2 Corinthians 9:6-7 reminds us of a life-changing truth:
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Generosity is about joy, and no one models that better than Jesus.
Our Advent Conspiracy theme for this third week of Advent is Give More. Throughout this season of watching & waiting in hope for the Lord, we invite you to rediscover the joy of giving.
Consider the amazing impact of our Advent Conspiracy offering to Justice Ventures International and GenerateHope.
Our partnership enables JVI to continue forward in bringing freedom, justice, and restoration to those in need. During this past year, hundreds of children, women, and men have been freed from slavery through the faithful work of JVI and their partners.
Jeff Pankratz, president of JVI, shares the story of one operation from this past year:
Earlier this year, JVI was instrumental in securing the rescue of 186 men, women, and children from bonded slavery in the Madhubani District of India, near the Nepal border. Many of these families had been trapped in oppressive agricultural slavery for three generations, forced to live in tiny one-room open-air huts, paid with only enough rice to survive, and made to work long hours under the blazing sun. Following their rescue, JVI lawyers ensured that criminal charges were registered against the perpetrators and legal proceedings are underway. JVI and its local partner have helped survivors obtain vital government rehabilitation funds, open bank accounts, enroll in vocational training programs and secure new job opportunities for decent wages. Children, who previously toiled in the fields alongside their parents, now attend school for the first time in their lives. This road to freedom has not been an easy one and there are many challenges still ahead. But these families have moved from a life of desperate misery, fear and danger to one of freedom and hope. As Sunil,* one of the survivors, shared, “We are now free from bondage…we are grateful to those who have helped us.”
GenerateHope is a powerful ministry here in San Diego.
GenerateHope provides a safe place for survivors of sex trafficking to be restored through long-term housing, healing, psychotherapy and education. Since recovery from sexual exploitation is a long-term process, GenerateHope provides individualized support to work through past trauma until the women reach the ability to live independently and become a positive influence on their communities and future generations.
You can read some of the amazing stories of transformation here on their site. Our AC offering will go to support their House 2 Home Campaign, which will provide a permanent refuge for victims of trafficking here in San Diego.
Isn’t that the kind of story you want our life together to tell? Through our giving, we proclaim that God has not given up on the world, and neither have we.
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During this third week of Advent, consider the generosity and joy of our God:
Anchor & Hope Church 