Fall 2023 IMPACT – Courageous Trafficking Survivor Makes Legal History

SUMMER 2022 A PUBLICATION OF REGENT UNIVERSITY FALL 2023

PART N E R I N G TO C H AN G E T H E W O R L D FO R G O D ’ S G LO RY

Courageous Trafficking Survivor Makes Legal History

INSIDE: HOW YOU ARE TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP

YOUR GENEROSITY IS CHANGING LIVES

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I’m so grateful for my Ph.D. I learned about perseverance, resiliency, God’s grace and mercy, and moral courage.

Emerging from that program solidified my moral compass and who I am in Jesus Christ.

Ava Jones, Ph.D. (SBL ’16)

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A Heart of Gratitude Regent Law student rises above life-altering trials with the help of a scholarship Thanks to friends like you, Taylor Qualls (LAW ’24) is a thriving student at Regent University’s School of Law. But her dream of earning a law degree was almost shattered when her life was suddenly turned upside down.

While she and her husband were in the hospital preparing to welcome their son, the family’s home caught fire and burned down. Taylor had no help from her parents or family to pay for law school so this setback almost brought her journey at Regent to an end.

Your gifts helped Taylor through an incredibly challenging time by providing her with a life-changing scholarship: “Because of generous donors like you, I can get through law school with some of the financial burden lifted. Thank you for alleviating the stress of figuring out how to pay for law school.

“Whenever I see no way out of the situation that I’m in, whether financially or otherwise, God always uses an angel like you to walk into our mess and bless us tremendously. Thank you so much for being so charitable with the fruits of your labor. I know how hard it must have been to earn, and I am forever grateful that you saw a need and met it by donating to Regent.”

A New Tradition of Student Service

Students practice servant leadership through Operation Blessing outreach You helped Regent students become the hands and feet of Jesus during a new “Welcome Week” activity hosted

by Operation Blessing. The on-campus, collegeorientation event brought together more than 350 first-time freshmen, undergraduate transfers and other volunteers who packed nearly 800 disaster-relief kits.

Each five-gallon bucket contained emergency supplies to help victims clean and sanitize their homes after a natural disaster. Regent students were able to further bless people in need by writing words of encouragement on the lid of each bucket and praying over the relief kits.

“This event was so significant for new students because it gave them such a valuable introduction into who we are as a Regent family,” said Hailey Todd, a senior and one of the university’s Student Engagement Coordinators. “We strive to serve like Jesus did, and we do what we can to help those around us.”

Those disaster-relief kits were quickly put to good use.

Just two weeks later, on August 30, Hurricane Idalia slammed Florida’s Gulf Coast with 125-mph winds, tidal surges and torrential rain. One day after the deadly, Category 3 storm made landfall, a truck arrived at an Operation Blessing facility in Ocala, Florida, to distribute the five-gallon buckets to individuals and families in need.

“This event exemplified what ‘Christian Leadership to Change the World’ looks like—being a servant leader,” explained Audrey Nickell, a Regent junior and Vice President of the College Student Leadership Board.

Because of you, student-led outreaches are one of the many ways Regent students prepare for lives of service and significance. Your prayers and gifts are equipping Christian servant-leaders for God’s glory.

Thank you!

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Courageous Trafficking Survivor Makes Legal History Landmark court victory helps human-trafficking victims begin reclaiming their lives.

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The Department of Homeland Security says human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world. According to U.S. government statistics, an estimated 25 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking and forced labor.

“Our students, faculty and partners have long done amazing work around the world to fight human trafficking. But the need is also great in our own community, and we’re uniquely equipped to help,” says Brad Lingo, Dean of Regent University School of Law.

Fighting this modern-day slavery has been at the heart of Regent University School of Law’s Center for Global Justice (CGJ) since its founding in 2010. Thanks to your support, the Center is training the next generation of advocates focused on combatting human trafficking, providing justice for the oppressed and restoring lives.

This summer, donors helped the CGJ launch a legal clinic that empowers trafficking survivors to have specific criminal convictions expunged or “vacated.” The Center for Global Justice Clinic has already secured a landmark victory for Olivia, a young woman who was trafficked for 10 years.

“We started the Center to train the next generation of advocates to uphold and rescue, in concrete ways, those who are oppressed,” says Regent Law Professor Jeffrey Brauch, who helped launch the CGJ.

“Trafficking victims are treated as things, not people, so their humanity is denied. They suffer immense psychological and physical abuse,” insists Dean S. Ernie Walton, Director of the CGJ. “Scripture makes clear that

God hates injustice. It is arguable that the greatest injustice facing our world today is human trafficking.”

work. Thus, the only viable option is free legal representation, which we now offer.”

Olivia’s trafficker used physical and psychological abuse to coerce her into criminal acts, including drug smuggling, theft and prostitution. “[I did] a lot of things that I knew were wrong,” she explains. “But I didn’t really have much of a choice. … I used to pray, literally, every day for the police to arrest me so that I could just finally stop doing what I was doing.”

Olivia’s expunged convictions involve two misdemeanors: prostitution and being in a place of prostitution. Thanks to donors like you, the CGJ Clinic is working to expand the Virginia vacatur law to provide relief from other crimes committed as human-trafficking victims, including larceny, fraud and drug charges.

Through the donor-supported advocacy of the CGJ, Virginia enacted legislation allowing human-trafficking survivors convicted of prostitution-related misdemeanors to have those crimes removed from their records. This “vacatur law” went into effect in July 2021 and empowers victims—forced to commit crimes by their trafficker—to reclaim their lives.

“Our first vacatur petition was granted on July 25. We believe it was the first in the entire state,” says Meg Kelsey, a former Virginia prosecutor and assistant director of the CGJ. “Many trafficking survivors lack the financial resources to pay for an attorney to do this

“The Center for Global Justice walked Olivia through the vacatur process,” explains Regent University Chancellor Gordon Robertson. “She now has hope.

She now has a future. And it was all made possible through the efforts of the School of Law and the faithful support of our donors.”

“I’m grateful for the donors of the Center for Global Justice because they allowed me to have a lawyer and advocates in the fight to expunge my record,” Olivia says.

“It’s so very important, now more than ever, to work side by side to get even more convictions expunged from trafficking-survivors’ records.”

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I’m grateful for the donors of the Center for Global Justice because they allowed me to have a lawyer and advocates in the fight to expunge my record. It’s so very important, now more than ever, to work side by side to get even more convictions expunged from trafficking-survivors’ records.

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Helping Change a Nation Student finds hope and support to help make a difference in her home country of Lebanon.

Growing up in Lebanon, May-Lee Melki (LAW ’23) watched her homeland suffer from corruption, violence and religious persecution. But thanks to a scholarship provided by Regent University donors like you, she received the training needed to begin working to change her country for the better.

Exactly one week after May-Lee left her hometown of Beirut to begin studying at Regent’s School of Law, a massive port explosion devastated much of the capital city. She struggled being away from her family and church at such a difficult time.

Many people she knew and loved were affected by the disaster. But the unwavering love, compassion and support of her Regent classmates and professors helped ensure her success: “The negligence that took place in Lebanon, which led to the Beirut port explosion, was even more of an affirmation that the Lord called me to Regent University to study law and allow Him to utilize this degree for His glory,” May-Lee insists.

Thanks to generous donors, May-Lee Melki (LAW ’23) received a life-changing scholarship.

“It is on my heart to work in International Law and one day contribute to cases of anti-corruption and human rights,” she adds. “As a young woman who was raised in a Christian family in the Middle East, I cannot thank you enough for choosing to extend this kind support to me.”

SMART IDEAS FOR YOUR YEAR-END BENEFITS With the end of the year approaching, here are some tax-wise, year-end, charitable gift ideas and possible benefits for you.

DONATE SHARES OF STOCK OR OTHER SECURITIES • Receive a charitable deduction for the fair market value.

• Eliminate capital gains on the appreciation.

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FUND A CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY • Receive an income stream for the rest of your life.

• A portion of the income may be tax free.

• Immediate (partial) tax deduction.

MAKE A QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION (QCD) • If you are 70½ or older, give “tax free” directly from your IRA. • A QCD will satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution, if applicable.

To learn more about best strategies for year-end giving, please contact us at 800.335.4409 or plannedgiving@regent.edu.

Answering God’s Call in Vietnam Transforming lives for His glory in a nation traditionally closed to the gospel More than a quarter century ago, God brought Jacob Bloemberg (SBL ’08) and Linda Bloemberg (SOE ’05) to Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi to launch a ministry that is transforming lives and culture in the name of Jesus Christ.

“We felt called to serve in a country where almost no missionary could go,” Jacob explained.

As lead pastor of Hanoi International Fellowship and a middle school counselor at Concordia International School, Jacob and Linda play a major role in Hanoi’s transformation into a city that has become more welcoming to Christians.

The Bloembergs have been living and working in the Southeast Asian nation since 1997.

“It was like an answer to our prayers, to find a place to serve where we could use our professional skills,” Jacob said.

Linda was the first Bloemberg to graduate from Regent University, earning a Master of Arts from the School of Education in 2005. Jacob followed three years later (2008) with a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from the School of Business & Leadership.

Thanks to the generosity of Regent donors, both Bloembergs received scholarships that allowed them

to graduate debt free. As a result, they credit the university for much of their success in Hanoi.

“The decision to get our master’s really set us up professionally for the paradigm shift that has taken place here,” Jacob insisted. “For Linda to become a teacher and then a counselor at an international school and for me to lead the congregation through the various stages of growth, I still fall back on a lot of the concepts that have been taught at Regent. It definitely was a turning point.”

Linda added, “The degree you get at Regent is what is going to open the door. These countries aren’t accessible without it.”

The Bloembergs are serving God and working to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile” (Jeremiah 29:7, NIV). Your gifts to Regent University make it possible for alumni, like Jacob and Linda, to fulfill their calling to become Christian leaders who change the world.

To learn more about their current church project, visit freedom.hif.vn.

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Entering God’s Rest Words of encouragement from Chancellor Gordon Robertson

Rest is a vital part of the Christian walk. Hebrews 4:9-11 says, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.”

The source of refreshing is always the presence of the Lord. If you’re tired, if you feel overwhelmed, the best thing to do is seek Him and His rest.

Matthew 11:28 tells believers: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”.

That’s an amazing promise that we all should take hold of and put into practice.

weighing on you. It’s important to listen for that “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), but you may need to “be still” in order to hear it (Ps. 46:10).

Long before I became chancellor, I began asking the Lord to bless the university and everyone in it. I want to see everyone associated “Come to me, all you with Regent be a student of God and of His Word. We all need to learn how who are weary to hear His voice. When we do hear it, and burdened, and I pray that you and I are eager to say “Yes” to God. My father always did, I will give you rest” and it made all the difference in his Matthew 11:28 (NIV) life and ministry.

When you seek the peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7), it can be very elusive. That’s why it’s important to learn how to enter a state of rest quickly. Sometimes, whatever you’re going through keeps talking to you,

By entering into the Lord’s presence, we can enter into times of refreshing, times of rest and times of peace that surpasses all understanding. Let the Holy Spirit lead you into all truth. From there, you will find God’s peace and enter into His rest.

This is your legacy.

You will always be part of the Regent Family. Now it’s time for those in your family to join as a Legacy student.

An eligible grandchild, child or sibling of a CBN or Regent University alumnus will receive an award of $2,000 toward their tuition.

Learn More: regent.edu/learnmore

REGENT.EDU/IMPACT | regentalumni.org | @regentalumni | Regent University’s Impact is published quarterly by the university’s Office of Advancement, free of charge, for alumni and friends of the university. To review Regent’s nondiscrimination statement, visit www.regent.edu/nondiscrim. Opinions expressed in Impact are those of individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of Regent University’s board, faculty, administration or staff. Regent University accepts news submissions from readers but reserves the right to edit based upon clarity, length and content. The university may decline to print material at its discretion. ADV230678

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