Casa Refugio: A Place of Restoration and Redemption
Written by Amy Magwood.
When Kaitlyn first came to Spain, SEND was not connected with Casa
Refugio
, a refuge home
for women leaving prostituti
on and the sex trade.
H
owever, she felt a strong call on her heart to minister to women and be a part of this
ministry
.
So,
by
working with the board,
Kaitlyn
started to build a connection with the refuge house and begin
a new
b
ranch of ministry in SEND’s work in Spain
.
A First Step Towards Healing
Casa
Refugio
,
is set up in
two different houses. The first house, where
K
aitlyn works, is where women begin the program.
It is the first step towards healing and stability.
“We help them get jobs, leave the country
if necessary
, learn Spanish, and I also teach a lot of life skills,” Kaitlyn says. She thoroughly enjoys teaching them Spanish—even though she is still learning the language herself!
Alongside
professional
skills, the staff
at Casa Refugio
also help teach the women
healthy
emotional and relational dynamics. Most of this learning comes through practical
situations
, since the women frequently have conflicts with each other
which can lead to
yelling
or running away.
“My job,
many times
, is helping them learn how to interact with each other. When they do have fights (which happens multiple times a day), I help them to think through, 'If we disagree,
what is the best way
to act and handle this?’”
Although she is not a confrontational person herself,
God is using Kaitlyn to help these women grow and mature in relating to each other.
The duration of stay at the first house can take anywhere from 1-2 years.
Another Stepping Stone
Once the women have successfully lived at the first home,
they are moved to the second home.
What does success mean? The women need to show that they can live peacefully, reach a relational goal, and show signs of a healthy emotional state.
This second house is more independent; women here can hold jobs and build relationships with people in the community.
It is a stepping-stone to living completely on their own. However, even after they graduate, they are always able to reach out for help.
A Beautiful Diversity
One of the most beautiful aspects of this organization is its diversity. Though the houses
are located in
Spain, both the workers and the residents come from all over the world
.
In this way, Casa Refugio
reflects
the Kingdom vision of the
nations
coming together for restoration and redemption.
This kind of diversity also allows for women of all cultures to be exposed to
the love of Jesus Christ. Though Kaitlyn works as a life skills coach, she still interacts with the women on a spiritual level and
s
hare
s
God’s love.
Whether
she is
taking the women to church, listening to worship music, or praying together at mea
ls,
Kaitlyn
has many moments throughout the day to speak into their lives and point
t
hem t
o Jesus.
Recently she
was able to help translate Spanish worship songs into one woman’s native language, because
this
w
oman w
anted to be able to
understand
and sing the songs at church!
Kaitlyn
also en
gages in many conversations with the women in their day-to-day activities,
building
trust
for
deeper relationships.
A Life of Love
Kaitlyn has paved a way for ministry to these women in Spain. She and her team are
becoming the hands and feet of Christ, walki
ng alongside
and offering practical help to
women who desperately need Christ’s
love
to live a life of abundance.
This ministry brings women together and allows them
to experience
a life of love so different from what they have
ever
known before.
In the
words of the women at
Casa
Refugio
,
“We aren’t just people who live together, we are family.”
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