“I Don’t Know Why You [Rescued Me] But You Saved My Life.”
THANK YOU
One of the greatest needs a human being has is to know that they are loved.
That is what keeps bringing them back, sure the food is important but love is more important. To us we may be building a building, or giving food, or drilling a water well — but to them: it is a miracle. Often times things look impossible…but for us, we ask: “but how are we going to do this.”
Crisis Aid is ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures‘ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
According to Forbes, sex trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the world today. How is it possible that this evil continues to spread like a plague relatively unchecked for decades? This is a travesty far beyond what words can describe.
Since 2007, Crisis Aid and our partners have worked with girls across the globe trapped in this living hell; their lives shattered and destroyed beyond recognition. Yet through these years, we have been privileged to help over 1,000 of these innocent young girls escape and move toward a new life completely restored and fulfilled!
Do you remember Asha from your September 2017 Newsletter? She is the young girl that was sold by her parents to a local witch doctor when she was just a child. Her life was completely destroyed; her childhood hopes and dreams shattered! While her restoration was lengthy, it was well worth it.
This year Asha is planning to get married! She chose the date her parents sold her to be her wedding date. Sue and Pat Bradley will have the privilege of walking her down the aisle. WOW! What a story of restoration! We are humbled and blessed to be a part of this young girl’s life.
While Asha has grown and flourished, Danielle is a young girl whose journey of restoration is just beginning. When she was only 15, she ran away from her home where she was being sexually abused and beaten. For over 8 years Danielle has been living in cars, sleeping on benches, and being passed from pimp to pimp for trade and profit.
Danielle found a church who told her about your Refuge Home. They immediately called Crisis Aid, and we welcomed her into our safe home just this month. When she first walked in she looked like a frail and frightened child.
We gave her a tour of her new home and she broke down in tears. She just sobbed, “I’ve never had a bed before.” The shame she was feeling was overwhelming. We just held her and cried with her. Danielle’s story of restoration is just starting. Her journey will be hard, but if she stays with it, those years of abuse and neglect will be transformed.
Praise God, Danielle and Asha did not fall through the cracks as do so many. There are literally millions of young girls at serious risk, but with your support, we can help rescue those within our sphere.
We are grateful that you care and want to help rescue these girls from their nightmare.
Please do not let precious girls like Danielle or Asha fall through the cracks. Show them that someone cares. Help them dream again by being a part of their miraculous rescue. Taking a step is easy; help create awareness, become an advocate, hold a fundraiser, become a monthly partner. Dream big. The possibilities of what you can do to help these victimized girls are only limited by your imagination.
Thank you for your love, support, and prayers over the years.
Here Are Some Ways You Can Help Toward Meeting Our Needs Today
East Africa
• Provide schooling through the Vocational Training Center for 10 girls: $7,500
• Sponsor a girl’s graduation and provide seed money to start a new life: $650
United States
• Add an additional bed for one year to help more girls: $23,000
• Refurbish a bedroom for a girl: $1,400
Thank You For Caring. Your Generosity Makes A Big Difference.
Crisis Aid is ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures‘ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
Thank you. As you look through these pictures, know that YOU are one of the special individuals that made these life-saving transformations possible. The smiles on these mothers’ faces say more than we could ever express with words. Their children are thriving today because of your generosity.
God bless you – and THANK YOU!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Pat & Sue Bradley
PS: It is your giving that makes all of this possible.
Crisis Aid is ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures‘ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
Sex trafficking is by far one of our generations’ greatest tragedies. It is an epidemic with an estimated 4.8 million people trapped in forced sexual exploitation globally [1]. East Africa is among one of the highest areas impacted. This atrocity is a girl being marginalized, broken down, and then sold by another human being simply for pleasure or financial gain. The onslaught of abuse and demeaning torment is intended to destroy the victim, both inside and out.
Together, let’s give life back to girls that have been trapped in the horrors of sexual slavery. Help us move girls toward thriving, not merely surviving every single day. Let’s bring dignity and hope into their lives and draw them closer to God, that they may step into the fullness He has for them.
The dream for these girls does not stop here. It continues to grow and to expand far beyond today. It reaches into the lives of these precious people for years to come. We are determined to help the people of East Africa make a permanent “life-giving” change for themselves and their families. The goal is to provide each girl with opportunities they’ve never had, and without God and your help, This is impossible. They need to be rescued!
NO ONE should EVER be compelled or forced into sex in order to survive or protect their loved ones!
THE QUESTION —
How do we rescue more girls in East Africa?
THE SOLUTION —
THE GIRLS VILLAGE
Crisis Aid’s solution in East Africa is to design and operate a sustainable housing program known as the “Girls’ Village”.This Village will house up to 100 young girls and their children. It will include a home, a daycare learning environment, a vocational training center, and retail space that will provide jobs for the girls once they graduate and rental income to help pay operating costs of the home.
Background In December of 2006, Crisis Aid’s first girl was rescued from sex trafficking in East Africa. In April of 2007, the first Refuge Home was opened for 7 more girls. Three years later, the Vocational Training Center was started inside the capital city’s Red Light District.This was to help the girls still trapped. In 2012, Crisis Aid’s first US-based home was opened.To date, over 1050 girls have been helped worldwide; the youngest being just four years old.
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THE NEED —
Serving one of the poorest and most famine-prone countries in the world, with more than half of the population living on less than $1 USD per day [2].The pressures of famine, lack of educational opportunities, sexual and physical abuse, and forced marriage at preadolescent ages cause thousands of girls to flee to the capital.When they arrive, the girls seek employment, only to find themselves forced or tricked into a life of sexual slavery.
Multiple estimates by non-government organizations and government entities reveal there are between 40,000—150,000 girls forced into prostitution in the capital city alone [3].Forced prostitution is sex trafficking.
“I never will forget.On one of our rescue missions when we first started, Crisis Aid rescued 6 girls from the red light district.But when we drove away, there were 5 girls left standing with their bags packed, crying.These girls were begging to be rescued, but Crisis Aid had to leave them behind because we didn’t have the funding for more Refuge Homes. That sight will always haunt me.We have to do something more.We can’t just leave them there.” – Pat Bradley, Founder
Currently, Crisis Aid rents 3 separate homes to house girls rescued from sex trafficking. All 3 of these homes are consistently full. With the restrictions of rental properties and space, only 35 girls can be rescued at a given time. To help girls still in the red light district, Crisis Aid opened Mercy Chapel Vocational Training Center. This vocational training is a huge step in the right direction for these girls, it provides a way for them to escape a life of sexual slavery however a vocation alone does not completely provide all they need to break the cycle.
As The Sun Sets – Girls Who Need to be Rescued – Go Back to Work
WHERE WE ARE TODAY —
Overall Approach
Land on the main road outside of the country’s capital has been purchased and construction of the home is nearing completion.
Next steps
–1:Complete Phase 1, secure funding for the furnishings and the operating costs of the Home.This includes the 100 bedrooms, kitchens, dinning rooms, play center for 40 children, family gathering spaces, and so forth.
–2:Once this is completed, construction on the 9 story Vocation & Commerce Center will begin with an emphasis on getting the Vocational Training Center opened as quickly as possible.
–3: Rent out retail and office space in the remaining areas of the commerce building.
We need your help. We are asking that you search your heart, and to be a part of these girl’s solution. Please help us furnish the Girl’s Home and begin construction of the Vocational Center and Commerce building that these girls and their children so desperately need. There is no financial gift too small or too big! Every gift matters.
We thank God for you every day and pray His richest blessings on you. Never doubt, you have made a tremendous impact on this world by continuing to “REFUSE TO DO NOTHING”
God Bless You Pat & Sue Bradley Founders, Crisis Aid International
The Answer In Recent Images —
Crisis Aid is ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures‘ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
It seems like just yesterday we were starting off with a 2-pound bag of rice, determined to do more than just watch as people literally starve to death. You took up that challenge with us, and look where we are today – over 2.4 million people served worldwide! And all because of YOU!
The dream does not stop here. It continues to grow and to expand far beyond today. It reaches into the lives of these precious people for years to come. We are determined to help the people of East Africa make a permanent “life-giving” change for themselves and their families. Our goal is to provide them with opportunities they never had.
Asha’s Death From Starvation Broke Us
THE NEED —
As you know, abject poverty consumes the eastern region of Africa where we work. We see it every day; children at risk of starvation. This was the cruel reality we saw when we first met Asha. Her death from starvation broke something in us, and the phrase “refuse to do nothing” took on a stronger, more urgent meaning. We began to see the root cause of this issue clearer than ever before.
Addressing abject poverty is not just about feeding, it is about changing the culture. The people in this region have lived in extreme poverty for so long, they don’t even know there is another way of life. But there is.
No parent should ever have to watch their child die from starvation!
THE VISION —
THE TESIFA PROJECT
Crisis Aid’s vision is to bring an end to abject poverty in this region of East Africa. Our objective is to provide opportunities to people who literally have none; giving them a better way of life through a sustainability program known as the Tesifa Project. This is a multifaceted, long-term project designed to create jobs and operate as a comprehensive training program for agriculture and dairy. It will also provide the Tesifa Project with an income stream to offset operational costs.
Through the Tesifa Project, Crisis Aid’s staff in East Africa will work with the people in this region. They will Show them, Teach them, and Walk alongside them as they learn how to work effectively within the fields of both agriculture and dairy. Once this is accomplished, those in the program will be provided with their own starter calves and high-quality starter plants. This will eventually branch out to neighboring villages through a cooperative (co-op) structure.
Now the transformation begins; a new way of life for the people and their families for generations to come.
Barn For Dairy Cows
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WHERE WE ARE TODAY —
The components of the Tesifa Project are; an existing Feeding Program, a Medical & Stabilization Clinic, a Dairy Operation, and an Agricultural Demonstration Farm. To date:
– 15 acres of land associated with the feeding program has been purchased.
–Water well is being dug: projected to be completed by the end of the year
–Dairy Barn that will hold 40 dairy cows has been constructed
– 12 heads of cattle have been purchased
–Bio-Gas system is now operational
–Engineering Company has been hired and is looking at the existing land for placement and design of the medical clinic. This will include a 5-year growth plan toward a fully operational pediatric hospital and surgical unit
THE GOAL —
By the end of 2018, our goal is to raise all of the necessary funds for construction of the free medical clinic’s first phase. It is vitally important to stabilize the children in this region while the remaining elements are being put into place.
But we need your help. We are asking that you search your heart, and to be a part of their solution. Please help us build the Medical Clinic these children so desperately need. There is no financial gift too small or too big! Every gift matters.
Every amount above and beyond this goal will go toward the 2019 plan:
– Phase 1 of the Medical Clinic completed and operational.
– Dairy barn with 40 cows.
– The first phase of the agricultural project started – clearing the land and putting healthy coffee trees and rotation crops in.
Producing change for generations to come will not be easy. But it is possible. Working together in unison, we can make it a reality. How exciting it will be when we can give you an update on all of the lives you have changed through the Tesifa Project.
We thank God for you every day and pray His richest blessings on you. Never doubt, you have made a tremendous impact on this world by continuing to refuse to do nothing!
God Bless You Pat & Sue Bradley Founders, Crisis Aid International
The Answer And Need In Recent Images —
Crisis Aid is ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures‘ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
Meet Jengo. This is the beginning of his story, not the end.
The day started off like any other day. We were headed to a local village to check on children that had been part of our feeding program. After driving several miles we got out and started walking down an old dirt road. As we rounded a corner, sitting alone on an empty grain sack, was a very frail little boy — dirty, malnourished, and crippled.
A young man came along and placed the small, frail boy on his knee. We learned that this young man was Jengo, the boy’s 18 year old brother.
Their parents had died and Jengo was raising four younger brothers all by himself. As they gathered around Jengo, we were inspired by his obvious love and resolve to care for his family. While talking with them, we realized that the crippled little boy suffered from a twisted spine and had no access to medical care.
The villagers knew that Jengo could not work and take care of his siblings alone, so they arranged a marriage with a local girl. She soon became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl. Now, there were seven in this household.
Jengo’s occupation as a day laborer might earn him 500 a day, if he was lucky. How could this teenager care for a family of seven on 500 a day? This family could not survive by living the way their parents did — as day laborers, just scraping by, always hungry, helplessly watching as family members slowly waste away.
Obviously, this was a major crisis.
Together We Are Making A Difference. We are taking Jengo’s crippled brother to a skilled doctor that we believe can greatly improve his condition. Our dream is to see him running and playing with other children in the near future. Jengo is now working for Crisis Aid delivering food to needy villages. At long last, he deservedly has a way to support and take care of his entire family.
Together we can take care of so many more families that are in crisis! We cannot do this work without you — you are crucial to helping the helpless. Please continue to be the answer to their prayers! And thank you for allowing us to do what we do.
Crisis Aid is ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures‘ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
Girls, still trafficked in the red light district, are GRADUATING from Crisis Aid’s MERCY CHAPEL Vocational Center with a degree designed to support them for the rest of their lives! These girl’s lives are not only saved but free! Free with a new future, hope, and healing.
Crisis Aid is ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures‘ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
Abject Poverty The most helpless level of poverty For those of you who have never experienced abject poverty, spend a moment thinking about those who have starved since birth. There is no emptiness that comes close. Every organ in the body suffers, craving sustenance. Sustenance starving children and their families cannot afford. It’s because of this grim reality that our mission of helping the helpless is paramount. And it’s impossible without your help.
Clearly, those in crisis need your aid. Please give generously. Filling starving stomachs will fill your heart. This year, our goal is to attack abject poverty head-on by giving back every basic need this scourge has robbed from these famished children. Our programs address the need for food, safe drinking water, healthcare, shelter, and education. Please be an active part of this life-saving work. We cannot do this without you. You are crucial to saving these precious lives.
Ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures’ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
You and Me Forever perfectly symbolizes Pat Bradley’s turning point.
“When you’re on a mission. When God puts this thing in your heart, and you really find it, its not work, it’s a privilege…If married people want to know how to be missional – there are about 3,000 verses in the bible that deal with about poverty and injustice, pick one and you’ll be in the middle of God’s will.” – Pat Bradley
In his recent book, You And Me Forever – Marriage In Light of Eternity, Francis Chan and his wife Lisa address the question that many couples wonder at the altar: “How do I have a great marriage?” Setting aside typical topics on marriage, Francis and Lisa dive into Scripture and experience to understand what it means to have a relationship that satisfies the deepest parts of our souls.
Jesus was right. We have it all backward. The way to have a great marriage is to not focus on marriage.
Whether you are single, dating, or married, this book will help you discover the adventure that you were made for and learn how to thrive in it.
You and Me Forever brings to light the remarkable story of the birth of Crisis Aid International. Out of the ashes of Pat and Sue Bradley’s marriage came something special.
Will you help others in whatever way you can today? Contact us for more info or accept Pat Bradley’s Challenge:
Watch this short video – hear Pat and Sue’s journey of adventure and answering God’s challenge to save lives, save souls, and the change futures. Footage from You and Me Forever – Marriage in Light of Eternity Authored by Francis and Lisa Chan.
For More on Francis, Lisa, Pat, and Sue’s experiences – WATCH “In Light of Eternity” – an original documentary created by RightNow Media
You literally came to the rescue of people you have never met. You selflessly stepped out and became their hero… the difference between life and death for many of them and an answer to many desperate prayers. They may never have the privilege of knowing you, but we do, and we THANK YOU for being that life-giving answer for them. Below is a list of what you helped make possible this past year…
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2017
We served 237,777 people and distributed over 1.68 million pounds of food!
EAST AFRICA
Nutritional Feeding Programs
• Served 133,402 people, including 20,817 severely malnourished children, a total of 8,004,120 supplementary meals (1,571,808 pounds)
Health Programs
• Treated 29,159 patients
• Through Hand of Hope Medical Mission Trip, an additional 3,306 patients were treated
Child Sponsorship Programs
• Sponsored 105 children with food, clothing, school supplies, and other essentials (all children were from the community, Children’s Home, and your Safe Homes)
Children’s Home
• Provided a loving home for 30 young girls left orphaned in the streets
Refuge Home (for Sex Trafficking Victims)
• Served 30 girls and their 13 children through the Refuge Homes; with an additional 30 girls that have graduated and moved to Phase 2 of independent living
Mercy Chapel (Vocational Training Center)
• Provided training for six individual vocational training programs; computer science, sewing, hair-dressing, silk-screen printing, weaving, and leather crafts
• 98 girls were enrolled in the Vocational Training program with 90 graduating (92% completion/graduation rate) and moved on to a brighter future
Water Wells
• Completed 12 water wells in remote areas of East Africa; providing thousands with clean water for the first time
Speed Schools
• Provided a school for 4,025 children through the Speed School Program
UNITED STATES
Refuge Home (for Sex Trafficking Victims)
• Provided services for 39 young women and girls, including 16 minors
• Served young women whose ages ranged from 14 to 46
• Provided them with a home for an average stay of six months
Wings Love & Care Center
• Provided 14,239 people (4,788 families) with 71,272 pounds of food through your Food Distribution Program
• Provided coats for 350 children and adults this past winter
• 113 children received Christmas gifts and groceries
• Provided 201 families with Thanksgiving groceries and 162 families with Christmas groceries
• You hosted 44 weeks of After School Program each Thursday during the school year and 10 weeks of VBS Program through the summer
Volunteers
• Our dedicated volunteers are a tremendous support. Their hard work and time in the office and during special events are why Crisis Aid is able to do what we do with your gifts. In 2017 we were blessed to have 370 volunteers / 7,632 hours
A Celebration of Restoration and Hope
When we first met Kacee, the Red Light District was her home. She was broken and afraid, distrusting everyone, especially men. Her journey toward restoration was a rocky one, but through your committed partnership, she graduated from Mercy Chapel Vocational Training Center, became a teacher to those still trapped, and is now an active leader in the Crisis Aid Global Safe Campaign.
However, Kacee’s story does not end here. In February 2017, she walked down the aisle to the love of her life with Pat and Sue Bradley by her side as her honorary parents. Now, that is a success story!
Thank you for your continued support.
There is still so much more to do.
If you have not given before we invite to join us as a group of people who refuse to do nothing. It is your giving that “saves lives, saves souls and changes futures.”
God Bless You,
Pat & Sue Bradley
2017 Board of Directors
Patrick Bradley, Chairman
President & CEO, Crisis Aid International
Susan Bradley, Vice President,
CFO, Crisis Aid International
Dane Welch D.D.S., Board Vice President
Dentist, private practice
Mike Lemp, Secretary
Executive Pastor, Life Church
Jerry Fitzgerald, Treasurer
Advertising Executive, self-employed
Chris Igo, Director
Engineer, Kimley-Horn & Associates
]
Crisis Aid is ranked in the top 2% of charities by Charity Navigator after receiving 9 consecutive 4-star ratings. We are a Platinum-level, top 1% viewed GuideStar Exchange participant, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. We are also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an active member of the Accord Network, Certified Graduate of Ministry Ventures‘ Group Coaching Program, as well as registered with the ACNC in Australia. Crisis Aid International is a public charity classified as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The tax ID number is 30-0060905
A Celebration of Restoration and Hope