On March 12, students from all over Harford County joined together to help stop human sex-trafficking by participating in a fashion show at Mountain Christian Church benefiting an organization known as Rapha House.

     There is slavery in every country and more than 1.2 million children are victims of sex trafficking each year (Antislavery.org). Rapha House exists to love, rescue, and heal girls who have been saved from slave trade and sexual exploitation (Raphahouse.org). It is an actual house located in Cambodia that extends unconditional love, physical rescue, and transformational healing to the victims.

     Over 300 dresses were donated for the fashion show, ranging from prom to sun dresses. The nicest ones were modeled on the runway and auctioned off to the highest bidder, while the rest were sold for about $10 each. Purses, bracelets, and necklaces made by the girls in the safe houses were also available for purchase.  

     Junior Leah Litwak donated 7 dresses to the church’s event. “It made me feel like a good person inside,” she said.  “And it was for a really great cause.”

     Tori Lackey, a member of the Rapha House team at the church, said, “I was so excited because we doubled, if not tripled the amount of people that came last year and doubled the amount we raised. It was so overwhelming.”

     The team raised over $3,000. Every last penny was sent in support of Rapha House to help provide a bed, three meals a day, education, counseling, and love and support to the girls in their care. The organization is looking to open a house in Thailand as well.    

     Junior Markie Crist attended the fashion show and won a dress that she bid on. She says, “I went in hopes of finding a prom dress and I am super excited because I found a beautiful dress for a beautiful price! The dress is better than I thought I would get because I was kind of skeptical about finding one.”

     Lackey says, “I was really delighted, not only to raise money for the girls, but to raise awareness for the cause.”