(Story from Anastasia Rosnau, Mission Partner in Ecuador)
In June, End Slavery Ecuador (ESE) held our third Annual Conference for the women we serve. These women, who are currently in prostitution and whom we call Amadas (or ‘beloved ones’), were invited to this event with the goal of offering a time of deeper reflection on who God is and how His love changes our lives. Events like these are also sweet opportunities to remind them that they are loved, known, and special to us and to God. We had an incredible turnout, packing the theater full! Last year, we had about 80 people in attendance, and this year that number more than doubled to 186!
The theme of this year’s conference was “Life hurts, but love heals.” Our speakers used very engaging visuals that really helped the Amadas grasp the message. One illustration involved a large bucket of water representing our lives and plastic bottles representing hardships. When the bottles were empty, our audience participant, *Ruth, couldn’t keep them all under the surface. But when they were filled with (living!) water, she was able to keep them submerged as an integrated part of the whole bucket. This showed how Jesus fills us with his love and enables us to walk through the hard things of life because He is with us.
The women were also moved by seeing Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well in a video clip from The Chosen. The Samaritan woman was rejected by everyone, but not by the Messiah, much like how many of the Amadas feel. One woman said her takeaway from the message was: “God’s love heals everything.”
One of my favorite parts of the conference was the live worship music this year. Watching our women sing and clap along to Quien Dices Que Soy (Who You Say I Am) was an incredible experience. As I took it all in, I couldn’t help but think about the wide range of walks with Jesus represented in the room. Many of our women have told us they like to listen to Christian music at home, but worshipping together with nearly 200 people is a completely different experience. Worshipping through music has a unique power to help us engage with truth—stirring our hearts, minds, and bodies all at once. I pray it impacted them as deeply as it did me.
After a morning filled with reflection, worship, and encouragement, every woman received several gifts on her way out. These included a slice of cake, a Tupperware container, a book, and a food kit filled with essentials like oil, rice, and tuna. We are so grateful for the local organizations that donated to make these gifts possible and that so many of the Amadas could participate in this special event. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit will grow the seeds sown through this conference and through our continued connection with these women!
*Name changed to protect identity and privacy