Peter Palma

In 2011 I lived about a 15 minute walk from my church. Each Sunday morning I would walk to church on a street that was filled with businesses in the sex trade. I later found out that foreign women are trafficked into Korea to serve as sex slaves in businesses such as the ones in my neighborhood. After more reading I found out that Korean women are being trafficked in record numbers to the United States, Australia and Japan.

As I walked to church I wondered how I would feel if it was my sister who was sold into sex slavery. What would I hope pastors and churches in her area would do? I realized I would be desperately hoping they did something. This is the little something that my church can do.

Through the trip we hope we can raise awareness on a national level. The Korea Tour Organization is going to help us promote the ride.

We want to raise a significant amount of money for two groups: Hope Be Restored and Jerusalem Ministry's Oak Tree Project. Hope Be Restored is an anti-trafficking ministry that is working on many different levels to eradicate slavery from South Korea. They are a leading voice in the justice movement in South Korea.

Oak Tree Project is a scholarship fund for orphans in Korea. Orphans in Korea are often left to fend for themselves after they graduate from high school, without financial assistance and a support system many find it impossible to make it through college. John Michael Becker has been serving orphans in Korea since 2006 and started Oak Tree Project in order give orphans a chance to go to college.

45% of the money you give will go to Hope Be Restored, 45% will go to Seeds of Hope and 10% will go to the overhead costs of the trip (after the percentage paypal takes).

I'd love to have you partner with me on this trip. If your heart has been stirring to fight trafficking in some way or to help orphans this is a great opportunity.

We are cycling again from Seoul to Busan.   We are raising funds for Oak Tree Project and House of Hope.  We'll depart the evening of October 2nd and arrive in Busan Saturday October 5th.  

House  of Hope www.hopeberestored.org
Hope Be Restored (HBR) and Women’s Hope Center (WHC) introduce House of Hope, a two-hundred pyung facility in North Kyungsang Province providing physical, spiritual, and emotional care to women who are vulnerable to the pressures to abort their babies and to women who are victims of sex trafficking.  House of Hope will be a safe place for women seeking refuge from society and a place to experience spiritual restoration by experiencing the love of Jesus Christ.  Through House of Hope the women will receive biblical-based counseling, needed education, and vocational training to strengthen their faith and confidence to help them overcome the pressures and obstacles of returning to society.

Many of these women have difficulty dealing with the pressures from society in adjusting back to living fruitful lives.  Identifying the needs of these women in readjusting back to society, HBR and WHC seek to capitalize on the opportunity of helping these women while also conveying the love of Jesus Christ.

Hope for Korea is an event for you to learn more about the House of Hope project and to provide a way to partner with HBR and WHC.  Any income earned will go towards the project start-up costs.  Financial supporters are indeed important but individuals who share the same heart as us with skill sets to train the women vocationally or simply be a friend to them are needed just as much.  Come and see how you can be a part of giving hope and changing the lives of the women of Korea.

Oak Tree Project  www.oaktreeproject.com
Unearthing the hidden treasures of Korea… To give a brief background on the orphanages of Korea, almost all of the homes receive funding from the government and also from private sponsors. The homes have decent facilities, food, clothing, and staff for the children. The children enter the children homes because of abuse, abandonment, poverty, neglect, or other reasons. The ages of the children in the homes ranges from infant to high school senior. When the children graduate from high school they are deemed adults and are no longer able to live in the children homes. These children will then receive a small amount of money from the government and their orphanage will try to help them find work and a place for them to live. But after that, the children are pretty much on their own and, without healthy role models and support around them, are very vulnerable. In Korea, when you apply for a job you have to write down the background information about your parents on your resume or on the job application. And because of the background of these children, they are often discriminated against when they apply. Often they will not receive jobs or will have to accept lesser pay compared to the other employees. For some of them, particularly 18 year old girls, the only jobs they can get are at bars and clubs where they have to serve older men. For those who desire to study at university, the road ahead is particularly difficult and many lose heart along the way. They end up giving up on their dreams.

Finances are not the only issue: these children also lack emotional support. For years they were raised under the covering of the orphanage where they were fed and provided for, but now they have to take care of themselves. For many of these kids their first year outside of the home is the most vulnerable year of their life. Many struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. For the children desperate for financial income and for some sort of emotional support, the sex industry can become a strong temptation for them. There is such a need for helping these children