At the beginning of 2023, I was a new director, in need of support and with a very small budget, which is how I found myself with a remote executive assistant. That sounds like AI, like some app or service that I asked to complete my tasks, but it really looks like a kind blonde woman with a warm smile, a house full of kids, and a fantastic accent. Christy lives in New Jersey and we’ve never met in person, but thanks to technology she has often been in the room with us. She was one of the earliest members of my team and understands our values and our mission, and she is a valuable team member who serves in a behind-the-scenes role. Our clients are here in California, so naturally we wouldn’t expect her to be providing support directly. 

It wouldn’t be a miracle story if we expected it. 

Janessa* connected with Kim, our trauma specialist, a few years ago. Over the course of those years, Janessa encountered a number of significant setbacks, some of which were completely devastating. Exiting trafficking does not reset everything, and all survivors face subsequent challenges. As much as we wish everything worked in their favor, that’s just not always the case. The most heartbreaking setback occurred when Janessa’s daughter was moved by her father to the other side of the country, removing the weekly visits and all regular access to the person who mattered most in the world. This summer, at one of our art and swim days, Janessa told us she had made the decision to pack up the car and move to New York City. 

Throughout the move and while she tried to settle into her new home, Janessa stayed in contact with us. We appreciated hearing updates and offering encouragement and advice when appropriate. It’s always hard when someone we care about moves, and it’s especially challenging when we know they are alone. Suddenly, we thought, “What if we could help her be less alone?” 

It turns out, New Jersey is pretty close to New York City. She didn’t know it, but Janessa was really transferring from one CVJC office to another! Christy and Janessa met for lunch this week. Christy brought along a gift from the Justice Coalition, some little reminders that she is loved and cared for, some gas money, and a little cash to treat herself. To be honest, it didn’t really feel like enough. Like all of our clients, Janessa has so many needs and we often feel like we just don’t have all that we would want to give her. We hold to the faith that God takes our small offerings and multiplies them in ways we can’t imagine. Most of the time, we don’t really know how that happens, don’t get to see the outcome, we just trust that our obedience matters. In Janessa’s story, we saw the results almost immediately. 

The day after meeting with Christy, Janessa messaged to let us know that she wanted to leave a relationship she had found herself in when she had to exit the shelter she had moved into. A lack of stable housing is a vulnerability and we know that trafficking is the exploitation of one person’s vulnerabilities for another person’s profit. Many of our clients have found themselves in difficult situations or re-exploited as a result of their efforts to put a roof over the heads. Christy’s presence and the gifts she brought illuminated for Janessa the reality of the toxic relationship she was in. Here was a person offering a gift and expecting nothing in return and suddenly the contrast was clear. Janessa wisely hid the gas money and the cash, not hinting that she had received it, and the next day she called us. She had found the courage to leave, and she just needed a little support. That money gave her a pathway. 

Today, Janessa is safe. She is scheduled to see her daughter. She knows her worth and is reminded that there are people on her side. Geography is no challenge for the God of the Universe. 

In this season of advent, we are again reminded that there are pieces we can’t see, held together by a God we can trust to keep working on our behalf. We wait with hope and expectation for the promises the Savior is fulfilling. We can never predict how or when they will show up (and sometimes the wait is excruciatingly long), yet along the way there are miracles happening all around us. This season, may we allow God to open our eyes to things we have not yet seen and stir our hearts to partner with the work God is doing around us all the time. 

*Janessa is real, but her name is not.