January 2023 – Updates, News, Events, ICYMI

January 2023

Happy New Year, WARriors!

Let’s ring in the new year with purpose! Remember, you are the ones who make it possible to provide vulnerable women, children, and men as well, with places of safety, dignity, and hope. Your involvement supports the work of our programs and partners, worlds away and here in the USA. As you read through this email, be thinking about how you may want to take action to get more involved in the coming year!

Scroll down for an update on the latest and greatest with WAR, Int’l!


Presidential Travel Update

Over the next few weeks, Becky, founder and president of WAR, Int’l, and a WAR board member will be traveling to meet with partners in Asia and Africa. In addition to business meetings with our ministry partners, they will also be encouraging our partners, many of whom serve on the frontlines of the red light districts. Becky’s schedule will be long and arduous as she scouts for new product possibilities and hopefully has the chance to visit Sweetie. Please pray for strength and open doors.

Join us on March’s Light Up Your World Zoom for her trip update!


Human Trafficking Awareness

For the last few years, January has been named National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. January is also known as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Here at WAR, Int’l, we observe National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month every month. You see, trafficking doesn’t sleep. Oppression reigns around the world… Continue Reading Here.


Have a Gift Card?

Did you receive a WAR gift card for Christmas? Simply call our WAR Chest Boutique at 616-530-1234 to redeem yours today. #ShopToEmpower

If you didn’t receive a gift card but still want to #ShopToRescue, no worries, we can help you! Simply shop our online boutique here!

Don’t forget to join us for a special survivor testimonial on this month’s Light Up Your World Zoom call! On Monday, January 23 special guest AJ will once again be joining us to share more about her personal journey of becoming a birth mother and finding healing from trauma and addiction. As she shares, your heart will be deeply touched, and you’ll find AJ is more than a survivor—she is also a THRIVER who has made it her life’s work to empower other survivors as they traverse the path to healing. Visit our upcoming events page for further details.


Set Free

Did you know we launched our Set Free Web Series in 2020? As the world was shutting down because of COVID-19, it was one answer to the dilemma of “How do we get the word out so others can learn about those in need as they #ShopToEmpower?” As we enter our 4th year of producing this series, a big thank you to those who watch our videos as well as purchase the products we highlight. Shop the current Set Free special here!

You can find the entire series, and more, here!


Fresh Finds

Every Friday we curate a collection of specialty gifts from the WAR Chest Boutique. It is a treasure chest, if you will, of unique and beautiful handcrafted items—like jewelry, scarves, accessories, and more — to provide you with moments of opportunity.

-The opportunity to add fresh style to your home and attire.
-The opportunity to equip and empower survivors.
-The opportunity to give a hand up for those at risk to live in freedom.

Browse this week’s collection here!


Free Shipping on $75+

News flash! Did you know we offer free shipping on all orders of $75 or more? You can #ShopToRescue anytime at warchestboutique.com and save on shipping while shopping from the comfort of your own home. It’s never too cold to shop from your own cozy nook, laptop in hand, as you browse through the beautiful items featured in our online boutique!

January 2023: Human Trafficking Awareness Month

For the last few years, January has been named National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. January is also known as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Here at WAR, Int’l, we observe National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month every month. You see, trafficking doesn’t sleep. Oppression reigns around the world, where the innocence of another is stolen every 30 seconds. For many years, we’ve been asking ourselves this question: How many is too many? We believe that answer is one.

More than ever, we deeply desire our communities to rise up against injustice. We’re asking you to come out of your comfort zone to bring hope to the hopeless; to be a voice to the voiceless.

We want to give you a few suggestions on how to join the movement this January:

  1. Give up your weekly Starbucks. #IKR?! Many of us absolutely love our coffee. But, have you ever considered giving what you would have spent on coffee to an organization fighting human trafficking? The reality is that children as young as five years old are harvesting coffee beans on plantations all around the world for little to no pay. This is what we call labor trafficking. We invite you to give up coffee for the rest of January and donate your savings to Women At Risk, Int’l. If you’re interested in this opportunity, please click here.
  2. Pledge to tell five of your friends about the dangers of human trafficking. In any of its forms, trafficking easily engrains itself into our communities. Share this issue with those closest to you to raise awareness!
  3. Pray. We know that sounds so simple, but prayer is the only way we will end human trafficking. Think about it: We can fundraise and we can build safehouses, but if there’s no heart-change, we’ve done very little to break the cycle.

If you are interested in sounding a battle cry with us this month to rescue those trapped in the bondage of slavery, we invite you to visit our Get Involved page here. We have practical tools to help you take your first (or next) steps in ending human trafficking.

Please join us in this fight, and know that while one month may bring light to this tragedy, at-risk women and men all over the world suffer, sometimes for years, before rescue. What can you give up this month to bless a person in need? Through your time, talent and treasure, we can fight exploitation together.

While it breaks our hearts that we even need a month here in the United States to recognize that trafficking exists, we understand the importance of raising awareness, and we applaud our government for declaring this month one for reflection and justice.

Join us today and spread the word this month!

Real Stories of Rescue

“Most stories are never told due to their danger and confidentiality…but because of you, they’re real rescues.” Becky McDonald

November 2022

Ellie.

Mai cut the cooked egg into four sections, dividing it equally between her four hungry children. With another one on the way, there would soon be five hungry mouths to feed.

Two weeks after her new little one was born, Mai sold Ellie, her beautiful baby girl, to local traffickers. When our partnering safehouse heard about the situation, they tracked Ellie down and loaned Mai money to buy her back, despite threats from the traffickers.

Now adopted into a safe home, Ellie is blossoming under the love and care she needs.

Our 911 Rescue fund grew out of this partner’s request in the dead of night to rescue this precious baby girl who had been sold to Thai traffickers for $200. Becky, founder and president of WAR, Int’l, was shocked they had to ask for the funding to rescue. Becky promised the money blindly, saying she would have a garage sale if necessary, and begged them to rescue the baby without delay!

Moses.

At four months old, Moses was an adorable baby—but his family offered to sell him to anyone who wanted him. In this situation, he came to the notice of a group of our partners, who took turns watching him. Fortunately for Moses, we found him before a trafficker did. While the law tied our hands, we were able to use money from the 911 Rescue Fund to pay for his immediate needs.

Nadia.

Just recently, we helped facilitate the rescue of a woman running from the mob after she was discovered hiding in a church. She was so frightened she attempted to jump out of a moving car when someone tried taking her to a hospital. Two WAR volunteers who are fluent in her language were able to calm her down, and our friends at Homeland Security helped us get her into a safehouse. While addressing her medical needs, we discovered she’s almost blind in one eye and needs glasses. Having funds readily available to cover these costs is crucial.

When you help a woman escape exploitation, you witness the painfully high cost of freedom. While she leaves abuse behind, in many cases she’s leaving everything she’s ever known. She may never see family again, especially if they were part of the problem. Starting over is exhausting, let alone simultaneously navigating trauma and healing.

Freedom is not free but painfully expensive in a thousand different ways.

Meadow.

Meadow’s father was her trafficker. Rather than cherish and protect his daughter, he sold her innocence to local politicians. Though Meadow is now safe with her mother in hiding, she bravely attempts to overcome the past betrayal and trauma. For Meadow, making sugar scrubs has been a source of peace, a small part of repairing the brokenness of the past. However, Meadow’s future also benefits from this therapeutic process. As Women At Risk, International proudly stands beside this brave young girl, we ask you to stand with us to support those at risk in our own communities.

Ready to start making an impact today?

GIVE TODAY

LEARN MORE HERE

#TogetherWeRescue

I Call Out

Author: Kayla, WAR, Int’l Intern
September 2022

As a teenager in my late teens, I call out for the injustice being done to my generation. I call out for the voices that are silenced. I call out for freedom and protection for children and teens who are vulnerable. I call out for moms and dads to be involved.

I am calling out because it takes many voices to be heard, and I want to voice something that I see is a problem. Many people, including myself, have believed that our voices don’t have value or won’t make a difference. This is my cry to make a difference—not as a political resume but as a voice of freedom.

I have been given this opportunity to share what is heavy on my heart and to invite you to join me in calling out for freedom!

A Cry for Men, Women, and Children to Take Action!

I look around my country in the land of the free, and I see a lot of brokenness and isolation. I see people vulnerable to being trafficked and exploited. I call out for moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas, and grandpas to create circles of protection! We like to turn a blind eye to what’s happening, but we can’t! We have to get uncomfortable and reach out to people who are hurting!

This is our problem! We need to do something. We have an epidemic of slavery transpiring in our country! According to the U.S. State Department, at least 1.5 million people within North America fall victim to sex or labor trafficking. Friends, 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE in North America! Don’t think of that number as merely a statistic but as representative of other human beings like you and me, each with a name and a face, each with their own hopes and dreams, each with their own fears and insecurity. People like you and me who are enslaved and being robbed of their future.

I plead with people to take a risk and step up for the voiceless by educating themselves so they will not be caught off guard! The internet and COVID -19 have changed the face of trafficking as we know it. According to Statista.com, 83% of human trafficking is facilitated through the internet.

The popularity of technology and social media has increased trafficking and made it easier for predators to find victims. In a world where a lot of kids and teens are attached to their phones, it makes sense that traffickers have changed tactics. It is much easier to deceive and entice someone on the internet.

I challenge parents and kids to set up precautions and have conversations about the risks that the internet and social media present. It seems so innocent until it’s not! Traffickers know that kids and teenagers are vulnerable, and they use this to their advantage.

Take a stand today and have a conversation with your kids about internet safety. You can’t put your kids in a box to “protect” them from this issue. Parents need to have open and honest conversations about this topic. Talk about “red flags” and boundaries that can be put in place to safeguard them from being exploited. It means being practical and smart as you handle this new generation of technology at your fingertips. Circle around your kids, your nieces and nephews, your grandchildren! They are lonely, confused, and hurting. Being a teenager is not easy, so give grace but also give truth. They need you to circle them in protection and love.

To the teenager and beyond, if there’s anything you take away from this message, know that you have a voice! Will you stand with me to reach out not only to our peers but also to our communities?! Not in anger, but with love and a heart to listen. As I wrap this up, I want to communicate a spirit of humility that I am right there with you wrapped in my own comfort bubble, and this is the beginning for me to break out of my own comfort zone one step at a time. That’s all I ask—to take one step at a time!

This is Kayla calling out!

Hello Fall

September 2022

What a summer it has been here at WAR, Int’l. In June we launched our 1st Mystery Box, and thanks to all you shoppers, we very quickly sold out! With the subsequent success of Mystery Boxes 2 and 3, look for more opportunities to get a great deal as you #ShopWithPurpose.

Another special we offered this summer – 10% off total sales at home parties held during the months of June, July, & August – made a considerable impact. Below, we’ve detailed the significance of these events in rescuing, redeeming, restoring, and empowering vulnerable lives around the globe, including right here in the Land of the Free.

Read on to hear more about the latest and greatest with WAR, Int’l!

Shoutout to Hostesses
By taking advantage of our 10% summer party special, YOU have helped transform the lives of rescued and at-risk men, women, and children around the world. The numbers are still coming in, but so far YOU have sold over $8,000 worth of products! That’s more than enough to support 25 survivors in an international safehouse for an entire month! Thank you for bringing hope to their lives and empowering them to forge a bright new future!

Email party@warinternational.org to schedule your pop-up party today!

The Great Flood at HQ
Bright and early on August 15th, WAR staff members were greeted with water rushing out the side door of our building. Not how they had anticipated starting the new work week, to say the least. Apparently, over the weekend, a plumbing malfunction in the upstairs restroom led to major flooding of the upstairs and eventually the downstairs as well.

In an effort to maintain a sense of humor in the midst of a discouraging turn of events, we’ve dubbed our HQ “Noah’s Ark.” The restoration will take months, but we will prevail. We will continue with the work we are called to do.

To stay up-to-date on the latest, follow our WAR, Int’l Facebook page.

If you wish to help with the costs of restoration, please consider leaving a financial gift here.

Have you Read…???
Our latest blog post is written by no other than our inspiring founder and president, Rebecca McDonald. If you haven’t already had a chance, be sure to check out what she has to say about the transformation of her shopping habits after her experiences of walking alongside survivors and lifting them to lives of dignity. Smile and take heart that you too can make a difference in the lives of the rescued and at-risk by shopping the work of their hands!


Read the latest blog post here!

New Product Highlight
The Committed Necklace is handmade by rescued women and designed to connect an advocate like you to a survivor in the trafficking hubs of Asia. It is not one but two necklaces—one for you, and one created from the inside heart of your necklace and gifted to a woman during outreach in the red light districts. As our partners place the delicate heart around her neck, your gift of a heart speaks the truth that she is neither forgotten nor alone. It sparks courage and opens up the door to freedom.


Commit to ending injustice by purchasing your necklace here!

Mystery Box #3
If you’re looking for a simple-trendy-glitzy-everyday vibe to spruce up any outfit, then MB#3 is just what you need! Handcrafted by at-risk Thai women who are now working with dignity, you contribute to their future with the power of your purchase. Originally valued at $30, this mystery box set is available to you for only $10 while supplies last! Grab yours today at warchestboutique.com!

Don’t forget our Outdoor Market!
Ever run errands after dropping your kids off at school for the day? Before heading home, why not stop at the WAR Chest Boutique to get in on some early Christmas shopping, or better yet, meet up with some other moms to shop with a purpose before grabbing lunch together!

Our Outdoor Market will be open through September and is offering some great deals on jewelry, accessories, and more! Take advantage of the warm weather season while it lasts and enjoy browsing our treasure chest of unique gifts both indoors and outdoors as you support survivors and those at risk with the power of your purchase.

Monday, September 26nd – Light Up Your World

Don’t forget to join for us this month’s Light Up Your World Zoom call! We are honored to have Carrie, a survivor of domestic violence, be part of our conversation with WAR, Int’l founder and president Rebecca McDonald. Carrie will relay the twists and turns of her journey through heartbreak, loss, and abandonment, and how she ultimately discovered spiritual and emotional healing through the ministry of healing prayer. Your heart will be touched by her testimony of God’s redemption and the lessons He has taught her from a place of brokenness. Mark your calendars and join us on Monday, September 26, at 7:30 pm EST. To learn more, follow the link below to our upcoming events page!

Light Up Your World