Children and young adults throughout Los Angeles are having their lives taken away from them unwillingly at the hands of merciless predators. These individuals may not necessarily have a gun pointed in their faces or a knife at their throats, but their very lives are being destroyed and their self-worth devalued. Human sex trafficking is a devastating issue that robs many young people from living meaningful lives, and yet it is hidden just outside of the public eye.

In America alone, there is an estimated 16,000 people who are victims of human trafficking. The Dream Center has helped restore the lives of countless ex-convicts, ex-alcoholics and ex-vagabonds, and will now become a platform of restoration for a variety of trafficking victims from all over the world in Los Angeles. With the desire to fill needs and heal hurts, Pastor Matthew Barnett realizes that trafficking is a huge problem in the United States and the world. There is a need to not only rescue these enslaved individuals, but to give them a tangible way to have their lives restored in an atmosphere conducive for renewal.

Most of these trafficking slaves come from impoverishment and are sold into prostitution, strip dancing, and other forms of sexual exploitation that leaves them paralyzed in fear and disillusionment. Brittany, the Head of the human trafficking ministry, better known as The Re:scue Project at the Dream Center, says, “People aren’t aware that [trafficking] goes on every day all around them.” Victims have been found in prostitution rings, brothels, massage parlors and on farms.

“As the economy is getting worse, the demand [for human trafficking] is getting higher,” says Brittany. Billions of dollars have been imported into this heinous so-called “business” and is the second largest illegal enterprise outside of illicit drug activity. These individuals are enslaved through a variety of means, many trapped without a way of escape. The goal of The Re:scue Project at the Dream Center is threefold: to Rescue sex trafficking victims, Rebuild their lives, and Return them to their families so that they can get back on their feet.

Joyce Meyer, world-renowned speaker and bestselling author, is a longtime friend of the Dream Center, and has made a significant contribution to The Re:scue Project after hearing the vision. A temporary shelter is expected to be available in April for those who have been trafficked into the sex industry, and a more permanent residence by May.

Through your support of the Dream Center, the vision of The Re:scue Project is now becoming a reality. People who have lost all hope will have the opportunity to have their dreams brought back to life. You can be a part of rescuing these victims and giving them a chance to live a life that was taken away from them. God does not give up on individuals such as these. Thank you that you have not given up on them either.