Sunday, August 17, 2008

'Decriminalizing prostitution'= protecting pimps and traffickers

A few months ago I was approached in the park to sign a petition to place a bill that 'decriminalizes prostitution'. My two questions were how will this bill effect trafficking victims? And how will it effect minors (who are also considered trafficking victims, but I am making the distinction nonetheless) The woman said it wouldn't effect them. BUT IT WILL!! 

This will not protect adult consenting women and men from prosecution. It will however prevent the city from prosecuting people who prey on the vulnerable. 

Read the article below.

If you live in San Francisco VOTE!

If you live outside the city PRAY!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/08/17/INRE129JV7.DTL

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Support letter

Dear Friends,

 

As many of you know I recently completed my Masters of Divinity. I am excited to say I have been invited to work with ReIMAGINE in San Francisco. I would like to extend an invitation to you to join in our work through prayer and financial support.

 

ReIMAGINE is a Bay Area Center for Life Integration based in San Francisco.  As a Center, we run a 9-month integrative spiritual formation process. Through a variety of hands on workshops, retreats and events, participants learn and practice how to incorporate 7 themes (service, creativity, community, obedience, prayer, simplicity and love) seen in the life and teachings of Jesus.  In addition to the 9-month initiative, we also run weeklong intensives for high school and college students based on the same 7 threads.  As a unique, creative, and inventive ministry, ReIMAGINE is an exciting place to serve. I will be the main facilitator and coordinator for much of our work.

 

This fall as part of our nine-month formation process ReIMAGINE is participating in Jesus’ call to seek justice. I will be a main facilitator in a workshop designed to train people in educated activism in response to the Illegal Global Slave Trade, focusing on slavery in the San Francisco area.

 

Modern day slavery/human trafficking is an issue that God has developed a passion for within me over the past year. Last summer I started reading about modern day slavery and human trafficking. I was so horrified by what I read that I was hardly able to finish the book. (Disposable People, Kevin Bales) Since then I have searched out ways that I could be involved in helping the people who are forced into the position of slavery.

 

Despite all of the things that make San Francisco great, San Francisco is one of the cities in the US to have a known problem with trafficking. Through the summer I have been spending time researching and planning a way for ReIMAGINE to be involved in helping end slavery. This is an answer to prayer for me. I believe that in this day the call to set captives free is not only a metaphor but also an actual call on our lives.

 

Along with preparing for the workshop I have already spent much of the summer hosting student groups. As many of you are aware I have a deep love for students. My desire is to see them mature in the way they follow after Jesus. Our weeklong intensives create a beautiful environment for them to learn how to live out everything they have been taught about the Gospel.

 

San Francisco is a beautiful, diverse, and challenging city. Over the past months I have learned so much about how God is moving in this city. I feel very confident that this is the place that God has called me. The greatest affirmation that this is right for me is the fall workshop project I will be helping facilitate.

 

As I have met people here, I can see that this is a city that is alive with spiritual seekers, and much like most places it is also full of obstacles. I am consistently amazed by the opportunities that I have to speak with people about what it means to follow Jesus; even more, I am excited about the ways I am allowed to live that call out in San Francisco.

 

The opportunities make it clear to me that this is where God desires to use me over the next year. ReIMAGINE is a small organization and I need you to help as I stay here. In order to live I need to raise a minimum of $30,000 in annual support. I will be working part time to make half of that income.

 

I have been working with ReIMAGINE as an intern without support this past semester. As I enter this next year of service I need the support of others to make this year successful. You are receiving this invitation to join in supporting me because of the role you have played in my life already. I am very grateful for the prayer and financial support that I have received over the years in other areas of ministry. Please pray about how you can give at this time. Financial support is very much needed and appreciated, but I cannot do this with out your prayers. Attached is an area to mark what information you want to receive and how you would like to participate in supporting the work of ReIMAGINE.

 

Grace and Peace,

Sarah Rochelle Montoya


I am offering support through:

 

Prayer                         one time gift                        monthly giving

 

$10             $20            $50            $100            other_________

 

I would like to receive:

 

Mailed out updates                                    Email updates

 

Please return to:

ReIMAGINE!

P.O. Box 411601

San Francisco, CA 94141-1601

 

Checks payable to ReIMAGINE for Account 114

Follow this blog with bloglovin

Follow on Bloglovin