Monica Bailey, 3LHope for Justice Human Trafficking
United Kingdom
Did you know Manchester is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution? The first steam engine is still on exhibit here in town. The architecture here is so beautiful and many buildings are loaded with intricate details on the outside and inside. There are loads of dark red, bricked Victorian office buildings. The building we are in was an old judge’s chambers. It has one of those old-fashioned gated elevators that is the size of a small closet! The building is in a cobblestoned sidestreet and sits right next to an excellent cafe and a coffee shop on the corner. The people at Hope for Justice are AMAZING. Today is my birthday and I arrived to flowers and a cake and cards (arranged by my husband and carried out by the staff) – one day after I began working here. They have a cool habit of writing down prayer requests on the windows and my name is on 3 of the windows as they have been praying for me for several weeks. It is pretty humbling and awesome and encouraging to know the Lord has gone before me in this internship.
Today, Hope for Justice was able to announce the rescue of a young man from eastern Europe who was being held against his will for forced labor. You can see his story on www.hopeforjustice.org.uk starting next week. You can also become a friend of Hope For Justice on Facebook to get the most updated information on their work. This is the ONLY faith-based NGO in the entire UK that is working on assisting in prosecuting traffickers and saving victims. They are a small, committed group and work cheerfully despite their limited resources. Please pray for their founder, Ben Cooley, as he travels the country seeking financial and legislative support for the work they do. Also, please pray for Jeremy Alford, Director of Operations, as he engages with law enforcement officers all over the country to raise awareness and build relationships for Hope for Justice to partner with police in their efforts to identify victims of trafficking and be able to prosecute perpetrators.
Two weekends from now (June 6 – 8) there will be a “Cherish” women’s conference put on by Christian speaker Charlotte Gambill at Abundant Life Church in Bradford, England, about an hour east of Manchester. I have been invited to join the HFJ team as they will have a booth set-up and will be raising awareness about domestic trafficking issues in the UK. Charlotte often travels with Christian artist Natalie Grant, a great friend of the Center for Global Justice! I am excited to get to meet Charlotte and send her greetings from the Center.
Finally – I have been invited to travel with some of the team the next time they go to Parliament to encourage support for anti-trafficking measures within the UK. What an amazing opportunity! They are truly the most generous and kind bunch of people. I am in very good hands here! My deepest thanks to all those who gave financially to support the work I am doing here! Until next time…
– Monica Bailey, 5/28/12