Freedom House (part II)

Back in February I told you about a benefit dinner that I attended for Freedom House. Tonight was very exciting because I attended (and unofficially volunteered for) an event to celebrate the opening of the house and announce the beginning of their Penny Drive.

The way the Penny Drive works is that people will collect pennies (and change of any denomination! Be ye bill or be ye cent!) and give the money to support Freedom House. The idea is that Lincoln's head is on the penny and it is Lincoln who is the president known for abolishing slavery. Yet while slavery was abolished we are still fighting another form of slavery today. Nearly 147 years later slaves are still found in restaurants, factories, homes, and "massage" parlors in the Bay area.

Freedom House works to provide a place to help these victims of human trafficking to break from from the cycle. The are given a safe place to stay, coaching, mental/physical health care, and legal advocacy. The beautiful thing about Freedom House is that at the heart of it is a desire that these people will come to know that God loves them, can meet them in their brokenness, and can set them free of chains that bind them.

Apart from celebrating that Freedom House is officially open and has already served come clients, it was very cool to see how my friend Jeanna has become involved. Jeanna has prayed for 7 years about working with an organization such as this. Last February I randomly found out about it, told her, and we went to the benefit dinner. She is now actually serving at the house! What a blessing it is to have witnessed this part of her journey.

P.S. If you have any pennies you're looking to get rid of, send them my way!