January Contest - One Hundred Percent Winners are HERE!

[mikeedwards]

One Hundred Percent Winners are HERE.

We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who entered this contest. You are all winners every time you do Gods work out of gratitude, keeping Christ first. Your treasure awaits you in heaven. Watch for a very simple and unique February contest to be released today. God Bless from the entire FaithWriters staff.

First Place, posting on 100 Christian blogs and the winner of two paid writing assignments from Wellspring International.

When Walls Talk

My shadows sob. My colors cry. Dreary grey. Tawny yellow, runs - from urine spatter. My crevices house cockroaches. My cracks harbor rats. I hold no paintings or mirrors or clocks. Time doesn’t run here, it melts. Dripping and fading from one moment into the next.

Random patches of blue, in places where paint remains. Look closer and you will see her fingernail scratches, over the mattress. She claws my paint. I cannot give her something to hold - when she digs. When she screams. All I offer is blue flakes beneath her fingernails.

Under the boarded window are long black streaks across and down, jagged edges of pealing plaster from the rocking cage. They locked Soriya therein, after the beating. She fought the metal bars, banging and pounding the door against me. Arching her back, she carried the weight of the cage from side to side smashing it here and there. When her tiny frame lost strength, she slept. The indentations marred her cheek. No tears came when she woke, just a hollow gaze into darkness. Soriya has survived many beatings, many days encaged - until she learned she mustn’t resist the clients.

Do you see the spike? There, in the corner, nailed into my depths. Today they are coming again to chain Soriya there, to the spike. They will bring the thread and the needle. The stench of blood will linger for days, long after the stitches are once again broken. They say the clients want virgins, and so she will be. Again and again. They will make her be whatever they want.

Afterward, when Soriya’s wails no longer echo, when the vibration of her mourning settles to whimpers, I will absorb it all. I will silence the sounds. When she is no longer able to stand, I will stand for her. I will hold her up when she’s weak, when she leans, when she falls. She will beat against my surface, blow after blow, when the rage and disgust in herself rises up. She thinks no one sees, no one cares, no one hears. She doesn’t know - this wall can talk. She doesn’t know that you have heard.
********************************
If walls could talk, this story is one which could be told. Although Soriya is a fictional character, she speaks for victims of sex trafficking all over the world who need your help. Some things in this world are so horrific, so disturbing, they make us feel hopeless and helpless. What can we do?

In the nineteenth chapter of Luke, verse forty, Jesus says, “If these become silent, the stones will cry out.” Jesus is talking to the hypocritical religious leaders who wanted Him to hush the voices of those celebrating Him. The whole creation could not be silenced in such a moment as realizing the long awaited Savior had come. But there was no need for stones to cry out, people praised Him. In likeness, mustn’t these walls long to cry out in such a moment of human suffering? Together, people can silence the walls, because we will lament, and we will send help.

One hundred percent (100%) of your donation could go directly to girls like Soriya. Wellspring International, which is an arm of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, will make sure your money is never used for peripherals. Wellspring thoroughly investigates, covers their own expenses, and often goes to the locations themselves. Administered by Ravi’s daughter,
Naomi Zacharias, Wellspring does the footwork so you don’t have to. That’s right;
One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes directly to those in need. Please don’t wait, you can make a difference.

Paula Titus
Member #30900 Platinum
http://mywritefulplace.blogspot.com/201 ... -talk.html
http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det ... ?id=156189


Second Place and the winner of one paid writing assignment from Wellspring.

A Desperate Rescue

It is very diabolical. She said that her very own husband sold her into prostitution. What kind of man sells his own wife to a pimp? Now she stands in a window in Amsterdam. Segregated by nationality, four hundred windows exhibit these women. Wicked, wayward, predatory and obdurate men purchase them for sex. The man who would become her husband was travelling through Singapore, her home. She was smitten. Her family was delighted. The day that every little girl dreams about finally occurred. Her knight had arrived.

But before the honeymoon even started the knockdown blow of betrayal kicked hard. They arrived in Amsterdam, her identification and passport was seized, and she was delivered to the pimp. Unable to speak Dutch, she was embarrassed to tell her family and afraid to go to the police. So evil set in - every night.

I would know nothing about "Annie" except that her unfortunate story is told by Naomi Zacharias of Wellspring International, a division of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Wellspring researches and supports ministries that help rescue women and children at risk out of these desperately wicked conditions.

Amsterdam flashes world class fun, lights, music, glamour and excitement. They don't advertise in bright lights that the women, made in the image of God, are being used in the worst way. They do not flash in neon lights that some strains of gonorrhoea are resistant to antibiotics. Likewise they do not inform unsuspecting wives back home of infidelity to prevent further spread of disease.

Annie was eventually able to get a passport and return to Singapore. But once her family learned of her slip into the abyss they disowned her. They rejected her. What word do we use when evil strikes hard and then brutally strikes again?

She said that she returned to Amsterdam because that's all she knows. Even if she found redemption in a church her identity in the congregation would be "ex-prostitute" so she shuns that option. If she returns home the white hot blast of "prostitute" scorches her. So she stands in the window with obsequious resignation but deep down she hates the men who take advantage of her.

The germane issue is this: good men can do something. Those of us who are struggling day in and day out to be numbered among good men can support Wellspring. Wellspring helps organizations that rescue these women out of these horrific situations. And like one good man said if we do for one what we wish we could do for many then we have done something great for both the one and our own soul.

Naomi Zacharias also spoke of another woman who wished to jettison prostitution and acquire the skills of a chef. With Wellspring's benevolence she now delights the palates of patrons at a four star hotel. So the grand idea is to support Wellspring and then find out who you helped later in heaven. That works for me.

Anyone who listens and observes Ravi Zacharias will quickly conclude that he is a faithful ambassador for all things important to God. For those who seek the truth with a modicum of intellectual honesty Dr. Zacharias is an invaluable resource. Engage with due diligence and research. Prove to yourself that Wellspring is indeed one of the best nonprofits on the planet. And remember that most of us in America are rich beyond imagination compared to most in the world. We can give when we really want to.

RZIM covers administrative costs for Wellspring so that one hundred percent of your donations go directly to those in need. Click on the "women and children at risk" link above and give today.

Presume that when you support Wellspring you are rescuing your very own daughter or sister because in God's economy that is precisely the case.

Ron Hunnicutt
Gold Member No. 61314


http://www.the-truth-matters.com/2013/01/13/a-desperate-rescue/
http://www.extramilegirl.wordpress.com

Third place and a $25 cash prize.

Twenty-Seven Million

The concrete is my bed. The bars behind which I live only part when I’m called on to perform for a man. It’s the reason I get to wash up. It’s the reason I get to eat. Sleep escapes me. I shiver in the cold, as this thin sheet holds no warmth. Darkness envelops me until my eyes adjust. I long for a cup of cold water. I cringe at your touch.

After my mom and dad were killed, I lived on the streets until a group of men pulled me into the back of their van, along with the other children taken from the streets. They promised me a good job. I thought I’d come into the embrace of caring arms again with this promise, but I soon realized my purpose was to satisfy the needs of the boss and his paying customers.

“What did I do to bring this on? Why did this happen to me? What about my little brother and sister? Where are they? How can I escape? What if I’m caught? Oh God, if there is a God, please help me.” Questions are as a windstorm blowing sand in my eyes.

I dream of playing “kick the ball” with my brother and sister. The moments I drift off to sleep take me to days when daddy made the sounds of dance on the djembe. I jumped around with the other children, holding hands with one another as our circle went first in one direction then the other.

We woke up with the rising of the sun, when the first chore for the day was to get water. Now I yearn for the next small cup of water I’m given. It’s never enough. I could drink and drink, but the bottom of the cup goes dry before I realize I drank it so fast.

I don’t know how long I’ve been here, as I have no way to keep track of time, but it seems like forever. I survive by allowing myself to feel nothing. I didn’t have to think about it, it just happened. I can’t stand to look at myself. I don’t recognize who I am. I know my name is Natasha, but the “me” I knew is gone.

Some of the girls have babies born into this dreadful place. I hear their cries at night when their child has been torn out of their arms.

I see what happens to the girls who are “used up.” They’re thrown back out on the streets, and left to die. For every “used up” child three more take their place.

“Where is the hope? I wish this was over. I’m not sure I can do this another day, and act as though I want to please the next customer. How can I rescue my little brother and sister? Where would we go?

Twenty-seven million people are slaves today, just like me.

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help women and children in crisis.

Kathleen A. Trissel
Gold Member #37098

http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det ... ?id=156009
https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.trissel


Best Silver entry and winner of a one year Gold membership.

SILVER MEMBER




Would Anyone Care?

My heart pounds inside my chest, sending extra blood to my furious legs, racing through unfamiliar streets of dirt and grime. I think my body must be redirecting its blood flow to give speed to my escape because my head is so light with fear as cold sweat continues to dampen the back of my neck. They’re going to kill me, and I don’t want to die! Fear and despair combine their dark forces in my soul as I seek to wipe the blur of endless tears from my line of vision. Yet, I have no idea where I’m running.

“Please, God, just let it be away from those who tortured me and burned me.”

I’m fooling myself. There is no escape. I only succeeded in enraging them more by tearing off into the night. Just as plainly as I ran out, so did hope. I’m alone, hated without a cause, despised, spit upon, slapped, punched, kicked, raped, burned, and yet kept barely alive for them to continue another day. Oh, how I wish for eternity that another day would never come! Oh, how foolish I am to wish anything!

I’m tired. I’ve been running as if the devil himself was grasping at my heels every step of the way. And I’m drained. The breaths of my sobs have left my lungs almost as desperate as I am. Water for my tears has gone arid. Fresh wounds trickle warm blood down my face and thighs.

“What’s the use?” I whisper to myself, “If they’re going to kill me, would it just be better to take my own life?”

I’ve never thought a thought like that before. Would anyone care? Would anyone notice? Would anyone even…

Just then, I noticed I’m not alone. Someone had seen me running, or rather, falling forward, sobbing. I give up. If this is God’s will for me, so be it. I’m too tired to fight. I just hope I lose consciousness, quickly, so as not to cringe in pain. I grow faint, collapsing among the gravel stones, then do faint.

As it happened, that “someone,” who had seen me running, was like my guardian angel; a ministry worker who already saw more cruelty and death up close than the average civilian on the edge of a war zone; a ministry worker overflowing with the love of Christ, endangering her own life, because she sought the welfare of another, me; one who, with joy, uttered loud thanks to God because this child escaped alive.

Hours later, I awaken to odd sensations; I am clean, I am warm, and I am on something soft. My wounds are freshly bandaged. I am wrapped in warm softness. I slowly draw a full breath of clean air, and sigh. My ‘guardian angel’ smiles at me signaling the rest of my life’s journey will be different. Someone cares.

Want to help make the most impact in a situation like this? If, for whatever reason, you cannot be the guardian angel, please find it in your heart to support those who help our neighbors in all lands to be loved, just as we ourselves are loved by Christ. What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?

Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais, Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help women and children in crisis.

Would anyone care? Wellspring International does.

http://www.revelationsforlife.com/2013/01/would-anyone-care.html
http://hotfaithlatte.blogspot.com/2013/01/would-anyone-care.html

Dwight Hurych
Member Number 57119
Silver Member

End Winners

Contest rules and all submissions below Here.


January 2013 contest is entitled ”One Hundred Percent”

Special Note: New Fast Track Entry Below

We encourage all members to enter these contests. They promote Christ Centered Ministries. Maybe you cannot physically go and help or even donate yourself right now. But the need is still there and you can make an impact, a big difference while improving and promoting your writing. Writing in the form of this article and how God intends on using an improved writing in the future will go on for years to make a difference. These simple articles with links built in are loved by search engines. They point Google and Yahoo and the others to the ministry we are sponsoring. Over time they will lead countless individuals to the sponsored ministry.

You must be a member on the main FaithWriters site to enter. You can join now for free if you are not a member http://www.faithwriters.com/finish-signup.php

You also need to be registered in these forums, after you join the main site. Click the register button in the top right of the forum page.

You need to read our Blog Contest overview first if you are unfamiliar with these contests. http://faithwriters.com/christianwritingcontest.html. If you do not, much of the following will not make sense to you.

You can enter this contest and virtually build no links or do any research if you trust us at FaithWriters. We have already researched this ministry for you. We provide pre-built paragraphs with links in them for our regular articles and this forum. We have named this our
FAST TRACK ENTRY

There are also easy link building instructions below for experienced individuals who want to build links. There are three five minute videos on link building for our regular articles, this forum and blogger.com. While the video’s refer to an older contest the link building is the same. This is for those who want to build their own links. If you know how to build links on your own, I encourage you to do so. However using the pre-built links will not affect how your article is judged.

This months contest - "One Hundred Percent"

Contest Verse – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 ESV

In this contest you are promoting Well Spring International (WSI) an outreach of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries (RZIM). Many of you will recognize Ravi instantly and recognize his credibility. Ravi was raised a Hindu and has a powerful testimony of his conversion to Christianity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjf5PaS7-SQ. Today he is one of the foremost defenders of Christianity around the world at Universities and other settings. If you look up the words intelligent and humble in the dictionary you will most likely see a picture of Ravi. He deals with apologetic evidence and the defense of Christianity. He is the perfect man to speak at Universities worldwide. For those of you who do not know Ravi Zacharais, I encourage you to take a few minutes to learn a little about him and RZIM. http://www.rzim.org/ http://vimeo.com/28657738 http://vimeo.com/55630688

Wellspring was started by Ravi to put love and words into action. To live out the message of Christ by helping in the natural and bringing the truth of the gospel. As a Christ-centered program they check out ministry projects around the world for donors. In other words they test the spirits as the above verse states.

They make sure the funds are being used for the requested purpose. There are a few reasons why we chose WSI this month, One big reason is because many ministries who ask for donations, only pass a percentage through to the actual work. Sometimes they keep a large chunk for overhead. With WSI though, One Hundred Percent (100%) of all donations received are passed through to the approved ministry projects. As an outreach of RZIM, WSI expenses are covered by RZIM.

Naomi and Sarah Zacharais, two of Ravi’s daughters administer and run the day to day operations of WSI. We had several options for a ministry to promote this month but God kept leading me back to Well Spring. I have had the pleasure of dealing directly with Naomi and Sarah and doing some background research on WSI. I was very impressed with both of his daughters and with my research of WSI. I encourage you to watch one of the short videos with Naomi so you can see her heart for this work.

All information necessary to write your blog article can be found on their website and in this post.

Objective - Catch and keep the interest of readers with edgy, powerful, creative articles. Your job is to get the reader to click through to Well Springs website and donate or get involved. We are looking for compelling articles that pull on the heart strings. A unique article with a title that gets attention and a story that keeps it. Write from the standpoint of those in need.

Wellspring supports ministries who seek to save women and children affected by sex slavery, human trafficking, bride burning, AIDS/HIV, elderly, healthcare, Iraq refugees and other projects.

Write a realistic fictional story in the first person as though you are one of the afflicted in desperate need of help. To do this you only need to deeply consider those affected by these situations. Get into character and imagine being trapped in one of these desperate real life situations and then write. Before you start, consider your own personal struggles and bring that pain into the article. The other option is to write a non-fiction piece of a real life situation that fits. A situation where you have intimate knowledge. At the end you can simply add the following pre-built paragraph that includes the links.

Contest Rules

• Entries need to be properly written in English and grammatically correct to the best of your ability. Sloppy work will be disqualified. Write the article as though you are submitting to a publisher because you are doing just that in effect. The most weight will be given to the impact of the article. Would it catch your eye and make you click on a link?

• The word count will be 600 words maximum. This does not include the add on
paragraph with links. That would bring it up to 650 words or so total.

• You must have a title.

• Post your article in this forum, our regular articles and one other location or more if desired.

• Links must work in the posts. We have provided complete final paragraphs with links for this forum and our regular articles. You can add these to the bottom of your completed article or build links within your article as we have in the past. There will be no deduction for using pre-built paragraphs.

• You must include your name, member number and membership type (Silver, Gold, Platinum) at the bottom of your submission in this forum only. Find member number video http://screencast.com/t/KK08uzYZxP

• You must also include the URLs at the bottom of your post in this forum for the other two or more places you posted your article. Review articles in past contests to see what we want.

• Deadline 1-31-13 at 10 am.

Prizes for Winners

• Prizes for Gold and Platinum members –
First place gets two paid writing assignments from Wellspring. Up to a 1,000 words each and they pay $75 per article.

• Second place gets one paid writing assignment from Wellspring. Up to 1,000 words and pays $75.

• Third place gets $25.

• The winning entry will also be posted on 100 Christian blogs. This will give the winner more exposure and the ministry we are promoting hundreds of more links to their site.

• Prize for Silver members - Unless a Silver member upgrades prior to entry they are not eligible to win paid writing assignments. Best Silver entry receives a one year free gold membership from FaithWriters, as well as writing exposure. If you win a free Gold membership on this one you would be eligible to win a writing assignment on future ones over the next 12 months.

• All members are building treasure in heaven as Jesus said we should.

TWO WAYS TO ENTER

1) FAST TRACK ENTRY Trust FaithWriters ministry selection for this contest and short on time?

Wellsprings Website
http://wellspringinternational.org/

Watch these three very short videos. The first one introduces Wellspring.
Video 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWS1d7XYIPg

Considering the success of the Christmas contest based on a music video, these videos were selected as motivational music videos. They are not directly connected to WSI. It simply tells us what we already know in our hearts, what we are supposed to do and why ministries like Wellspring are important. Maybe you or I cannot go where Wellspring goes but we can help them by taking the time to write a short article. These two videos will help to put your heart in the right place.
Video 2 & 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0L7NH48BWE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0njTvTpOBSA

Here is a paragraph with links to add to the bottom of your article. It is displayed in three ways. First, as a normal paragraph for ease of reading. Second, as a paragraph with built in links for our regular articles. Third, as a paragraph with links for our forums.

A)This is how the paragraph reads. It will look like this when you are finished but certain keywords will be linked to Wellsprings site.

Want to help and make the most impact in a situation like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need? [ul]Wellspring International[/ul] is an arm of [ul]Ravi Zacharais International Ministries[/ul]. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter [ul]Naomi Zacharais[/ul], Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. [ul]One Hundred Percent[/ul] (100%) your money goes to help [ul]women and children in crisis[/ul].

B)Here is the same final paragraph written for our regular articles in HTML format so the links function. You would simply copy the following and then paste it into the regular articles body box at the end of your article.

<p> Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need? <a href="http://www.wellspringinternational.org" target="_blank" title="Wellspring International">Wellspring International</a> is an arm of <a href="http://www.rzim.org" target="_blank" title="RZIM.org">Ravi Zacharais International Ministries</a>. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter <a href="http://www.wellspringinternational.org" target="_blank" title="Wellspring International">Naomi Zacharais</a>, Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help women and children in crisis !</p>

C) Here the same final paragraph written for our forums.

If we listed the paragraph here with links for this foum you would not see the actual links only the finished product. Therefore we have posted the ending paragraph for your forum submission in a regular article here http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=155241

When you submit your article to these forums just go to the link and copy the article like it is written. Add it onto the end of your article in these forums.

D) You will be posting your article in one more location. In that article you need to link the keywords yourself. Utilize a location where you already know how to create links. If you do not have a third location. Google Blogger is very simple. It is free to set up. Like many blogs, to link a word in Google Blogger you simply highlight the word, then click the chain link symbol and type in the URL you want to link to. Full instructions are on their site.

2) Normal Research Entry - For those who have the time to research Wellspring.
Wellsprings Website

http://wellspringinternational.org/

More videos and researched information.

Introduction to Wellspring International http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWS1d7XYIPg

Wellspring Blog has a lot of up to date information http://wellspringinternational.org/category/blog/

Wellspring Current Projects http://wellspringinternational.org/projects/

Meet Naomi and see her heart in these short videos.
Naomi Zacharais - The Power of Human Touch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNNIJ4mxKeg
Naomi tells Annies Story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EguyQmh7iE

One of several projects is Bombay Teen Challenge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve-FY87EXB4

Quick Video several projects http://vimeo.com/37810167

Another project is helping burn victims from any tragedy including bride burning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIJLoFjOV2k

Building your own links.

This is only for those experienced in building links. Please do not build your own links if you will require assistance to do so. If you know how to build links in our regular articles and forum you can choose to add three or four of these keywords into your article and link them yourself. You can link them all to Wellsprings main page http://www.wellspringinternational.org or select the page that fits the keyword best.

1) Wellspring International 2) Naomi Zacharias 3) child abuse shelter india 4) Ravi Zacharais 5) women and children at risk 6) international missions 7) sex slavery 8 ) bride burning 9) Bombay Teen Challenge 10) Zamar Academy 11) Agni Raksha 12) New Song Centre

Sample link for our regular articles.
<a href="http://wellspringinternational.org/"TARGET="_blank">Wellspring International</a>


ONLY ADD 3 -4 LINKS PER ARTICLE IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE WITH LINKS, REVIEW THE OTHER AREAS IN THE BLOGGING FORUM THAT EXPLAIN EXACTLY HOW TO LINK.

HERE IS A 5 MINUTE VIDEO EXPLAINING EXACTLY HOW TO INSERT LINKS INTO OUR REGULAR ARTICLES http://screencast.com/t/S8nUptFYZw

HERE IS A 5 MINUTE VIDEO ON EXACTLY HOW TO DO THE LINKS IN OUR FORUM. http://screencast.com/t/Nj39HD0MD6

HERE IS A 5 MINUTE VIDEO ON EXACTLY HOW TO DO THE LINKS AT http://www.blogger.com

VIDEO FOR BLOGGER IS HERE http://screencast.com/t/Iv51IMSMLT0

More about creating links here -
http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=35422

Ask questions here -
http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=35289

To get a better idea of what we are looking for in articles go here and read the past winners -
http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=35372
http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=92&t=35527

God Bless, Mike



Replies below this post are reserved for contest entries. Other posts will be removed.
Please ask questions under the appropriate topic.

[jwhuckstep]

SILVER MEMBER



BEHIND THE WINDOW

Grace smiled and then rolled her eyes as she looked through her window at the dark shadowy figures of the night.

She hadn’t always lived behind the window, at one time in her life she thought of herself as a Southern Bella. She had long blonde hair, blue eyes, and dimples that appeared like crescent moons every time she smiled.

Her fondest memories were of the tea parties she played with her mother. They would put on big Southern Bella hats, cover her little play table with a linen cloth and set out her tiny cups. Grace could still hear the laughs of her mother as they sat across from each other sipping pretend tea.

“Shall I pour you another cup of tea Gracie dear?”

Grace would hold out her yellow plastic cup for her mother and smile.

Those playtimes with her mother came to a sudden halt when a car accident took the lives of her mother and father. At twelve years of age she was sent to live with her uncle. The sexual abuse began shortly thereafter until she ran away from her uncle straight into the open arms of a promising pimp.

He introduced her into the world of drugs as a way to cope with her pain. Her best friends were named ecstasy, cocaine, and LSD stopped by every now and then.

"I needed a way to pay for my drugs so he would sell my body to cover my debts. Most of the time I didn’t even know the time of day nor did I care. I lived my live by a formula of supply and demand. I needed a supply of drugs and there was a demand for my body."

I have given up drug use for the most part since my pimp sold me to a brothel in the red light district. I now sit behind a window clad in revealing lingerie with several other women. We have a table covered in red linen, an ashtray, and coffee cups.

"Sometimes I look across the table and I see my mother in her big southern bella hat smiling."

“Gracie dear, can I pour you a little more tea?”

“Why did you leave me mom? I’m so lost without you. I hate my life!”

I’m brought back to reality when he yells.

“Grace, you have a customer!”

Shortly I’m back looking out my window at the dark shadowy figures of the night. Most pass by with their heads down; others stop to gawk, a few walk in to apply the trade. Can’t anyone hear the cries of my heart? Can’t anyone see my pain behind the window? Anyone?”

There are thousands like Grace who stand behind the window, forsaken, forgotten, and helpless.

They thirst for life changing water, someone who can look through the window and see their pain; more than anything they need Jesus.

Wellspring is an organization that looks behind the window. They offer the hopeless hope by using one hundred percent of their donations to transform squandered lives back to the author of love.

If you would like to support them in reaching out to the hurting women and children of this world follow the link below.

John Huckstep
Silver member #20173

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help [url=http://www.wellspringinternational.org]women and children in crisis.[/url

http://godswordtoday.blogspot.com/
http://www.faithwriters.com/newest-articles.php

[maryannthipie]

The Women Are Still At The Well

Jesus loves them this we know, but do their fellow man? Women and children are precious in the eyes of God and cared for by Jesus Christ. Yet in this world there are women and children who fear for their well-being, for their safety, for their very lives. Imagine a life of bondage, a life that is stolen from you and no longer your own. Daily the lives of women and children are impacted by poverty, reduced to prostitution and sold into slavery. Sex trafficking is real, it exists, it breaks God's heart and it should break ours. Jesus came to set us free from bondage and to give us an abundant life; a life for many women which seems out of reach, unattainable, an aching longing. There are women today, right now, fearful and terrified for their lives, victims of trafficking and violence. Yes, Jesus loves them, yet in this world these women live in fear.

Who will be the hands and feet of Jesus for these women and children? Who will care for, provide for and protect them? As we read and pray and study God’s Word we must come to the crossroads where our biblical knowledge meets the practicality of service to God in the saving of His people. For those women and children who are abused and living a dejected life, each day they wait at the well in the hope of meeting Jesus.

Christians long for the glorious day when we will meet our Lord, yet we live day to day as if we are unaware that He walks among us. It is when we meet the needs of the tired, the poor, the hungry, the persecuted, the victimized that we meet Jesus; for when we do for the least of them we serve our Lord. Where then can the least of these be found? The women and children who are at risk can be found around the world, they need safety, health care, education and living needs. They are the women at the well where Jesus sat and talked and offered living water. They can still be found today for those who will seek them.

Do you have a heart to serve the Lord and long to put your faith into action? Do you have a desire to be a Christian not only in word but also in deed? As we pray to be made more like Jesus may we pick up our heads, open our eyes and see the women and children of God; they are in need, they need me and they need you. If your heart’s desire is to someday hear the words, “well done good and faithful servant”, please click on the links below to learn more about Wellspring International, find a place of service to call your own and meet the women at the well.

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help women and children in crisis.

http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=155362
http://blessedassurancecollection.com/2013/01/01/the-women-are-still-at-the-well/
http://maryannthipiebane.weebly.com/the-women-are-still-at-the-well.html

Mary Annthipie Bane
Member Number 58746
Platinum Membership

[tomoral]

Bride on Fire

My name is Paloma. I am a beggar woman on the streets of New Delhi, India. I put my hand out for bread and passersby look at me with scorn or revulsion or both. My legs are scarred, my arms are hideous, and my face appears mutilated. Occasionally some kind person will take pity on me and hand me a rupee, being careful not to touch my outstretched fingers.

It was not always this way. I was once a beautiful girl, with dreams of becoming the dutiful wife and mother I was told I was meant to be in this world. Of having a loving husband such as my father and raising a family. It was not to be.

At age fifteen I was favored by a man who offered to marry me. He was given money and gifts by my family, as is the tradition of my culture. I was thrust into an unfamiliar life with my new husband and in laws, all people I did not know. My mother-in-law trained to me to become a proper wife for my husband, Ragu. All seemed well for awhile.

Ragu was happy with me at first, or it seemed so. Then his kind demeanor turned ugly, and my father-in-law started to harass me. They said if my family did not pay more money and gifts to them I would be in harm's way. I was threatened daily with words of Choola.

Choola is what happens when a wife is doused with kerosene and set on fire, and it happens to a woman every one hundred minutes in the region of India.

My parents paid for my protection as long as they could, but they are not wealthy people, and could not keep meeting the increasing demands of my husband and his family. I lived in terror day by day of what might happen to me. One day I overheard my father-in-law speaking, and I knew what was coming.

“I have found a new wife for you, Ragu. Her family has money.”

“Yes, Baba.” I heard my husband say.

My blood ran cold, but I had no where to go for help. My family would not take me back, as it would bring great shame on them. I had no one else to turn to.

My mind now goes back to that fateful evening in the kitchen as I was cooking dinner. My father-in-law came into the kitchen and began to scream at me. I looked up, startled, and he threw kerosene oil on me and lit a match, setting my entire body on fire. I managed to get out of the house, screaming in agony. Someone heard me and came to my rescue, but the burns on my face and body were severe.

The authorities did nothing. My husband and his family managed to convince them I had been depressed and was trying to commit suicide. I was hospitalized and then put out on the streets to live as an outcast in shame and humiliation.

Now I pray daily for the courage to to take my own life, but it does not come.

I wish I had died in the fire.


Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help [url=http://www.wellspringinternational.org]women and children in crisis.

http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det ... ?id=155425

http://www.thekingstranz4mdscribe.com/t ... e-2209917/


Lynn Gipson id# 57394
Platinum Member


.

[TWhitehead1081]

Why Did She Burn?

I received a phone call late last night from Raj. Through the sleepy haze that clouded my mind I heard him wailing repeatedly, “They burned her! They burned her!”

I jolted awake, realizing what had happened. I threw my clothes on while I tried to comfort my new friend, though it seemed in vain. He was sobbing deeply. I asked where he was and he briefly explained where the Safe Haven burn clinic was. I rushed out the door and off to the clinic.

It didn’t take me long to find it. Small as it was, it was vitally important and now, it was the haven my friend’s sister now rested in. I prayed the entire way, asking God for mercy and healing at this tragic time. Raj’s sister had recently been married to a young man who came from a family that demanded much in dowry. Though the traditional dowry system is illegal today, it is still practiced in some places. The young man’s family had demanded more dowry after Raj’s sister, Ramani had been married to their son. When Ramani’s family couldn’t pay, her husband’s family had doused her in kerosene and set her on fire. By the grace of God, Raj had found his sister and rushed her to the Safe Haven Clinic for critical treatment.

Now, I felt helpless but I knew it was nothing compared to what Raj and his family were going through. More still was Ramani’s pain and suffering. I prayed with Raj, trying my hardest to comfort the man I loved like a brother. I’d grown so close to his family in my time in Bangalore. They had taken me in when I arrived in India and treated me as one of their own. I only wished there was something more I could do for them at probably the hardest time in their lives.

Ramani’s family joined us soon after and I did my best to stay out of the way. This family was a rarity in India. They were Christians and had been persecuted in the past for their faith in Christ. I deeply loved them and it didn’t take them long to bring me into their circle. I found myself weeping with Ramani’s mother over her daughter. The pain on her face as I held her is something I will never forget. Her father too came to me and talked with me. With tears in his eyes he asked me to pray for his beloved daughter. The family gathered together and I prayed, asking God again for guidance and comfort in this horrible tragedy, for Ramani and for healing. Sometime later, a doctor came out. He spoke to the family in Hindi and Raj translated for me.

“Ramani will live.” He said with a teary smile. “But she needs so much help and treatment.”

The crime of bride burning is on the rise and fighting it is just one of the many projects that Wellspring International has committed to supporting. With your help, they can give much needed assistance to the Agni Raksha project as they provide treatment, assistance and more for victims of these horrible tragedies. Most of all, they aim to spread the message of the Gospel as Jesus Christ is the greatest need in the world today.

Please prayerfully consider giving to Wellspring International to assist them in supporting Agni Raksha by providing much needed equipment, support and funding for things like an on-site surgical center to treat their patients by following the links below. Thank you and God bless.


Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need? Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharias, Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help women and children in crisis.

Tim Whitehead
Member # 59072
Platinum Membership

http://timsblog1081.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/please-consider-wellspring-international.html

[eddiedickerson]

Oh Lord—Won't You Help Us?


Though it was daytime, I remember the dark clouds and heavy rain made it look like night. It was my favorite kind of day because it usually meant I could hang out with my friend, instead of having to be with some guy doing unspeakable things.

My friend was fifteen, a couple of years older than me. We met through our pimp. We were sitting around talking about suicide, when I showed her this poem I wrote about us.

We say we're scared to death about the future that we face.
What little hope we had at times, now gone without a trace.

We say there’s nothing left in all our days ahead but strife.
We look around and wonder just what happened to our life.

We're thankful for our friend's attempts to sooth our aching heart.
We strive to tell them where we are, but don’t know where to start.

We find ourselves alone at times just staring into space.
Oh Lord won’t you help us to get out of this place?

When she finished, she looked up with tearful eyes and hugged me.

Because we were so ashamed of what we had become, we never talked about God, thinking He wouldn't have anything to do with us anyway. But for some reason…….. that day was different. We just sat there in our little one room shack, emptying the pans every few hours that caught the rain dripping through the roof, and just talked—mostly about God.

We wondered if He even existed, or if He possibly cared about us. Could God really help us get out of this place?

As the downpour continued, we kept talking about God. The more we did, the better we felt. There was a sense of peace that we hadn't known for years. It was strange, but wonderful.

We fell asleep that night lying on the floor—holding hands and praying.

A knock on the door woke us up the next morning. I got up, looked through the peephole, and saw a policeman and woman standing there. I remember thinking they were probably going to arrest us for prostitution—which was sometimes a welcomed break.

All of a sudden the whole nightmare of how we ended up there flashed through my mind. At nine, I was kidnapped while walking home from school, and my friend was taken out of her home in the middle of the night, at age eleven.

We were forced into sex slavery, and constantly reminded that if we tried to escape, or report anything to the authorities, we would be severely beaten. And if we did escape, they would kill our parents. We believed it.

We also lived in constant fear of being tortured for no reason, or sexually abused in ways that you don't want to hear about—trust me. And we lived in poverty. The pimps got all the money. They said we were lucky to have a roof over our heads and food—but we didn't feel so lucky.

About the time I started to explain how we got there, the lady spoke up. She said our pimps had been arrested, and we were going home………...HOME!

As my friend and I broke down crying, I remember saying—"maybe God really does care about us."

There are approximately 27 million human trafficking victims; most are sex slaves, 80% female, and about 50% children. Thirty thousand of us die every year, and it's not from old age.

We need help. What if I was your child? Your donation could save a life.

"Please, please wake up world!"

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help [url=http://www.wellspringinternational.org]women and children in crisis.[/url

Eddie Dickerson
member #60433
Platinum

http://christiansallin.com/blog_2_YMI4.html
http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det ... ?id=155612

[grace greatman]

I HATED MY BODY

Have you ever felt like stepping out of your body and having nothing to do with it ever again?
Well, if you’ve been through what I’ve been through, you won’t find my question strange.
My name is Kate. I am twenty-one years old, a former sex slave, rescued, rehabilitated and restored through the aid of Well Spring International. This God-sent organization assists helpless and hopeless women and children all over the world.
I was born and bred in poverty. My mother, widowed when I was ten, released me to her elder brother who promised to send me to school. Instead, I was turned into a domestic slave. My uncle’s wife and children abused me physically. I still bear the scars of their cruelty on my body.
I wasn’t quite thirteen when my uncle first sneaked into my room, and forced himself on me. The sight of my blood on the sheet gave me quite a fright, I threw up.
Oh, the pain still rings in my head.
That marked the beginning of many nights of vicious abuse. With threats, he kept my lips sealed.
Then I got pregnant!
Before his wife found out, he took me to a squalid clinic far from our house. There, the very first life my body conceived was excruciatingly wrenched out of me.
Months after, my mother died. My uncle soon sold me off to a woman who ran a brothel in our neighborhood, as payment for a parcel of land he bought from her. With five other innocent girls, I landed in Cambodia as a sex slave. I was fourteen. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I suffered from people who used and abused our bodies in every evil way unimaginable.
Oh, the pain! The defilement!
I hated my body!
Sometimes, I wished I could pull my body over my head the way I pull my dress or simply walk out of it, as you walk out of a house. I cried many times, but sometimes when tears run dry, I groaned. I attempted suicide thrice, but God had other plans. He sent me help through Well Springs International. I was not only rescued from sex slavery, I recovered from my physical and emotional wounds. Now, I have Jesus. I am renewed and filled with a new hope, freedom and confidence. I have a home and a full scholarship.
But my heart still bleeds every day for all the girls aged 7-18 trapped in sex slavery in Cambodia.
You can help.
Yes, you can.
No matter how little, donate to fund any of the projects adopted by Well Spring International. It supports existing organizations who seek to save women and children affected by sex slavery, human trafficking, bride burning, AIDS/HIV, Iraq War and many more. One hundred percent of all donations go directly to these projects
Just as the bible admonishes us in 1 John 4:1 not to believe every spirit, but to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God,” Wellspring International is meticulous in the way it identifies and financially equips these organizations. It ensures funds are used for the requested purpose. It also informs you of where your money goes and the progress of each project.
Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need? Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well-known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais, Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help women and children in crisis.

Grace Olumayowa Aideloje
Gold Member - #249240
http://www.penparables.blogspot.com
http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det
http://facebook.com/gracegreatman

[Mistomum]

Captive

“Yum yum! Boom boom!” the chatter of excited young voices leached through the thin door. I stopped picking the dirt from between my toes and pulled my legs up, wrapping my arms tightly around them.

Rocking back and forth, I prayed that Mamasan would pass by my door. The old cot creaked. Leaning into the corner, a small yelp left my lips when the welts on my back made contact with the cold, brick wall.

One of the men the night before had been so mean and angry, he left me feeling like my insides were going to fall out. The night had been busy and most of the men before him wanted boom boom too. My body throbbed and my head ached. Showing the blood stained sleeping mat to Mamasan, I refused to see any more clients that night. Calling a few of the other girls into my room to watch, Madam tied up my arms, flipped me over the bed, pulled up my dress, exposing my back. Taking an old electrical cord from her apron, she began to whip me. One. Two. Three. Four. With each blow, I begged her to stop.

The beating finally over, I struggled to straighten myself. Cold, rough hands pushed me back down. From the corner of my eye I saw her grab the plastic cup next to my bed. Draping my dress across my back, she doused me with water. For a brief moment, the coolness of the water soothed me, but not for long.

She plugged the exposed electrical cord into the wall next to the bed. If words could have escaped my lips, I would have begged her to continue whipping me instead, but with each jolt my teeth clenched tight allowing only a scream to release.

A few hours later, one of the girls risked her life to sneak into my room and untie my hands. She brought a bucket for me to relieve myself, rags to place between my legs, and a fresh glass of water to drink. With a silent nod of thanks, I crawled into bed, not sure if I would live to see the morning. Not sure if I cared.

“Yum yum! Boom boom!” the menagerie was right outside my bedroom door now. The fierce competitiveness of the voices could only mean that a high paying foreigner had come. They were all so young and still believed Mamasan’s lies. Not I. Six rainy seasons had come and gone since I’d arrived in Svay Pak. Life was only existence.

Pulling my legs in even tighter, I held fast to the hope that he would want a younger girl, not someone as old as me; I would be thirteen next week and my scrawny body was beginning to develop, making me less and less desirable. Burying my face into my knees, I wondered what my parents were doing back in the village. Did they know what they had done to me? Did they get enough money from Mamasan to buy Daddy’s medicine? Would they come and rescue me . . . ever? Did anyone care?

I squinted through the darkness of my room, focusing on the door. My heart beat faster and faster with each passing second.

The doorknob began to spin.

****************************************************************************************************
Every night, over fifteen-thousand underage children in Cambodia live out this nightmare. Forced to service 10-20 men a night, many will have had sex with over a thousand men before they even reach puberty. If they live long enough to reach puberty.

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help [url=http://www.wellspringinternational.org]women and children in crisis.[/url

Lori Dixon
Gold member 60157
http://lovingkindnessministries.blogspo ... ptive.html
http://open.salon.com/blog/lori_hackett ... 12/captive
https://www.facebook.com/lorianddon.dixon
https://twitter.com/Lori_Dixon_NWCS
In print March 2013 Christian Women's Magazine (Australia distribution)

[jrhamner224]

Only the occasional shuffle of feet can be heard when I stand to tell my story because the young girls of the school have been prepped and told I was once a sex slave. From the modified stage made of bamboo, I look out into the sea of brown skin before me and begin.

My name is Sati and it means “chaste woman”. My mother named me Sati in hopes that I would be just that, untouched and pure. She knew in her heart though that the man from the stable would eventually come get me. On my tenth birthday, I was forcefully taken to the stable to live. The man opened the door to the large, windowless hut and threw me inside. At first, the smell overcame me and I threw up on the dirt floor. It was an odor of blood, sweat and impending death. The only light came through a sliver in the thatched roof and I crawled on my hands and knees to get to it. As I made my way across the floor, I could hear the sobs around me. Everywhere I searched in the darkness, there were painful and fearful cries.

Hours later, another man came and dragged me by my hair into a tent where he beat me and raped me for hours. Unable to move, I lay there after he left hoping I would die. A woman came in and told me to get up. I could not so she pulled me up and made me sit in a chair. She took my clothes off and poured buckets of cold water over my head. She took some powders from a box and rubbed them on my skin to cover the bruises left behind from my attacker. I thought she was helping me but then I realized she was only getting me ready for the next man. This ritual continued every night for the next two years until one of my attackers cut a deep gash in my cheek, rendering me undesirable. The next day, I woke up lying in a heap of garbage on the outskirts of an unknown village.

At twelve years old, I was forced to live on my own in this strange place and took shelter under an old building at night. One night, I heard the voices of a playful child and his mother. She bent down to look for his lost toy and saw me hiding under the porch floor. She took me to a missionary family that lived nearby. They brought me back to health physically and taught me about a loving God that truly heals and forgives. It is my wish that this experience as a sex slave along with Christian organizations such as Bombay Teen Challenge, can rescue children show them that what they are going through is not their fault and that they are loved.

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help [url=http://www.wellspringinternational.org]women and children in crisis.[/url

Jennifer Hamner
Platinum Member – 60987
http://satisstory.thoughts.com/posts/sati-s-story
http://mylifeisnotmyown.weebly.com/
http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det ... ?id=155760

[Ron44]

A Desperate Rescue

It is very diabolical. She said that her very own husband sold her into prostitution. What kind of man sells his own wife to a pimp? Now she stands in a window in Amsterdam. Segregated by nationality, four hundred windows exhibit these women. Wicked, wayward, predatory and obdurate men purchase them for sex. The man who would become her husband was travelling through Singapore, her home. She was smitten. Her family was delighted. The day that every little girl dreams about finally occurred. Her knight had arrived.

But before the honeymoon even started the knockdown blow of betrayal kicked hard. They arrived in Amsterdam, her identification and passport was seized, and she was delivered to the pimp. Unable to speak Dutch, she was embarrassed to tell her family and afraid to go to the police. So evil set in - every night.

I would know nothing about "Annie" except that her unfortunate story is told by Naomi Zacharias of Wellspring International, a division of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Wellspring researches and supports ministries that help rescue women and children at risk out of these desperately wicked conditions.

Amsterdam flashes world class fun, lights, music, glamour and excitement. They don't advertise in bright lights that the women, made in the image of God, are being used in the worst way. They do not flash in neon lights that some strains of gonorrhoea are resistant to antibiotics. Likewise they do not inform unsuspecting wives back home of infidelity to prevent further spread of disease.

Annie was eventually able to get a passport and return to Singapore. But once her family learned of her slip into the abyss they disowned her. They rejected her. What word do we use when evil strikes hard and then brutally strikes again?

She said that she returned to Amsterdam because that's all she knows. Even if she found redemption in a church her identity in the congregation would be "ex-prostitute" so she shuns that option. If she returns home the white hot blast of "prostitute" scorches her. So she stands in the window with obsequious resignation but deep down she hates the men who take advantage of her.

The germane issue is this: good men can do something. Those of us who are struggling day in and day out to be numbered among good men can support Wellspring. Wellspring helps organizations that rescue these women out of these horrific situations. And like one good man said if we do for one what we wish we could do for many then we have done something great for both the one and our own soul.

Naomi Zacharias also spoke of another woman who wished to jettison prostitution and acquire the skills of a chef. With Wellspring's benevolence she now delights the palates of patrons at a four star hotel. So the grand idea is to support Wellspring and then find out who you helped later in heaven. That works for me.

Anyone who listens and observes Ravi Zacharias will quickly conclude that he is a faithful ambassador for all things important to God. For those who seek the truth with a modicum of intellectual honesty Dr. Zacharias is an invaluable resource. Engage with due diligence and research. Prove to yourself that Wellspring is indeed one of the best nonprofits on the planet. And remember that most of us in America are rich beyond imagination compared to most in the world. We can give when we really want to.

RZIM covers administrative costs for Wellspring so that one hundred percent of your donations go directly to those in need. Click on the "women and children at risk" link above and give today.

Presume that when you support Wellspring you are rescuing your very own daughter or sister because in God's economy that is precisely the case.

Ron Hunnicutt
Gold Member No. 61314


http://www.the-truth-matters.com/2013/01/13/a-desperate-rescue/
http://www.extramilegirl.wordpress.com

[writewithpurpose]

Twenty-Seven Million

The concrete is my bed. The bars behind which I live only part when I’m called on to perform for a man. It’s the reason I get to wash up. It’s the reason I get to eat. Sleep escapes me. I shiver in the cold, as this thin sheet holds no warmth. Darkness envelops me until my eyes adjust. I long for a cup of cold water. I cringe at your touch.

After my mom and dad were killed, I lived on the streets until a group of men pulled me into the back of their van, along with the other children taken from the streets. They promised me a good job. I thought I’d come into the embrace of caring arms again with this promise, but I soon realized my purpose was to satisfy the needs of the boss and his paying customers.

“What did I do to bring this on? Why did this happen to me? What about my little brother and sister? Where are they? How can I escape? What if I’m caught? Oh God, if there is a God, please help me.” Questions are as a windstorm blowing sand in my eyes.

I dream of playing “kick the ball” with my brother and sister. The moments I drift off to sleep take me to days when daddy made the sounds of dance on the djembe. I jumped around with the other children, holding hands with one another as our circle went first in one direction then the other.

We woke up with the rising of the sun, when the first chore for the day was to get water. Now I yearn for the next small cup of water I’m given. It’s never enough. I could drink and drink, but the bottom of the cup goes dry before I realize I drank it so fast.

I don’t know how long I’ve been here, as I have no way to keep track of time, but it seems like forever. I survive by allowing myself to feel nothing. I didn’t have to think about it, it just happened. I can’t stand to look at myself. I don’t recognize who I am. I know my name is Natasha, but the “me” I knew is gone.

Some of the girls have babies born into this dreadful place. I hear their cries at night when their child has been torn out of their arms.

I see what happens to the girls who are “used up.” They’re thrown back out on the streets, and left to die. For every “used up” child three more take their place.

“Where is the hope? I wish this was over. I’m not sure I can do this another day, and act as though I want to please the next customer. How can I rescue my little brother and sister? Where would we go?

Twenty-seven million people are slaves today, just like me.

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help women and children in crisis.

Kathleen A. Trissel
Gold Member #37098

http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det ... ?id=156009
https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.trissel

[dawn]

Out of the Ashes

I don’t know my age, but I remember my kidnapper. “I’ll help you find your family,” he said in a soothing voice. That was the last morning I’d seen my Mother and Father. He told me I belonged to him now as his laborer. This was the beginning of my nightmare. Repeated rapes followed. I hated him. And because my body brought bad luck, I also hated myself. He “trained” me to become a sex slave while annihilating my innocence. Then, like a commodity, he sold me to a brothel.

The polluted stream of drunken men, handling me like a cheap toy, is a memory I’d love to bury. “Whore!” they’d scoff before discarding me in the ash pile. When I refused to cooperate, the brothel owner punished me with beatings, electrocution, and starvation.

“No more,” I yelled, “let me die!” Darkness, steeped in vinegar, clung to me. Death’s finality taunted me like a mirage. If the grave meant freedom from this rotting prison, then I’d find a way. But something miraculous happened instead.

I’ll never forget the loud hammering on my shanty’s lock. Nor will I forget the face of my hero; he risked his life for mine. Praise God! I’ve been rescued! God not only raised me from the ash pile, but He also placed me in a new family.

My new name is Agraciana, which means “forgiveness.” Dignity greets me on her royal road. Peace is finally mine. I refuse to step foot on selfishness and deceit’s low road. Nor will I adorn my head with weighted lies: raped women are scum below men’s feet.

My new passion is to rescue, restore, and educate similar young girls at the shelter where I work in Cambodia. There is nothing as beautiful as a little girl’s innocence: her ability to love, laugh and play. My shelter seeks to restore some of these girls’ childhood; love empowers.

Consider the following facts: brothel owners force 10-30 clients upon these girls daily, for the owner’s selfish bounty. Much of the outside world either turns away or isn’t aware of the frequency and enormity of sex trafficking. Families seldom come forward when their child is abducted for fear of retaliation.

Men have gotten away with this injustice for years. They think it’s noble to take away a girl’s virginity. Even local authorities won’t aid in rescuing if military personnel capture these girls. Most perpetrators are drunk, thoughtlessly spreading sexual diseases. When a girl becomes pregnant, her baby is aborted.

Please pray that these girls will overcome their trauma. Some are only infants when stolen and/or sold into brothels, some by their own parents. One of my dying girls asked, “Agraciana, when you speak, will you tell men: ‘A few moments of your pleasure kills me?’”

Please pray for the project workers and those who seek justice. Pray that our culture will turn from this evil. Pray for the offenders, for they will answer to Almighty God. Finally, pray how God might use you to help in this work. One person can’t do everything, but one can do something. Together, God can move mountains through us. With funding, my shelter can rescue, restore, and educate these precious girls. Like me, they’ll educate others and effect change. For these girls, I stand tall.

*This story is fictitious as told from Agraciana’s point of view; however, the circumstantial happenings are not. I gathered most of my information from the documentary, Half the Sky. Sex trafficking is a horrible reality in many places of the world.

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help [url=http://www.wellspringinternational.org]women and children in crisis.[/url

http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det ... ?id=156070
http://kdmanestreet.wordpress.com/

K. D. Manes
#46827
Gold Membership

[lrmoses]

Human Trafficking is Real-Even in America

You look at me with hateful eyes. You think, “How could she do such a thing? Doesn't she have any self-respect?” I used to. You believe I like this sort of thing-but I don’t. I hate it! You think I’m trying to seduce good men like your husband. Oh, he doesn't need seducing. The men come all by themselves, even the “good” ones and do whatever they please. I hate them too. You don’t know anything about me.

I used to have a normal life, and yes, I had a family who loved me. You've heard of the girls from other countries whose families sold them into slavery because they needed the money and you probably thought “Oh, that’s horrible! Poor children.” But here in America, you think we choose this type of life for ourselves. We don’t.

Well, my parents didn't sell me, that part is true. They were victims like I was. I was kidnapped when I was 12. I was at the mall with a friend when a boy came up to me and told me there was a guy outside who wanted to meet me. It made me feel special. I craved that kind of attention. So I left my friend in the mall, went to the parking lot and met him. He seemed so nice. We talked for a while and he convinced me he was very interested in me. When he invited me to sit in his van he started driving as soon as I closed the door. Someone pulled me to the back and tied me up. Then they said it was time to “train” me so we could make lots of money. Money I never saw. So, I didn't choose this life, someone else chose it for me.

Oh, I’m sorry. Are you feeling uncomfortable? Too many details? That’s nothing! I could tell you things that you probably couldn't even begin to imagine. And who are these men that will pay to have sex with young girls? You’d be surprised. Businessmen, politicians, athletes, family men, and even pastors have all paid to act out whatever fantasies they have, after the pornography is no longer enough. And they come back for more, but it gets worse. They say its like drugs each time you need a little bit more to get “high”.

By now, you might be getting angry at me for making you aware of a reality that you didn't want to face. You’re probably wondering why I didn't just escape. They beat me up. They threatened to kill my family and I believed them. What would you have done?

My life will never be normal again.

So, its time to wake up. Human trafficking is real. It happens in America, to approximately 100,000 kids a year at an average age of 13. You can help girls like me by learning the facts about human-trafficking and taking a stand against it.


Authors note: This is a fictitious story

Want to help and make the most impact in situations like this? What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais , Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help [url=http://www.wellspringinternational.org]women and children in crisis.[/url

Lynn Moses
Gold Member #48483

[Paula22466]

When Walls Talk

My shadows sob. My colors cry. Dreary grey. Tawny yellow, runs - from urine spatter. My crevices house cockroaches. My cracks harbor rats. I hold no paintings or mirrors or clocks. Time doesn’t run here, it melts. Dripping and fading from one moment into the next.

Random patches of blue, in places where paint remains. Look closer and you will see her fingernail scratches, over the mattress. She claws my paint. I cannot give her something to hold - when she digs. When she screams. All I offer is blue flakes beneath her fingernails.

Under the boarded window are long black streaks across and down, jagged edges of pealing plaster from the rocking cage. They locked Soriya therein, after the beating. She fought the metal bars, banging and pounding the door against me. Arching her back, she carried the weight of the cage from side to side smashing it here and there. When her tiny frame lost strength, she slept. The indentations marred her cheek. No tears came when she woke, just a hollow gaze into darkness. Soriya has survived many beatings, many days encaged - until she learned she mustn’t resist the clients.

Do you see the spike? There, in the corner, nailed into my depths. Today they are coming again to chain Soriya there, to the spike. They will bring the thread and the needle. The stench of blood will linger for days, long after the stitches are once again broken. They say the clients want virgins, and so she will be. Again and again. They will make her be whatever they want.

Afterward, when Soriya’s wails no longer echo, when the vibration of her mourning settles to whimpers, I will absorb it all. I will silence the sounds. When she is no longer able to stand, I will stand for her. I will hold her up when she’s weak, when she leans, when she falls. She will beat against my surface, blow after blow, when the rage and disgust in herself rises up. She thinks no one sees, no one cares, no one hears. She doesn’t know - this wall can talk. She doesn’t know that you have heard.
********************************
If walls could talk, this story is one which could be told. Although Soriya is a fictional character, she speaks for victims of sex trafficking all over the world who need your help. Some things in this world are so horrific, so disturbing, they make us feel hopeless and helpless. What can we do?

In the nineteenth chapter of Luke, verse forty, Jesus says, “If these become silent, the stones will cry out.” Jesus is talking to the hypocritical religious leaders who wanted Him to hush the voices of those celebrating Him. The whole creation could not be silenced in such a moment as realizing the long awaited Savior had come. But there was no need for stones to cry out, people praised Him. In likeness, mustn’t these walls long to cry out in such a moment of human suffering? Together, people can silence the walls, because we will lament, and we will send help.

One hundred percent (100%) of your donation could go directly to girls like Soriya. Wellspring International, which is an arm of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, will make sure your money is never used for peripherals. Wellspring thoroughly investigates, covers their own expenses, and often goes to the locations themselves. Administered by Ravi’s daughter,
Naomi Zacharias, Wellspring does the footwork so you don’t have to. That’s right;
One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes directly to those in need. Please don’t wait, you can make a difference.

Paula Titus
Member #30900 Platinum
http://mywritefulplace.blogspot.com/201 ... -talk.html
http://www.faithwriters.com/article-det ... ?id=156189

[Dwight]

SILVER MEMBER




Would Anyone Care?

My heart pounds inside my chest, sending extra blood to my furious legs, racing through unfamiliar streets of dirt and grime. I think my body must be redirecting its blood flow to give speed to my escape because my head is so light with fear as cold sweat continues to dampen the back of my neck. They’re going to kill me, and I don’t want to die! Fear and despair combine their dark forces in my soul as I seek to wipe the blur of endless tears from my line of vision. Yet, I have no idea where I’m running.

“Please, God, just let it be away from those who tortured me and burned me.”

I’m fooling myself. There is no escape. I only succeeded in enraging them more by tearing off into the night. Just as plainly as I ran out, so did hope. I’m alone, hated without a cause, despised, spit upon, slapped, punched, kicked, raped, burned, and yet kept barely alive for them to continue another day. Oh, how I wish for eternity that another day would never come! Oh, how foolish I am to wish anything!

I’m tired. I’ve been running as if the devil himself was grasping at my heels every step of the way. And I’m drained. The breaths of my sobs have left my lungs almost as desperate as I am. Water for my tears has gone arid. Fresh wounds trickle warm blood down my face and thighs.

“What’s the use?” I whisper to myself, “If they’re going to kill me, would it just be better to take my own life?”

I’ve never thought a thought like that before. Would anyone care? Would anyone notice? Would anyone even…

Just then, I noticed I’m not alone. Someone had seen me running, or rather, falling forward, sobbing. I give up. If this is God’s will for me, so be it. I’m too tired to fight. I just hope I lose consciousness, quickly, so as not to cringe in pain. I grow faint, collapsing among the gravel stones, then do faint.

As it happened, that “someone,” who had seen me running, was like my guardian angel; a ministry worker who already saw more cruelty and death up close than the average civilian on the edge of a war zone; a ministry worker overflowing with the love of Christ, endangering her own life, because she sought the welfare of another, me; one who, with joy, uttered loud thanks to God because this child escaped alive.

Hours later, I awaken to odd sensations; I am clean, I am warm, and I am on something soft. My wounds are freshly bandaged. I am wrapped in warm softness. I slowly draw a full breath of clean air, and sigh. My ‘guardian angel’ smiles at me signaling the rest of my life’s journey will be different. Someone cares.

Want to help make the most impact in a situation like this? If, for whatever reason, you cannot be the guardian angel, please find it in your heart to support those who help our neighbors in all lands to be loved, just as we ourselves are loved by Christ. What if one hundred percent (100%) of your donation went directly to those in need?

Wellspring International is an arm of Ravi Zacharais International Ministries. Ravi is a well known International speaker and defender of the Christian Faith. Administered by Ravi’s daughter Naomi Zacharais, Wellspring covers their own expenses, investigates all requests for funds thoroughly, often going to the location. They do the research so you can be confident that your money goes where you want it to. One Hundred Percent (100%) of your money goes to help women and children in crisis.

Would anyone care? Wellspring International does.

http://www.revelationsforlife.com/2013/01/would-anyone-care.html
http://hotfaithlatte.blogspot.com/2013/01/would-anyone-care.html

Dwight Hurych
Member Number 57119
Silver Member