“I will never leave you or forsake you." ~ Hebrews 13:5
In 1985, Katariina (13), her
teenage brother, and their mother left their South Florida home to escape Kat's
abusive father. Katarina's Mom worked 2
menial jobs while caring for her children. They hid in a non-descript Miami Beach hotel,
where the kids spent most days unsupervised at the swimming pool.
There, Katariina met Mary, a confident 19-year-old who took
an interest in the early-teen. She was
everything Kat hoped to be - thin, pretty, and confident. Mary seemed to be a flower that made others
bloom, including Kat. The two quickly
became friends.
Kat was a damaged, vulnerable, lonely young girl, yearning
to be loved, and wanting attention. That
made her the perfect target. Mary began
telling her about local men who would take care of her, give her money for
food, and offer needed love. In reality,
Mary was slowly luring her into a dangerous child trafficking ring.
Enticed by Mary, Kat soon found herself sequestered in a
room with an older man who attempted to purchase her “services.” She narrowly escaped the harrowing exchange –
the first in a series of repulsive experiences she’d face … and the only one
she managed to escape untouched.
Kat often sensed God’s comfort in those darkest
moments. She’d learned a little about
God from her conversion as a nine-year-old. Her mother had taken her to a Billy Graham
crusade where she'd prayed to receive Christ. Graham pointed his finger at the
audience and said boldly, “Remember, God will never leave you or forsake
you."
Kat remembered that.
But until her divorce after a 20-year abusive marriage that she began revealing the truth about her past to fellow church members.
The more she shared, the more Kat realized that she might be able to help other girls caught in trafficking.
While ministering to these young girls, Katariina earned a Law
degree in intercultural human rights and a Ph.D. in conflict analysis and
resolution. In 2011, she formed a
non-profit called “There Is H.O.P.E for Me” https://www.thereishopeforme.org/
Today she works with the F.B.I.,
Homeland Security, and local police visiting jails, schools, foster homes, and strip
clubs to eliminate human slavery. "Then
we take the necessary steps to get these girls the help they need, whether it's
providing lawyers, law enforcement, or mental health services," Kat
explained.
Katariina Rosenblatt is living proof of the promise Billy
Graham proclaimed years ago that God never abandons us. "He called me to this work and I know God’s
greater than any enemy. He delivered me
from such dark circumstances for this purpose."
Father God, I want to take whatever path You
lay before me, even when it looks different from what I thought I wanted. I know You have bigger plans for my life, so I
will trust and obey You with an eager and joyful heart. Amen
