75
years
Ministry Highlight
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT MOSES “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am; send me.” – Isaiah 6:8 By Allison Tucker, Sunwest Communications
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n 2015, Terry and Mark Demler volunteered as ushers for a symposium about local Dallas issues surrounding human trafficking hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas and the Catholic Diocese of Dallas. What they didn’t realize at the time, was that volunteering at this event would change the course of their lives and positively impact countless people in the DFW area. “We were deeply moved by what we heard and stunned to hear that trafficking issues of such magnitude were happening so close to home,” said the Demlers. “The symposium message stayed heavy on our hearts, and we realized that something needed to be done to help those affected by trafficking who were underserved and in need of resources. We were unaware of how exactly to help but felt a calling to step up for the community and started thinking about ways we could make a difference. Our brainstorming led to the 2016 establishment of Project Moses, a local outreach ministry of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church.”
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THE ARCHANGEL | Spring 2022
The Demlers will be the first to say they did not start this ministry alone. Given the Demlers were still learning about the pressing and ongoing trafficking issues, they reached out for a variety of support to identify the role they could play to decrease the prevalence of trafficking in Dallas.
“We began our outreach by inviting all members of the Saint Michael congregation to attend Project Moses meetings,” explained Mark and Terry. “During these meetings, members listened to trafficking survivors and those who have dedicated their time and lives toward helping people on the path toward recovery. Through these efforts we met Rebekah Charleston,
a survivor of sex trafficking, a noted national speaker, and advocate for survivor rights, Rebekah became an invaluable resource. Kim Robinson, former CEO of New Friends New Life, became another key person who has supported our efforts since the beginning.” Once congregation members became aware of this new ministry and had a stronger grasp on the trafficking issues in Dallas, Mark and Terry were ready to identify the missional areas of Project Moses. Project Moses now focuses on three areas of human trafficking: education, advocacy and community partners. Project Moses hosts meetings to spotlight educational speakers and those who have knowledge and experience helping people whose lives have been affected by trafficking. In 2018, Project Moses hosted their first symposium bringing national, regional, and local experts in the field of human trafficking together to provide information on research, law enforcement and legislative fronts. A panel of trafficking sur-
