Skip to content
  • Song of Freedom - NEW
  • Emergence - NEW
  • Hope in a Hexagon
  • Light Triumphs Over Darkness
  • Restoration - FEATURED
  • Empowerment
  • Committed
  • Desert Flower
  • Hidden Treasures
  • Salt & Light
  • Speak Up
  • Gifts
  • See All Collections
  • Earrings
  • Necklaces
  • Bracelets
  • Rings
  • Men's
  • Accessories
  • Magazine
  • Gifts
  • Church Resources
  • Sale
  • Stainless Steel
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Rose Gold
  • Beaded
  • Stones
  • Leather
Necklaces
Earrings
Bracelets
About Eden
Programs
Microgreens
Contact Us
Donate
Become a Wholesale Stockist
Wholesale login
Locate your local stockist
Join Us
Corporate gifts
Stories
Sale
  • Account
Cart

Your cart is empty

FREE shipping on all AU orders over $150

  • ShopShop
    Collections
    • Song of Freedom - NEW
    • Emergence - NEW
    • Hope in a Hexagon
    • Light Triumphs Over Darkness
    • Restoration - FEATURED
    • Empowerment
    • Committed
    • Desert Flower
    • Hidden Treasures
    • Salt & Light
    • Speak Up
    • Gifts
    • See All Collections
    Shop By Type
    • Earrings
    • Necklaces
    • Bracelets
    • Rings
    • Men's
    • Accessories
    • Magazine
    • Gifts
    • Church Resources
    • Sale
    Shop By Look
    • Stainless Steel
    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Rose Gold
    • Beaded
    • Stones
    • Leather

    Restoration Collection

    New Men's Pieces

  • NecklacesNecklaces
  • EarringsEarrings
  • BraceletsBracelets
  • About
    • About Eden
    • Programs
    • Microgreens
    • Contact Us
  • DonateDonate
  • Wholesale
    • Become a Wholesale Stockist
    • Wholesale login
    • Locate your local stockist
  • Get Involved
    • Join Us
    • Corporate gifts
  • StoriesStories
  • SaleSale
This is Eden
Access Denied
IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts
Now reading: Promises of Hope: Moe Lay's Story
Share
PrevNext
Her Story

Promises of Hope: Moe Lay's Story

Moe Lay has been trapped in slavery all her life. 

She was forced to work from a young age and give all her earnings to her violent, alcoholic father.  In order to escape this slavery, she made friends with the wrong crowd. They showed her attention and friendship, but when she was only 15 years old, they sold her virginity to a brothel. She became enslaved to the brothel owner for four years before being released because she was no longer underage. At 19, she was looking for love – something she had never felt – and soon married a gambling addict who forced her to work in street prostitution to pay for his addiction.


At the age of 22, Moe Lay already had two children whom she could hardly feed because of her husband's uncontrollable gambling addiction. When she gave birth to her third child, she needed an operation that would cost 250 USD. She had no choice but to borrow money from a local gangster. She was required to pay back the debt by making daily payments of $5 until it was fully repaid. Because she had never attended school, she was an easy target and was tricked and made to pay 10 USD per day for two years. This equates to over 7,000 USD; 28-times the original amount borrowed. Her and her children would often go hungry in order to pay this debt. 

 

Moe Lay joined the drop-in center six months ago. Eden was able to provide her with counseling and we helped her realize that she was in a pattern of slavery and had a slavery mindset. She never once had the opportunity to follow her passion, keep her money, or treat herself to anything. She was being kept from stepping closer to the promise of hope.


When we later discussed her debt with her, she learned she had already paid 7,000 USD over the previous two years. As soon as she realized this, we did role play with her to empower and embolden her, giving her hope and confidence to confront the gangster. If any of us wish to free ourselves from fear, we must face lions, as depicted in the ‘Dream Necklace’, in order to stand on the ‘Promise of Hope’. 


Moe Lay eventually mustered the confidence to approach the gangster. She went to his house and confronted him, telling him that she had already paid more than what she owed, that he no longer had any claim over her and that she was now free.

 

As she left his house, it was as if the waters that had held her back had suddenly parted, allowing her to step into freedom and hope. Because Moe Lay is now receiving a stipend from Eden, she can support her family without having to worry about debt repayment or working in street prostitution. As hope for her future has been restored, she may finally pursue her goal of owning her own shop.

We can learn from Moe Lay’s courage, we cannot be enslaved by fear and give it power over us; instead, we must speak out against injustice in order to stand on the ‘Promise of Hope’. We must look fear in the face, and see that we are not victims or slaves, but victors with a promise of hope. Our Exodus moment is closer than we believe, as we leave the slavery of our past, we are welcomed into a land of promise flowing with milk and honey.

 

Desert Flower Elements
Outreach

Desert Flower Elements

Speak Up: Ei Zin's Story | Bold and Courageous
Her Story

Speak Up: Ei Zin's Story | Bold and Courageous

Shop now

Hope in a Hexagon Huggie EarringsHope in a Hexagon Huggie Earrings

Hope in a Hexagon Huggie Earrings

$35
Find Hope BraceletFind Hope Bracelet

Find Hope Bracelet

$65
Steps to Freedom BraceletSteps to Freedom Bracelet

Steps to Freedom Bracelet

$34
Find Hope Leather NecklaceFind Hope Leather Necklace

Find Hope Leather Necklace

$67
Steps to Freedom NecklaceSteps to Freedom Necklace

Steps to Freedom Necklace

$40
Time for Freedom NecklaceTime for Freedom Necklace

Time for Freedom Necklace

$20 $68

"The amazing work that Eden’s doing is changing lives one at a time. And it doesn’t stop with just bringing people off the streets. The restoration and renewal of hope through training of a trade and work placement is something truly admirable and sorely needed in this generation!"

Charissa | via Facebook

Invalid password
Enter

Eden

Together with women rescued from human trafficking, we create precious jewelry that carries their stories.

+614 47 746 545
au_info@thisiseden.org

Eden Australia Ltd is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits commission (ACNC) and as a Public Benevolent Institution with Deductible Gift Recipient status. Donations of $2 or more to Eden Australia (ABN: 68 625 847 403) are tax deductible in Australia.

Info

  • About Eden
  • Shipping and Returns Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us

Get Involved

  • Stockists
  • Become a Wholesale Stockist
  • Join Us
  • Browse Our Magazine
  • Corporate gifts

Stay Updated

Sign up to enjoy 15% off your next order.

© Eden Australia Ltd

Site by Burnette + Co.

  • Afterpay
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Mastercard
  • PayPal
  • Shop Pay
  • Union Pay
  • Visa