Gateway 328 is a ministry of Ward Church that connects people to resources and organizations that stand at the forefront of the fight against human trafficking in the Metro Detroit area and around the world. There are many “gateways” into human trafficking that a vulnerable person might encounter. But, the love of God is the door through which Gateway 328 hopes to lead those caught in the web of human trafficking and exploitation. Our guiding verse is Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
We are actively working with All Worthy of Love to help meet their ongoing needs, as they minister to women in and around the Detroit area. These serving opportunities are flexible and can be done with others in a group or individually. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, sign up to serve below. If you have questions about Gateway 328, email outreach@ward.church.
Please work to collect and/or donate the items needed for the lunches. You can do this activity as an individual or with a group. Our monthly goal is to donate 50 bags on behalf of Ward Church. We’re happy to collect whatever number of bags you have to donate. This will go towards helping to meet or even surpass our goal. Thank you for your generosity!
Each non-perishable lunch bag should contain a drink and anywhere from 6-10 food items. An example bag is listed below:
one drink (capri sun, water, Gatorade – no juice boxes please)
a bag of chips
a granola bar
a rice crispy treat
two bags of fruit snacks
a bag of animal crackers
any non-perishable items
There are not many restrictions on items to put in the lunch bags as long as they are non-perishable (no fresh fruit, etc.) and no chocolate (or anything that can melt).
The lunches can be packed in plastic grocery bags, tied once. I know the “tied once” instruction is very specific, but AWOL adds a fresh sandwich from the cooler during outreach. Tying the bags one time makes it easy to quickly untie and add the sandwich. Please do not use brown paper bags as they do not hold up well during outreach.
Expand the “Notes of Encouragement” section below to learn more.
Once you have bags prepped for AWOL, please plan to drop them at Ward Church on the carts labeled AWOL, outside of Entry 5. Fill out the Opportunity at the bottom of the page to sign up to serve!
Please work to collect and/or donate the items needed for the personal care kits. You can do this activity as an individual or with a group. Our monthly goal is to donate 25 kits on behalf of Ward Church. We’re happy to collect whatever number of kits you have to donate. This will go towards helping to meet or even surpass our goal. Thank you for your generosity!
Each personal care kit should contain nine travel-sized items:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Lotion
Soap
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Washcloth
Deodorant
One disposable razor
We also like to add in some special items when we can, such as make up, nail polish, body spray or perfume to help the women to feel beautiful… because they are!
Personal care kits should be bagged in gallon Ziploc bags or some type of bag that will stay closed (such as drawstring backpacks). It’s important to not bag personal care kits in grocery bags, as those are reserved for lunch bags and this makes it easy for AWOL to distinguish between the two.
Expand the “Notes of Encouragement” section below to learn more.
Once you have bags prepped for AWOL, please plan to drop them at Ward Church on the carts labeled AWOL, outside of Entry 5. Fill out the Opportunity at the bottom of the page to sign up to serve!
With each meal and personal care kit, AWOL includes a note of encouragement for the people they meet to take with them! Writing notes of encouragement is a great way to get involved and speak truth in love! Notes should be uplifting, positive, biblical, and in love. Some examples are listed below.
You are worthy of love!
You are loved because God loves you!
I believe in you!
You are His chosen!
The Father delights in you!
I’m praying for you!
You are beautiful!
If you include an envelope with your note, please do not seal the envelope.
Once you have the notes ready, please plan to drop them at Ward Church on the carts labeled AWOL, outside of Entry 5. Fill out the Opportunity at the bottom of the page to sign up to serve!
In June 2014, our team rescued a woman that was being trafficked by her husband in Detroit, Mich., when we arrived to the safe house she pulled a note out of her pocket that she had been holding on to for months. She said every time she thought she couldn’t go on and felt completely hopeless, she would pull that note out and read it over and over again.
All Worthy of Love: All Worthy of Love (AWOL) is a justice-focused non-profit that reaches out to men and women enslaved by street prostitution. Their mission is to restore broken dwellings, based on the teachings of Isaiah 58. Learn more. Starting in 2021, Gateway 328 has partnered with All Worthy of Love, contributing resources and manpower to help with street outreach to those enslaved in street prostitution in Wayne and Washtenaw Counties.
Not Abandoned: This global organization labors to empower women who have been exploited. They work with the women they meet to remove barriers to freedom and then provide steady support, trauma-informed care, and practical training opportunities to live a life of freedom and purpose. Learn more. In 2019, Ward Church partnered with Not Abandoned to send a team from Ward to Pattaya, Thailand to outreach to girls and women trapped in the industry and connect them with an education and employment training team.
Definitions:
Human trafficking is an industry that spans nations, cultures, genders and forms of trafficking (e.g., sex trafficking, labor trafficking, etc.). The childwelfare.gov site has a great handout that covers the topic at a high-level. Download the PDF.
Key Industry Terms:
Sharedhope International has a very comprehensive list of key sex trafficking terms. Read more about the insider language of this insidious industry! Learn the terms.
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