Letter from the Vice President—Samantha Nelson

(From the July 2016 edition of HopeSpeak)

Dear Hope of Survivors Family,

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Truly there is a time for every purpose, and it seems the time for raising even greater awareness about The Hope of Survivors and clergy sexual abuse is now! If you’ve been keeping up with the email updates, you’ll know that God really blessed the recent outreach events in Oregon, California, Wyoming, Texas and Romania. But there’s still more to come!

This month (July), we’ll have an opportunity to speak at the Wyoming Camp Meeting in Casper. Check out the calendar for more details. If you’re in the area, you’ll want to stop by for this 3-day seminar series and to have a look at the many resources available at The Hope of Survivors’ booth.

Coming up before you know it is the annual Clergy Sexual Abuse Awareness & Prevention Campaign! To coincide with this campaign, we are planning a walkathon, which you’ll want to participate in if at all possible. It’s a walk-where-you-are event, so there’ll be no travel expenses on your part at all!

If you haven’t yet submitted your video for the campaign, please do so ASAP! We need a horizontal format video (like your TV screen). You can take it with your iPhone and send it in. Just be sure to share your name (or a pseudonym), a brief overview of the abuse, and how The Hope of Survivors has helped you. We want to get enough of these videos to play a new one each day throughout August, if at all possible. Watch an instructional video here. Thanks for your help!

As Ecclesiastes continues in verses 2 and 3, there is a time to plant and a time to build up. The Hope of Survivors is planting seeds of truth to help prevent clergy sexual abuse, to help victims find truth and healing, and to help clergy remain faithful to their high calling.

“I would also ask that anyone who is able visit the website for information on clergy sex abuse and hopefully to make a contribution to this ministry. That is the organization that was instrumental in helping my daughter begin this journey of healing.”—Victim’s Father, on a blog posting

“I will be praying that the funds come in. THOS has been for me, and is for so many, a lifeline of support during a very dark time.  You offer hope…at a time when all feels hopeless. God knows how you reach the hurting, and we’ll just pray that He continues to provide for this ministry…”—WA

As the ministry to those in need continues to expand, this is a time to build up The Hope of Survivors. But, we simply can’t do that without your help. Mary Jo has been a tremendous blessing as a volunteer and an even greater asset as an employee since April. I ask you to please prayerfully consider signing up for a one-time or a recurring monthly donation to help offset the costs of salaries. Without staff, there’s no way to provide the daily, personal support that victims so desperately need when they reach out to The Hope of Survivors for help. You can be part of helping these victims find the life raft they need.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support!

God bless you,
Samantha Nelson
Vice President & CEO