Our team would like to thank all who were part of the Armidale Freedom Climb for your gift for the victims of human trafficking France. God knows how important is your very practical support toward these women. We know that climbing Cathedral Rock was not easy with fog and rocks. We are far from each other but it’s such an encouragement for us to know that people in Australia are joining us in this great task.

Over the last 5 years, we have visited 300 women in the streets mainly from Africa and Eastern Europe, we have been in regular contact with 80 of them, 25 have left the street; 10 are attending regularly a church; 6 have denounced their network to the authorities. Glory to God

Thank you for partnering with us in our work, and read the story of *Mary to hear one persons’ personal story.

--- The team in France

From slavery to marriage

Saturday June 14th will stay engraved in my memory as we attended the wedding of *Mary, a girl who we have been involved with for 15 months. When she said ‘yes’ to her future husband, I couldn’t help thinking about the road that we have travelled with her since we were first met.

Mary was on the streets between 2002 and 2006, under strict supervision of a ‘mother’ (pimp). After she was attacked by a customer her ‘mother’ took her to Italy for fear that the police would look more closely into what was going on. Mary kept working under the control of this ‘mother’, but never stopped praying to get out.

One night whilst her ‘mother’ was away for a couple of weeks, she escaped through a window with only a small bundle of her and returned to France. She contacted people she knew who contacted us and asked if we could help. A partner church had put aside a room in their church building to help victims of human trafficking. A few months there gave her the opportunity to breathe and let go of some of the pressure that she had been under for the previous years.

Then started a long process to be free. There were highs and lows, moments when our faith was tested, and discouragements as everything needed to be rebuilt in Mary’s life.

So many times Mary told us that without us, without the Christians in her life, she would still be on the streets. The investment in prayer, time and money is considerable, but perseverance is only possible because God is with us. Her ‘mother’ asked for €50,000 for her freedom. Christ gave His life for her on the cross to set her free. What a difference!

During a wedding she met *P and lightning struck. He is a man who is serious about his faith and his life and before long wedding plans started. We were able to contribute to wedding expenses with the help of others.

The wedding bouquet reminds us how God can bring a colourful life out of a miserable one.

Thank you for partnering with us to make a difference in the lives of Mary, and many others like her.

* Names changed

For more information about the work in France email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

On Saturday August 30, 28 people set out to climb Cathedral Rock, an hour east of Armidale. Theo Pullar, at just 15 ½ weeks, is the youngest Aussie Freedom Climber to date and alternately smiled and slept his way through the climb.

The climb was steep and the fog and mist that set in created a fabulous ambience. The climb began with a path and steps leading up, past ever more interesting boulders, followed by scrambling up and over huge granite boulders and culminated in chains over the steepest part to the summit.

The normally spectacular view from the summit was hidden in the mists, but participants took time to pray into issues of trafficking and oppression before heading back down.

At the base, climbers enjoyed a sausage sizzle and heard about issues of modern day slavery and human trafficking, specifically the work that OM is doing in France. Sophie Pullar who worked with OM in France, shared about the work, the ministry and the impact that is happening amongst sex-workers in Nantes, France.

Just over $3,000 was raised, and will go to Freedom Climb projects in France.