European Freedom Network: Building Bridges

European Freedom Network: Building Bridges
EEA was delighted with the success of the European Freedom Network’s 3rd consultation, Bridge 2015 which took place 20-23 April in Bucharest with well over 200 people from 130 ministries and 31 nations. The event’s name was carefully chosen. Only by ministries connecting together, strengthening one another and seeing and responding to the big picture can we hope to provide a Bridge to freedom for those exploited by human trafficking and sexual exploitation.  Bridge 2015 participants included those involved in prevention, awareness-raising, street and off-street outreach, prayer, advocacy, aftercare and networking facilitation. There were so many highlights, from the individual who said that the times focusing on God’s word had changed her life, to the conversations with Christian politicians about the most strategic actions that could combat exploitation to learning the keys to good networking or to learning how to partner with governmental authorities in service provision while of course maintaining our Christian ethos. Two things deserve special mention.  Firstly the day in the Romanian Parliament, in partnership with the European Christian Political Movement and the Romanian Parliamentary Group on Combatting Human Trafficking, was remarkable. There are many good efforts to fight human trafficking in Romania, from NGOs, officials and politician. However, effective collaboration is rare.  This day, the preparation for it, and, we pray, the follow-up has helped in the building of trust and mutual understanding and in highlighting some strategic actions that could make a real difference to prevent exploitation or to help those coming out of it. Secondly, EFN partners gathered in country groupings (with several Evangelical Alliance connected people among them!).  Many countries made real progress in moving forward to have national networks. EFN will of course continue to facilitate this networking. However, we invite national Evangelical Alliances to play a facilitating role as well.  Specialist human trafficking / sexual exploitation ministries need the wider Church.  And there are so many non-specialist but very strategic roles that only the wider Church can play.

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