Bravo to Kate Jewell, our Nepal Missions coordinator, who joined the effort to help thousands of Syrian refugees in Lesbos Greece. Thanks to Angels of Hope for providing darling T shirts for the children….many who hadn’t had clean clothes in several months. Kate coordinates the Nepal trips for AAI and the first teams will leave in March. (Click here for more) and see her report from Lebos:
A Most Humbling & Heart-breaking, Heart-warming Experience
Peeling six layers of dripping wet clothes off the first screaming, terrified infant thrust in my arms was challenging. Getting her diapered, redressed, warm, dry and reunited with her mother even more so. Especially when the surrounding environment in our make-shift tent had grown to over 100 women, children and babies. They were all crying, asking for items of clothing or calling for their loved ones in a crazy cacophony of languages: Farsi, Urdu, Norwegian (from my fellow volunteers) and who knows what else. It was pure insanity.
And then the heart-warming part when the families were reunited, warm, dry, with water and a snack, waiting for the bus to take them to a registration camp to start the next leg of their journey.
Their faces haunt me as I wonder how they are, where they are. What happened to the young girl I helped who was totally emotion-less, stiff, staring at who knows what horror in her mind? Were the refugees able to reach Europe? Were they welcomed? Are they detained in one of the horrible camps in Calais or Dunkirk?
How many didn’t I meet because they died on the crossing? The night of my first rescue experience, we welcomed 200 refugees that miraculously made the crossing on a double decker ferry that the untrained “captain” obviously had no idea how to manage. The next day, 37 bodies washed up on the shore of Turkey…from a boat that broke apart on the crossing.
The stories are endless. The people are real. The men, women and children I met were humble, extremely grateful, exhausted, traumatized, terrorized…yet resilient and optimistic about their future. They are finally safe…..or are they?
I cringe thinking about what these people have endured just getting to Lesbos Island. Walking for miles, smashed in a truck for an overland trip of 12 hours with NO stops, being thrown on a raft made for 17, but filled with closer to 40…wearing a life vest filled with roofing paper.
The dilemma haunts me. It is personal now…with these men, women, and children who want nothing more than to have a safe place to live…yes, just LIVE. Something we all take for granted…but then no one is bombing our island into a barren wasteland, indiscriminately killing everyone and everything in sight.
Their plight continues. The numbers of refugees on Lesbos have grown so much in the past week that ALL the camps were filled to over-flowing. I want to be there to help….I want to hide here in my warm bed….I need to go back to help.
Will this nightmare ever end?
(AAI humanitarian Kate Jewell arrived on Lesbos Dec. 29 and left Jan 13. She joined the SCM (Salaam Cultural Museum) team of medical volunteers there as a Humanitarian, and worked with several international groups such as “Drop in the Ocean” and Starfish, as well as Greek lifeguards, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and more.
She considers daily whether or not to go back….where…and when. There is still much to do and many great groups to work with.]
It’s more fun in the Philippines!!
Come and enjoy an experience of a lifetime.
This is the ninth trip for AAI to help Shepherd of the Hills Children’s home and we have been helping very poor families with a fresh water and feeding program who live on a dumpsite near Manila for 3 years. I and my family have known most of these children for over 13 years. During this time we have had many volunteers from AAI donating their time and love for these children. We have lots of wonderful activities planned, while staying at SOTH with the children for 5 days. This is the first time we are offering an opportunity to stay at the beach if you would like for an additional cost and then making your way to the children’s home in the morning.
Come and experience love, joy and laughter through the eyes of these wonderful children. It’s truly a trip of a lifetime.
The full itinerary will be sent to you when it is finalized, below is a summary of what to expect.
Sign up with a $100 Deposit (non refundable)
Total price of trip $675 (includes AAI registration)
$795.00 or double room pp $775.00This still includes all the meals at SOTH but not the transportation back and forth, it won’t be much.
You may sign up for the missionhere
See itinerary below and hope you can join us! Cheryl Robinson AAI Regional Director
517-599-4095, Hdchey@netscape.net Cheryl.robinson@airlineamb.org
Depart for Manila October 16-17 (Arriving Oct 17-18)
Mission trip Officially starts October 19
*Day 1-2 depending which day you arrive
Oct.17-18 Relax, swim, sightsee, shop and eat. (on your own) Everything is in walking distance 1-5 minutes
Stay at The Elan Hotel Greenhills ($70-80 per night for 2pp includes breakfast)
*Day 3 –Wednesday Oct.19 Dumpsite Project
6:30-8 Breakfast
8am Depart for Rizal Dump site project 1+ hour drive
Stop along the way at a local store for water and treats
Visit with 75 families including many children on the dump site (hiking uphill involved)
Serve lunch to everyone
Lunch for AAI at local church (outside)
Return to hotel 3-4pm
Free night before we leave for SOTH
*Day 4 Thursday Oct.20
6:30-7 breakfast at the hotel
7am Depart for Shepherd of the Hills (SOTH) * 2 stops along the way (snacks not provided)
12noon Arrive at SOTH
Welcome from the children and introduction of SOTH
Lunch
Activity with the children
Dinner
Welcome party with singing and dancing
*Day 5 –Friday October 21
Breakfast
Beach day and Island hopping in a traditional boat
Dinner at SOTH
Evening activities, outdoor movie or Video Karaoke
*Day 5 – Saturday October 22
Breakfast
Fun Day activities with the children (to be announced)
Lunch
Projects (to be announced)
Dinner
*Day 6 – Sunday October 23
Breakfast
Sunday Church Service
Activities of Hiking, painting and more for the children
Baking at SOTH making pizza and baking cookies
Good Bye party includes singing and dancing!! The best night.
*Day 7 – Monday October 24
Breakfast
Early morning river walk
Good byes to everyone
Leave for Manila
Arrive in Manila 3-5pm Hotel Elan Greenhills
Free night (Dinner not included)
*Day 8 – Tuesday
Depart for home (arrive the same day as we depart)
Please join us for a wonderful experience at Shepherd of the Hills Children’s Home, and The Dump site feeding and fresh water project. If you love children and want some of the best hugs, lots of love and laughter then this is the trip for you. They are so precious; you’ll want to come back. These are both Christian run organizations and the children are a wonderful reflection of that.
You can sign up for the mission here!
**Cost of trip $675 pp Includes:
Transportation (except from Airport)
Lodging and food at SHepherd of the Hills Children’s Home (SOTH)
Food while at SOTH and our lunch after the Dumpsite project
All excursions for us and SOTH kids and staff (including all transportation)
Donations for the feeding and water program
Baking supplies
Money for all supplies for the projects
**Not included is the airport transfer, hotel, snacks along the way and food on our free nights (average $10-15 a dinner)
For more information, please contact:
Cheryl Robinson AAI Regional Director
517-599-4095
hdchey@netscape.net, Cheryl.robinson@airlineamb.org
April Trip – 2016 Here is a video made by a youth Ambassador Kyle VanDerVelden about the April trip
and Cheryl’s touching thank you letter!
I want to say thank you for making this trip to the Philippines so wonderful. I hope you all had a good time and made lots of lasting memories. This is a very special trip for me, and I’m glad you all wanted to share it. The children are so awesome and will always remember us. Every time we go back they always ask about the previous Aunties and Uncles.
I want to thank everyone for all the wonderful donations that you brought. The kids really seemed to love their new things. The Abatex project was so thankful for everything, they have never received so much before. Of course the peanut butter was a big hit as usual. Plus all the baking items.
When we visit we always do an activity, this time we did several since we had such a large group. They asked and I said yes. They never get a chance to do many outings unless someone sponsors them so this was a huge treat for them.
I appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm with the children….this is what it’s all about. This trip was the largest group so far and I think it went very well.
Thanks to you all for making it so special.
All my love to you,
God Bless and thank you again,
Cheryl
Bravo to our Selfless Escorts
Enjoy this pic (left) of our three escorts receiving 3 babies in Paris from 3 Air France escorts (in the light blue vests). Our escorts are Carrie Quilici, Dana Rae Alvarez, and Bunny Doi.
After helping with escorts for 48 children in December, our selfless teams are still making a difference for children on the most important and life-changing journey of their lives. Below are a few pictures from escorts in 2016! See picture on left: Cindy Sterling & Danielle DeBeauffort returned from CDG with these two little boys.
Below are pics pf little Ericka from Santo Domingo who is returning to her home and family from life saving heart surgery. The escorts are Cindi Sinkler, ORD F/A, & Ruben Goico, SDQAA AGT. Cindi took Ericka from GRR to MIA and Ruben flew up to MIA from SDQ and met them 
there. He then took her home to SDQ. He also brought her from SDQ to MIA when she came in October and handed her over to Kim Hart. It is a group effort, but a life changing journey for the kids and volunteers alike!
volunteers!
AAI partnered with United Against Slavery gain fresh data to make anti-trafficking efforts more powerful. Use your voice to provide evidence-based data to impact change in the fight against human trafficking. Deadline is extended so add your voice!
Please take action and complete one of these surveys – it will take less than 20 minutes:
Concerned Citizens/Advocate Survey
http://www.unitedagainstslavery.org/advocate-and-citizen.html
Transportation Airline Survey
http://www.unitedagainstslavery.org/airline-survey.html
You can find out more information here and in the press release below.
First & Largest Anti-Trafficking National Outreach Effort Ever
KNOXVILLE, TN–(Marketwired – November 05, 2015) – Human trafficking is the face of modern day slavery, not just throughout the world, but here in the United States. Innocent men, women, boys and girls lose their freedom and are exploited through sex and labor trafficking and domestic servitude. Over the years, awareness has increased where a larger population is aware of its existence, more victims are freed from enslavement and more exploiters are being held accountable. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent to combat human trafficking and many wonder why there are never enough aftercare resources for survivors such as housing, clothing, food, job training and more. There is an increasingly united voice across our country, calling for changes in the fight against human trafficking to address the challenges facing survivors and stakeholders in this fight. Ongoing media reports cover these challenges, calling for accountability and transparency among anti-trafficking organizations.
“With so much collaborative growth in the anti-trafficking movement, we have reached a vital time where we need to take a step back to evaluate where we have been, where we are and where we need to go,” says Christi Wigle, Founder of United Against Slavery. “There is so much division in our country on many issues that we have made it virtually impossible for anyone to share their opinion on something without receiving backlash. It’s time that we find common ground and become unified on pertinent issues once again. We believe the 2016 National Outreach will provide a platform to allow every adult to use their voice to impact change in the fight against trafficking.”
United Against Slavery (UAS) will join anti-trafficking leaders from across the country to host the first and largest anti-trafficking National Outreach our country has ever had. On Jan 11, 2016, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, there will be an unprecedented online event for research and data collection among twelve stakeholders groups in the fight against trafficking. Each stakeholder group will receive a survey with unique questions.
Stakeholder Groups to be Surveyed: The groups have been identified as trafficking survivors, anti-trafficking organizations, anti-trafficking advocates, Domestic Violence Shelters, law enforcement, attorneys, DCS Commissioners, rescue organizations, transportation, media, concerned citizens and international anti-trafficking organizations. The surveys address four main challenges: lack of funding, outdated statistics, lack of best practices and division among leaders. Many hours of research and development and collaborative teamwork has been imperative to create a platform that didn’t just discuss the issues but provide a place to offer solutions.
Although the National Outreach has a focus on domestic trafficking in all 50 states, victims are trafficked in and out of the United States, so UAS will also reach out to international anti-trafficking organizations in 132 countries/areas with a custom survey. For some of the surveys, an oversight organization will email the surveys to their recipients; otherwise, UAS will send out the brief surveys to be completed between Jan 11 – Feb 11, 2016. At the conclusion of the National Outreach, the evidence-based data will be analyzed and comprehensive reports will be written to open the door to help create solutions to these challenges.
“Accountability is lacking from many agencies throughout the U.S. regarding human trafficking,” says Anna Rodriguez, Founder of the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking and Senior Adviser to UAS. “We have allowed it to get out of control as a result of sensationalism, inaccurate and misleading statistics usage and a lack of focus on the victims of the crime. United Against Slavery was created to realign the movement by creating uniform trainings, promoting accurate information gathering, providing technical assistance and by creating a vetting process that will assist donors in giving to front-line organizations producing verifiable results. We must move to a victim-centric approach.”
Survey leaders will be challenged to create unique questions that will be included on the survey in order to bring as many groups together as possible.
“Allowing experts to write the questions for the final survey in their field of expertise is imperative because they know the challenges being faced first hand,” Wigle adds. “We are honored to serve alongside so many credible leaders that desire significant change in the anti-trafficking movement so that we can provide the necessary help to all victims of human trafficking.”
Survey Leaders currently include: Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Polaris Project, Rescue Forensics, Airline Ambassador’s International, Global Center for Women and Justice, Amara Legal Center, A Bridge of Hope, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Breaking Out, Cause Vision, Civil Lawyers Against World Sex Slavery, Human Trafficking Legal Network, Dr. Judy Ho, Ph.D., ABPP, Paul Freese (former Vice President of Public Counsel), John Vanek (Lt. (Ret.) San Jose Police Human Trafficking Task Force), Andrew Gonzalez (Head Investigator for the LAPD Human Trafficking Taskforce), and United Against Slavery. To view an updated Survey Leader’s list for first 2016 National Outreach, please visit View Survey Leaders Here.
Anti-Trafficking Stakeholders and Concerned Citizens: As preparation for the upcoming National Outreach, United Against Slavery asks for every adult to pre-register and help spread the word about this important domestic outreach. All surveys will be emailed to participants on Jan 11, 2016, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The 2016 National Outreach will remain open until Feb 11. The concerned citizen survey will require less than 5 minutes to complete for most participants. This is an opportunity for every adult to take a few moments to provide vital information and impact change in the fight against trafficking. Individuals interesting in having their voice heard can pre-register at Pre-Register and Stand United.
Contact Information
For media inquiries, please contact:
media@unitedagainstslavery.org
Click this LINK to check out our launch on Jan 11, 2016 – Human Trafficking Awareness Day
Gressy is a Peruvian girl who was in New Jersey for facial surgery to correct some significant birth defects. The original escort had a trip cancellation but Jeannette Sykes (MIA F/A) agreed to push her schedule – overnight in Newark and travel all day with little Gressy bringing her back to her home and family in Lima Peru. Talk about going above and beyond……..Many thanks to dear Jeanette and to all of our selfless escorts who do so much to help others. Here are pictures from the trip and a quote from Jeannette’
s text to Margaret as they began their journey! See below“We are on our way to Miami and the trip is going well. Gressy is an adorable child. She was crying at the beginning but has calmed down, playing with her toys and painting for me. She is smart, adorable and chatty. I think I won’t get any sleep because she is non-stop. She learned my iPad pin by just watching me enter it once. I am worried about computer hacking in her future(lol).
Best regards,
Jeannette
Our AAI team led by Andrea Hobart visited Families de la Esperanza, to assist families living near the dump near Puerta Vallarta in early Feb. 2016
Since 2006 many families living in the dump, now have a home, their children are registered for day care or school and many are learning computer and English skills. Paradise Village Resort donated funds to provide a community center and also provides food, education, vocational and mentoring programs for the community.
Our team visited the project and brightened their lives by delivering school and are supplies on this short but unforgettable journey that will opened all our hearts, and plans to return on a youth and cooking mission in the fall! Sandy Ettinger initiated a trip to the local Costco to fulfill the wish list for the facility – BRAVO!
Dear Treasured Supporters
USA Today voted Airline Ambassadors one of the top gifts for Business Travelers
As the holidays approach – many of us want to give a gift with meaning or significance. How many pairs of ties, socks or new sweaters can you actually use? You can provide a “tribute gift” in honor of your friends or family, (we will send a lovely card acknowledging the gift to your recipient).
As we approach winter solstice and sunlight is less bright on earth, we can shine it forth from our individual being, brightening the lives of those around us. We can give warmth in a coat to a homeless person who suffers from the cold, or volunteer our skills, whether we are a doctor, flight attendant or mother in our community local or global. Our efforts have ripple effects and we experience that giving is more joyous than receiving.
Your support of Airline Ambassadors reflects your individual choice to serve. You are part of a movement that can spark a tidal wave of goodwill unleashing creative potential unlike anything the world has seen.
May your lives reflect the blessings you are bringing to others. To send a Tribute Gift Click HERE
President and Founder
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Airline Ambassadors teams provided Recognize It Report It Human Trafficking Awareness training at all THREE Bay Area Airports before the SuperBowl in Santa Clara. With support for our OnLine Training from the Bay Area Anti Trafficking Coalition, 1000 frontline airport personnel were trained to effectively scan 24 Million passengers traveling to the Bay Area for the SuperBowl and throughout 2016. Check out some of the Press below:
ABC FOX NBC CBS
San Jose Mercury News Daily Kos NBC
Univision Press Release
Can’t make the trainings? No problem our on line training is available! Due to a grant from the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition, this training can be provided for free to 500 persons in the Bay Area!
In addition to the in-person training programs Airline Ambassadors has teamed up with two world-class organizations to deliver AAI’s training programs online. Classroom24-7 (www.classroom24-7.com) is a leading provider of online education technologies and services. Counter Human Trafficking Compliance Solutions (https://www.chtcs.com/) is a global compliance and advisory company that provides on-site assessments, improvement plans, training, research, and supply chain transparency required for corporations to combat human trafficking, forced labor, and child labor. Just Click this LINK
“We’re honored to be helping Airline Ambassadors combat human trafficking on a massive scale. Using our technology platform, employees in the air travel industry will get critical training anytime, anywhere they have an internet connection,” says Ernie Liang, Classroom24-7’s CEO. Linda Rizk, Founder of Counter Human Trafficking Compliance Solutions, adds “Airline Ambassador’s human trafficking awareness program is closely aligned with our mission eliminate human trafficking in corporations’ supply chains. We believe Nancy’s approach of attacking human trafficking through working with the air travel industry is smart, strategic and effective. We’re proud to support Airline Ambassador’s important work.”
