Restorations – Jennifer Lucking

I am honoured to be a RCA Global Missions missionary in Canada! Born and raised in the RCA, I have fond memories of looking at our church’s mission board and seeing the map with pictures of missionaries’ families and thumbtacks marking the spots where they served. Now in my tenth year of serving with RCA Global Mission, I am still in awe when I think of the congregations - urban and rural, Canadian and American - that lift up prayers for me and for Restorations Second Stage Homes in their sanctuaries, newsletters, and mission team meetings and have pictures of me and my family displayed in their foyers, offices, and fellowship halls.
Restorations exists to support survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking by providing long term residential housing, survivor-led peer programming, and holistic care. We have a home (“Nancy’s House”) for 3 survivors in Burlington, Ontario. Summer is especially a fun time at the house. One of our current residents has discovered a real love of gardening, and she’s transformed our outdoors into beauty and wonder. Residents can live for up to two years at Nancy’s House and are given opportunities to focus on their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health and restoration. Nancy’s House provides a bridge between short-term safe houses or shelters that address immediate needs and living independently in the community. We provide a safe and affordable place to live with resources and support to help women rebuild their lives and focus on attending counseling, building skills, and not having to worry about financial stressors, safety concerns, or navigating employment or education alone while coping with trauma.
Restorations exists to support survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking by providing long term residential housing, survivor-led peer programming, and holistic care. We have a home (“Nancy’s House”) for 3 survivors in Burlington, Ontario. Summer is especially a fun time at the house. One of our current residents has discovered a real love of gardening, and she’s transformed our outdoors into beauty and wonder. Residents can live for up to two years at Nancy’s House and are given opportunities to focus on their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health and restoration. Nancy’s House provides a bridge between short-term safe houses or shelters that address immediate needs and living independently in the community. We provide a safe and affordable place to live with resources and support to help women rebuild their lives and focus on attending counseling, building skills, and not having to worry about financial stressors, safety concerns, or navigating employment or education alone while coping with trauma.

Our Survivor-Led Peer Support program supports over 20 survivors living in the wider community. The program is led by two staff members (“Peer Advocates”) who have lived experience of human trafficking and use their experiences to extend hope and resources to their peers. Restorations is a leader in our community as we are the only organization in our region that offers peer support specifically for survivors of trafficking and employs survivors, providing meaningful work in a trauma-informed environment. Working alongside and learning from these staff members continues to be one of the best parts of my job!
(Caption for picture: In April, the Peer Support program coordinated a self defence workshop for their peers!)
If you live in the Hamilton area, I would like to invite you to our very first banquet dinner fundraising event! On Friday, October 20, our Night of Mystery event is an entertaining evening with live entertainment provided by a premier participatory dinner theatre company - all while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and an elegant four-course dinner.
There are many ways you can continue to engage and support:
- Sign up for my quarterly Global Mission “Dear Friends” letter.
- Read my quarterly column for the Christian Reformed Church’s “Do Justice” blog.
- Pray for me, my family, the ongoing work of Restorations, and for the survivors we support.
- Learn more about human trafficking with resources available on Restorations’ website.
- I am looking for a few more churches to commit to full or partial Partnership in Mission shares to financially support my work with Restorations.
July, 2023
(Caption for picture: In April, the Peer Support program coordinated a self defence workshop for their peers!)
If you live in the Hamilton area, I would like to invite you to our very first banquet dinner fundraising event! On Friday, October 20, our Night of Mystery event is an entertaining evening with live entertainment provided by a premier participatory dinner theatre company - all while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and an elegant four-course dinner.
There are many ways you can continue to engage and support:
- Sign up for my quarterly Global Mission “Dear Friends” letter.
- Read my quarterly column for the Christian Reformed Church’s “Do Justice” blog.
- Pray for me, my family, the ongoing work of Restorations, and for the survivors we support.
- Learn more about human trafficking with resources available on Restorations’ website.
- I am looking for a few more churches to commit to full or partial Partnership in Mission shares to financially support my work with Restorations.
July, 2023