Alla ajankohtaisia rukousaiheita työhömme liittyen.
Itse olen ollut erityisen järkyttynyt yhden tytön kohtalosta, jonka kanssa ehdin viettää aikaa puolivuotta. Hänet kotiutettiin elokuussa, kävin hyvästelemässä hänet viimeisenä iltana, ja molemmat itkimme. Nyt hän on ilmeisesti joutunut uudelleen ihmiskaupan uhriksi, hänen kotimaansa konsulaatin mukaan kyseinen tyttö palasi “jonkun” saattamana takaisin kyprokselle, emmekä ole kuulleet hänestä tämän jälkeen mitään. Tämä johtuu pitkälti siitä, että vastaanotto maa ei ollut varautunut hänen tuloonsa riittävin toimin. Rukoillaan että löytäisimme kyseisen tytön, rukoillaan että Jumala voisi ihmeellisellä tavalla vapauttaa hänet sieltä missä hän nyt on.
Dear All,
It has been a difficult week. Not because of the work load – the Lord has been gracious and it has not been overly busy. But we have been very downhearted, even depressed. We note how things do not improve and we keep fighting the same battles over and over again. And things seem to be getting worse anyway. Thank you for every word of encouragement we receive from you and for your prayers.
Victims’ issues
-The work situation of the victims is a mess. There are no jobs where the minimum salary can be met so they are not getting any jobs from the Labour Office. If they find a job at a lower salary, the social welfare will not top it up so that they can survive. If they take a job and then something goes wrong, they have no exit and stay with no money. They want to work but the system is so inflexible that prevents them from getting jobs and feel secure. When they hesitate or have objections, they are accused of not wanting to work and just wanting to live off welfare. The authorities cannot see how difficult their lives are, even if they receive welfare. We do not know how to speak anymore and who to speak to in order to be heard….
– More problems in the shelter. The staff does not recognize that the victims living there have lived through trauma and may not be able to follow the rigid and inflexible rules. The place has become a prison for the girls, this is what they say. The people responsible are not willing to discuss the issues and we fear that if we push, we will be ‘banned’ from the contact with the girls as well. Please pray for wisdom for us.
– A victim with special needs, repatriated 2 weeks ago (and in the most agonizing circumstances!), is apparently back in Cyprus. We fear that she has been re-trafficked as she has not made contact with us yet. This is the 2nd time that a victim will be re-trafficked and this again points to the fact that the authorities do not prepare the repatriation properly but just buy a one-way ticket home. This girl, like the other before, was sent to her country with no supervision, no medical or other report. Upon arrival in her country she was placed in a shelter for victims where her special needs were not recognized. When she requested to be released, the staff had to comply. She disappeared shortly after. We pray that she makes contact with us soon so that we can find and help her.
– We are saddened by a lack of respect for the victims and for us from the authorities. They do not keep their word, or give us false promises that they then deny. We see how the girls have lost their trust, we are slowly losing it too. The other day a victim told us that she feels that the Social Welfare and the Police treat her same way as her old employer!
-We thank ACT (the Anglo-Cypriot Theatre) for their generous donation for the victims. We are most touched by their concern and their support at a time when we “have been in the red”. God is good and He provides!
