Sister Rosalie Rendu’s shelter in Peru
‘Human trafficking is a scourge on the body of contemporary humanity, a scourge on the flesh of Christ’ (Pope Francis).
Since March 2023, the jubilee year marking 400 years of the Light of Pentecost, the Lord has providentially placed us before a risky and daring service. We have taken up this challenge, convinced that consecrated life must be ‘where life cries out’ and that we must be ‘Samaritan women on the side of the road, attentive to listening and healing wounds.’
We began this adventure of service by welcoming a 22-year-old pregnant Venezuelan mother who had been trafficked for sexual exploitation and whose baby had already been sold by the criminal organisation. She had gone through indescribable experiences and had witnessed the death of a friend who, unable to bear such pressure, had hanged herself in the bathroom. Her immense pain and guilt stemmed from the fact that she had been unable to do anything to save her friend. After three months in our home, she was fortunately able to return to her country. We were able to coordinate her return with our Sisters in Venezuela, who welcomed and cared for this woman and her family.
We welcome and support many painful stories. We are convinced that God is counting on us to ease the pain of these women whose dignity has been completely violated. Here, they find a little hope after so much suffering. It is Jesus Christ, our model of compassion and mercy, who inspires us and drives us to embrace this service.
Welcoming – Supporting – Empowering: our mission is to give our sisters, whose dignity has been violated, the means to take back control of their lives, while being aware that this is a service that requires both caution and boldness. We welcome cases referred to us by public services. Like the innkeeper in the parable of the Good Samaritan, our mission is to ‘care for the wounded lives’ of our sisters who have suffered so much, such as the 22-year-old Colombian woman who arrived at our centre with twelve bullet wounds on her body: ‘To care for and accompany them is our mission.’
Every woman is a living image of Christ suffering among us. The shelter is an oasis of hope, a place of healing where, thanks to holistic care, women learn to believe in themselves, to love and appreciate themselves as beloved creatures of God. We do this with deep respect, listening and mercy. They are true witnesses of resilience, for even in the deepest pain, they never stop smiling.
This service is made possible thanks to the collaboration of many organisations that, in different ways, have supported and continue to support this initiative: RED KAWSAY (Network of Consecrated Life for a Society without Trafficking – Peru) – Talitha Kum International Network – Congregation of the Mission – IOM – UNHCR – OUR RESCUE – Public Ministry.
I invite you to keep these women in your hearts and prayers, and to walk with us, wherever you are, in this common mission of healing, justice and hope.
May Saint Josephine Bakhita give us the strength to continue fighting for a society free from human trafficking. We entrust to her each of the women who have survived this scourge, as well as those who are still victims of slavery.