Hope Center Indy took careful consideration in the collection and sharing of this story, ensuring that the graduate retained complete control over the narrative and actively contributed to both the writing and selection of the accompanying photographs. To preserve her privacy, the graduate has opted to be referred to as "Charis"—a name that signifies "Grace" in Greek—throughout the story. All information, including personal names, is shared with the explicit informed consent of the graduates and survivors.
Reflecting on her stay at Hope Center Indy’s Take Heart Residential program, Charis remembers the most beneficial class she participated in: "Ending the Game" (ETG), taught by another survivor and Hope Center graduate. Though she initially didn't realize the extent of the trafficking she had been subjected to, this class opened her eyes. Charis learned about the deliberate methods traffickers use, such as isolation, starvation, psychological torment, and even forcing victims into labor and online exploitation.
Having progressed further in her healing journey, Jasmine, the graduate who taught the ETG class, was able to profoundly empathize with Charis and nurture her through the process. Her guidance was pivotal in Charis' healing and recovery. Charis reflects, “Jasmine could see it set into me, and she just embraced me with this beautiful, gentle love. And it was just really helpful.”
Before attending this class, Charis carried a heavy burden of self-blame and shame. She thought she was alone, a single victim of this crime. “Prior to stepping foot on Hope Center's campus, I had been struggling with tremendous trauma. I was fear-filled. I was mistrusting, and I was hopeless,” says Charis.
Despite the trauma and mistrust she harbored, the Take Heart Residential and Hope Center staff’s persistent, tenacious, and unconditional love broke down the walls around her heart and helped her reconnect with her Savior.
Charis describes this transformative process: “The love; the unconditional love, despite what sort of trauma would bubble up or what sort of emotion. I was very mistrusting. I was very angry. I was terrified. The staff stepped in, and they just met me right where I was with just unconditional love, and they said, ‘we will love you through this. We are not gonna leave your side. We are gonna hold your arms up, and we're gonna help you through this. You're not alone.’ And it was just so beautiful to have those really vulnerable moments and to have Jesus lovers just come around and embrace me through it. Like, I'll never forget that."
Charis' journey at the Hope Center not only facilitated her healing but also reignited her faith.
“I have known Jesus my entire life. A series of traumas had knocked my identity in Christ, and an abusive marriage that ended quite traumatically made me perfect prey, vulnerable to human trafficking. But praise God, I knew Jesus through that trauma, and He saved me,” she reflects.
Charis possesses an extraordinary passion for her Lord and Savior, and she has never wavered in her allegiance to Christ. Her devotion is evident to those who have had the pleasure of teaching her, such as Dr. Carolyn Knight, her Bible class instructor. “I remember the first time I met her in my Bible class. She was always so eager to learn more, she asked such thoughtful questions, and I looked forward to teaching her every week! I worked harder in preparation because of the depth of her interest and passion to know the Word,” Dr. Knight recalls.
During Charis' graduation, Dr. Knight highlighted a word that truly encapsulates her essence: "indomitable." According to the dictionary, it describes a person who is unconquerable, brave, and an undefeated warrior. Charis embodies this definition. Despite experiencing numerous challenges, she remains an overcomer, continually demonstrating her victorious spirit.
Her innate desire for truth, planted by the Lord, also served as a strength that helped her persevere through the complex process of healing. “That was something of value that I shared with a lot of the people I interacted with. And that's how I built trust—based on love—and realized that these individuals were different than those who had hurt me in the past,” says Charis.
“The Lord helped me build and connect through love with like-minded individuals who carried the values of Jesus. I really yearned for connection because I remember being in those moments and wondering, 'Am I the only one that sees what's going on here?' At the Hope Center, I saw individuals who truly cared about what was happening, and it made me want to have the heart to finish the race strong.”
Charis recalls how the staff would meet her in her brokenness on the tough days.
"They would say, 'You can say whatever you need to say to me, and I'm gonna stay right here. I will not leave you. This was not your fault. I would never judge you. You don't have to carry that shame anymore. You can lay it down.' And I can't forget that. On the hard days when it was tough for me, I remembered that I love these people in a different kind of special way. So I wanted to finish not only, of course, for my own personal healing, but also for future survivors, the advocates, for the staff, and for the leadership that I've learned and grown to love."
A standout moment in Charis' journey at Take Heart Residential was when she shared her insights anonymously for a documentary highlighting the global impact of Jordan Detection K-9. Located at the Hope Center Indy campus, Jordan Detection K-9 allows survivors to engage with the dogs during their training to become electronic storage detection K-9s and benefit from therapeutic interactions. The evidence these K-9s and their human counterparts find serves as crucial evidence to prosecute human traffickers and exploiters.
"It was validating, and I do believe in my heart it's gonna be tremendously beneficial for the greater good. I think it's valuable to know the methods of the cyber component of human trafficking and exploitation, and I think they're spot on with what they're doing. It was very validating to know that law enforcement was catching on to the methods. And I think it's so beautiful that they're going to the right places, to the internet sources that are allowing this material to go out."
Her passion for justice and truth shines through, "Like, hit it from the top. Let's quit messing around. And let's get after it!" she said enthusiastically.
As Charis graduated from Take Heart Residential at the Hope Center, she felt a profound sense of accomplishment and excitement.
"It's beautiful. Most importantly, because I wanted to honor Jesus. Because I know any breath that I take is because of His grace and His mercy. So I really just wanted to honor my King who narrated and sustained me through each moment and believed in me through each moment. I really was excited to be able to honor Him and then to have different organizations that had partnered with me along the way show up."
Charis shares how God "parted the Red Sea" from her initial interactions with Hope Center’s anti-trafficking partner organizations, such as Mandy from Dear Dinah and Liz from Wings of the Way, which enabled her to find and come to the Hope Center.
"And to have accomplished something after being taught that I was not worthy or not capable of completing anything; to be able to say that's not, in fact, who I am. It’s not who Jesus says I am. And I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."
Charis was offered the opportunity to partner in witnessing and mercy ministry with Dr. Knight and her Light in Darkness Ministry, an extension of her discipleship. These experiences are enriching and evidence of her commitment to spreading love and faith. Charis has proven to be an excellent evangelist. "I have watched her lead people to Christ, share her testimony, encourage people, comfort people, pray for people, and we plan to continue to go out together even after her graduation. So I now have both a friend and a partner in ministry in Charis," said Dr. Knight.
Hope Center Art therapist Mary Faith described Charis' triumphant Graduation Celebration as a "Night of Miracles." And it undoubtedly was. Despite the snowy weather, over seventy people attended the event to celebrate Charis and exalt God for His redeeming love.
Mary Nolen, Associate Director of Hope Center Indy, deeply admires Charis for her kindness and desire to see fruitfulness in the kingdom of God. In her speech at the graduation celebration, she praised Charis' character, saying, "You have intentionally chosen to be kind, which is not easy to do when you're grieving losses and working through trauma. I believe everyone here can attest to the fact that you have, at one time or another, intentionally imparted hope into our hearts."
Looking ahead, Charis enrolled in Hope Center’s transitional housing program for women called Hope Community and continues to be part of the Redefined business team. She feels a call on her life for ministry and advocacy, and she has surrendered to the Lord in that respect.
"I have some options. I am prayerful to begin graduate school in the fall to complete my master’s degree in social work, but I also feel called in a few other directions. I don't know where the Lord's gonna go with it, but I'm just really trying to be intentional in surrendering to His will. I trust Him. I know it's gonna be beautiful. Exceedingly and abundantly more than I could ever imagine."
Lately, Charis has been finding peace despite any challenges she may face as she continues forward. She’s been studying the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Book of Daniel.
"Even if He doesn't," Charis says, "I still won't serve other gods. The Lord has me walking through how He is faithful, even in the fire. Daniel was so meek, prayerful, and peaceful that he slept in a lion's den. So, I know the Lord is preparing that message in my heart for whatever He has next for me despite the lions in the lion's den."
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