Spring Journal 2026 | Break & Build

Spring 2026 | Volume 27 | Break & Build

childfreedom JOURNAL

A NOTE FROM THE TEAM

our logo tells Nature is unafraid of contrast. In it, light and shadow share the same landscape, tides pull back as new waves roll in, and the same sky holds both the rising sun and fading stars.

Spring in particular moves confidently through contrast. Bare branches lay the foundation for early blooms, bright green stems push through frost-covered ground, and things that “shouldn’t” really be happening simultaneously exist side by side.

This year, we’re leaning into contrast: the tension that holds two realities at once and shapes stories as well as seasons. Even within the word itself, there is dissonance: some contrasts build while others break, some give life while others harm. Some things that exist side by side should never have shared the same ground.

This tension exists in the lives of the children we serve. Every child trafficking survivor arrives with a story already in motion. By the time we meet, their framework for life has begun to form on the foundation of their experience: abuse, violence, and brutality.

Over time, those early experiences become memories that shape a child’s reality, inner voice, and future. Survival becomes the structure that holds everything together, and patterns formed in crisis feel cemented.

Rescue interrupts that story. It’s the first crack in the foundation of injustice, breaking the grip of exploitation and paving the way for restoration.

While breaking a child f ree f rom slavery can happen in a moment, rebuilding a life happens over time. Trust must be reconstructed, and safety must become a consistent reality.

This is the life and future-altering work you make possible: dismantling systems of child exploitation, restoring hope and childhood, and equipping survivors to flourish into futures where they become the difference in their own communities.

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the story of breaking what binds and building what lasts

breaking what binds. building what lasts.

To break is to dismantle the roots of injustice.

To build is to cultivate environments where child traff icking survivors flourish into lifelong f reedom.

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YOU’RE TRANSFORMING TOOLS THAT HURT INTO TOOLS THAT HEAL

HANDS

In environments shaped by exploitation, ordinary things can take on very different meanings. The same hands that should be learning, drawing, and playing are forced into labor. Stone and brick become instruments of exhaustion. Rope binds rather than supports. Even the rising sun signals the start of another long day of work under an unforgiving sky. Objects and elements that should have simply been part of everyday life become tools in systems designed to break children down.

When rescue interrupts that story, the meaning of those same things begins to change. In environments built for restoration, what once carried harm slowly becomes part of healing. In this work of breaking what once harmed and building what helps children grow, the contrast becomes clear: the very things that once hurt are being transformed into tools for healing.

HANDS ARE FOR high fives eating cooking braiding hair clapping drawing writing learning a trade planting seeds tying shoes turning pages

HANDS ARE NOT FOR bruising hitting violence

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STONE IS FOR

ROPE

STONE

SUN SUN IS FOR

ROPE IS FOR

school mornings play with friends fresh air warmth growing gardens rest in the shade running beauty silly pictures joy new opportunities

dance class foundations safe buildings driving on playing with friends kneeling in worship garden paths stairways walking to school chalk drawings building

tug-of-war securing scaffolding garden trellises tying up swings jumping rope supporting plants learning practical skills hands on training team games climbing securing parcels

SUN IS NOT FOR

STONE IS NOT FOR

ROPE IS NOT FOR

punishment exhaustion relentless labor

little hands to carry forced quarry labor beating

binding hands restraint control

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Jason and Lisa LaFollette have dedicated years to building custom homes designed to sustain all that lies ahead.

THE SPACES THAT SHAPE US This season, we’re exploring the idea that sometimes things must be dismantled before something stronger can be built. How have you seen that play out in your work as a builder?

breaking cycles of exploitation and helping rebuild lives with safety, care, and opportunity.

Jason & Lisa: That theme resonates deeply with me. As a builder, I see it all the time.

Sometimes something has to be removed before you can build what should have been there in the first place. You clear the land, remove what’s unstable, and start with a proper foundation.

Jason & Lisa: A strong foundation! Whether it’s a home, a business, or a life, the foundation determines what the structure can withstand. Integrity, stability, and care in the early stages make all the difference over time.

But that principle applies to life too. Many of us carry things that were built into our lives that were never meant to last, broken systems, harmful habits, or patterns passed down through generations. Real change often begins when those things are confronted and dismantled so something healthier can be built in their place.

BRYAN, TEXAS

What inspires me about Child Freedom Coalition is that they are doing exactly that for children who have experienced unimaginable hardship. They are

In your experience, what makes something built to last?

We’re in the process of building a Trauma Care Home for some of our most vulnerable rescued girls. From your experience as a builder, how does the design and stability of a space influence the way someone grows within it?

Jason & Lisa: The spaces we live in shape us more than we realize. A well-designed, stable environment creates a sense of safety and belonging. When people feel secure, they can begin to heal, learn, and grow. A trauma care home isn’t just a building, it becomes a place where restoration can begin.

RING 20 SP

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NUMBE 26

4,560

1,400

Child trafficking survivors are currently receiving restorative care. This care costs $350,000 per month.

Kids are living at the original children’s home

3,160

$880K

Kids are living with Christian foster families after 205 were reunited with their families so far this year.

Has been raised and sent for restorative care and capital projects so far in 2026.

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In the 14 years I’ve been working with our team in South Asia, I’ve learned that the most vital visions in life come into focus over time. Clarity rarely arrives all at once, but through the experience of breaking, building, and the stories that shape us.

There have been moments when the path forward wasn’t yet visible, and the next step required trust before understanding. Again and again, the Lord has met us in that faith, freeing children from slavery, restoring their childhoods, and setting them on a path toward bright futures. This faith and partnership have formed the foundation we now build from.

In June 2025, that foundation stood strong through our historic rescue operation that freed 4,989 children from 17 illegal rock quarries. Medical evaluations revealed that 381 girls, ages 13–16, were pregnant as a result of severe sexual violence.

As the depth of their trauma became clear, so did the need. These young women would require more time and care than our typical programs provide.

So we began to build with that in mind.

The Trauma Care Home for girls is being established for more than 300 of our most vulnerable rescued girls, many of whom are young mothers. Here, medical care for both mom and baby, trauma-informed counseling, education, and training are woven into daily life to help rebuild what trafficking tried to take.

As we continue stepping toward future rescues, the need continues to grow.

This home will serve as a critical refuge for survivors experiencing deep trauma, offering the opportunity to regain stability and begin again.

The Trauma Care Home for girls is $800,000 away from completion, but thanks to a generous $400,000 matching gift, we have $400,000 left to raise. Now, every dollar you give makes twice the impact.

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The Trauma Care Home will be a safe haven for 300+ of our most vulnerable girls to heal.

“

MARCY MOORHEAD CHILD FREEDOM COALITION CO-FOUNDER | DONOR ENGAGEMENT MARCY@CHILDFREEDOM.ORG

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P.O. Box 26625, Greenville, SC 29616

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ChildFreedom.org

833.703.7333

info@childfreedom.org