Waxahachie, Texas – January 13, 2016 – Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) alumna Paola Cuellar founded a nonprofit organization called Esperanza (Hope) USA Inc., a safe house for victims of sex trafficking in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
After graduating from SAGU with a degree in music in 2011, Cuellar sold all of her belongings and moved to a hotel near the main highway in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She began ministering on the streets and met a 24-year-old homeless girl. She had been depressed and abused by her boyfriend. Cuellar allowed her to stay in her hotel with her that night and later discovered that she was a victim of sex trafficking and had no friends or family that she could stay with.
Cuellar explained, “My passion was to help her grow more and I did everything I could to help her. She wanted nothing to do with God, but as she saw the love of Christ, she began to ask questions about God.”
After Cuellar led her to Christ, she began helping other homeless women and later founded Esperanza (Hope) USA Inc. The organization made such an impact that she began receiving calls from the Mayor of Albuquerque and the FBI asking her to work hand-in-hand. With their help, she started the Human Trafficking Task Force Committee in Albuquerque.
Cuellar was recognized as a ” Community Hero” by Univision TV through a recommendation by the City of Albuquerque. She was then invited to have breakfast with President Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and other influential leaders.
Being the only safe house in New Mexico, Esperanza’s goal is to provide residential care to victims of sex trafficking where they experience physical restoration, emotional and mental rehabilitation, social respect and spiritual regeneration through a residential care program that includes: counseling, medical assistance, emotional and mental help, social activities, food, clothing, housing, employment, and legal help for victims all over the country.
Fighting human trafficking is not an easy task. The organization and its’ members are continually fighting for the innocent lives at risk and ask for your prayers as they do so.
United states is one of the largest destination for human traffickers. It is estimated that “14,500 to 17,500 people, primarily women and children, are trafficked to the U.S. annually.”
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About SAGU:
Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of Dallas/Fort Worth in Waxahachie, Texas. The University was established in 1927 as a Bible college and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
