The Abegg Electronic Love Letter

Update on the Abeggs & their work with Human Trafficking Survivors View this email in your browser Help Us Help Survivors of Human Sex Trafficking.    Contact us about partnering in prayer, and visit our missionary page to help support our work:  http://www.uwm.org/missionaries/kevin-abegg .  California Friends: Visit in May!   Kevin will be attending the Freedom Summit in Santa Clara, CA on May 9th and then making his way to venues in Walnut Creek, Sacramento, Truckee & the Santa Cruz area before returning home. If you're able, consider attending the summit, otherwise we're still looking for a few people interested in hosting an educational, introductory event on Human Trafficking incorporating aspects of our "Sharing One Love" Program (see below).  Please let us know if you could help by scheduling a gathering.    So Much More to Share! I don't have space to address the much anticipated 13 bedroom rescue shelter, or the Miami Dade County Human Trafficking Coalition meetings or the work with local and national law enforcement, but that will have to wait for future updates. Please help us as a family & missionaries to Keep Moving Forward:   Join the Team! As you know, last year was a hard one for the Abegg family (see earlier blog entries), and our financial support needs to improve swiftly in order to keep providing training, direction and care. Please consider becoming a prayer and financial supporter at:   http://www.uwm.org/missionaries/kevin-abegg .  Thank You to those who have continued to walk with us and make this ministry possible! Abegg Family: Jeremy was baptized on Palm Sunday! Sharing One Love Participants after a Miami Beach outreach. LOF Center "Alternative Spring Breakers" Conduct Surveys at Florida International University.  Don't forget to find us on Facebook orBLOG.  We call women being sold for sex online: "…we're calling to see if there is anything we can do for you and to let you know that someone cares. I know the "Game" is tough out there and you can get into an unsafe situation. Save this number and if you need anything, even help leaving, please call us…" The Life of Freedom Center's Internet and Phone Outreach is just one of the ways we extend light and hope to those who see no other way to survive other than being trafficked or selling themselves. We train female mentors to reach into the darkness and offer light and hope. Read more of what we do below, as well as an urgent request for partners and prayer.  Recovery & Care:   Life of Freedom Center Since January, I've applied my years of structure and building at LAM toward furthering the programs of the Life of Freedom Center as its Director of Operations. The "LoFCenter" provides wrap around care to survivors of human sex trafficking. We train and coordinate mentors who have the compassion and ability to manage resources and walk alongside trafficking survivors seeking healing and a new life. Frankly the program is fantastic! Claudia and I are amazed at what the Lord has brought us into, and all that we can see for the future. Sometimes I am overwhelmed at all that needs and can be done, but believe and trust the Lord will provide everything necessary (time, energy, discernment, endurance, etc.) It all requires an immense amount of coordination, so I'm familiarizing myself with all the various systems even as we're implementing new web based reporting, communication and resource management for clients, mentors, supervisors, volunteers and staff. Please pray for wisdom, discernment and plain old technical knowhow as we push ahead in this arena.  Sharing One Love Street Outreach Team Education and Prevention: Sharing One Love Director of Operations of the LoFCenter includes the "Sharing One Love" program. We rejoice at seeing women and children healed from the pain and abuse they've suffered, but we also work to see fewer in need of care. "Sharing One Love" is an equipping program for churches, businesses & community groups provided free of charge. For me, it's where I'm energized. After planning, structuring and delegating, I get to interact with & train those who can make a difference!  That training includes: -    a documentary film with follow-up Q&A or panel discussion.  -    a street outreach to equip locals to identify and respond safely to a trafficking situation. -    a business training to help hotels, hair/nail salons, convenience stores, clothes stores etc. protect themselves while they identify and rescue victims of trafficking. -    an internet outreach where mentors train women where to find and how to reach out to those being sold or selling themselves online.  Though we only recently began offering all four components of the program, the reception has been fantastic, and I'm in the process of training new volunteers (and seeking more) to take it even further.