This year’s One Great Hour of Sharing offering will help launch a residential care home for victims of human trafficking in Spain, one of Europe’s most organized and lucrative businesses, generating billions of dollars annually. John & Deanna, long-time mission partners, are overseeing this vital project. For security purposes, their last names and agency affiliations have been withheld.

The International Labor Organization (the United Nations agency that oversees global labor issues) estimates that 21 million people are victims of human trafficking worldwide, with a premium price tag of $150 billion USD per year. Due to its proximity to North Africa and Eastern Europe, increased numbers of newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers are vulnerable to trafficking. In addition, Spanish law neither permits nor prohibits prostitution, making it easier to exploit foreign victims in large numbers. Unfortunately, sexual exploitation is the chief cause of human trafficking.

However, there is hope amid this horrendous injustice that permeates our world.

John & Deanna and their team of nationals are launching a residential care home by the end of this year that will provide a safe shelter for women seeking refuge and a new life. Health and trauma services, education and job training, and small group bible studies will help survivors of human trafficking enter a new chapter in life, marked by the love and grace of Jesus Christ.