Debbie Colton discovered that more than one child that she and her husband were foster parents for had been victims of sex trafficking, and that changed her life forever. Dealing with the level of severe trauma her victimized foster children experienced sent Debbie on a journey to learn more about what human trafficking is and the complicated and difficult road to help and healing that survivors can face.
So what did Debbie do once she learned more about sex trafficking? She and her husband took the insurance claim funds they received from a devastating fire to a home on their property and created Oasis of Hope (http://oasisofhopeusa.org/), an aftercare home for minors near the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. Debbie shared with us the trials and tribulations of trying to open up an aftercare home for minors, and she lit up when she described the man who, because of his passion for this issue, coordinated the help of nearly 200 volunteers who came from across the country to complete the construction on the home.
Debbie can now see the good that came out of the shock and heartbreak of discovering what happened to her foster children and the fire that destroyed her family’s home, literally “beauty from ashes.”
It was such a great experience to spend time with Debbie and her husband on the serene grounds of and in the warm and inviting home which is truly an oasis of hope!
