2021 Year in Review

By Becky McDonald, President & Founder
January 20, 2022

2021 By The Numbers

And the Unheralded Heroes!

Looking back on 2021, I see God’s hand in profound accomplishments. Some stories we can tell. But, honestly, most are never known as confidentiality and security are so vital. I want to shine a light on one of the most profound, secretly incredible aspects of the House of WAR…four types of unsung heroes who made 2021 an amazing success.

The Staff of The House of WAR

In a year of uncertainty lurking behind every corner, WAR staff quietly, intentionally, and tirelessly lifted the broken, threatened, hurting, starving, tortured, beaten, despairing, and worse. They faithfully lifted others even when their own lives were wracked by cancer, accidents, loss, COVID, worry, and more. The ties of loyalty to a cause greater than ourselves were stronger than the global threat to pull us apart, fraying all around. They were a community to the least of these and especially to each other. Together, lights kept burning, emergency phone lines stayed open, rescues happened, reporting continued decently and in order, partners were encouraged, wounded listened to, customers attended to…the list goes on. They served with a lilt in their voice, a prayer offered, a plan of escape, offering lives with dignity. It is not unusual to hear the sounds of laughter ringing in the Halls of WAR in the face of chaos. They did not run, hide, or fear, but embraced the ‘risk’ with a passion to be a circle of protection to all. Missing kids were found; families reunited; rescues enabled; funds raised to start social enterprises; products lovingly cared for, knowing the hands that made each piece…the list goes on. I salute WAR’s staff, the unsung heroes. They made 2021 a success!

The Volunteers of The House of WAR

Other amazing unsung heroes were our volunteers. Under lockdown, they came to the back door and took things home to do. Now, they come to HQ once again, keeping our costs down. With the best job, they are like Santa’s elves tagging every single new product, attending events to sell the handiwork of our rescued, and the list goes on. I salute WAR’s volunteers all over the world. They made 2021 a success!

The Giving Partners of The Family of WAR

A miracle happened! Like the widow’s oil that never ran out, God multiplied every gift! We stayed debt-free and raised funds to do amazing rescues locally and globally. The gifts allowed immediate intervention in Myanmar, Afghanistan, the USA, Nepal, India, African and Central American lands, and more. I don’t know what the future holds. But I know the loyalty of this family kept the oil flowing where it needed to. It let us be strong for the weak, brave for the threatened, calm in the storm, wise in distribution, and lifted those at the brink of disaster. These gifts accomplished really impossible feats. I salute the generosity, sacrifice, prayers, and encouragement brought to the House of WAR. As your gifts came in, our staff were encouraged to keep on keeping on. You are truly our own circle of protection, allowing us to be a safe place to those we harbor. They have a second chance thanks to YOU!

The Partners of The WAR World

These are who you hear about the most…as it should be! They pour out their lives daily as a drink offering, fighting the fight in the trenches, often alone. Knowing that these unsung heroes are behind them is what keeps them going. I know! I was in those trenches for years and jump in and out of them on a regular basis!

Let’s move into 2022 with renewed passion to sing freedom’s song, learning lessons from 2021:

  • Blessed to be debt-free and found grants to help partners when sales struggled under COVID.
  • Web sales doubled thanks to each of you who shop with a purpose, knowing your gift lifts the lives that made them. You are not giving a handout but a hand up! As my thank you, please use the code BECKYSGIFT to receive a 10% off one regularly-priced item!
  • Lockdown gave time to sit, rethink, reorganize, and work toward new structures.
  • Risk escalated and made our job load heavier. We know this will continue into 2022.
  • COVID taught our partners what our warnings could not. Those who diversified fared better.
  • The WAR family showed strength, resilience, courage, and sacrifice, creating a community that can go further together than alone. Thank you for believing in us!

Often in life, the truly great things are done by people who never get a medal, their name on a plaque, in the paper, or a statue erected in their honor. Every one of you did that in 2021! House of WAR… you are the unsung heroes! Walking into 2022, we take up our crosses and follow dignity for each and every one!

STRONGER TOGETHER MARCHING INTO 2022

P.S. Read more stories and stay up-to-date by visiting my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WARfounder!

In Honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month

The following is a transcription from the video of WAR, Int’l’s Founder and President, Becky McDonald, sharing about January 2022’s National Human Trafficking Prevention Month:

I want to just send you a quick update and a thank you for your partnership in 2021 and now going into 2022. Women At Risk, International, in 58 countries with 15 different risk issues, is focusing in the month of January on anti-trafficking. It’s our national focus for the year, globally, and we are most known for our fight against human trafficking – this century’s fastest-growing arm of crime – of human slavery either through sexual slavery or labor slavery. Every 30 seconds, a human being is sold against their will somewhere in the world into one of these two forms of slavery, and in the United States of America, 300,000 minors – tender aged children, your daughter, my granddaughter, little people who are at risk, who have constitutional rights – and under COVID, we have seen children as young as three-and-a-half weeks old rescued.

COVID brought the world to a screeching halt, but not risk. And so, we don’t run. We don’t hide, and we don’t fear. We embrace it with the whisper and the message of “come to the Light. Come to the Light, the Light of the World where the peace that passes all understanding, the Prince of Peace, can help bring hope and healing.”

Albert Einstein said the world will be destroyed not by evil people, but by good people who see evil and do nothing. You have been good people. You have supported us. You have supported us in our efforts in Afghanistan both internally and externally, and there, we’re seeing a surge in human trafficking as well as families are desperate for money. Families are in hiding if their daughters are 12 or over. They have to give them to the Taliban as forced brides, but now, some are selling their daughters into a marriage contract at an even younger age to get money to feed the family. And so desperate measures, we are feeding families there and we are working with Afghans outside of the country as well. And thanks to gifts from TCT Family Worldwide, we’ve been able to step into many different risk issues and make a difference.

So, whether you are giving gifts or whether you are shopping with a purpose, we want you to ask yourself “what can you do in 2022 to lift the scourge of human trafficking?” This is a cry for a mother’s heart, from my heart to yours to circle your cradles, to be that safe place to those you love, and to get involved, a call to action. It might be something as simple as shopping. Maybe you go on our website or host an event and purchase the work of their hands. When we rescue women, we immediately give them a way to support themselves and give them job skills while they rewrite the story of their life. So whether you’re buying jewelry or scarves, you know that whatever you’re purchasing comes with a story card and it tells you the story of the people whose lives have been impacted and who are making that. You are buying the work of their hands.

So from our house to yours, in 2022, we want to wish you a wonderful 2022 and thank you for your partnership, and from our house to yours, we just welcome you into the WAR family, and there is an Irish proverb that hangs in my house that I will share with you. It is something that has been seen by hundreds who have eaten here and thousands of others who have come here for safety and security, so take it to heart.

It says this, “So come in the evening, or come in the morning. Come when you’re looked for, or come without warning. Friendship and safety you’ll find here before you. The oftener you come here, the more I’ll adore you.”

So, welcome to the House of WAR, and thank you for your partnership in 2022.