Human Trafficking Ministry has been an integral part of what we do, and for over 14 years, we have allocated proceeds from Gracelets jewelry sales to aid in the rescue and restoration of women affected by sex trafficking. I worked at a safehouse in the Houston area and faced the horrors of trafficking. It was there that the concept for the Child of God Gracelet originated. I used these scriptures daily to help re-form the identities of the resilient women who had survived so much. I grew to love each one, and I wanted them to know who and who's they really were! The truth of our identity miraculously transforms us all.
Over the years, we have formed partnerships with multiple human trafficking ministries here in Houston and in Thailand, even collaborating on different projects and new designs. In addition to sending 10% of our proceeds, we blessed survivors with many pieces of prayed over jewelry to help them feel cherished and valued.
At the end of 2024, we heard about three rescued girls and we knew we had to get involved. In 2025, we committed to supporting their needs monthly through a Christian ministry called 'Rescue 1' to provide essential care and education, helping them reach their dreams! (Read more about each girls' aspirations below.) We hope you will join us in praying for Emma, Laura and Bella, knowing that every purchase of Gracelets jewelry is supporting our efforts to assist them.
There may be no greater horror than imagining a child being trafficked or sold as a sex slave. For Bella, Emma and Laura, this was a reality. For many girls, it is a family member that exploits them for financial gain or to support a drug habit.
Through Gracelets sales, we aim to support their needs and offer hope for their futures, making their dreams achievable. It's truly a miracle that they have the courage to dare to hope and dream! Children are natural dreamers, but when a child feels unsafe, one of the first things they lose is the ability to dream and hope for more. Survival mode steals the luxury of being creative and imagining their future life. I understand this well, and I want every child to be able to dream with God for their lives, and to create and build something special with their unique, God-given giftings and talents. After all, that's how Gracelets came about! I dreamt with God and He exchanged ashes for beauty.
At Gracelets, we often say that going after 'the one' adds up - and we know that making a difference in just one child's life can change their future, and their family perhaps for generations... it all begins with one!
We would like to share Emma, Laura and Bella's stories with you. Warning, their truth may be very difficult to read. We caution you that this material may be disturbing. You may choose not to read about their rescues, and instead to look at their photos and to pray for them. Pray they keep dreaming and seeking God for His good plan for their lives!
Emma (14 years old, rescued at age 10)
Emma is a girl whose childhood rights were violated when she was 4 years old, exposing her to dangerous situations. She was fed from garbage cans, beaten and mistreated. She was rescued at the age of 8 from a complaint from a neighbor who stated that there were three little sisters with a very severe degree of malnutrition who did not attend school and spent all day locked up. The authorities managed to rescue her and she entered the hospital with her sisters to the safe home where she receives medical, psychological, and educational attention. She is currently 14 years old and is very talented in creating art. She paints beautiful paintings where she captures what she feels and when she grows up she wants to be an artist.
Laura (17 years old, rescued at age 13)
Laura is a young girl who was sexually abused by her stepfather and different men from a very early age. She lived with her biological mother who was a drug addict and exposed her daughters to the worst atrocities in order to receive money. Laura didn’t eat, sleep, or attend school. She was locked up all day in a filthy room under the worst conditions. Thanks to an anonymous complaint from a neighbor, she was rescued together with her two sisters and now living in the safe house we help support. She immediately received medical attention and was diagnosed with a heart murmur and a denture that required specialized treatment. Today she is 17 years old. When she grows up she wants to study interior design and that the houses she designs will be of harmony and happiness.
Bella (16 years old, rescued at age 13)
Bells is a teenager who suffered sexual abuse from a very young age. Her alcoholic biological mother exposed her to a life of misery and rape. She abandoned her mom’s care and started living with her maternal grandmother who was also had vices. They lived in a dirty abandoned house. She did not attend school and was also exposed to alcohol and drugs by her grandmother. Her grandmother allowed men to enter the house for parties in exchange for bringing her alcohol. They sexually abused Bella. She was rescued thanks to a school friend who took her with her family and made the corresponding complaint to the authorities. She is now living in the safe house we help support and is welcomed with much love. She has been receiving psychological, medical, and educational attention. She is grateful to be safe. When she grows up, she wants to be a police officer or a soldier to bring justice to children who have suffered from abuse.
Going after the one, one at a time, can change the world.
Through your purchase, we are able to sponsor rescued children through Rescue 1 .
Every purchase allows us support their needs monthly, contributing towards housing, food, clothing, education, medical care, counseling services and vocational training.
To learn more about Rescue 1 or to donate directly, you may visit: https://rescue1now.com/about/the-mission
Shop now at www.Gracelets.com