The Business of Saving Women

In my life, I have been extremely lucky to see and know many amazing people from all over the globe. My father, the Head of Latin American Ministry at his church, raised me flying across borders to better understand the cultures and people around me. And while we aided and taught the people of Guatemala and Mexico as much as we could, the real change happened to me. I was able, from a really young age, to learn about how privileged I am, how different cultures value things it didn’t even occur to me to value, how truly important it is to travel to learn as much as you can, and how to give to others is to receive a whole lot of understanding and empathy.

Some of my favorite trips of all were our trips to Mexico City, Mexico to work with an organization called El Pozo de Vida. I was lucky enough to go three times on this trip, in June of 2017, October of 2018, and October of 2023. El Pozo is a Non-Governmental Organization that is dedicated “...to the prevention, intervention, and restoration of children, families, and communities…” who have been affected by human trafficking in Mexico and Central America. They do this through various projects around their community.

Introduced to this ministry by a friend from Mexico City that attended Two Rivers (the church my father belonged to), my father knew he wanted to build a connection with El Pozo. He went on a trip with another team to meet the founders and see what they were doing, and the rest was history. A short two years later, a connection was established and Two Rivers was sending a team down to work with El Pozo.

I was lucky enough to be included on this first team in June of 2017. Along with some members of my family and me, was Rosalia herself, some individuals from the church’s worship team, and a few others. As a team, we learned from the founders Benny and Janice Yu the true horrors of trafficking and how it infected their community. We learned about El Pozo’s various projects and missions and how they were bringing a light into the community. Additionally, we got to participate in some of these projects. We got to meet the people who were on the ground. Those working with women and men affected by this. It was something I will never forget.

In October 2018 I was lucky enough to go back again to CDMX (the abbreviation for la ciudad de Mexico) with another team, this time with my best friend Emma. I was able to show her the organization that changed my perspective on women’s rights and changed my life forever. I got to see all of the incredible people that I had met the year before, and deepen my understanding of the horrible issue at hand.

And again in October 2023, my senior year fall break, I again traveled to CDMX, this time as a co-leader of the trip with my Dad.

Benny and Janice Yu have truly built an organization designed to love the “unlovable”, care for the “underserved”, and speak to the “broken”. But more than just this, they have built a business. Benny Yu just spoke to the United Nations as a representative of the human trafficking industry. What started as three different projects to help the cause has become nine. They have employed full-time missionaries to keep the business going that share values with their mission and value statements. They do promotional work and have a full website where they promote their cause. They have donors and “investors” who they take on “business trips” to show them the good work they are doing. It is a full fledge company.

To me, this isn’t necessarily a surprise. However, it is crazy to see what I have learned in school work the same for a non-profit who’s goal isn’t profit margins and revenue. It is cool to see in-action a business that is running for an amazing cause.

And I am not the only one who is amazed. The men and women who are affected by this organization are surely amazed too.

For more information on El Pozo de Vida and the work they have done for the fight against human trafficking, please visit their website, https://www.elpozodevida.org.mx/en .