Forced into Sex Work...

Women will walk in freedom because you care.

Angela (not her real name) never thought she’d end up in the sex industry. But at age fourteen, she was homeless. She was kicked out of her last foster home, left with nothing but pajamas and slippers.

Preying on her vulnerability, a man in a fancy car told her that “a girl like her” shouldn’t be out on the streets. He promised to care for her and help her find a job. In the wee hours of the night, he delivered her to an underground brothel where other under-age girls “serviced” men who showed up drunk after the local strip clubs closed at 2AM.

What happened to Angela that night scarred her deeply.

She was forced into sex work

and continued working in the industry for ten long years.

In her adult years, she appeared like any other girl in the strip club. Naively, onlookers assumed she was there by “choice.” People believed the story that was that she was a struggling college student. In fact, she was a victim of domestic sex trafficking.

Then Angela escaped. But it was the only life she’d known -- her only means for survival . . . or so she thought!

Angela’s journey did not end the day she walked out of the strip club. It only began. Like many women we serve, Angela must now learn to walk in freedom. She must learn to resist the human urge to return to the familiar—even when the familiar means captivity.

Today, Angela works hard to rebuild her broken life. She faithfully participates in Treasure’s one-on-one weekly care team sessions. And she seeks stable employment, is growing in her faith, and bravely allows God to heal the deep psychological and emotional wounds she sustained.
Along with so many others, Angela is on the path to recovery. And because you care, Treasures equips her for the journey. Your faithful and generous partnership means freedom from the chains of bondage is offered, with God's love.

Thank you for supporting women just like Angela. Your best gift today goes to immediate use!


Sincerely,


Harmony Dust, Founder


P.S. Your gift of $50, $100, or even $250 or more will go far in helping women just like Angela.

Donations can me made at www.IAmATreasure.com/donations or 

Mailed to: Treasures PO # 2013 North Hills, CA 91343

The Harvest Show & More!

Hey Friends,

We have some exciting things going on in the upcoming weeks! Hope you can join us!

Set Your Tivo for The Harvest Show May 4th!!!
Harmony will be sharing her story and talking about her new memoir, Scars & Stilettos.
(It should air at 9am ET, but check your local listings)
http://www.harvest-tv.com


Treasure the Journey Women’s Conference
May 7th & 8th, 2010
7:00 pm on Friday & 9:00 am on Saturday (Friday Session in Spanish)
Harmony will share why YOUR STORY MATTERS!
Parkcrest Christian Church, 7th St. Campus, Long Beach, CA
www.Parkcrest.org

Gift Bag Assembly at Oasis
May 8th, 2010 at 10:00am
We are preparing 2,000 gift bags for our upcoming Vegas outreach and we need your help!
5100 Wilshire Blvd. L.A., CA
www.OasisLA.org

Love,


Harmony & The Treasures Team

PS. Get connected! Support the Treasures cause by joining us on our social networking sites!

www.Twitter.com/TreasuresLA

Join the Facebook Cause: http://www.causes.com/causes/382171?recruiter_id=8159582

Vegas Strip Clubs!

With our next Vegas outreach right around the corner, I thought this video would be fun to share!

Check out what happens when a van full of Treasures volunteers visits 54 strip clubs in one weekend! One volunteer had a particularly powerful weekend because the last time she was in Vegas, she was working as a prostitute. This time, she was a part of the Treasures team, bringing hope to others!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=408589786788&ref=mf


If you would like to donate to our upcoming Vegas outreach, visit www.IAmATreasure.com/donations

Love,
Harmony
www.IAmATreasure.com
www.ScarsAndStilettos.com

Will you stop?

Will You Stop?

I am believing for a day when strip club outreach will be a normal part of the way the local church loves and reaches her community. I imagine there was a time when soup kitchens and homeless ministry was not commonplace—when people walked by a man laying on the street without stopping, much like the religious leaders in the story of the Good Samaritan.

Today, I wonder how many people walk by strip clubs, porn conventions, and women walking the streets without stopping and asking themselves, “What is really going on here? And what can I do about it?”

I wonder how many turn away in judgment, assuming that “those kinds of women” must like what they are doing and that they are all there by choice.

This weekend, the Treasures team had the honor of training over 30 women, from all over the nation, to do Strip Club Outreach. These are the sorts of leaders that have made a decision to STOP. They have asked the question: “How can I be a part of the solution?”

During the training, they learned that 87% of women in the industry would leave if they could*, and that there is a lot more going on behind the façade of glamour. After discussing everything from vision and logistics, to after-care and healing, we put it all into action during an outreach to Hollywood and Downtown Los Angeles.

Each time I handed a little pink gift bag to a woman, I had generations in mind. As we link arms and reach women, the capacity to impact generations grows exponentially. As women in the sex industry make decisions to walk in healing and freedom, the lives of their children and grandchildren will be impacted.

And I believe that as people like you and I, make a decision to stop along the way, whether it be through prayer, outreach, giving or any other way, we become a part of these stories of freedom. Generations are affected.

Love, Harmony
www.iamatreasure.com/donations

PS. Tell your friends! This week you can catch me on the radio…

March 24th, 6pm (PT)
The Frank Pastore Show
Station call letters: KKLA
http://www.frankpastore.com

March 26th, 10am (PT)
Midday Connection
Host: Melinda Schmidt
MOODY RADIO
http://www.middayconnection.org

*Based on research conducted by Dr. Melissa Farley

National Training, 700 Club, MI and more!

We've got some exciting things happening at Treasures and we don't want you to miss out!

Saturday, March 20th, we will be hosting a Strip Club Outreach training for leaders throughout the nation (and even Australia) interested in started outreaches in their communities. They will be joining the ranks of the 16 other outreaches we have trained using the Treasures model of outreach. I am excited to partner with them and potential impact is unfathomable!

If you are in the Los Angeles area and are considering volunteering on the Treasures team, this training is open to you too! Please email Brey at info@iamatreasure.com for details and to register. Please do so quickly as space is limited.

Attention Michigan peeps: I will be speaking at Gateway Assembly this weekend and would love to see you there. Check out our upcoming events to see when I might be speaking in your area. AZ and GA are next month. www.iamatreasure.com/events

And finally, in case you missed out on the 700 Club Episode I taped last week, here it is.

Harmony Dust: Scars and Stilettos

Hey Folks, In case you missed it, here is the episode of the 700 Club I taped yesterday:)

Harmony Dust: Scars and Stilettos

Let's Mobilize!

Let’s Mobilize!



If you have been following the work of Treasures, you have no doubt heard the stats…



Research indicates that women working in the sex industry are faced with higher rates drug addictions, sexually transmitted diseases, violent assaults, and mental health problems such as Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than the general population.



Overwhelming research indicates that large proportions of women in the sex industry have been sexually and physically abused as children. Data gathered from 2 studies suggest that 62% of the women in the samples came from a background of physical abuse. Other studies estimate that anywhere from 66% to 90% of women in the sex industry were molested as children.



Risk factors for vulnerability to sex work include economic disadvantages, lack of education and training and broken homes where either one of both of the parents are absent. The average age of entrance into prostitution is 13!



Behind each of those statistics are real-life women, with real-life stories.



For the average person, the stories and stats can be overwhelming…paralyzing even.



We at Treasures want to empower and mobilize you to make a difference!



No matter who you are, you can do SOMETHING to partner with us as we provide spiritual inspiration, mentoring, and resources to women in the sex industry (including victims of commercialized sexual exploitation and trafficking)



Here are 10 Simple Things you can do:



1. SHARE

Memorize the stats & Read the Stories on the Treasures site and share them with friends.

2. PRAY

Treasures prayer partner application available online

3. JOIN the Treasures Facebook Cause
4. INVEST

Become a monthly financial partner. $10 a month funds 5 gift bags for outreaches, $25 funds 3 care packages including bibles, books and resources to encourage the women who contact us.

5. ORGANIZE A FUNDRAISER or Jewelry Making Party
6. VOLUNTEER

Our next training is March 20th. Info

7. SHOP TREASURES

Pick up a copy of our devotional, Treasures Reflections, or Harmony’s memoir, Scars and Stilettos. Proceeds support the ministry.

8. COLLECT

Gather brand-new cosmetics & jewelry from your friends and donate them to the Treasures gift bags used for outreach.

9. REACH

Get trained to do outreach in your area. info@iamatreasure.com

10. GET CREATIVE

Write a song, paint a painting, or write a blog where you talk about the women we are reaching and how their stories have impacted you.


Thank you for taking the time to make a difference!



PS. If you missed the Moody Radio show today, you can download the podcast at: http://www.facebook.com/l/31073;www.moodyradio.org/brd_podcast.aspx?Program=MiddayConnection

Harmony Dust