Spring 2011
Four Things Anyone Can Do
The figures on global sex-trafficking can be overwhelming.
With nearly 2,000,000 children in the commercial sex trade
worldwide, what can one person do to make a difference?
Here’s some creative ideas My Refuge House supporters
have done—real life people doing real life things that make
a difference.
1. Start a coin drive—it adds up!
Manna Hancock, a student at Biola University, wanted to
help raise money to support the girls at My Refuge House,
however she knew first-hand that college students don’t
have a lot of extra money. But she figured, most do have
some spare change lying around. She and a few of her
friends started going door-to-door through the dorms
asking students if they wanted to donate their spare change
to support the cause of rescuing young girls from trafficking.
She shared with everyone who answered their door about
the awful reality of global sex-trafficking and what MRH was
doing to stop it. While some students said they were too
busy, most were willing to stop and listen and donate some
spare change—pennies, dimes, nickels, whatever they had
lying around. In fact, some students were so moved by what
Manna shared that they pulled out their wallets and gave
bills—$5, $10, and even $20! After rolling up all the coins,
Manna and her friends had collected over $1,200 for the
cause! When everyone pitches in a little, it adds up to a lot.
Consider starting a coin drive at your school, church, club, or
neighborhood. For facts and figures about human-trafficking,
check out the Resources at www.MyRefugeHouse.org to
educate yourself so you too can share this cause with others.
table at the next MRH banquet and started inviting their
friends and colleagues. They told them about the awful
reality of sex-trafficking of young girls. Some people didn’t
believe them, saying trafficking wasn’t a real problem,
but others said, “How can I help?” After the banquet
Gary and Linda’s guests said they were simply amazed!
Their guests “realized that yes, this is a huge problem,
but there is something they can do about it.” Linda says,
“It has been very rewarding to know that not only our
donations help, but bringing this horrible situation to light
(continued on next page)
Building Update
We’re moving along and putting up the walls and roof
of the main building! We have raised the funds needed
to complete the first phase of construction. That means
we will be able to open the doors of the new home on
May 7th! Thank you for your prayers and financial support.
“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it
is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with
rare and beautiful treasures.” —Proverbs 23:3–4
We are encouraged in our hard work, and will not lose
sight of the fact that the rooms in the new house will be
filled with rare and beautiful treasures—girls who will
come to know that they are rare and beautiful treasures!
Find more photos of the construction posted on our
Program Director, Crystal Sprague’s blog.
www.crystalssprague.blogspot.com.
2. Host a table.
Gary and Linda Apodaca of La Habra, Calif., came to a
My Refuge House banquet not knowing that much about
the problem of sex-trafficking halfway around the world,
but they left the event knowing the very names of the
young girls they could rescue. Linda says of her experience
at the banquet, “We got the truth, neither sensationalized,
nor minimized. Just what’s really happening, and it was
shocking. I knew I couldn’t just walk away from this. I wanted
to make a personal impact to change what’s going on.”
Gary and Linda did just that. They signed up to host a
Support the girls at My Refuge House. Donate easily and safely online at www.MyRefugeHouse.org
Send check or money order made payable to “My Refuge House” to: My Refuge House PO Box 4864 Diamond Bar, CA 91765-0864 USA
My Refuge House is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity. All donations are tax-deductible.
and telling others will help change this situation forever.”
If you too want to help bring this situation to light, our
events coordinator Lila DeFiesta ([email protected])
will be happy to help you with all you need to know about
hosting a table or getting involved in the next fundraising
event in your area. Also check for upcoming events at
www.MyRefugeHouse.org/events.html
3. Ask about a match.
something over Christmas. Lauren explains, “As part of the
Advent Conspiracy project, we spent 10% less on Christmas
gifts, and donated that 10% to My Refuge House. It was a
simple way for us as a family to do something eternal over
Christmas.”
The staff of My Refuge House requests
your prayers for...
One of the easiest ways to double your donation is to
look for a matching contribution. One friend of My Refuge
House, Charlene Burke, received a flyer in her office mailbox
announcing that her company would match employee
donations for qualified charities. The flyer came complete with
instructions, a short questionnaire, and contact information.
Charlene says, “My company also advertises this charitable
feature periodically via emails, and they have a philanthropy
section on their intranet through which I downloaded their
donation form.” In fact the previous corporation she worked
for even had a dedicated full-time philanthropy department!
The first phase of construction is going faster than
expected. Praise God! Please continue to pray
that the building process keeps moving forward
smoothly.
Not every business is as proactive in charity work as
Charlene’s, so keep in mind that every company is different.
Some may have restrictions about the type of charity
they are willing to match with, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Charlene says, “I think that once a manager hears about My
Refuge House, and what a great cause it is, I think a lot of
companies would be willing to help. It just depends on their
individual policies. It just takes a quick email to find out if
My Refuge House qualifies.” If you’re not sure whether your
employer matches charitable donations, simply ask your
Human Resources department for details and instructions.
Notes from the Philippines
We have filled the positions of Social Worker and
Finance Manager. Thank you for your prayers.
Please continue to pray as we look to hire Program
Coordinators and Program Facilitators before the
opening of the new home in May.
Recently, Crystal was interviewed by Conspiracy of Hope,
an organization working to bring awareness and support
for social justice issues. Check out online this inspiring
interview in which Crystal shares the real life stories of the
struggles and recoveries of the girls at My Refuge House.
4. Holiday fundraisers can be FUN
One of the people we interviewed comes from a church
in Texas. Lauren Griffith who is a member of Irving Bible
Church in Irving Texas gave us two fantastic ideas that people
in any state can try. Lauren was very moved by the stories
she heard about the girls at My Refuge House, and wanted
to do something to help. In lieu of a Halloween party, she
decided to throw a costume party fundraiser instead. She
asked guests to come dressed up, and a small cover charge
was specified. She had a great turn out, and throughout
the party, people wanted to give even more to My Refuge
House. More importantly, people wanted to get more
informed in order to spread awareness about sex trafficking,
which is unexpected (in a good way) since this was a party!
Lauren did not stop at Halloween. She and her family also did
http://aconspiracyofhope.blogspot.com/2011/02/
valentine-from-philippines-interview.html A Valentine from the Philippines: An Interview with Crystal
Sprague Feb 14, 2011 Conspiracy of Hope.
Questions or comments? e-mail [email protected]
Newsletter editors: Jessica Curiel, Sari Yasui
My Refuge House provides a safe house in the Philippines for young
women and children who have been rescued from sex trafficking.
We are dedicated to restoring one life at a time.
Support the girls at My Refuge House. Donate easily and safely online at www.MyRefugeHouse.org
Send check or money order made payable to “My Refuge House” to: My Refuge House PO Box 4864 Diamond Bar, CA 91765-0864 USA
My Refuge House is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity. All donations are tax-deductible.