A Glamping Trip To Remember
This last month when we asked our Hope Wing residents what type of outing they would like to go to, a common theme was a “Glamping Trip.”
For those who don’t know a glamping trip is an outdoor trip in a cabin instead of a tent. Thanks to Doug and Minette Masi (donors who sponsored the Hope Wing trip) we were able to take our residents on an outdoor excursion where we had horseback riding, campfires, off-roading experiences, and more.
For many of our residents it was the first time they went on a trip like this. One of the greatest parts of the trip was that every meal was family style. At breakfast, lunch, and dinner we all sat at a very large table and ate together (without cell phones).
One night one resident said that they had never eaten with a family before. They said that they’ve been praying for a moment like that for the past few weeks and that the family-style dinner with close friends was an answer to that prayer. That night we roasted marshmallows and had a great time playing games and hanging out!
About 80% of those experiencing sex trafficking do not have family to fall back on. Not only that but the average age a girl is sex trafficked is 14-years-old, and for boys it is even younger at 11-13 according to the Arizona Attorney General Office.
Understanding this, our program staff operates under what we call a family-care model. Where a resdient comes in with no family support we get to be their family while they stay. What’s amazing is that we also create mentor teams for each resident, and these mentors will become the familial support they never had. They’ll be the one’s to not only give them advising on things like housing or parenting, but they’ll also be the ones to attend their high school or college graduation for example.
If you would like to become a mentor and receive training click the link below. Or if you would like to support a survivor like Doug and Minette did with this trip you can sponsor a survivor below.