STEPPING BACKWARD TO STEP FORWARD

Taking a step backward is sometimes necessary to step forward into new beginnings.

Recently, we sent two survivors home to Tanzania and Ethiopia. For many we send, going home can feel bittersweet. There is relief and joy as they return to their own culture, language, and family. But at the same time, many struggle with the decision to return home. Life at home was not easy when they left, and it will not be easy when they return. The pressure from family for provision is still there, and the expectation may even be higher after having "worked" abroad. The political and economic conditions in their countries are often unstable, and women can feel understandably anxious about their future. But restoration for many of these women requires this step of returning home. For many, this can feel like a step backward into the situation they left behind. But after having experienced NightLight's care and community, having begun to heal, and having gained new skills and perspective, this step "backwards" is actually the launching pad for the next steps forward.  

While women are in our shelter program, our team works with them to plan for a healthy future. The first day we met one of the women we just sent home, she was frail, thin, and shaking with fear and trauma. But in her year with us, she began to heal, dream again, and learn barista skills. She dreamed of having her own coffee shop back home. As part of her return home, we were able to connect her with an organization near her that will offer her further mentoring and training in preparation for her shop. In addition, we've pledged to provide a small start-up grant monitored by that organization to help her reach her dream. The second survivor was trafficked when her shop and business fell apart as a result of family health issues. She is a natural leader with potential in business, and conversations have already begun with a local organization to provide a small start-up grant to help her launch her business selling merchandise under their expertise. 

Both of these women went home with mixed emotions. Last year, their dreams of success abroad turned into nightmares. They fell backwards. But today, they are now being launched forward into new beginnings with new dreams. This time, they have a support network and guidance to keep their dreams from becoming nightmares. As they step back into familiar places, they do so with healing underway, skills in hand, and a community behind them. What once felt like an ending is now a beginning shaped by hope, resilience, and the quiet confidence that forward is still possible, even when the path leads home.