Heading Home!

As our suitcases are being rolled down the hall right now, I'm typing this final blog post from India.  We're about to get in a car to head to the airport where well catch our first in a series of three airplane rides back home. our team (minus Jen behind the camera) with the young women of Rescue & Restore Jewelry Project Our team dynamic has more than exceeded my expectations and each one on the team has served those we came to help with incredible love. Thank you Kelly, Jen & Crissie. You are awesome, and I'd eat carbs & ride in a rickshaw with you in India anytime! Patty Check back soon for more info on our jewelry! Photos by Jen Pric...

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Making beautiful Jewelry = SUCCESS!

Today we worked hard making jewelry side by side with the young women of the Rescue and Restore Shelter jewelry project.  This is our third project and there are six young women we worked with to create new jewelry designs.  Thanks to the creativity of Kelly Jo, we are leaving 9 different earrings for them to make! Woohoooooo!  Can't wait for you to see the earrings. Can you hear us cheer all the way from India? Photos by Jen Price ...

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Day 2 in Chennai

As Jen & I made our way by auto rickshaw from the jewelry project to a nearby slum, a young woman came to mind who I met on my last visit to Chennai. Her name is Bhavani. She has two small sons and lives in utter poverty. I wonder what her life story is, and hopefully someday I'll get to know her more. As we drove up to the entrance of the slum, surprisingly Bhavani was walking toward me. She smiled a beautiful smile when I called her name. What a wonderful thing to know her name. Even though she lives tucked inside this destitute place, she is not forgotten, definitely not by me. She kissed my shoulder as we said goodbye. The slum is not a great place to raise a family. The stories that come from this place are not pretty. A...

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Sitta's Story...Day 1 in Chennai

A blast of hot humid air hit us as we walked out of the Chennai airport last night! Wow, it's hot here. What a terrific first day we've had, though. This morning we loaded up in two rickshaws and headed to the bulk jewelry supplier to purchase some raw materials to use for jewelry designs for the women to make. The market was dusty, crowded and very HOT. A motorcycle hit me in the leg, but thankfully I squeezed out of the way at the last minute and didn't get crushed. In the afternoon we worked with the young women of Rescue & Restore jewelry making project. This is our third project that's being launched in a home that rescues orphans and young women from the streets. Siita's story is one of heinous abuse, but also of intervention....

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In Transit

Tonight we fly to Chennai to work on the development of a third jewelry project! Tomorrow we'll be working with some young women on jewelry making techniques and purchasing some supplies. Check back tomorrow for more..... Photo by Jen Pr...

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Jewelry Project: day of training at Rescue House

28 hands twisting, shaping, clipping. The young women of Rescue House crowded around a small table as our team worked with them to master the basic jewelry making techniques they need to know in order to create beautiful jewelry. All 14 young women, ranging in age from 18 to 21, have been rescued by the police from a life of sexual slavery. When I first met them, almost two years ago, their stories gripped my heart. I remember weeping long and hard as they sang the hymn "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow". What struck me today was how much they have changed in the past two years. Two years ago they seemed a little tougher. Today they are softer, more tender, even joyful. It's obvious something beautiful is happening deep inside their...

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Thoughts on being in India from Jen

Thirteen years ago I came to India. After that trip, I never wanted to come back. Everything about it was tough. Being here a second time, I've had the time to reflect on the differences. During this reflection, I've realized that my heart has totally changed toward this beautiful, crazy country. During our time here we've visited a brothel, the area where the street kids live, the children's homes who have rescued these kids, and the various jewelry projects. You can't understand the impact these children's homes and jewelry projects are having without seeing the other two places. We started a new jewelry project the other day with some ladies. They had such a joy as they learned to make earrings for the first time. Later we heard...

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Launch of a NEW Jewelry Project for Young Women Rescued from the Streets

Today was an incredibly exciting day! We launched a new jewelry making project for a group of young women who were rescued from the streets when they were very young. They have grown up in a Childrens' home, but they are reaching the age that they must find a way to earn a living in order to transition into a healthy life out on their own. This project gives them a way to begin earning fair wages in a very safe environment. Kelly Jo did an amazing job teaching them basic earring making skills. She was patient and persistent in showing them exactly how to make a perfect loop. After about an hour and a half we were surprised to see about 46 pairs of earrings completed. They were so proud of their accomplishment! Kelly Jo, you are...

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Rescue Children & They are SAFE

Tonight I heard some beautiful music. Now all the notes weren't in the right key, but it was beautiful because of what the notes represent. They represent peace, safety, joy, life and FREEDOM. After leaving the red light district we made our way to Hope of Glory Childrens' home. Little Meriamal grew up in the very brothel we visited earlier today, but was rescued and came to live in this home when she was very small. Today she is 6 years old, she's going to school, and she is safe. If she had stayed in the brothel, she would end up growing up a prostitute like her mother, but her mom chose love and is allowing her to grow up away from that place. Children who live in the brothel are often druged or given alcohol to make them sleep...

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The Brothel-Wednesday Part 2

My heart thudded in my chest as we walked up the narrow dark stairway leading into the brothel. At the top of the stairs we turned into a small room where several women sat, just waking up from work the night before. Boxes of condoms lined the wall by the door. They welcomed us in, and took the gift of lunch we brought. We sat down on 2 dirty straw mats they put down on the old wooden floor. Wadded up clothes and dirty dishes crowded the already small space. Looking around the tiny room, I noticed the girls hesitated to look us in the eye. They wore shame like a heavy blanket, but we came in and sat beside them. I reached over and put my hands on the arm of the girl beside me. It took some time, but slowly she let her guard down. As...

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Life on the Streets-Wednesday Part 1

This afternoon we visited families living on the streets. Life is harsh for them. We met a group of young women who live alone & unprotected in this rough part of town. Their stories are shocking, heart wrenching, frustrating. These two young women are picked up regularly by a local gang and raped, and they can't do anything about it. If they fight back, they know they will be killed by the gang. They each have several children now, but still they live alone with their little ones. Their faces are old, but they are young, maybe 18 or 20. In the eyes of their children I see no hope for the future. What can we do? Lord, how can this change? You are the only hope. Show us the way. After spending time with these families the four of...

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First Day...We made it to India

Early this morning we pulled in to our hotel in India, a little road weary, but very excited for what's ahead this week. In the afternoon we got out to pick up some supplies and also to catch some glimpses of the city and the people who live here. We met a little boy who lives on the street with his family. Even at the age of 5 or so his teeth are rotted out in the front. It was fun to get down at his level and look him in the eye and talk for a few minutes. I wonder if anyone has taken time lately to show him he's valuable. We all had to pile in one rickshaw when Jen & Kelly's rickshaw ran out of gas. Here's a fun clip from inside our ride! Tomorrow is a big day. We're heading out again to meet some families who live on the streets,...

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A sneak peek of what's to come & note of thanks!

Take a sneak peek at some of the jewelry that the young women in our projects are making! Join us as we leave for India tomorrow, Sunday March 20th, by following our blog. A big thank you to everyone who donated, to New Hope Christian, to Streams of Mercy (www.streamsofmercy.org), to Yogurtville & Saxby's in Murphy, Texas for supporting our project and helping us in our fundraising efforts. This project would not be possible without you! Our team of four flies out tomorrow afternoon, and we'd appreciate your prayers! Pa...

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Preparing to go...

Three of us took a jewelry making class the other night to better prepare ourselves to work with the jewelry project in India. It was great to get a better handle on jewelry making techniques and a lot of fun to twist, hammer and snip our way through the evening. Kelly, the jewelry making pro, was in her element! So glad she's part of our team. photos by Jen Pr...

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Coffee, Henna & "Fun"draiser...

With less than two weeks to go until our team of four leaves for India, as a team we're working together to see all of our funds come in to cover the expenses for the trip. Friday night we had our first event at Saxbys. What a great evening where friends dropped by, sipped coffee, browsed our display and had henna applied by Kelly Jo. If you'd like to donate to our project, check out the donate section on the blog or contact Patty at patty@hopesgate.org. Stay tuned for more opportunities to support our trip in the Wylie area! Photos by Jen Price Follow our blog as we leave for India March 20...

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Making Jewelry, Giving Hope

In November of this past year Hope's Gate started the first jewelry making project at Project Rescue Women's shelter which is home to 19 rescued young women. The young women have heartbreaking life stories, but also stories of hope. When Teena was 12 years old, she wanted to be a doctor. She was the middle child of three kids. Her uncle had a terrible gambling debt, so one day he asked her parents if he could take Teena to a carnival, but instead he sold her for $250 to a pimp to repay the debt he owed. When her uncle returned without her, he told her parents that she ran away. After several years of sexual exploitation she was finally rescued and made her way back home. When she arrived at the door of her house, her parents finally learned...

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We Have A Jewelry Project In India!

Many of you know about the desire I've had to start a jewelry making project in India to help women who've been rescued from a life of sexual exploitation.Well, I am happy to say while there, the first project was started! This project will give young women jobs, give them an income with dignity, and help them transition back into society in a healthy way. The young women of Project Rescue begin making jewelry today (Friday). All the young women in this home have been rescued from sexual slavery, and have lived in this rescue home for several years.Stay tuned for ways you can be involved in purchasing jewelry to support this project in the near futu...

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Jewelry Project Happenings

Friday afternoon we met with a wonderful couple and discussed some possible options for the jewelry project here in Pune to help young women at risk! As you can see our team got down and looked at some jewelry options, as well.It's been encouraging to see the momentum build for this project.Monday we have our final meeting with an organization that rescues women out of prostitution. We are meeting with them to see if our project can offer some young women jobs making jewelry instead of living a life of prostitution.Please keep praying with us for the Lord's help. It's more than obvious how much we need Him to see this vision become a reality. A friend recently said "if this was easy, everyone would be starting a project like this". Easy...

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