Huntsville, AL, USA
La Ermita, Talanga, F.M., Honduras
Asked by authorities to serve victims
In October 2005, police authorities approached us to study the problem of violence and create a program to minister to victims. Feb. 20, 2006, in collaboration with the National Police, we created an office for attention of Special Crimes where we attend victims in the moment of their crisis, supervised their cases and helped authorities realize their work to rescue and protect victims. We were aked to open and supervise two other offices in Juticalpa, Olancho and Gracias, Lempira.
To date we have served more than 6,000 cases
(more than 13,000 victims).
Attacks by the Enemy
Due to violent and dangerous corruption that directly affected our Victims' office, including a supposed assassination order, at the same time the National Police fell apart in a huge corruption scandal, the victims' office in the Talanga police station was closed on Nov 1, 2011. Operations in Olancho and Lempira were also suspended.
We still attended victims who called, showed up at the mission or grabbed us in the streets. We also continued to work with authorities on cases in which they sought our assistance.
Time to Get Back to Work
During March 2015, the national prosecutor for violence against women came to our ministry seeking our help to open, or re-open, the victims' office in Talanga. Gracie was elected president of the ETO board, which oversees the office. Their office, which is managed in the mayor's office by the Office of the Woman, is open in Talanga, but it is limited in services and is not operating at the same level as we were before.
During 2017, we will open a new Victims' Crisis Office in Talanga to bring integral attention to victims in the moment of crisis and afterward. We have rented space across the street from the police station and are now fundraising to cover the expenses and hire staff.
In this office in Talanga, there will be an Intake specialist who will receive the client, take their information and start their case file. They will pass off the client to the Victim's advocate who will go with the client to the authorities, accompany them to forensics and to court. The advocate will also work directly with authorities to ensure the cases move and justice is achieved. Should the client need more assistance, they will be referred to our Justice Center Team in La Ermita.
Here we are below with authorities on a 2-hour drive into the mountains assisting them logistically with an arrest warrant for a child sex offender.
This assistance to authorities and victims allowed us to reach a 90% reporting rate, when less than 30% is normal, and a 71% conviction rate. The U.N. has declared that Honduras has a 94-96% impunity rate on rapes and murders of women.
A Violent Country
This is a very special ministry. Honduras has been declared by the UN as one of the most violent countries in the world not suffering from armed conflict.
No Hope
Rape, murder, kidnapping, sex trafficking of women and children, sexual exploitation, and family violence are out of control. Because of authorities' lack of training and resources and because of corruption, victims suffer without hope or help. More than 70 percent of families experience violence of one form or another.
The Call for Justice and Rescue
God has called us to bring justice and rescue to those who are suffering.
"For I, the Lord, love Justice." Isaiah 61:8
"The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene." Isaiah 59:15-16
"Learn to do right, seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17
"I will show you my faith by what I do." James 2:18
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." Isaiah 61:1-3
When victims have no hope, no solution, no exit to their suffering, they fall into silence and despair.
If God doesn't show up . . .
If Jesus doesn't show up . . .
If we don't rescue them . . .
Who will?
God will pour out His presence and power on those who choose to follow Him and work for Justice in this world..
Is He calling you to work in justice?
Is He calling you to pray for and support those who do?
If so, contact us at gracie@heartofchristhonduras.org
Check out our Justice Project page and our pages for the Shelter/Refuge and Children's Home. Or email us at gracie@heartofchristhonduras.org
You can also follow us on Twitter by pressing the Twitter button below and follow us on Facebook by pressing the FB button below. If you friend Gracie on Facebook, she can add you to our secret group for Heart of Christ where we update daily on what's going on.
Copyright 2017 Heart of Christ - El Corazon de Cristo. All rights reserved.