~The Mission Foundation~

AMAZINGLY TRANSFORMED YOUNG WOMEN. . .

Rescued From Human Trafficking

Father Jeff Bayhi at St. Peter's Square: Father Jeff has always ministered among the "least

of these." For seven years, he served the poorest of the poor with Mother Teresa in Calcutta.

Currently he is the pastor of a large parish in Zachary, LA and is a chaplain at Angola State Prison

where he spends many hours with inmates each week.

Sister Eugenia Bonetti oversees a worldwide effort against

human trafficking. Sister Eugenia received the International

Women of Courage Award in 2007. This award was established

in that year by U.S. Secretrary of State Condoleezza Rice on

International Women's Day and is presented annually. It was

our privilege to be with Sister Eugenia and her colleagues.

Bobby Gaston, Ph. D. (LA Sheriff's Association), Senator Ronnie Johns, Australian Ambassador to the Vatican John McCarthy, Colonel Mike Edmonson (LA State Police), Fr. Jeff Bayhi, and myself

Bec and Sister Eugenia in a meeting at the Vatican

Col. Mike holding a child of one of the

young women at a safehouse

Dear friends,

It’s great to be home for a few days. Bec and I have just returned from our mission to Rome concerning human trafficking, and this Thursday, October 30^th, we will be leaving for

Tanzania

where I will be leading a conference with the national leaders of the Expository Preaching Movement of Tanzania (Langham Preaching), which we first established in 2005.

The days between this international travel have been quite full, speaking to men – The Gathering of Men here in Baton Rouge as well as Monday Morning for Men in Ruston – and other opportunities in ministry, including work with members of two pastor search committees (Presbyterian and Baptist) in their efforts to establish links to candidates for those pastorates. I am very grateful to our Lord for the privilege He continues to give me to serve alongside brothers and sisters from all denominations.

AMAZING TRANSFORMATION OF YOUNG WOMEN: As I mentioned in last month’s letter, Bec and I were invited by Fr. Jeff Bayhi to go to Rome to meet with Sister Eugenia Bonetti and

Vatican

officials concerning the possibility of establishing a safehouse here in the Baton Rouge area. Also in the group were Senator Ronnie Johns, Col. Mike Edmonson (Superintendent of the State Police) and his wife Suzanne, Bobby Gaston (LA Sheriff’s Association) and his wife Suzan Gaston, Ph.D. ( Program Coordinator of a special outreach for youth at LSU’s College of Education) who for many years has been involved in work with “at risk” children.

Our time in

Italy

was extremely profitable. In addition to other privileges and opportunities, our group’s dinner guests on our first night there were John McCarthy, Australian Ambassador to the

Vatican

, and his wife Christine. John has been assigned by the Pope to serve as his liaison with all those who are involved in the global effort to eradicate human trafficking. John and Christine were very warmly engaging people, and John was keenly focused on each question or suggestion that came from our group. This was the start of a blessed week which was highlighted by our experiences in the safehouses with the Sisters and the women (and in some cases their children) who have been rescued and wonderfully transformed. These young women, who were from Eastern Europe and West Africa, were strikingly happy and outgoing – absolutely delightful to be around. I was utterly amazed at the extent of their transformation. In one city, we visited their fabric shop where they employed their new skills as seamstresses. They were confident and very much enjoying their work. There was never a hint of the horrible brokenness they had once known. I found myself thinking, “I would that all Christians would have such lovely countenances.”

I’ll briefly share only one story. A young Nigerian woman had been one of seven girls who had been told that they were being sponsored to attend university in Europe. It is easy to imagine how happy these young girls must have been as they said their goodbyes to their parents and siblings and friends and boarded the plane together. But when they arrived in Europe, they stepped off into the clutches of the evil men who were waiting to drag them away into a nightmare whose horrors I will only describe in a few words: stripped, evaluated, sold, sold again, sexually used over and over and over again every day, day after day. But then, while out on the street, one of these girls saw Sister Rita. As she told us her story, she said, “I saw God.” Sister Rita reached out, took her hand, and brought her into the “family” where she came under the loving care of the nuns who have given all that they are to girls like this one.

Under Father Jeff’s guidance, further steps are now being taken to see a work developed here in Baton Rouge for girls 17 and under. It is hoped that by next April everything will be in place and that Sister Eugenia and some of her colleagues will visit our city in support of this work. I should point out that these Sisters made it very clear that they are respectful of the religious affiliations of all of the girls whom they serve. So please pray for the involvement of all denominations here in our city. Also, please pray for the little girls and teenagers who are being abused even at this moment, as I close this letter.

In our Savior’s love,

Rod and Bec

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: We are in the final quarter of the year. We would be very grateful for any support that you might provide for our work. It is much needed.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: We are in the final quarter of the year. We would be very grateful for any support that you might provide for our work. It is much needed.