said her training in administering rescue breaths was a key in saving the two lives.

“Opioids are depressants and slow your system down,” Jones said. “What happens is you’re not getting oxygen to the brain or the heart and your body is legitimately shutting down. You’ve stopped breathing and you don’t have your blood flowing. It’s important to do the rescue breaths in addition to the NARCAN.” New Day is an oasis in the middle of Kensington’s “open–air” street track, where heroin, crack, and

Fentanyl is available in many forms. Injectable forms are found in hospital settings. The street–produced version of fentanyl is typically in powder form.

2019 JUNE

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commercial sex are prevalent. Kensington was once known for having the purest form of heroin in the nation, but the new drug of choice is fentanyl, a synthetic opioid used for pain management in cancer patients that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency says is 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine.

“Fentanyl is the most recent aspect of the opioid crisis,” Curry says. “In Kensington, fentanyl really hit in the last three to five years.

MORE OVERDOSES “People used to come here from all over for the pure heroin and it’s always been a hub for crime, especially drugs.

It’s never been this bad before. The overdose numbers are significantly higher because of the introduction of fentanyl. That really is the game–changer in all this.”

People snort or inject fentanyl and some mix it with crack and K–2 synthetic marijuana. Curry has even heard of fentanyl being mixed with methamphetamines.

“People’s overdoses are looking different because of all the mixing,” Curry said. “It’s much stronger than heroin so people who have historically used heroin use the same dose laced with fentanyl and it can instantly kill them.

Some people are taking it expecting a higher high, but in reality, it just puts them in overdose. That’s why we’re seeing the insane influx of overdoses in this community.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency last year. In 2017, Philadelphia saw 1,217 deaths from opioid overdoses.

“No part of Philadelphia is exempt from experiencing the opioid crisis. It’s all–hands–on–deck here in Kensington,” Curry said. “The mayor of Philadelphia has asked all services to step up and The Salvation Army is really instrumental, as well as many others in this community, to enhancing and increasing services to this population.”

BIG PLANS AHEAD Jones said New Day now sees 80 to 120 women a day, a significant increase from previous years.

“It’s exciting to see that more and more women are trusting the space,” Jones said.

Meanwhile, New Day received government funding in January to hire three full–time case managers at the center to focus specifically on the link between human trafficking and the opioid crisis.

“The unique thing is really to have dedicated personnel to focus on housing and detox and those kinds of really important tangible needs that we don’t always

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have time to focus on,” Jones said.

New Day is also in the process of launching a police– assisted diversion program in Kensington that would connect women accused of prostitution with social services instead of arresting them.

“That is pretty profound and monumental in terms of looking at these women as victims rather than as criminals,” Curry said. “We’ll connect them with social services rather than having this revolving door where they’re picked up by Vice, booked, go to jail, stay there for six months, and come out to the same place that they left. Instead, it’s intervening once law enforcement picks them up.”

Jones added, “We have found that a lot of women, whether they currently have a trafficker or not, at some point in their life, if they are caught up in commercial sexual exploitation, will have a trafficker.”

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS Curry said the center will hire two to four new staffers just to focus on the diversion program, which will operate out of a satellite location about eight blocks away.

“We’re growing rapidly,” Jones said.

The Salvation Army already operates “New Day, New Home,” a transitional housing program in a Philadelphia suburb.

The drop–in center is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday thru Thursday. Women can find group meetings, Bible studies, food, showers, case management, and other help. The center is also open from 9 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, but with a more abbreviated schedule.

“It’s just really low–key where the women can come and shower and eat and talk and just have a place that feels like home for a couple of hours before going back out,” says Jerrica Benabe, who is on the night staff.

Benabe, a pastor’s daughter who grew up in Kensington, said she laments what has happened to the neighborhood, which at night is home to frequent drug activity and forced commercial sexual exploitation.

“It’s gotten a lot worse with the drugs and the violence since I was a kid,” she says. “It’s definitely been a big change. It’s really sad and heartbreaking.

It’s rough seeing the area and how women are affected, but it’s a ministry I enjoy being a part of.”

That’s also the case for Jones and Curry. Jones said when she heard about New Day and its nonjudgmental support and care for women, she was convinced.

“A light bulb went off and I decided it was absolutely a place that I would want to be, day in and day out,” she

“ WE LOOK AT EACH WOMAN AS SOMEONE WHO IS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. THEY HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO THEM THAN THESE STORIES. THEY HAVE A PURPOSE ON THIS EARTH.” — Susan Jones

said. “My faith in Jesus points to Him caring for those who are vulnerable and are the outcasts of society.

My faith in Jesus is flourishing here because I get to have conversations with people about the experiences they’ve had in their lives and their joys and sorrows.

A CALLING, NOT A JOB Jones said the stories the women often share are heartbreaking, but there are also times when they just enjoy talking and laughing about life.

“We look at each woman as someone who is created in the image of God,” Jones said. “They have so much more to them than these stories. They have a purpose on this earth. It makes me want to keep coming back and spending time with the women.”

Jones said she has seen the women care for each other.

She recalls one woman giving her only coat to a friend.

“I’m constantly in awe of the resilience and strength of the women,” Jones said. “Seeing people’s generosity as they care for each other has been another continuing motivation. It’s not just the staff doing the work. The women take care of each other and it’s pretty amazing.”

Curry called working with vulnerable women in anti–trafficking the “calling on my life.”

“What keeps me doing this work is knowing there is such an immense need,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for six years, but the need is still there. No one person can address this issue alone. It has to be collaborative.

It’s huge to know we can fill the void and meet women in the trenches.

“Just seeing the small victories and the impact we have in women’s lives is profound. They feel safe and feel heard when they come in here. This is important especially for a population that isn’t heard, valued, or given a choice. To know that we’ve created this safe space is invaluable. It keeps us all going.”

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Susan Jones wears a NARCAN belt and is ready to assist a person who has overdosed on fentanyl or other opioid drugs.

Resources

Fight Human

So you want to get involved in fighting human trafficking? Prayer is the best place to start, but The Salvation Army and many other organizations offer a myriad of resources. Check out the following websites: SA Justice www.sajustice.us SA Justice Fight for Freedom action plan against human trafficking is an initiative that originated in the Western Territory and has since been adopted by all four territories. Currently we have 43 programs and initiatives to fight human trafficking across the U.S., making The Salvation Army a leading direct services provider in fighting human trafficking in the United States. Please visit our website and social media pages to learn more about how you can get involved in the #FightforFreedom. We address human trafficking holistically through four main goals: Awareness & Training, Prevention & Outreach, Survivor Services & Recovery, and Partnerships & Advocacy.

National Center on Sexual Exploitation endsexualexploitation.org The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) is the leading national organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation such as child sexual abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking, and the public health crisis of pornography. As the thread of pornography in the web of sexual exploitation is systemically overlooked by society, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation has prominently advanced this issue as a central pillar of its projects in order to promote more holistic solutions.

Polaris Project polarisproject.org Polaris is a leader in the global fight to eradicate modern slavery. Named after the North Star that guided slaves to freedom in the U.S., Polaris systemically disrupts the human trafficking networks that rob human beings of their lives and their freedom. Our comprehensive model puts victims at the center of what we do—helping survivors restore their freedom, preventing more victims, and leveraging data and technology to pursue traffickers wherever they operate.

Wolrd Without Exploitation (WorldWE) www.worldwithoutexploitation.org Our movement was born from a series of conversations among exploitation and trafficking survivors, human rights and gender justice advocates, artists, activists, and direct service providers. We’re united in the belief that we won’t end exploitation until we confront its root causes. We know that an injustice that goes unseen is an injustice that goes unchallenged. Challenging a world in which human beings are being trafficked and exploited is what World Without Exploitation is all about.

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Call 1–888–373–7888 (TTY: 711) Text 233733

Get Help

humantraffickinghotline.org Human trafficking is a form of modern–day slavery. This crime occurs when a trafficker uses force, fraud or coercion to control another person for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or soliciting labor or services against his or her will.

dream

BIG pray like a child 2019

Trafficking

International

DAY OF PRAYER for children and youth

Global Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking

Every year, The Salvation Army sets aside a Sunday in September to focus on the plight of trafficked individuals. This year it is Sunday September 22, 2019. The Eastern Territory will be hosting a National Day of training, prayer, and worship leading up to Sunday 9/22 in New York City on 9/20–9/21 2019.

To join our National Pray For Freedom event in New York, N.Y., visit www.saconnects.org/rise2019.

Messengers of

Light

by Robert Mitchell

I

t’s late Friday night in a seedy neighborhood in Brooklyn, N.Y., as women from The Salvation Army ring doorbells outside massage parlors and strip clubs, hoping and praying someone answers.

The Salvationists bring gifts—and perhaps hope— to the women inside who are being sexually exploited.

Sometimes the door opens and the Army women walk in; other times they are turned away. In any event, they continue, undeterred from their mission.

On this night, Kate Borrero and Megan Labrecque, Salvation Army cadets from the College for Officer Training (CFOT) are among the women. This month, they will graduate and become officers. They are taking part in the outreach, known as “Pearl Essence,” to meet the requirements of a new elective class offered on anti– human trafficking (see sidebar on page 21).

Labrecque, who is from Chambersburg, Pa., said she was not sure what to expect during her initial outreach, but she quickly warmed up to the assignment.

“I was hesitant at first, but then I saw how simple it was to just talk to people,” she said. “A lot of times when we enter the strip clubs, the people there are welcoming.

They’re not trying to push us out. They may not let us go all the way back, but they are willing to talk to us and to listen. They were really friendly and took the gifts we brought for the women.”

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SIMPLE LOVE Labrecque said the massage parlors, which use video surveillance to screen visitors, are more private and hesitant to let people in.

“It was really hard for me to see women there who were about my age,” she said. “They didn’t look happy to be there.

“I always think of the light and the darkness. The parlors are dark places, but just coming and giving a little bit of light, whether it’s a gift or just being friendly to someone, can be such a simple but important gesture.”

Borrero, who is from New London, Conn., said she got over her initial apprehension by viewing everyone involved as children of God in need of His love.

“It was daunting at first,” Borrero said. “For a split second, I got kind of nervous, but I had to remember that things might appear more dangerous in some ways, but really all we’re doing is engaging people who are loved by God and made in God’s image. When I try to view people in that way, it makes it less scary and it’s more about knowing I’m going for God’s people and reaching them.

“After the first five minutes, I didn’t care anymore about safety. It wasn’t like I was being negligent or irresponsible, but my concern shifted away from myself and more toward the mission, what we were doing, and the individuals we were trying to connect with.”

Borrero said the Bible verse James 1:27 “talks about how true religion is to care for the vulnerable. This is a vulnerable population. It’s our call as Christians to be involved in some way to help with an injustice like this.”

In teams of three, cadets from the College for Officer Training participate in the Pearl Essence outreach to combat human trafficking. They carry favors and information to give trafficked women.

In teams of three, cadets from the College for Officer Training participate in the Pearl Essence outreach to combat human trafficking. They carry favors and information to give trafficked women.

PRAYING FOR CONNECTIONS Entering secluded massage parlors and strip clubs under the cloak of darkness is not for everyone, but the “Pearl Essence” outreach team goes with boldness marked by serious prayer. The team assembles around 6 p.m. to pack the gift bags. Before going out, they also praise, worship, and pray together.

The teams go out in vans to predetermined locations and write detailed notes about each massage parlor and strip club on an iPad. Leading the monthly outreach is Major Susan Wittenberg, the women’s ministries secretary for the Greater New York (GNY) Division, who said Brooklyn is the focus for now.

“Brooklyn was an area where the Spirit directed us to go,” she said. “There’s really a concentrated area of illicit massage parlors and a few strip clubs there, but the massage parlors are really where the majority of women are being trafficked. They come to the states … with a dream someone has promised them.”

Wittenberg said the women may work at a nail salon or give foot and back massages during the day, but at night are forced into illicit sex.

The gift bags include small favors, such as lip gloss and bracelets with the name “Pearl Essence” inscribed on them. The name holds deep meaning.

“The essence of what we do is to go and offer a gift of treasure to the women. We do this because we consider them to be purposed, valued, and loved. We want to acknowledge that,” Wittenberg said. “So, when we go to the door and we say, ‘Hello, we’re from Pearl Essence,’ we are declaring that there are women in this building who are treasures who our Heavenly Father is pursuing.

They might be hidden in darkness, but they are jewels of great value.”

A team member records details from each outreach encounter to assist future teams and to develop relationships with trafficked women.

GOD OPENS DOORS

Roberto Calderon serves as an accompaniment to the women participating in the outreach.

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The outreach bags, which are made by Others Trade for Hope, an entrepreneurial Salvation Army outreach to women, include a card with feeding program locations and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. The cards are written in Mandarin, Spanish, Korean, and English. Some cards include Russian.

“If we can get the women outside their workspace, then we have an opportunity to connect with and help them,” Wittenberg said. “We look for invitations. We look for the women to open up to us as we move toward what they want us to move toward.

“We wouldn’t push ourselves on them in any way,

but if a woman comes to us and says she wants help with becoming legal or going back home, then we would help. We wait for her to move toward us.”

One of the outreach regulars is Jennifer Groff, the community engagement director for the Greater New York Division. Groff got interested in trafficking in 2017 while researching the issue as a journalism graduate school student. She interviewed survivors, government officials, leaders of service agencies, and researchers.

Groff also volunteered at “The Well,” a Salvation Army anti–human trafficking program in Columbus, Ohio.

“I ended up developing a passion for it and a real heart for the women,” Groff said.

tricked, forced, kidnapped, and abused, I felt the Lord saying to me, ‘If this happened to one of your nieces, what would you do?’ I felt the Lord was laying on my heart the desire to find out more about this.”

WEEPING FOR THE LOST

Calderon ended up taking part in anti–trafficking outreaches in Thailand. While one team would be out in the field, another would pray. His heart ached during one prayer session.

“I was praying for the different women and the Lord kind of broke my heart,” he said. “I was weeping about how overwhelming His love was for them and how much His heart breaks for those who are lost. It was the first time I really sobbed uncontrollably before the Lord.

A GOD MOMENT I thought, ‘OK, Lord, this is what You have for me. How Even though she grew up in The Salvation Army, Groff do I get more involved?’ Since then I’ve tried to be more said participating in Pearl Essence has given her a involved and learn more.” newfound opportunity to connect personally with After taking the CFOT class and going on the “Pearl Christ. Groff recalls her first outreach when she met Essence” outreaches, both Labrecque and Borrero say a woman working at a strip club in the Coney Island they also plan to get more involved by fighting trafficksection of Brooklyn. ing this year wherever they are “In our face-to-face engagesent as new officers. ment of just a few minutes, I had “The beauty of this Pearl a spiritual experience,” Groff Essence outreach is that it gives said. “I felt God was working me an example of how I can do through me. The moment was something for people—without just beyond the physical. the expectation of being the ulti“Our team was ref lecting mate solution for getting them out God’s love and the woman I was of their situation and into recovtalking to received it. It felt like ery,” Borrero said. “Instead, I can there was something deeper serve as kind of a bridge to help going on than us just having a get these women to recovery and brief conversation. She seemed back into society and away from to have real joy as the women that life.” uplifted her.”

Labrecque said Christians —International Labor Organization The outreach team includes “should hate any oppression or some men. Roberto Calderon, injustice” and do all they can to who work s i n Emergenc y stop it.

Disaster Services in Greater New York, often serves as a “Whether the women in these places are trafficked protector of sorts, watching from nearby as the women or they’re there because they’re broken or struggling ring doorbells. He also helps research the massage spiritually or in other ways, they need some kind of light parlors and strip clubs beforehand. in that darkness and they also need hope,” Labrecque Knowing he wanted to be a missionary, Calderon explained. “The only way they can get that is by reachfirst learned about human trafficking a decade ago ing out to them and actually being that presence in while attending a conference. those places.

“The stories they told us reminded me of one of my “If we just ignore that there are broken and oppressed nieces,” he said. “As I sat there, I felt the Lord speaking people, then they’re not going to receive that little bit of to me. While hearing these stories of how women were hope or that glimpse of light.”

Human trafficking is the fastest growing crime on the planet with 40.3 million victims worldwide.

Women and girls are disproportionately affected.

2019 JUNE

19

Seeking Treasured PEARLS

by Major Susan Wittenberg

It has been three decades since I had my first interaction with an outreach ministry to people being exploited in and through the sex industry.

In 1987, my husband and I were stationed at the Time Square Corps. It was there I met Major Betty Baker and learned about the sex industry from her.

Betty was one of our corps members who showed my young heart so much more than I had previously experienced. As a new lieutenant, I was fearful of exposure to this ministry. But Betty was not afraid and she taught me well.

Major Betty went out on the street with The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) canteen late at night to offer food and encouragement to the women—and sometimes men— being prostituted in New York City.

Sometimes she would need to scare off the pimps and the johns, but she did so courageously and with a firm belief that she was called to be spiritual light and love to them—despite the cost.

I remember earnestly praying, “Lord, give me a love like Betty Baker has for souls … the kind of love that casts away fear and bends the knee to vulnerability.”

The Lord heard and continues to hear this prayer of my heart, transforming it for one specific purpose—to love. This journey has stripped away the layers of fear and judgment within and filled me with His Spirit and with a love that has purpose and calling.

It was during this journey that I embraced the notion of going in to the strip clubs, illicit sex massage parlors, and meeting the exploited women on the streets. My sole purpose was to show God’s love through small gifts and words of kindness. I have learned that, as we activate outreach, we do so not with the intention of saving, rescuing, judging, or

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Major Susan Wittenberg (far left) prepares the teams before they embark for the streets of Brooklyn, N.Y.

transforming, but we reach out to show God’s love and trust the Spirit to do the amazing work He alone can do.

Now, 32 years after learning from Major Betty and praying that prayer, I have come full circle in my personal journey. I rejoice that I am with many people who take part in this kind of outreach.

What do we do? We have been trained by a group called Treasures. We shadowed them, as we visited the clubs in Manhattan. Gathering once a month for prayer and instruction after preparing gift bags, we went by foot in groups of three or four women, each holding bags full of small gifts of comfort. We took public transportation to the clubs on our list.

In January, we launched our Salvation Army group called “Pearl Essence.” We took what we learned from Treasures and with the group’s blessing and focused on Brooklyn and Staten Island.

This is the most saturated area for illicit massage parlors where many of the women are trafficked.

After four months we still have more

women to visit, but it is our hope to reach every single one and return to them again and share God’s love.

We visit the parlors and strip clubs and keep our eyes open for anyone working the streets. Every place we go to has a different feel. We try to keep a good narrative record so that we will learn and recognize the women by name. We also take note of the details they share with us, so they know we believe that they are important and valued.

Our outreach begins with us gathering at the Brooklyn Bay Ridge Corps for preparation, prayer, and instruction. We receive the corps officers pastoral prayer and we board one to two vans driven by our EDS team and male volunteers.

The evening’s outreach is planned.

We identify locations through media and newspaper advertisements and scout the locations.

We have a driver and a navigator on board who also serves as a protector when we leave the vans and make our way to the clubs or parlors. They wait outside, ever watching for us. The teams of volunteers are women, and many times

In the Classroom there will be six to nine women in a van, but when we reach a location, we go out in groups of three with one woman taking the lead. The team visiting the location will have enough gift bags, made

by Others Trade for Hope, the Army’s entreperneural outreach to women.

In the bag is a simple lip gloss, nail polish, maybe a piece of jewelry and a Pearl Essence card letting them know they are loved and valued, and invited to a free lunch or free English as a Second Language class.

Many of the women speak languages other than English and this keeps them trapped.

We walk to the door and perhaps there is a manager, bouncer or house mom and we introduce ourselves. “Good evening, we are from ‘Pearl Essence,’ a group of women who want to encourage other women. My name is Susan.” I offer my handshake. “We are here to give gifts to the girls working this evening and we do this because we just want them to know they are important to us. Would you like to see what’s in the bags? Also, for you we have some home–made cookies if you would like.”

We may be invited in. There are times we are directed to the dressing room where we can meet the women and give them the gifts. Other times we are invited to the main floor where we can give the gifts to the women who are taking a break from working. We have short conversations with them. We are careful to focus on their eyes and convey care through an easiness and a joy in meeting them. We avoid looking down in judgment. We tell the women that we value them and have a small gift to encourage them. We keenly observe whether the women are inviting us for further conversation and presence or perhaps prefer to end the conversation.

We act on their invitation; we never push ourselves in. We wait to be invited in and listen intensely to the Spirit and

to the women we visit.

We have experienced the women dancing or hosting a client in the clubs.

We intentionally but silently pray as we walk through and hope for encounters where we can share God’s love. There are occasions when we are kept out, but we keep going back and hope next time we’ll see an open door.

Our evenings are saturated in prayer among team members, but we refrain from proselytizing the women whom we visit.

Our prayer ministry is for each other and for the women we contact. We pray before entering each place and while one group is inside an establishment, those in the van are praying.

When one outreach is completed, there is a moment in the van when we hear all the details every team member remembers from that outreach. Then we move on to the next place. We pray to God with thanksgiving for getting in.

We also pray for the women by name.

W hen the evening routes are completed, we debrief and talk through everything and anything that may be good or unsettling. We pray through those things and follow up with the team when issues remain.

M aj or B e t t y Baker taught that a simple gift given today to someone may be the one thing that changes the direction and foundation of that person’s future. This is our hope and our prayer as we activate the Pearl Essence outreach—that the people would come to know how God pursues His precious pearls. May they receive each aspect and essence of being His treasured pearl.

— Major Susan Wittenberg is the women’s ministries secretary for the Greater New York Division.

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Meghan Labrecque and Kate Borrero were two of four women cadets to take a 10–week elective class at the College for Officer Training called Introduction to Domestic Human Trafficking.

Another 20 officers and employees accessed the class online.

The teacher was Jamie Manirakiza, the Eastern Territory’s anti–human trafficking program coordinator and an adjunct professor who has taught at Eastern and Vanguard universities.

Manirakiza said the class covered a host of topics from the definition of the laws, best practices for fighting trafficking, and pending legislation.

“It was a snippet of little areas in trafficking,” she said. “It was an overview to equip everybody with some research and knowledge.”

The class, which met once a week on Wednesdays, was the outgrowth of a lecture at the CFOT last year. Colonel Janet Munn, then the training principal, asked if the class could be offered as a winter elective.

“I think it was a great learning opportunity for cadets and for me to best learn what is most applicable for future Salvation Army officers to know as they are commissioned and go out into the field,” Manirakiza said. “It was a great opportunity to equip cadets with information.”

The students in the class were required to attend outreach to earn a portion of their grade.

“I built it into the course with the Greater New York Division to have immersion opportunities so they could actually do something related to anti–trafficking and get in the field,” Manirakiza said. “It’s a portion of their grade, but others have come without it even being required.”

Borrero said the class taught her that trafficking can happen anywhere.

“I thought it was an overseas issue and I didn’t realize it’s everything from massage parlors and strip clubs to restaurants and migrant workers,” she said. “It’s all over the place.”

In fact, a restaurant in Labrecque’s hometown of Chambersburg, Pa., closed after being cited as a human trafficking hotspot.

“Seeing that reality anywhere, and not just in urban settings, really showed me it’s something we need to be more aware of and have a better understanding of how to implement ministry opportunities,” she said. “I knew this class would help me.”

snapshot

A NEW DAY RISING! The Salvation Army’s New Day Drop– In Center in the Kensington section of Philadelphia looms large above a XXX video store next door. The neighborhood is known for drugs and commercial sex exploitation. During the day at the Center, human trafficking survivors can find help with case management, court accompaniment, group meetings, Bible study, and housing.

The Center’s staff see 80 to 120 women daily—a significant increase from previous years. On Thursday nights, women can also find refuge at the Center.

2019 JUNE

23

FAITH in ACTION

The Fight for Freedom Puerto Rico

A Strategy for a Nation Without Human Trafficking Tacoma, WA Seattle, WA Yakima, WA Olympia, WA

Portland, OR

CENTRAL TERRITORY WESTERN TERRITORY

Cheyenne, WY

Portland, ME Manchester NH

Detroit, MI Chicago, IL

Omaha, NE

EASTERN TERRITORY

Toledo, OH Cleveland, OH Pittsburgh, PA Columbus, OH Philadelphia, PA

Hartford, CT New York

Indianapolis, IN Cincinnati, OH

Wilmington, DE Baltimore, MD Roanoke, VA

Washington, D.C.

Las Vegas, NV Santa Barbara, CA

Greenville, NC Asheville, NC Raleigh, NC Charlotte, NC Jacksonville, NC

Canoga Park, CA Los Angeles, CA Orange County, CA Greater Los Angeles Area, CA

SOUTHERN TERRITORY

Dallas, TX San Diego, CA

Locations for the Salvation Army’s anti–human trafficking programs.

Fort Worth, TX

Atlanta, GA

Houston, TX Puerto Rico

Tampa, FL Sarasota, FL

Tacoma, WA Seattle, WA Yakima, WA Olympia, WA

Can you imagine a world without human exploitation?

Since the beginning, God raised up The Salvation Army as a global pioneer and partner in fighting against human trafficking.

As in 1902 when The Salvation Army “invaded” the Japanese brothels and helped free over 1,000 girls and women, today, we’re dedicated to fighting this evil.

We all agree fighting for justice and equality is a part of our Salvation Army DNA. According to the International Labor Organization, human trafficking is the fastest growing crime on the planet with 40.3 million victims worldwide. Women and girls are disproportionately affected.

The fight against human trafficking

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Portland, OR

has been a long one that still continues. In fact, traffickers are smarter now than ever before.

For Jesus’ followers, and for people who believe we are all made in the image of God, this means that we need to be more effective in every way.

We’ve realized that many people in The Salvation Army want to do something about human trafficking, but lack the training needed to be effective.

To them, the problem also appears to be too big to tackle. As a result, many people avoid it.

We need vision.

We need strategy.

We need to be as equipped as possible for the task in front of us.

That’s why, in 2017, representatives from all four USA territories came

together to design a way forward. In doing so, they birthed “The Fight for Freedom,” a 10–year nationwide action plan to combat human trafficking.

The Fight for Freedom is filled with dreams, goals, and strategies on how to mobilize an Army to have a holistic, compassionate, and grit–filled response. Its approach is sensitively contexturalized according to the needs of each territory.

For the first time in our history, The Salvation Army has a nationwide, coordinated strategy to fight human trafficking, which will help us move forward together and cohesively.

Focused on four main strategic areas: awareness & training, prevention & outreach, survivor services & recovery, and partnerships & advocacy, this Cheyenne, WY

Omaha, NE

Las Vegas, NV

Santa Barbara, CA

Canoga Park, CA

Los Angeles, CA Orange County, CA

Greater Los Angeles Area, CA

San Diego, CA

Dallas, TX

Fort Worth, TX

Houston, TX

Chicago, IL

Indianapolis,

action plan is rooted in and built around effective practices and is informed by people on the front–lines.

AWARENESS & TRAINING The first step in fighting human trafficking is to know it exists and then to engage in training people how to properly respond to it.

However, it’s not enough to just know. A good heart isn’t going to decrease human trafficking.

We need to take the next step and become properly equipped on how to engage in a well–informed, connected, and specialized matter.

Through our awareness and training efforts, our hope is to help our officers, employees, soldiers, advisory board members, volunteers, and cadets to know what human trafficking looks like in their community. They represent 135,000 people we can mobilize.

In 2018, we trained 2,312 personnel. We have a long way to go, but we are hopeful that through our Fight for Freedom plan, that number will continue to grow every year.

We also hope to train people in our communities. In 2018 we trained 10,260 individuals across the United States.

PREVENTION & OUTREACH The next step is to reach people who are vulnerable and stop the attack on them before it starts.

In order to prevent human trafficking, communities must be made aware of what puts children, youth, and adults at risk.

Our communities must also consider how to address this root problem—in our laws and policies.

The Salvation Army already participates in prevention through all of its programs that strengthen communities, families, and relationships, such as its community centers, Harbor Light and Adult Rehabilitation Centers, and

character building programs.

Outreach is an intervention strategy.

It helps to identify people who are being victimized by human trafficking.

Many of our Salvation Army program providers, in the course of their daily responsibilities, may be surprised to realize that they are in contact with victims of trafficking.

It is important that personnel receive training to properly identify a possible trafficking case and know what steps to take.

Additionally, outreach to vulnerable populations is essential in identifying trafficking operations. Doing so leads to the recovery of people who are being victimized.

SURVIVOR SERVICES & RECOVERY We believe that each person who has been a victim of human trafficking should have access to the resources they need to find freedom from exploitation. We also believe that, in the process of gaining access to resources, caregivers should respect each victim’s unique journey by providing opportunities to choose autonomy and self–determination. Recovery takes time and can be circular rather than linear in nature.

We believe that The Salvation Army is uniquely equipped to provide specialized survivor services for sex or labor trafficked individuals of all demographics. We have been on the frontlines of serving hard–to–reach populations since the founding of the movement by William and Catherine Booth in London, England.

Across the United States, we currently operate 43 anti–human trafficking programs and initiatives that embody these values. We hope that number continues to grow each and every year.

We must remember as we engage in the Fight for Freedom, that survivors are the experts of their own story. We must engage them as allies in this

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fight. As we develop and implement services, we must also seek their leadership and expertise in all that we do.

PARTNERSHIPS & ADVOCACY Policy and advocacy are central to fighting injustice. In 2018, we partnered with 534 local agencies and organizations and 77 task forces and coalitions across the United States in the fight against human trafficking.

We cannot win this fight alone.

We must engage with the collective multidisciplinary expertise of partner organizations such as: social services, shelters, trauma therapists, law enforcement both federal and local, the faith community, schools, universities, and so much more.

Advocacy is another core value of our Salvation Army DNA. Since the early days of the Army, William and Catherine Booth advocated to raise the age of consent in London, England from 13 to 16 years old.

Today across the United States, The Salvation Army is a stakeholder in educating law makers and encouraging them to create and amend legislation that directly or indirectly affects victims of sex or labor trafficking, both domestically and from abroad.

May we always seek justice by raising our collective voices alongside those of survivors so that we may love mercy and walk humbly with our God. — Co–authors Hillary DeJarnett (Southern Territory), Pilar Dunning (Central Territory), Jamie Manirakiza (Eastern Territory), and Priscilla Santos (Western Territory), are the anti–human trafficking coordinators in the four U.S. territories of The Salvation Army.

www.sajustice.us #FightforFreedom @sajusticeus

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testimony

‘I am set free’

by Warren L. Maye

Iryna’s story of survival and recovery “Can you help me? I need some directions,” said a young man standing at a subway station in New York City.

When Iryna, 19, looked up to match the pleasing voice to the face, she was immediately disarmed by his friendly smile and graciousness. The sparkle in his eyes captured her attention above the clamor of the train station.

In time, the aspiring art history major and her “Prince Charming” became romantically involved. It wouldn’t be long, though, before she realized her fairy tale story would soon take a heartbreaking turn. Her simple subway encounter led Iryna into the vast web of human trafficking, a web considered by The International Labor Organization (ILO) to have more than 40.3 million victims worldwide. It would be several years before Iryna could extricate herself from this world.

“I was still living at home with my mom. I was attending college. I’ve never missed a day of school. How did I become such a trapped person for three years?”

“Sexual trafficking is something that happened to me, but that’s not who I am,” said Iryna at a recent chapel service at the Salvation Army’s Eastern Territorial Headquarters. She was the keynote speaker for a day of prayer for victims and survivors of human trafficking, sponsored by the Army’s International Social Justice Commission office.

At first glance, she appears rather shy. With her long, brown, wavy hair and round face, she could still pass for that college student she was on the day her life changed forever.

However, when she speaks, it is with intentionality. A fire lights her eyes and

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her voice, with an accent betraying her Eastern–European childhood, becomes voluminous. She leans forward against the podium and seizes the attention of everyone in the room.

A PERSON NEXT DOOR

industry. The estimated recruitment age is between 12 and 14. Some can be younger. “How does it happen? It’s the approach,” she said.

“Waiting outside of school or the after–school program, the traffickers are usually male. They are usually very young and very good looking. They get the girls to fall in love with them.”

The risk factors for trafficking can also be homelessness and previous childhood sexual and physical abuse. A runaway can expect to be approached by a pimp within 48 hours of leaving home.

“I grew up in a household without an apparent father,” Iryna said. “My parents got divorced when I was a little child. My mom is a single parent. She did the best she could, but she could not fill that void, that lack of a father’s love.

This is why Iryna was so ripe for trafficking. She was smart academically.

She had a 3.9 grade point average, but she was a vulnerable child emotionally and her predator played on that.

“You always try to fix it; you try to fill it. That’s what’s hurting you. You try to do it consciously or subconsciously, but you will always do it. While growing up, I always dreamed of having that Prince Charming romance. I always wanted to get married and have a family and there is nothing wrong with that. But you see, that is what the traffickers understand; the innocence, the hunger that all the

“I am a daughter of the Most–High God. Isaiah 61:1 is my battle verse, ‘He came to set the captives free and He is still setting the captives free.’ People think of these women as being brought on from overseas. Yes, but sexual trafficking is also happening right here and it might be happening next door to you.”

What Iryna experienced, trafficking for sex, is coupled with trafficking for labor. Combined, these two forms of abuse have made human trafficking the fastest–growing international crime, second only to the drug trade in profitability. The ILO estimates the total illegal profit of exploited labor worldwide to be $150.2 billion.

Iryna said things happen in the lives of children that can be far beyond their parents’ comprehension.

“I was graduating with honors from my college. My mom saw me at home every single day.

Children may still be physically Human trafficking is considered to have present, but their more than 40.3 million victims worldwide. minds can be far away from you.

It’s very important to understand domestic trafficking. young girls have—to be loved and to You can have children in your youth pro- be accepted.” gram who are still attending, yet stuff is Iryna said that an active pimp had happening to them.” written a sexual traffickers manual and Iryna met her abuser at age 19. had the audacity to post it online. It This is considered old for the sex described in detail how to break down

a woman’s will.

“If you ever want to read a horror story, it’s there online,” she said. “He outlined, step–by–step how you bring someone down psychologically, because it’s not a physical captivity, it’s a mental one. He eventually sees where you’re scared; where you’re broken.

“ I was standing at the F train station. He singled me out. It was broad daylight.”

Unlike many other women, Iryna was never beaten or raped by her pimp.

Every story is unique, she says, but one element is always the same.

That common thread, says Iryna, is the loss of identity as a human being. It’s a form of identity theft that happens in real life, rather than in cyberspace.

“I know what it’s like to be asleep; to be someone’s property,” she says. “It’s a horrible feeling. My views, my self–esteem, are broken down psychologically.

“I was standing at the F train station.

He asked for directions. He singled me out. It was broad daylight. Traffickers are very good at reading body language, posture, and gestures. They see vulnerability.”

At first, her abuser treated her like the Prince Charming she thought she had found. Soon, though, he became manipulative, isolating her from her family and friends by telling her they were bad. “Isolation does not necessarily mean physical; you can isolate someone psychologically and emotionally,” she says. “He told me I was stupid; I was dumb.

“This breakdown of identity happens through verbal abuse because verbal abuse is a type of psychological abuse.

It affects who you are. It affects how you see yourself.”

Used with permission from Let My People Go

AN IDENTITY STOLEN

A HELPFUL NEIGHBOR Just when Iryna’s spirit was so broken that she was considering suicide, help came when a neighbor, a stay–at–home mom, intervened. After seeing Iryna crying on the street, the woman invited her into her home and befriended her.

“She took me out for coffee. She asked me to come shopping with her, which was a little thing for her but a huge thing for me because I no longer had friends. I’d lost what it feels like to be a human and to belong. She was a godsend. She was an angel.”

Then she told Iryna what she needed to hear. “She said, ‘What he’s doing to you is wrong.’ She put the blame where it belonged. Something in me just snapped.

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Hearing those words in one simple statement snapped the mental chains.”

A DAUGHTER OF GOD Freed from those chains, Iryna has been rebuilding her life. She is a motivational speaker now and worked hard in the recent successful effort to pass anti– trafficking legislation in New York State.

She is currently finishing requirements to earn a master’s in social work degree.

She has recovered her identity.

“I don’t know what he charged, and I don’t care to know what he charged because there is no such thing as enough money for a human being. We are priceless; we are created in God’s image.

“We have to hold on to that truth.”

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Q & A

Michelle Hannan

Michelle Hannan is the director of The Salvation Army’s Anti–Human Trafficking (AHT) Program in Central Ohio and the director of social services for the SWONEKY Division. She also leads the Army’s Central Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition.

Interview by Robert Mitchell

How did you get into the field of anti– human trafficking? I first connected with The Salvation Army in Central Ohio as an intern in the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at Ohio State University. My interest in social work stemmed from my passion for women’s issues, especially sexual assault prevention and response, and social justice.

Through a field placement with The Salvation Army, I developed a great appreciation for the Army’s history and mission. I was especially drawn to the Army’s focus on social justice and serving those in the greatest need.

After graduating from the MSW program, an opportunity arose to join The Salvation Army’s social services department, where I served for 10 years as the associate director of social services and then the director of social services.

In 2007, advocates in Central Ohio began to mobilize around the issue of human trafficking and I was eager to be part of this movement. Because of The Salvation Army’s history and reputation in the anti–trafficking movement, we were able to offer support to the newly–formed Central Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition. Soon after its founding, the other coalition members asked The Salvation Army to lead the coalition. I was delighted to fulfill this role.

As our community developed its response protocols, I had the opportunity to build The Salvation Army’s AHT program. Over time, as the services expanded, my role shifted to focus on anti–trafficking.

Today, the AHT program staffs the community’s 24–hour HT hotline; provides emergency response and comprehensive

case management for survivors; conducts weekly street outreach; operates the Well, a drop in center for trafficked women; and facilitates trauma and addiction therapy groups for incarcerated survivors.

In 2012, I had the privilege of taking on the additional role of divisional director of social services for the SWONEKY Division. One of the first opportunities in this new role was launching Cincinnati’s Anti–Human Trafficking Program, which offers services similar to Central Ohio, but is customized for the community.

How does your spiritual life impact what you do in the fight against human trafficking? I share The Salvation Army’s conviction that all people are equal in the eyes of God. My own spiritual journey is closely tied to my passion for social justice. In the fight against human trafficking, I seek to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly before God” (Micah 6:8).

What gets you out of bed in the morning to fight this issue and be involved?

What is your motivation? I am motivated by the joy of working with SWONEKY’s outstanding team of AHT advocates, and seeing survivors stabilize, thrive, and grow after exiting trafficking. Ohio has a uniquely collaborative approach to anti–trafficking work, and it is very fulfilling to work with collaborative partners throughout the state to build Ohio’s capacity to respond to human trafficking.

Tell us about the unique challenges Ohio faces in human trafficking. It seems like you have a lot of outreaches, from Toledo to Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati. Ohio has embraced the HT coalition model as a strategy for combating human trafficking. Today, there are over 20 coalitions throughout the state, including two that are led by The Salvation Army (Cincinnati and Central Ohio). While this model has helped to grow AHT services throughout Ohio, there are still many areas with no coordinated service response. I am hopeful that The Salvation Army can help to fill these gaps statewide. Like many other states, shelter and housing services for survivors are scarce

in Ohio. In the SWONEKY Division, no HT specific shelter services exist in any community.

As the primary emergency response provider in both Central Ohio and Cincinnati, the lack of shelter creates great challenges for our teams as we work to help survivors find safe lodging outside of the trafficking situation. We are fortunate that The Salvation Army in Cleveland operates a shelter for HT survivors, but these resources are limited in other communities.

A second challenge is the intersection between the opioid epidemic and sex trafficking in Ohio. Survivors wanting to leave the life are often trapped by addiction; a problem compounded by the lack of accessible detox and treatment services.

Lastly, foreign–born survivors are facing increasing challenges to gaining access to legal immigration remedies. Many of them are afraid to come forward and report trafficking due to a fear of deportation. It’s a problem compounded by recent policy changes for people seeking a “T Visa” (visa for trafficking victims). We are working hard to build trust and provide support for these vulnerable survivors.

What are some of the anti–human trafficking initiatives going on in your part of Ohio that excite you? One area is the expansion of the Well, our drop–in center for women who have been trafficked into the sex industry. Launched in 2010, the Well moved to the East Main Corps in 2012. Since then, the Well has served as a place of peace and restoration for over 260 survivors, through relationships that model the love of Christ.

We are working to expand the Well to the Hilltop Corps on the West Side of Columbus to bring these critically needed services to an area where street–level sex trafficking has spiked dramatically. Fueled by the heroin epidemic, the West Side is the epicenter of this growing crisis in Columbus. We look forward to reaching a very vulnerable population that is unable to travel to the East Main Corps to the original Well location. Through this expansion, services will remain at East Main while growing to meet the needs of women on the West Side.

Another exciting development is the potential launch of a collaborative shelter for trafficked

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women in Columbus. Through a partnership with several like–minded organizations, we hope to open a 15–bed, 90–day shelter in the near future.

The shelter facility would be owned and operated by a collaborative partner, and The Salvation Army would provide referrals to the shelter and onsite case management.

How do you define success in this ministry? We focus on helping survivors create greater stability in their lives in a range of life dimensions, including transportation, housing, mental health, employment, substance abuse impairment, safety, access to mental health, addiction and legal services, criminal justice system involvement, education, physical health, life skills, and family/community support. We track survivor stability on a monthly basis using a stability assessment tool adapted

by The Salvation Army for use with trafficking survivors. We strive to help 75 percent of survivors who stay with our program for at least six months. We do this by helping them obtain and/or maintain stability in nine of the 14 life areas. This tool has helped us to recognize the impact our program is having in their lives.

How does it feel when you do succeed in rescuing someone by getting them off the streets and out of a trafficking situation? We believe that we don’t actually “rescue” survivors, but instead we create a framework of support and services that allows them to use their own strength and resiliency to exit trafficking and thrive. We believe that autonomy, choice, and self–determination are crucial to recovery. We work to empower survivors throughout the healing process.

It is incredibly rewarding to see survivors grow and thrive. We have the great privilege of walking alongside and supporting them as they secure their own housing and employment, regain custody of children, and begin making a difference in their community.

What goals do you have for the future?

I would like to see a cultural change in our community that results in the end—or at least in a great reduction—of the purchasing of sex that fuels sex trafficking.

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wholly living

SA JUSTICE:

On Earth as it is in Heaven

by Major Sue Dunigan

Since coming into my appointment as Territorial Social Justice Secretary two years ago, I have regularly been asked, “What exactly is social justice?” and “What does that look like for the Salvation Army today?”

Social Justice has been an integral part of the DNA of The Salvation Army from its earliest inception in the East End of London. The idea was fleshed out by the vision of William and Catherine Booth and passed on through generations of Salvationists.

General Evangeline Booth said, “Be an enemy, a fighting enemy of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Be an aggressor, carry the war into the enemy’s camp. Be a fighter, a soldier, a man or woman who has the fire of war against sin in their blood and bone.”

In 1865, Catherine Booth said (referring to human trafficking, prostitution, and commercial sexual exploitation in London), “I felt as though I must go and walk the streets and besiege the dens where these hellish iniquities are going on. To keep quiet seemed like being a traitor to humanity.”

These quotes stir and energizes my soul and spirit! Today, I see across the world the work that The Salvation Army is still doing to fight human trafficking. It is truly “entering the enemy’s

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camp” and fighting on the front lines.

When we look at biblical mandates, we see that God is a God of justice.

He hates injustice and gives dignity to all human life.

• “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them,” Isaiah 61:8.

• “Learn to do right; seek justice.

Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow,” Isaiah 1:17.

• “The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love,” Psalm 33:5.

• “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never–failing stream,” Amos 5:24.

• “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” Micah 6:8.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to redeem and restore the world. At the beginning of His earthly ministry, He declared from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent

me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come,” Luke 4:18,19.

Recently, I read a blog post by Brad Watson (“Saturate” 10/24/2017). He aptly summed up the conditions that we continue to face in our world and how desperately we need the kingdom of heaven on earth.

“You don’t have to read the papers, watch the news, or scroll through social media to know this pervasive truth: the world is not as it should be.

Society is not right. Culture is corrupt.

Institutions are failing. The market is not moral. Humans, in our sin, are destroying the earth as fast as we can, only to be outdone by the destroying of one-another. We abuse; we steal; we kill; we neglect. Earth does not look like heaven.

“While Jesus prayed, ‘Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,’ we point to the grand disparity of earth and the notion of heaven and dispute the existence of God. We often wonder: ‘If there is a God, when will He do something?’ However, in Christ, this doubt transforms into one of the best prayers we can pray: ‘God make our world heaven—make it whole.’”

“ S ocial Justice is not simply a list of issues — it is a lifestyle made up of a series of choices.”

Jesus teaches us to pray this way: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” With that in mind, we in the social justice office have taken Matthew 6:10 as our mandate.

It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit will continually infuse the Salvation Army with God’s heart for justice and ignite again his fearless army for battle.

The Salvation Army Social Justice Department in Australia has written this timely definition of our social justice work: www.salvosocialjustice.org.

“It is our belief that working for Social Justice is working to see the Kingdom of God on earth. When we pray The Lord’s Prayer, we ask ‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven,’ Matthew 6:10.

We are calling for God’s Kingdom on earth to look like God’s Kingdom in Heaven. God’s Kingdom is God’s ideal plan for the world. Therefore, those elements on earth which would not be present in his ideal plan—those social ills and problems which make us uncomfortable when viewed in the light of holiness—are not part of a world based on God’s justice. While this is not a clear–cut definition, it is a concept through which we view the world, and one which encourages us to continue seeking God’s face.

“Social Justice is an extension of our holiness—not an add–on.

An exploration of Jesus’ life shows that He was a person who lived a life that brought Justice – God’s kind of justice. Our desire to live lives modeled on His (that is, a desire to be holy) includes a desire to live a life that brings God’s justice.

“Social Justice is not simply a list of issues—it is a lifestyle made up of a series of choices, every day, to live a life which treats others as Jesus would. Social Justice is not something we ‘do’ – it is the aim. We want to see God’s Kingdom on earth – we want to see Social Justice – so we live lifestyles that will see that world exist in the present. Our aim is not to do Social Justice; our aim is to live lives that bring Social Justice.”

In the “Jesus and Justice” Book Study (The Salvation Army ISJC 2011) it reads, “Jesus’ mission is captured in a single vision with two dimensions. His hope for a restored humanity envisions well–being for people who are spiritually poor and people who are socially poor. And in their midst, righteousness and justice mark the events of His days and nights. Jesus lives right and makes life right with others. In Jesus’ code, to love is to be just. To be just is to love.

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And when we claim to follow Jesus, we are disciples of justice. Jesus’ mission on earth in His time is our mission on earth in our time.”

So, we pray “Your will be done on earth as in heaven” and desire to live it 24/7. Our prayers are invitations to God; “Lord, bring Your will into our city, culture, government, and marketplace.” This prayer is certainly one of trust and confidence in His sovereignty. This prayer is also one of compassion, empathy, and desperation in a lost and dying world. It is also one of action; asking God to do something and humbly submitting ourselves to be used as He sees fit to accomplish His Kingdom—through us.

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to your health

PROS and CONS of weekend warriors For health protection, official guidelines recommend we get 150 minutes of moderate–intensity (or 75 minutes of vigorous–intensity) physical activity each week. But what does this mean for weekend warriors who squeeze their exercise into 1 or 2 days a week?

Scientists recently reported in JAMA Internal Medicine about middle–aged men and women who reported their exercise habits for a month and were studied for mortality rates 15 years later. Those who exercised in at least three sessions had only slightly lower death rates than the weekend warriors.

Note: This study showed an association, not a direct cause, between death rates and exercise habits.

Should you cram all your exercise into 1 or 2 days? Consider the pros and cons:

PROS: If you have limited time or you prefer concentrated exercise bouts, such as distance running, you still benefit.

In fact, the benefits may be comparable whether you break your activity into 5, 30–minute or 2 to 3 high–intensity sessions.

Future research may help confirm the best way to get weekly exercise.

A large body of research shows that exercise is most beneficial when done at least three days a week, per government guidelines.

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CONS: Sports–related injuries are more common among weekend warriors. You may lose some of your cardiovascular endurance, which usually drops after a 4– or 5–day break, between workouts.

More frequent exercise is regarded as better for preventing type 2 diabetes and improving other health factors.

SLEEP FOR WELL–BEING The 2018 Sleep Foundation survey of sleep habits suggests that U.S. adults who get good, consistent sleep are also good at getting things done. But for the majority of those people surveyed, sleep is not a priority over work, social activities, and other aspects of living.

• The Foundation warns that adults and children are consistently overscheduling their lives and neglecting their sleep needs—a habit that can jeopardize good health and may shorten lifespan. Clocking fewer than 6 to 7 hours of shut–eye night after night can have detrimental effects, both short–and long–term.

• Sleep–health Rx: At least 7 hours of restful sleep per night can help protect your heart and immunity; control blood sugar, weight gain, stress and depression; and reduce risk for colds and flu. With the potential for increasing disease prevention and longevity, adequate sleep will also leave you feeling mentally fit and more energetic.

• To sleep well, try exercise.

Even a little regular exercise helps, according to the 2013 NSF survey: 76 percent to 83 percent of regular exercisers (at vigorous, moderate or light exertion) said their sleep quality was very good or fairly good—while 60 percent of non– exercisers reported they rarely or never have a good night’s sleep.

• Stay aware of your sleep robbers, such as worry, alcohol, physical problems, and lesser priorities. Make slumber your number one goal at the end of each day.

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WELCOME TO CADETS SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 • 7:25 P.M. Centennial Memorial Temple 120 W 14th St., New York, NY WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

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