Refuge for Woman has a facility in Crystal Lake.
Thursday the organization held a fundraiser.
“Thursday’s Victory Gala was a success filled with many blessings! We’re grateful for the 150+ people who joined us to raise critical funds for the survivors healing in our programs.
“Together, they raised more than $130,000 for survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation!
“WOW! What an impact!“
Part of the program was the testimony below.
WHAT VICTORY MEANS TO HER
We named our Victory Gala after what one of our current residents shared:
“I want to share a portion of my testimony with you today, a testimony that at one point had no hope of escape, but through Jesus Christ became a testimony of victory.
I could not get my life together. At the time, I honestly thought my life would be just another cycle of jail, exploitation, survival, heartbreak, and failure. The time I served in jail was no picnic. I was going through withdrawal from drugs and my body literally felt like it was dying. Rock bottom for me was when I was lying in my bunk, sick and hopeless, yelling at God, ‘Take me, please. I have nothing else to live for.’
Then something amazing happened. My bunk mate started talking about Jesus. She asked me to go to Bible study with her, and I was hesitant at first. But I ended up going, and that’s where my transformation started. Then, I got a magazine one day in my cell. On the front, in big bold letters, it said: VICTORY. I did not know then, but that word was going to be the light I had been needing. Night after night and day after day, I’d gaze at that word, Victory, and pray. It was something I could hold onto. It gave me hope at a time when I thought hope had died.
Victory became a reminder of what was possible through Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 says ‘But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’
I learned that Jesus doesn’t just offer victory over death, He offers victory over every one of the things that had me and other survivors in captivity. My addiction, my brokenness, my shame – in Him, I overcame it all. Jesus saved me from a life of darkness and gave me the strength to transform everything. I’m here today, not because I pulled myself up by my bootstraps, but because Jesus gave me victory over every struggle I’ve faced. Can I get an AMEN!?!? :)”
