So much of the work Convoy of Hope does is through community leaders and local groups who are passionate about helping others. They almost always have responsibilities, work, and obligations outside of their compassion work. Each one is a hometown hero, through and through.
Hometown Hero
Pastor Mar is one of those people. She owns a restaurant with her husband in Spain, but she also pastors a local church. One of the greatest needs where she lives is rescuing migrant women and girls from trafficking. Most of the women come to Spain with the promise of work papers, but once they arrive, discover that they’ve been lied to. Many have become prostitutes just to provide for their children.
Long before working with Convoy of Hope, Pastor Mar visited the neighborhoods where these women lived. While there, she would offer free Hep-C and HIV testing. Occasionally, she brought groceries to some of the women who had children.
While they waited for the test results, Mar would ask the women questions to see if they needed rescued from their situations. Mar has made these trip by herself — four hours one way and then another four hours back — just to rescue one girl. She would arrive back home just in time to go back to her church or the restaurant for work.
Connecting With Convoy
Recently, Pastor Mar took a few Convoy team members with her on a trip. As they drove, they talked about Convoy’s Women’s Empowerment program and how Convoy seeks to move people from relief to empowerment.
The conversation challenged Pastor Mar to think about the different ways she could truly empower the women she was serving. She began asking the women about their past work experiences and helped them create resumes.
As a result, every woman she has worked with has successfully obtained a job and rescued themselves from prostitution.
Changing Communities Together
The only way that Convoy’s work can affect the lives of millions each year is through a vast network of partners. Engaging with civic organizations, churches, and businesses who want to transform communities is what creates real change and sustainability.
“Convoy of Hope is empowering women in Europe, particularly in Bulgaria, Moldova, and Spain,” said Convoy’s Dargan Phillips. “European women can attend classes using Convoy curricula, which has been translated into their language. Through the courses, they see their value as a woman and can reach their potential.”
When people like Pastor Mar come alongside Convoy of Hope, women around the world are empowered to break cycles and dream of brighter futures. This gives them the opportunity to positively impact the lives of their children and their communities.
