Texas Border Business
AUSTIN — First Lady Cecilia Abbott announced that the Governor’s Response Against Child Exploitation (GRACE) initiative will host the fifth annual Week of Prayer to End Human Trafficking from January 6 through January 12, 2025. The statewide interfaith week of prayer coincides with Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the state of Texas and serves as a call to action to the faith-based community to unite in prayer, learn more about human trafficking, and discern opportunities to prevent exploitation and support survivors.
“During this Week of Prayer to End Human Trafficking, Texans of every faith will come together to generate hope and healing for survivors of human trafficking,” said First Lady Abbott. “This year, I encourage everyone to take a moment and join GRACE in its efforts to provide a network of nurture as we work together to end this horrific crime.”
GRACE will launch the Week of Prayer to End Human Trafficking through a virtual interfaith event on Monday, January 6 at 7:00 pm on Facebook. First Lady Abbott will be joined by Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Commissioner Stephanie Muth,Child Sex Trafficking Team Administrator Janet Kasper, DFPS Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Director Blanca Denise Lance, Human Trafficking Survivor and Pastor Yvette Christy, Magdalene House Austin Executive Director Toni McKinley, Bishop Aaron Blake, Rabbi Neil Blumofe, and Pastor Samuel Velez.
| Daily Prayer Intentions for the Week of Prayer include: |
| Monday, January 6: Pray the demand for human trafficking will decrease and that all who may be vulnerable to trafficking receive the help, love, and support they need to prevent them from experiencing victimization. |
| Tuesday, January 7: Pray for our hearts and minds will be open to recognizing the signs of human trafficking in our communities, and that Texans will have the awareness and courage to speak up when they see behavior that puts others at risk. |
| Wednesday, January 8: Pray for trauma-informed, victim-centered, innovative investigations that successfully recover those being trafficked. |
| Thursday, January 9: Pray for complete healing for all who are currently being exploited or who have been exploited in the past. |
| Friday, January 10: Pray that child welfare workers, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, and all others involved in the justice system will have the strength to endure, and that justice prevails. |
| Saturday, January 11: Pray for the children, women, and men who are currently being exploited to find safety quickly and that they are able to remain safe as they start to heal. |
| Sunday, January |
- 12: Pray for discernment on the actions you can personally take to prevent human trafficking.
Launched in 2019, GRACE is a collaboration between the Office of the Texas First Lady, the Governor’s Child Sex Trafficking Team, DFPS, and a diverse group of faith leaders across Texas that works together to develop effective strategies to end human trafficking.
Governor Abbott officially proclaimed January 2025 to be Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the state of Texas.
The First Lady encourages all Texans to wear blue on Saturday, January 11 for the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness.
| Faith, survivor, and service leaders providing the daily prayer intentions on Governor and First Lady Abbott’s social media pages include: |
| Amanda Garza, Human Trafficking Survivor Leader, CEO and Founder of Gracious Hearts |
| Kathy Givens, author, playwright, advocate, consultant, and co-founder of Twelve11Partners, Inc. |
| Toni McKinley, LPC-S, Author, Executive Director at Magdalene House Austin, Survivor Leader |
| Sara Nellis, MSW, Director of Early Intervention at Unbound Now, Survivor Leader |
| Pastor Samuel Velez, Executive Pastor Iglesia Cristiana Misericordia |
| Susan Peters, Founder of Unbound Now |
