by Christina Brinkerhoff
The resilience of the human spirit is a remarkable thing. At New Horizons, it sounds like laughter, looks like dancing, and it feels like the joy that comes from those incredible young women that are under the care of Esther and Johnson. I came away from my visit to New Horizons House this past November pondering and meditating on the how those magnificent young girls could still carry such light and life in their hearts.
I run an organization called Valkyrie Gives with my mother Renée – since 2017 our focus has been to drive awareness and raise funds to combat child trafficking by racing a 1956 Porsche on every continent in the world. It’s been a unique platform that has given us the ability to capture new audiences and hearts as we continue to spread the word about this harrowing global tragedy. Valkyrie Gives has funded NGOs in 13 countries and we’ve been able to witness frontline work around the world.
Last year we had the privilege of funding construction for three additional rooms to support 18 more girls at the New Horizons Safe House. November marked my first visit to India and New Horizons House to see the expansion we funded. As we were greeted by Esther & Johnson at the airport and journeyed on a long winding trek to their home and the transition house, I came to know how gentle and special their hearts are. Later upon arriving at the NHH, I was amazed by the warmth, love, and level of excellence permeating the staff and campus. The fruit of this was seen in the girls’ lives residing at the house. The work at NHH is exemplary and in a class of its own.
Human trafficking is such an overwhelming issue from the outset – how can we make a dent in the millions of lives that are suffering in bondage. But as this gnawing feeling comes up – I remember the girls’ faces at NHH – their resilience, hope, and the innocence that’s not entirely lost. When you reduce it to one life – you realize how much of a difference one can really make. New Horizons is making an enormous impact in so many lives and we are very honored to support their work.
