Modern slavery is one of the gravest criminal challenges confronting the international community. The scale of the problem is such that now, according to some studies, it ranks as the second most profitable worldwide criminal enterprise after the illegal arms trade.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that 40 million people are victims of modern slavery globally and that annual profits generated from trafficking in human beings are as high as $32 billion. It is a serious crime that includes exploiting people for little or no pay. This exploitation can take many forms including; forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced criminality and organ harvesting.

There is a constant demand for trafficked people and the major sources remain poorer regions such as Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and South East Asia. Trafficking is facilitated increasingly by modern forms of technology, particularly the use of internet.

The eradication of modern slavery and the pastoral care of victims is a priority for the Catholic Church. Both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis continually drew the attention of the Church and wider world to the moral and human crisis evident in this widespread human exploitation.

Following initiatives by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW), the Santa Marta Group was developed by the CBCEW and first met in Rome during April 2014 when police chiefs and Catholic bishops came together, in the presence of Pope Francis, to sign an historic declaration, committing themselves to a partnership to eliminate human trafficking.

Named after the home of Pope Francis, in which the members stayed, the Group now has members in over 35 countries.

Through a series of conferences, the Bishops’ Conference has brought together the heads of national and international police and law enforcement agencies along with international organisations to look at how they can work with the Church to help victims of modern slavery.

The Santa Marta Group share with us some resources comprising posters and prayer-cards which may be helpful in Human Trafficking awareness-raising, advocacy and campaigning.

Resources available at: http://santamartagroup.com/resources/

 
Two Years! Join us in celebrating two years of serving trafficked and exploited women in Greece, and the many miracles in between!
Read more below.
Last month we celebrated two years of operation at Damaris!
We held a reception party on the new rooftop garden of our safe house (pictured above). It was a beautiful evening celebrating all of the blessings of the last two years since first opening our doors in April 2016. We gathered with many pastors and partners that have been praying and supporting the organization from the beginning. Damaris House is a seven year prayer and dream that came true.
As we look back on the last two years, we reflect on a season of ministry scattered with growth, miracles, and blessings. We have helped thirteen girls from many nations to be rescued, rehabilitated, and restored. Our girls have come from Greece, Romania, Dominican Republic, Iraq, and many countries of Africa – we are an international family! Our family continues to grow, as we have welcomed four babies born with us and one more due next month!
In these years, God has shaped our ministry as the injustices around us continue to grow. Nearly all of the trafficked women in our house have also come to Greece as refugees, through Turkey to the Greek islands of Lesvos and Chios. We are continuing to grow partnerships with Christian initiatives on the islands to help moved trafficked women out of refugee camps and into our program at Damaris. When new women come to our house, they not only receive a safe place to rest and raise their family, but also access to education and recovery through our day program. Our day program will teach women necessary skills for their healing, such as anger management, self-esteem, parenting, budgeting, healthcare, healthy relationships, the Greek language, and the 12 Steps Recovery Program.
At Damaris, we are also passionate about introducing our participants to the radical love of Christ through the Gospel. We hold an optional Bible study for the women each week and are seeing spiritual growth in the women’s lives. Teams from the States also join us in this mission, as they will come for our Celebration Week. During this week, the teams teach the women a new project and share their own testimonies – a time that has proven to be a powerful for our ladies to hear how God works in other women’s lives!
We want to model a lifestyle of prayer for the ladies in the program, so prayer is at the core of all we do. We thank the Lord so much for your prayer and support, we could not do this without you! As we look ahead into the next year of operation, we are faithfully praying for God to provide the funds to purchase second stage housing. Currently, our house has five rooms and one emergency room. This year we hope to purchase two additional apartments for more independent participants that have transitioned out of Phase 1 and into Phase 2. We are also praying for the funds to start a business to employ the women. Please pray that the Lord will continue to miraculously provide for the ministry and we will be able to grow in these avenues we are pursuing!
So, here’s to the many blessings of the last 2 years, and to 22 more years to come!
Love,
Dina Petrou
Director of CHD
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Join the party!
You can give the gift of opportunity and empowerment for the women in our program! Help us reach our goals for this year by donating to our second stage housing program here.

RENATE Quarterly Newsletter. No.1. March 2018.
RENATE welcomes all website visitors to read the RENATE Quarterly Newsletter. No.1. March 2018.
Your feedback will be very much appreciated.
Thank you.
Please click here to read the Newsletter.

 

Please click here to download the TALITHA KUM – International Activities Report Year 2017.

 
In 1 Corinthians 6, which was read on Sunday 14^th January, St Paul tells the people of Corinth that they have been “bought and paid for”.  Elsewhere, Paul tells his readers that they have not been bought with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Paul’s desire is that the readers, and we are now the readers, should set a high price on themselves, since God values them so much.
Those very words, “bought and paid for”, are very chilling when we think of them in the context of human trafficking. Women who have been forced into prostitution have heard them when they pleaded with their traffickers or with “clients” to spare them. Some have been told, “Shut up! I want what I paid for!” or “I paid for you and I want my money’s worth”.
It is heart-breaking to hear women working in prostitution saying, “I am only a piece of dirt”. This is what they have been reduced to; this is how they see themselves.
Modern society has got to the stage where there is a divide between those who are valued and valuable and those who are of less value or even expendable. Whole populations are dismissed as of little consequence. Who is good enough to be allowed to enter the USA? Whose life can be ended before birth? Who can be bought and sold for the gratification of other people?
Paul’s words are encouraging and challenging. Let us value ourselves, know who we are and what we are worth to God and let us value others so much that they will begin to value themselves, and know themselves to be precious in our eyes and in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.
Eilis Coe, rsc. 15 January 2018.