Casting Light Upon the Darkness

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Though the Internet has become a significant tool in this new digital age, it hosts dark spaces where children are exploited and victimized. Even though the reality of child sexual abuse material online is horrifying, we believe that, together, we can win this war as we lean on the One who brings light to the darkness.

Our partnership with World Hope International and many other organizations worldwide allow us to provide physical, emotional, and, most importantly, spiritual healing to children who have been rescued from this evil. 

Adesty Dulawan, a clinical supervisor at WHI, shares her thoughts on what it is like to be confronted by the reality of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) firsthand.  

(CSE) is a new phenomenon in the Philippines that is devastating the lives of children and ripping families apart. It is shattering to witness how this victimization is ruining the tender hearts and minds of children. It is likewise disheartening that it is oftentimes facilitated by the very people who were supposed to provide safety and refuge for them. The scars are sometimes too deep that the journey towards healing is arduous and complicated. 

Programs that foster mental health support for survivors, capacity strengthening for care providers, reintegration support for families, and prevention campaigns in communities are World Hope International’s response to address (CSE). Spearheading the project has been both challenging and rewarding. Challenging because it demands more than just technical professional skills but entails having a heart that genuinely cares for the welfare of the children. 

However, it is rewarding because the joy in helping survivors rise beyond their abuse experiences is immeasurable. It is fulfilling to help survivors regain their self-worth and achieve their potentials. I am driven by the fact that quality therapeutic care, when provided to the survivors, gives them a better chance at normal functioning growing up. To be an instrument of God’s healing for children, whom He holds dearly in His heart, is an amazing blessing. 

I have learned through this work that families are faced with the snares of the devil that threatens its foundation. Multi-sectorial efforts need to be focused on empowering the families economically, spiritually, and psychologically. I also came to realize that despite the horrific experience that survivors went through, there is hope for healing. And it takes caring and consistent adults who can be channels of God’s love for the children. 

What a privilege it is to be working alongside people like Adesty—people who are committed to being God’s instruments in the lives of children rescued from CSE! With your help, we can walk with Adesty. We can rescue more children. We can help restore more children. We need you, but more importantly, children trapped in the darkness around the world need you. Will you join us in this fight? 

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