Ride Against Traffick 2013

Shortly after arriving in Korea in 2011 I was introduced to stories about human trafficking. I did some investigation and realized this type of crime is not very well publicized affecting people from all other the world. The suffering it brings to abducted children and women cannot be described, so I decided to become part of bringing awareness about this current form of slavery. Human Trafficking is real.
Please join me in supporting this worthy cause. Any donation amount makes a difference.

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