Last night I watched my first Denver Bronco game of the season and they won! Since they had already lost two games this preseason, I’m glad I watched the game they won. We’ll be watching the Broncos all season long because we are their fans.

As much as I am a Bronco fan, I am a greater fan of ministries that are changing people’s lives. Just today I became an official fan of WorldCrafts at their new fan page on Facebook. WorldCrafts is changing lives by representing those who have little hope of the most basic necessities of life. The support that WorldCrafts provides as we import their handmade crafts brings dignity and hope. Perhaps you’ve faced a day when you weren’t sure how you would pay a bill, or get the school supplies you needed. Maybe you have even faced hunger. If so, you understand the impact we can make when we get behind a ministry like WorldCrafts.

As a Fair Trade Federation member, WorldCrafts is committed to a high standard of ethical practices as we work with our artisans. Visit the Facebook Fan page for WorldCrafts at http://tiny.cc/1oobr and become a fan of WorldCrafts!

Rahab’s Rope and WorldCrafts partner to help victims of the sex trade in India.

This is the eleventh in a series of monthly articles as part of the WorldCraftssm Set1Free campaign. This campaign highlights WorldCrafts artisan groups working to end sexual exploitation and human trafficking among the world’s poor.

Mary was raised in an orphanage in India. When the time came for her to leave the orphanage, a man approached her and offered to marry her, which is not uncommon. After signing some paperwork that she thought legalized their marriage, her new “husband” took her to a brothel and left her. She eventually escaped and then tried to commit suicide multiple times. In her final attempt she ate glass and lay down in the street to die.

      And that’s when her life began to change. A worker from Rahab’s Rope Women’s Center found her and brought her to the shelter. There she received safe, loving care and spiritual, educational, and vocational training. Now in her late 20s, Mary enjoys a new life making handcrafted gifts in the nurturing environment of Rahab’s Rope.

      Then there’s Sonu. She was married at the age of 15. Her husband later became ill and could not work, so he beat Sonu and prostituted her to other men to make money. She had a little girl, who died at five days old. She then ran away from her husband to escape the abuse and ended up at Rahab’s Rope. She has learned to make jewelry and is now one of the most skilled artisans there, capable of training other girls as they arrive off the streets.

      Since its start in 2004, Rahab’s Rope has worked with thousands of women like Mary and Sonu on the streets of Bangalore, India. With Christian compassion, women are rescued and provided food, shelter, protection, and trained for a better way of life. The staff’s vision is simple: To see lives transformed by God’s love in action, revealing that love in a way the women can see, understand, and respond to in faith.

      But the need is still great and grows daily. About 200 girls and women are forced into the commercial sex trade every day across India. They are abused for a time and then thrown into the streets to survive if they can.

      Rahab’s Rope center can house up to 30 women and hundreds receive vocational training on-site each year. The center takes a truly holistic and restorative approach that produces long-term change. As the women’s physical, spiritual, and educational needs are met, they are prepared to reintegrate into society as contributing members. Rangeetha is one of many success stories—she now has her own successful sewing business and employs other women.

      Just as in the Bible Rahab’s scarlet rope represented her rescue, physically and spiritually, Rahab’s Rope Women’s Center is a lifeline to women who have nowhere else to turn.

Your purchase of these handmade items from WorldCrafts allows Rahab’s Rope Women’s Center in India to provide loving support and a fair income to women rescued from human trafficking. As WorldCrafts orders additional products from Rahab’s Rope, this artisan group can set more women free, providing them spiritual hope and a sustainable lifestyle. Go to http://tiny.cc/0dox1 to purchase this beautiful turquoise necklace and earrings set.