Guest post: The Project Angel - Marianne Viray

Want to help a human trafficking survivor heal and reintegrate into society? 

Today, I introduce you to one incredible survivor who needs our support. 

I'm joined by my friend @marianneviray who tells us about an opportunity to help her friend, "Angel" (name has been changed), who was trafficked by her parents at a young age and spent the next 30+ years as a slave in an international human trafficking ring. 

Thankfully, "Angel" was able to escape and has left the country to seek healing. 

I'm inviting you to make a donation so she can get ongoing care. Listen to her story and offer what you can. As Marianne told me, "It's one of the honors of my life to be her friend and advocate. The one matters."

Donations can be made to: 

1. @the_project_angel (her therapist's new organization to rehabilitate survivors of torture trafficking). Donations here will support her recovery and that of other survivors.
2. Venmo me @virayfam. 
3. Make a tax-deductible donation to a US-based nonprofit. Libertas International is run by a trafficking aftercare specialist friend of ours. Libertas will send me any donations that are noted "for Marianne's friend" to me for her recovery. https://donorbox.org/giftsofgracewy-org

Here's an update on Angel's progress: 

Healing is happening. She's experiencing better and more sleep than ever before. Fewer night terrors, fewer dissociative episodes, stronger body and mind, greater empowerment to make simple decisions (something a "slave" isn't allowed to make). Three months into her healing journey and there are significant changes--and more to go.

Therapy needs to go deeper -- but it has to be at a pace that works for her. Body-mind connection is a work in progress. Although there have been moments of feeling physical heat or cold, the system isn't fully back "online". More physical recovery and body healing. She got a puppy and she's loving taking care of him and being loved by him. She is growing in self-reliance -- learning new skills like shopping at a farmers market, riding public transportation and increasing her capacity to be in a simple society.

Project Angel is providing her:

1. A "trigger team" to reach out to anytime she's triggered
2. Healing plan, daily schedule, paying for her housing
3. Connecting her to healers, energy workers to continue soul reclamation work
4. Volunteers that help her go to sleep when she is struggling doing so
5. Twice a week sessions with her therapist, Chrissie 

Project Angel was created by her therapist, Chrissie, after Chrissie met my friend and began working with her. She's dedicating a large part of her life's work to guiding my friend through her healing journey and wants to offer those services to other survivors as well, through Project Angel. Her goal is to create a center where survivors can come for as long as they need to to heal and stabilize and then transition gently into the world. 

Donations can be made to: 

1. @the_project_angel (her therapist's new organization to rehabilitate survivors of torture trafficking). Donations here will support her recovery and that of other survivors.
2. Venmo me @virayfam. 
3. Make a tax-deductible donation to a US-based nonprofit. Libertas International is run by a trafficking aftercare specialist friend of ours. Libertas will send me any donations that are noted "for Marianne's friend" to me for her recovery. https://donorbox.org/giftsofgracewy-org