Light House, April - June 2022

To all our valued Revival Fires Prayer Partners and Supporters. We want to share the latest updates from our work again human trafficking in the North East of India. You have helped to make these miracles happen, Thank You! Smerin, who heads up the LightHouse project, is continuing to undergo treatment for breast cancer and we thank you for your ongoing prayers and support for her at this time. She is so grateful that all her medical costs to date have come through for her!

April Update

Ushering into His Light

‘For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.'

Women and young girls who are trafficked often suffer negative psychological, social and physical effects – all requiring care, acceptance and restoration rooted in Christ. The path of restoration and healing for any survivor can be a long one, requiring a multifaceted care. With all the generous financial gifts we receive help us cover the cost of housing, daily meals, skill training, transportation, health care, therapy, and more.

Kriti‘s story of turn around

Kriti (name changed) was placed with us in 2021, who we helped to get skill training in a short term hospitality course under National Skill Development Centre. After completion of the training, she was placed on a job training in a reputed 5 star resort & hotel in Karnataka as a booking operator. We continued to follow up with her for the past one year and we praise Jesus that she successfully completed the OJT (On Job Training) earning a good reference and monthly salary! On Mother’s Day a call from her filled our hearts with pride and gratitude as she shared that she wants to come back to her second home i.e LightHouse family, expressing her desire to pursue her further higher studies while working in Siliguri. She has been also keen on accepting Jesus as her personal saviour.

As we are celebrating her victorious life we are so thrilled to share that we welcomed her back in LightHouse Transition Centre as she was mentored to get placed in a reputed firm. From 1st July she will be joining the Summit Hotels and Resorts working in Siliguri main office at reservation front drawing a salary of INR 15,000. She will be staying on her own in a nearby rented place independently and we will continue build our relationship with her.

We are rejoicing as the Lord truly crowned her for her perseverance and firm faith. Kriti extends her heartfelt gratitude to each one of you who choose to sow into her life to step into transformational victory.

Prayer Requests:

1. Pray for Kriti as she steps into the new corporate professional role.

2. Pray for Mrs Mridula Kandula who have joined our India team to help as a caregiver looking into Music and Dance therapy, Daily English tuitions under daily guidance of Smarin Moumita (Bunu).

3. Pray for the recently placed 6 survivors of human trafficking who were rescued and placed at our centre by World Vision Siliguri project.

4. Pray for on-going in-house practical classes for all the survivors and the beauty and hair expert trainers who are engaging them four days a week.

5. Pray for us as a team as we pour our lives on a daily basis to bring lasting transformation in the lives of these precious daughters, sisters we get to call warriors.

6. Continued prayers for Bunu as she is going to complete the remaining part of the treatment i.e radiation. We honour each one of you for your love and generosity towards her treatment and her ministry in India.

May Update

Healing from the Inside Out

To help survivors in their journeys of restoration, our India anti trafficking ministry provides trauma-informed therapies and regular counselling to all the survivors. Support caregivers provide mentoring acting as an uplifting community that consistently offers Christ’s love and acceptance. Our belief at LightHouse is that women can experience Jesus daily as they interact with staff and volunteers who strive to be His hands and feet. Consistent opportunities are provided to attend church, participate in Bible studies, Dance & Music Worship as therapy and more.

Praise Updates:

1. Praise Jesus Smarin Moumita (Bunu) could return home for a short while to be with family and to inspire and orient the newly placed survivors she dearly calls her beloved warrior Princesses.

2. We praise God that 2 survivors from the last batch were safely restored back to the local guardian of the survivors as they expressed their wish to go back to their community. We have given them the training completion certificates.

3. World Vision Siliguri has extended a monthly support for 6 newly placed survivors for three months effective from July.

4. Praise God we are all safe here in Siliguri, India during the monsoon season when our neighbouring state Assam has been so badly affected with the ongoing floods displacing many people.

June Update

We are engaging all the precious women & girls we minister in the following activities:

1. Dance & Music Therapy. Over the years we have come to realise that the survivors who have gone through a terrible time of trauma respond better to Music and Dance introduced as healing therapy. We are happy to share that we have been trying to introduce worship flag dance to these precious girls to help usher in the Holy Spirit to minister to them supernaturally when they surrender to the act of Worship. We are hopeful and prayerful we will see a deep rooted transformation in them by introducing & welcoming the Holy Spirit in their lives.

2. Skill Training, Beauty & Hair Care. At present all of the survivors are engaged in Beauty and Hair care training. These classes take place 4 days a week.

3. Sewing & Embroidery classes. We are offering this as a complimentary skill training option for all 6 survivors of human trafficking along with the Beauty and Hair care Training curated for the at risks women & girls every alternative days. At present only 5 at-risk women come for these free sewing classes from around the slum areas in Champasari.

4. Weekend outings. The girls are taken on an outing day which is typically a fun day at the city mall, park, treats at the market place etc.

5.Sunday worship & testimony sharing. Church fellowship every Sunday is a way of life for all LightHouse Family which is led by Pastor Benjamin Khati. It is a wonderful time for the girls to experience Jesus in a real way through the testimony, word and worship, praise and prayer.

6.Evening sharing & Bible study. Every evening all the girls are engaged in a time of sharing and first hand learning together about their God given destiny, sometimes the Big questions about who is God? Why God? is addressed in these informal small group sessions.

Our LightHouse India Ministry is a special opportunity for survivors with its holistic approach. All services are offered free of charge to the women and girls who participate in the mentorship program. This generosity and life-changing opportunity is made possible because of OUR DONORS who graciously give. It truly has a wonderful lasting impact made by our India team who make the difference in the lives of these brave women and girls.

We are so thankful for each of you!

If you have a desire to be a part of the healing and restoration of these women, please consider making a one time or recurring financial gift which goes towards their efforts to reach more women and girls trapped into the vicious cycle of human trafficking and exploitation without an option to step into the transformational light of Christ.

By giving You also have the opportunity to bring hope and freedom in their lives. One gift from your heart can change the life of a victim and survivor of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, human trafficking. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8 - 9

Best regards,

Moumita