Some 20,000 people gathered recently at the United Center to
celebrate stories of what “Only God” could have done at Willow Creek the last
40 years. We wanted to take a moment and share a few “only God” stories of our
own.
A visit to the Care Center for food led to a dramatic rescue
for a mom and her children. Her situation had become dire following the end of
a domestic violence relationship. A friend connected her with free housing –
“free housing” that, as it turned out, was offered by a sex trafficker, and she
found herself caught in the web of sex trafficking. After her initial visit to
the Care Center for food, she searched the Care Center website for additional
help. On the anti-human trafficking page, she discovered additional resources
were available for victims. She emailed the Care Center via humantrafficking@willowcreek.org
looking for a way out for herself and her children. She had run from her
violent trafficker to different hotels, but he was sending people to find her.
The Anti-Human Trafficking Ministry Care Center Team met with her, and walked along side her to connect her to local resources. Housing, food and support were provided until she and her children were transported out of state for their safety as recommended by the FBI. They are safe and doing well in their new life.
ONLY GOD could write that story!
Last fall, a happenstance conversation at a grocery store
led to a donation of several thousands of dollars worth of surplus Thanksgiving
food to our outreach team! They received boxes and boxes of sweet potatoes,
beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn bread and more. An absolute bounty of
food! The outreach team got together to cook turkey and then packed up and
distributed the food. The team visited six different spas in Mount Prospect,
delivering a huge box of hot food to each location. The team described the utter
joy and astonishment that lit up the faces of the women receiving the food! In
the words of one of the outreach team volunteers, “The girls faces at the spas
were priceless. It was amazing – only God. Even now as we go back to the spas
they still don’t understand that everything we do for them is a gift and that
we want absolutely nothing in return.”
ONLY GOD could write that story!
200 gift bags for outreach were packed at our recent annual packing
event. These gift bags will reach women and girls who are on the streets of
Chicago, or who are being exploited in local spas, or were trafficked and are
now in safe housing.
One of our team members told her friend, Dina, who lives in Florida, of our packing event and she insisted on making 200 “penny necklaces” with the
Ten Commandments and a beautiful cross charm. Each one made with love for these
women who need God’s love so badly. The Lovely Candy Company donated 200
beautifully packaged bags of candy for the event. A special treat for the women
receiving our gift bags! (If you see their candy on the shelves of your local
Costco, please remember their wonderful generosity to our ministry!)
In addition to jewelry, candy, and lip balm, this year’s
bags included handmade scarves. Coming up with 200 handmade scarves is no small
feat – and the response was incredible! Not only did the Willow Stitchers rise
to the task by donating more than 60 scarves, many individuals (too many to
list!) jumped at the opportunity to crochet or knit a scarf for the event. And
then there was Donna Reiter Brandwein, who rallied support from a group of
friends, as well as her amazing team of volunteers from the B’Chavannah Temple
– they donated at least 150 scarves! Each scarf a handcrafted masterpiece made
with love. Emails are still coming in with offerings of more scarves!
Finally, there was a team of volunteers who worked tirelessly to create 200 beautiful, hand-stamped gifts tags with the message, “know that you are loved” and attach elegant paper-crafted flowers to each tag. Countless hours went into making all of this happen.
ONLY GOD could write that story!
ONLY GOD could use food donated to a food pantry to make
connections that led to the rescue of a woman and her children from the pit of sex
trafficking and gave them a safe and new life.
ONLY GOD could turn a casual conversation in a grocery store
into a feast worth thousands as a way to spread His love and joy to women trapped
in a joyless and loveless environment.
ONLY GOD could take a gift bag filled with treats and
handmade scarves, and use it to share His love with those who are being
trafficked or exploited, making a way to open a conversation that can ultimately lead
to freedom and a new life.
ONLY GOD can take our seemingly small offerings and use them
to change lives in ways far beyond what we could have ever imagined. Only God
indeed!
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“Unto Him who is faithful to do it all again
Be all glory and honor amen” – Only God ©
Be all glory and honor amen” – Only God ©
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Get Connected:
Upcoming Events:
New Name Call
Center: Pray for women as we offer resources and outreach over the
phone to women posted on online ads. Wednesday, November 4th, 7:30 pm at Willow
Creek Community Church in the Link (F Lot Parking). For more information,
contact Cheryl Csiky at: ccsiky@willowcreek.org.
Film Screening:
Join us on in watching the film, In Plain Sight: Stories of Hope and Freedom.
This feature-length (69 min) documentary focuses on six modern-day
abolitionists as they fight sex trafficking across America. Wednesday, November
18th at 7 pm, Room B204 at Willow Creek South Barrington.
December Forum –
Holiday Shop & Awareness Night: Come ready to do some Christmas
shopping! Wonderful gifts will be available for purchase that will benefit the
fight against human trafficking. Stories of hope will be shared through poetry
and “Ted” talks. Invite a friend! Wednesday, December 9th from
7:30-9:00 in the Chapel at Willow Creek South Barrington.
Ink 180’s Chris
Baker featured on NBC:
