I was greeted by happy smiles at the BDS shelter and was reminded of the difference that the love of God is making in lives.   The contrast between the brand new residents who just came to the shelter last week and those who have been at the shelter for weeks was shockingly noticeable. The two 16-year-olds who are new were noticeably traumatized as they walked slowly, bowed their shoulders low with the unspoken burdens they had to bear and whose eyes filled with tears as Sonya asked them how they were feeling.  In contrast, the residents who have already been through the Crisis Care curriculum were laughing, hugging and talking freely. As we walked into the living area unannounced, we found one of those residents reading her Bible which BDS has given her in her own language while worship music played in the CD player. As we sat down to chat, she could not quit talking about Jesus and how she had never heard of him before she came to BDS and how He had changed her life. Just then, another resident was brought back to the shelter from her first day on the job!  She, having gone through 7 months of BDS sponsored sewing school, had been teaching 12 young vulnerable women how to sew that day.  This young woman, who the last time I had seen her as a new resident had been silent and bowing down low, was now bright eyed and beaming from ear to ear, sharing her joy at having the opportunity to teach others.

I also saw that the residents have been baking for the snack bar at a local church. With the help of BDS house moms, they are given a budget to buy the ingredients for brownies, cookies and cakes, then their products are sold at the snack bar and the residents are given all the proceeds which they save and sometimes send to relatives and from which they buy the ingredients for their next week's order.  In this way, they are learning baking, business skills, and money management which helps them to be self supporting.

I know there is hope for those young women who have just arrived at BDS because I have seen the results of love with my own eyes. It is a miracle to see the change in countenance, heart and spirit.  It is no wonder that the former victims of human trafficking have named the BDS Crisis Care Shelter the "Love House".

-Jennifer