Thank you

A presidential message | Rebecca McDonald

“Our commitment is for the House of WAR to be a sanctuary. In this season, we see a spike in the number of 911 scenarios as winter brings its own dangers to those hiding under a bridge or running for their lives barefoot—or wishing they could. Some stories are messy and still ongoing, and one haunts both my waking and sleeping moments as we continue trying to bring about a resolution. Every life is precious to the WAR family, and we are determined to fight for her.”

Women At Risk, International’s (WAR, Int’l) 911 Rescue Fund is weekly responding to emergency calls of varying urgency from across the nation and globe. At this very moment, vulnerable individuals are seeking out WAR to rescue and make a way for them.

Primary need: When a crisis hits, there’s no time to gather funds. The money is needed right away. WAR, Int’l partners need to make quick decisions when a life is in imminent danger. Only after the intervention can we take the time to recount the details of the rescue (as much as can be safely shared while also respecting confidentiality) and raise funds to replace the expense. We regularly drain this fund which then requires us to bring the balance back up so that rescues are not dependent on finances.

The 911 Rescue Fund allows WAR Int’l and its partners to rush to the aid of those in imminent danger. We have rescued children as young as three weeks, six months, and six years—all tender ages. We’ve rescued women hiding in barns and under bridges. They often need immediate medical care and don’t have papers to go through normal channels. Through our 911 Rescue Fund, they receive immediate assistance including but not limited to shelter, medical care, transport to safety, a dead drop (pickup at an undisclosed location), legal aid, bedding, furniture, set-up in a safe place, moving services when crisis requires moving company or hired help, court appearances, bus passes, cost of maintaining that 911 line, related costs, etc.

Following are powerful and life-altering stories of rescue made possible by your kindness and generosity.

Angel’s Story

The day COVID-19 hit the U.S. in 2020, Rebecca McDonald, founder and president of WAR, Int’l, hid a young woman in her car.

Freedom is costly.

When you help a woman escape exploitation, you see firsthand the devastating loss that comes from fleeing slavery. In leaving behind abuse, women often leave behind everything they’ve ever known. Starting over is exhausting, and is only made worse by navigating the rough waves of trauma and healing. Freedom is not free–it is painfully expensive in a thousand different ways.

Angel had been running barefoot from her traffickers for hours before she secured WAR, Int’l’s number from a national hotline. After she courageously reached out to us, we ran to her aid. Angel was tucked safely away in Becky’s car while we arranged safe housing.

Today, Angel is flourishing. Not only have pro bono lawyers cleared her name of all crimes claimed against her, but she is excelling as a legal secretary, spreading the seeds of justice that were planted in her own life. She has been reunited with her kids. Through your generosity, she has also been provided with a car. Once stereotyped due to riding a bicycle to and from work, Angel now possesses the resources to reflect her inner potential.

Margaret’s Story

Far too often, traffickers aren’t strangers. This was Margaret’s story. Her boyfriend betrayed her, forcing her to sleep with other men in exchange for the drugs that fueled his addiction.

Margaret waited in anguish for an opportunity to escape. Seeing her only chance, she fled while clutching the arm of her teenage daughter. Like so many others, they left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. As the two of them fearfully hid in a hotel, Margaret reached out in faith to WAR, Int’l.

Due to generous contributions to our 911 Rescue Fund, WAR, Int’l was able to respond immediately in Margaret’s hour of need, providing food, clothing, and other basic essentials. We also arranged the transportation that reunited Margaret and her daughter with their family in another city, restoring them to a circle of belonging and protection.

Ramona’s Story

Responding to a call from a federal agency, WAR, Int’l took Ramona shopping for an outfit she could wear to court. Despite unimaginable circumstances and lingering hurt, Ramona had resolved to testify against her traffickers.

We often emphasize how important it is to shed light on the realities of human trafficking and bring perpetrators to justice but forget that it requires real human cost. WAR, Int’l leapt into overdrive to surround Ramona and prepare this courageous survivor to be the key witness against a trafficking ring. Ignoring the attention we attracted by shopping under armed guard, we watched Ramona’s countenance transform from fear to confidence!

Touched by our compassion for her, Ramona whispered, “Why do you care for me when you don’t even know me?”

We at WAR, Int’l love that question! The 911 Rescue Fund allows us to respond, inform, and reach into lives with action. It permits us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We were honored to be a part of Ramona’s story and are so inspired by her resilience.

The Next Story

Because of your generosity, WAR, Int’l is a sanctuary. Together, we partner in the Lord’s work to bestow beauty instead of ashes.

Our 911 Rescue Fund seeks to be the hands and feet of Christ, showing up for survivors in their hour of need. Empowered by your gifts, there is no need to which WAR, Int’l turns a blind eye.

We hide the hunted, clothe the exposed, and nourish the hungry. To those on the run, we provide rest and respite. The hurting are set on a path to healing and the homeless are embraced. Each woman, man, and child is welcomed and grafted into the WAR family.

Behind each of these initiatives is a story of a survivor who was earnestly pursued and wrapped in compassion.

Your generosity will write the next story. Your Giving Tuesday gift will embolden us to continue to intervene, bringing precious survivors out of darkness and into marvelous light.

Give online here.

Send a check to:
Women At Risk, International
2790 44th St. SW
Wyoming, MI 49519.

(If you write a check, please be sure to note on the memo line that it is for our Giving Tuesday campaign.)

2023 – By The Numbers

By Becky McDonald, Founder & President
-January 2024

2023 IN REVIEW

Dear WARriors:

WHAT A YEAR THIS HAS BEEN! It’s been a wild ride in many ways, yet I see God’s hand in every detail. We have a God who loves to concern himself with both big and small things.

• It took a year to recover from what we call “Noah’s Flood” at our HQ, but our building is finally put back together. Given a choice, I would never put a bathroom on the 2nd floor!

• As the fighting in Ukraine continues, we quietly continue to rescue women and children into Moldova and provide thousands of loaves of bread to the Ukrainian front lines.

• In India, orphans who are blind started learning lifelong skills and making state-of-the-art baked goods. We’d never have dreamed that possible, but our partner’s wife sure did!

• We’ve spent months in Africa setting up the Dayspring Ministry Center, and the women’s ministry potential is mind-boggling! I cherish the 10 women already working there and the leadership team who dare to dream with me.

• In Zambia, we’ve seen almost two dozen foundations poured and most of the building completed. The clinic is slowly coming together as God brings in the funds. I can’t wait to take medical teams to address the many unmet needs, many of them so easy to deal with yet so vital to wellness.

• In answer to prayer, a fire at the Dayspring Ministry Center stopped short of the main property. It reminds us that we are totally dependent on the protection of God himself.

• We led anti-trafficking trainings in medical, military, university, industry, and faith-based settings.

• We witnessed rescues resulting from anti-trafficking trainings, survivors telling their stories, 911 Rescue calls, and WAR programs. It pours steel in our backbone to witness lives set free!

• We’ve created new products, trained more women to live with dignity, seen their beautiful products delight the buyer, and had corporations ask how they can help.

• We’ve seen America slowly awaken to the reality of human trafficking as a worldwide problem. It’s our goal to teach them how to respond to the largest danger facing our children today.

• We are witnessing a moving among men to rise up and be protectors.

• We willingly serve as we are increasingly invited to share and encourage audiences to join our work.

• WAR, Int’l has felt a deep joy in the hard work of rescue and aftercare. Our staff continue to faithfully invade the darkness and diligently work behind the scenes to set captives free.

• YOU have had our backs, been our own circle of protection, and made all we do a reality! We couldn’t have done our job without YOU!

In partnership with you,
Rebecca McDonald
Founder & President

Invest In Women

March 8th | International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a global celebration of women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. It is a day to recognize the progress we have made and also to acknowledge the work that still needs to be done to create a more equal and just world for all women. This day is not just about celebrating women, but also about coming together to support and empower one another.

As we continue to face challenges and obstacles, it is important to stand in solidarity and work towards a future where women are valued and respected in all aspects of life. Let us use this day to reflect on the progress we have made, and to inspire one another to continue making positive changes for women. The theme for 2024 is Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.

Work of Women At Risk, International

At Women At Risk, International (WAR, Int’l), we are dedicated to supporting and empowering women on a daily basis. Through our collaborative efforts with safehouses both internationally and domestically, we strive to rescue, restore, and empower women who are wounded or at risk by providing them with a secure environment to heal and grow. Our approach is to offer culturally sensitive, value-added intervention projects as well as counseling, education, skills training, and more, to ensure their holistic well-being.

Furthermore, we have created and nurtured relationships with our global and local partners who offer vocational training centers and microenterprises to create opportunities for rescued and at-risk women to earn a living with dignity. By empowering them to support themselves safely and independently, we aim to prevent exploitation and promote self-sufficiency.

Encompassed Creations | Our U.S. Training Center

Precious wounded women and children have walked through the doors of our international headquarters—weary and in need of a safe haven. Our U.S. Training Center (USTC) provides them with a fresh beginning in a holistic program offering counseling, skills training, scholarships, employment, and much more. As women learn to design and create beautiful products within a nurturing community, they are also learning to redesign their lives and dream again. Working with dignity empowers them to provide for their children, learn skills, build a resume, and change their futures.

When you purchase jewelry, candles, spa products, and other items handcrafted by our artisans, you invest in our own communities, helping us rescue, restore, and empower in “the land of the free.”

Invest in the Lives of Women

As you consider how you can invest in the lives of women around the world, here are three ways to make a difference:

1. Link arms with your friends to co-host a WAR Chest Pop-Up Boutique!

Learn more here or simply email party@warinternational.org us today.

2. Volunteer at our headquarters or at events!

Sign up here or simply email volunteer@warinternational.org us today.

3. Donate to our 911 Rescue Fund to help facilitate rescues here!

Read stories of rescue here.

We wish all women around the world a very happy International Women’s Day!

Stories of Healing

Whereas statistical information and reporting are helpful with understanding the issues as solutions are sought, focusing merely on the numbers can make the victims nameless, simply a number, as it were.

Each and every victim of human trafficking has a name, a voice that has been silenced, as well as a life worth saving, and a story worth telling. This fact makes highlighting stories of rescue and healing vital.

In honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, here are three such stories.

Erin: healing moment

At a recent Human Trafficking Awareness Conference, the Q&A panel included social workers, law enforcement officers, lawyers, and Erin, a survivor of human trafficking.

When asked how the police had treated her, Erin froze, not wanting to tip the apple cart. Seeing Erin’s hesitation, Becky McDonald, founder & president of WAR, Int’l, encouraged her to speak up and share her experience.

Erin shared how the police were not helpful regarding her situation, telling her there wasn’t anything they could do for her. One officer even asked for her number.

Upon hearing the apologies from the male law enforcement officers on the panel, Erin had an unexpected response. Those apologies, she realized, healed a place in her heart she didn’t know needed healing.

Trauma-informed interviewing is key when assisting survivors. During our February 2022 Light Up Your World Zoom, we learned about this interviewing technique from Amy Allen, a federal law enforcement officer. Click here to view it.

Reena: finding solutions

How many girls had now disappeared from Reena’s village? She had watched as foreigners came, promising education or stable jobs to girls of impoverished families. Out of desperation, they had been sent or sold to provide for the rest of the family. But Reena knew these promises were empty.

Reena knew traffickers targeted poor and vulnerable families.

Yet she had a plan. Reena began a small bakery where she could employ at-risk women in her village, giving them the fair payment they needed to provide for their families.

To Reena’s delight, the bakery thrived! Now she’s running four sustainable micro-enterprises to sponsor a safehouse, counseling services, vocational training, micro-loans, and different classes!

Reena’s work is helping attack trafficking at its root cause and freeing hundreds of lives from its threat. Support WAR’s micro-enterprise program to be a ‘Reena’ to others at risk.

Rhoda: story of resilience

Ever since she was a little girl, Rhoda wanted to sing. After much local success, Rhoda thought she caught her big break when a talent agent promised a vocal tour in Japan. Though her first visit proved successful, on her second trip, traffickers took her papers and forced her to serve drinks at a bar. One night a co-worker lured Rhoda to a “dance club” filled with the Japanese mafia. After drugging and abducting her, mafia members repeatedly brutalized and raped Rhoda for three days.

She eventually escaped, but the Japanese police blamed her, and a counselor even advised suicide as the only way to preserve her dignity. Even after returning home to America, help was nowhere to be found.

Finally, Rhoda discovered a community of healing and support at WAR, Int’l. Now she no longer numbs her pain with substance abuse and self-mutilation. Instead, she has transformed her suffering into a story of survival and hope. Rhoda uses her passionate voice to share this story, singing at benefit concerts, speaking out against human trafficking, and whispering words of hope and encouragement to vulnerable teens and wounded women.

A Song for the Silenced

Resources for your here.

Effect Change – Giving Tuesday 2023

EMAIL: October 17, 2023

Dear Devoted WARriors,

Giving Tuesday 2023 is around the corner, and Women At Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) is excited to join this global movement of generosity. This year, we invite you to be a part of something truly special and link arms with us to effect change in the lives of those in need.

For Giving Tuesday 2023, WAR, Int’l has set a goal of $40,000 for our 911 Rescue Fund. We are excited to have an anonymous matching gift, which means your contributions will have a greater impact to effect change.

At this very moment at our Headquarters, we are involved in four such rescue efforts. We receive emergency calls weekly from all over the country as well as from our global connections.

With your support, the contributions to the 911 Rescue Fund will allow us to provide emergency funding for housing, legal aid, medical assistance, food, transportation, and more in urgent situations, at a moment’s notice. This Fund allows WAR, Int’l and its partners to rush to the aid of those in imminent danger. We rely on this fund when we get an emergency call from a distressed woman trying to escape her trafficker, when a desperate partner calls about a crisis situation, and when life-saving intervention is crucially needed. When circumstances call for immediate action, there is no time to ask for donations.

Join us for #GivingTuesday2023 and be a part of something greater. Together, we can effect change as we make a difference in the lives of others, in their time of need. Over the next few weeks, leading up to November 28th, we will be sharing powerful and important stories of rescue to help you grasp the scope of your WAR Int’l Giving Tuesday 2023 donation and its impact to effect change.

Together, we can make this Giving Tuesday unforgettable.

Read Real Rescues here.

Want to start effecting change today?

Give online here.
Send a check to: Women At Risk, International, 2790 44th St. SW, Wyoming, MI 49519.

If you write a check, please be sure to note on the memo line that it is for our Giving Tuesday campaign so your contribution can be counted toward our goal!

Want other ways to effect change?

Share our posts on social media: Facebook & Instagram.
Talk about Giving Tuesday with friends and family.
Ask your company if they have a corporate donation policy.