The move to Europe is going very well. I’m quickly getting settled and learning all about Germany and Europe. The opportunities for engagement have been rolling in, confirming this move as a solid decision.
Currently, much of my work for Relentless is learning German so that I can have a solid command of this language and eventually get a medical license to practice in Germany which will open up many more opportunities to serve people here.
However, in the three months since I’ve been here, there have already been some exciting developments locally, nationally, and internationally.
Local:
I met Abbie Edgar on a previous trip to Berlin and within the first week I arrived she became my intern! Abbie has a degree in public health and plans to go to nursing school after her two-year stint in Berlin. She is also volunteering for Pink Door, an aftercare program for trafficked women, and NeuStart, an outreach/drop-in program for women on the street. She has been a super asset and a great help as we are working on a research project together.
With Pink Door Berlin, I’ve been working with their social workers and volunteers and I’ll be leading a class on trauma and the brain/body for their program participants.
National:
I’ve also been exploring possibilities with a couple of Berlin-based national networks, Netzwerk gegen Menshenhandel and Gemeinsam gegen Menschenhandel to strategize on reaching professionals throughout Germany.
I’m leading a working retreat for an organization in August and other organizations around Germany have been reaching out for consultations, trainings, and coaching.
International:
In April I had the privilege to be the main speaker for the “Building Confidence in an Anti-trafficking World” Conference in Kathmandu, Nepal. For more on that please see this post.
map of europe with major cities Elegant Map of Europe
In May I attended the European Freedom Network conference with representatives from most European countries. We came together to learn, share, network, and strengthen our collaborative work to stop human trafficking. I’m leading the Restore Action Group where organizations can learn and share and grow regarding any topic along the long restoration process.
In June I represented the Health Care Network at the European Evangelical Alliance General Assembly. Here I was able to network with national and international leaders regarding various health and justice issues – particularly human trafficking.
The Relentless webinar is now online! Enroll for this free course about the intersection of health and human trafficking!
Relentless is off to a great start in Europe and great things will be developing! Thank you for your support and encouragement!
To learn more about the situation of human trafficking in Germany, here are a few helpful links to get you started. 1) “Cursed and Sold” is about Nigerian women trafficked under curses to work in the sex industry. 2) An article in Deutche Welle about Germany’s lack of initiative to fight human trafficking. 3) This article reports on a Vietnamese-Berlin trafficking ring. 4) Here is a more in-depth evaluation of human trafficking in Germany. When you are hungry for more, please be in touch or visit the Relentless Facebook page.
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