Finding and Restoring — F.R.E.E. International
THE SURPRISING REALITY
According to Michael Bartel, co-founder with his wife, Denise, of F.R.E.E. (Find, Restore, Embrace, Empower) International based in Las Vegas, one of the hard realities of “rescuing” children from traffickers is that oftentimes the children don’t want to be found. Traffickers are experts at grooming and manipulating children into either a relationship-based or a fear-based emotional dependency, with drugs and alcohol often a part of the equation.
And it likely comes as no surprise that children in “the system” (foster care) are prime targets for traffickers. Most foster children have experienced a wide range of neglect and/or abuse. Many have had less-than-stable lives, having been bounced from home to home. And some carry deep-seated feelings of betrayal and guilt — things traffickers use to their advantage.
Children in stable family homes are not immune to being groomed and trafficked either, such as in the case of Emily Hollis. Sadly, in foster situations where children are carrying so much destructive baggage, it’s not uncommon for a child to be actively seeking to run away and not be found by authorities — making them easy prey for traffickers.
So, when F.R.E.E. International and embedded law enforcement agencies find a child, who has typically been drugged up and repeatedly raped, there are typically no tears of joy or embracing of their rescuers — these kids have been severely traumatized and are in survival mode with fear and distrust their constant companions.
RIPLEY TO THE RESCUE
Communicating with a trafficked, traumatized child can be an extreme challenge, even for highly trained and skilled social workers who are experienced in working with trafficked children.
However, over the last year, funding provided by BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge) has enabled F.R.E.E. International to purchase a Critical Incident Trauma Therapy (CITT) dog. His name is Ripley.
According to Bartel, the highly sociable and lovable Ripley has become an indispensable part of the Big Search as well as in any situation where they work with trafficked children and their families.
“Joe and Amy Malhoit are missionary associates on our team,” Bartel says. “Joe is a retired FBI agent and the Malhoits are now Ripley’s handlers. Ripley helps during searches and with families whose children have been trafficked. A lot of these children have been heavily abused, and loving on Ripley and his response to them helps drop the anxiety levels and bring a sense of calm into their lives.”
Bartel explains that CITT dogs such as Ripley have a powerful impact wherever they go.
“It’s hard to even give words to how effective a CITT dog is,” Bartel says. “For example, we were hosting a resource fair for trafficking victims (who are being prostituted), offering them a way out, and these young ladies, many who had been raped 20 to 30 times the night before, wouldn’t hardly give us the time of day. But within five minutes of bringing in a CITT dog, they were loving on him and he was responding to them . . . anxiety and stress levels dropped, and we were able to start working with these young ladies toward taking the next step.”
Bartel shares that BGMC is currently funding the training and purchase of four more CITT dogs like Ripley for F.R.E.E. International, but these dogs can also track.
“We might know that a child is in an apartment complex, but in Las Vegas there are complexes with 1,000 units in them,” he explains. “However, these cross-trained CITT dogs have been trained to track by scent and will be able to take us right to the apartment we’re looking for.”
RESTORING LIFE
To some, when a child is found and returned to a safe and loving home, it may seem like the work has been done — score one for the good guys!
The reality is, for F.R.E.E. International and its partners, the long-term work has just begun. Kids are traumatized, damaged, confused, hurting. Parents and guardians fear doing something wrong or a reoccurrence. Siblings also have been traumatically impacted.
“We're unashamedly a ministry organization,” Bartel says. “But one of the reasons government and non-profit agencies love working with us is because we’re taking care of victims on the backside. For example, during the Big Search, throughout the week our ministry team is supplying resources to families, providing chaplains and counseling, filling immediate physical and spiritual needs — explaining why we’re here and why we care.”
Bartel shares an example of how F.R.E.E. International, working in partnership with church and charity organizations, changed the future for a family.
“We learned of two sisters being trafficked, and we were able to get them out,” Bartel says. “In the process of working with the family, we discovered they have nine people living in a 350-square-foot, two-room apartment in a complex known for gang activity. Through our partnerships, we were able to provide them new living arrangements, furniture, food, clothing, a Thanksgiving meal, Christmas gifts, an apprenticeship for one of the girls as a hairdresser, and most importantly, an ongoing relationship with one of the churches in the community.”
Bartel explains that personally sharing why they do what they do (Christ) and connecting families with caring churches is a priority for the scores of individuals who serve as part of F.R.E.E. International.
“We work to get families plugged into a local church, which is obviously up to the family how far that is pursued,” Bartel says, “but we have members from those churches consistently making contact with the family, whatever they decide.”
But what kind of timetable is Bartel looking at for helping families and kids recover from trafficking trauma? It can take months, if not years.
“I can think of numerous girls who, six or eight years ago, were not initially thrilled with our efforts to find them,” Bartel says. “But over time, over consistent caring and presence, we’ve built a trust. And it’s through that trust, a path to restoration is formed, where today they are thankful for us.”
F.R.E.E. TODAY
Bartel says there was a time that the services of F.R.E.E. International were looked upon by law enforcement with, at best, skepticism. But today, the organization has the resume, respect, and references that have law enforcement officials reaching out to them — asking for their involvement!
F.R.E.E. International is currently being invited into major law enforcement operations across the country. For example, earlier this month, the organization assisted several law enforcement agencies to help them in a major trafficking operation where 37 missing children were found and seven arrests were made.
“We have a very cool, diverse group of people with a broad range of skill sets who we call ‘the shepherds’ who are all Spirit-filled believers and are a part of our national task force,” Bartel says. “Missionaries, missionary associates, retired military and law enforcement, retirees from specialty groups (such as counselors, social workers, etc.), and others — over 100 in all — working with us.”
And now, with the addition of CITT dogs to the F.R.E.E. team, another door has opened.
“Our team is brought into one of the largest first-responder canine events in the country every year,” Bartel says. “It’s a working-dog event typically attended by military, search and rescue, and law enforcement personnel. We are given six hours to train them about human trafficking and how canines are used in that space.”
Bartel credits God for the victories F.R.E.E. has experienced, the lives reclaimed, and the relationships cultivated.
“It’s amazing to see what God can do and is doing when the Church is present in the middle of the need,” he says. “Because of F.R.E.E.’s longevity and effectiveness, we gain access to homes usually untouched by any gospel presentation. And lot of the agencies that work with us — the people — aren’t all believers either, which gives us access to them as well. We’ve seen kids, family members, law enforcement personnel, and social workers saved and baptized through our involvement with them.”
