Volunteer Spotlight
At Engedi Refuge, women helping women is the driving force behind every success story and positive impact we make. Some of the most devoted women making a difference are volunteers. This month, in honor of Women’s History Month, we’d like to shine a light on the power of volunteerism by highlighting one of our dedicated volunteers.
Nine years ago, Nicolle Lybecker lost her husband to cancer. Throughout his cancer treatment and afterward, God had been so present in her life. And after her husband passed away in 2017, Nicolle was seeking a way to keep that connection strong by helping others. One day in 2018, while she was attending one of the mission’s series talks at Bellingham Covenant Church, Engedi Refuge’s ministry work was the topic of the service. The talk resonated within her in a way that other mission series messages had not before.
Nicolle wanted to help. But wondered if she could, since she had never worked with abused women before. She reached out to Engedi Refuge to see how she could volunteer. Engedi told her that we needed respite care for when our House Manager at our Safe House had her days off. At first, Nicolle said, “I can’t do that!” But she agreed to give it a try and soon began staying at the Safe House to provide respite on weekends.
“I was really uncomfortable that first weekend,” Nicolle remembers. “I just sat in the living room and was present. There was one girl who didn’t talk to me all weekend. But about an hour before I was going to leave, she came up to me and said, ‘You’re pretty good at this respite thing.’ I was shocked! And I asked her what I did to make her say that. ‘You treat us like we’re normal,’” the girl said. That made Nicolle reply, “Well, aren’t you normal?”
Nicolle went home after that first weekend and thought about what the girl had said. “God opened up in me. That was the hook that I needed.”
Since that day back in 2018, Nicolle has been a dedicated volunteer at Engedi Refuge. She is still providing respite at the Safe House for Engedi’s staff, and she has seen many women come in and move through the house. Nicolle has witnessed so much healing and growth, as well as some women who really struggle to open up. “I don’t always know what to say. I don’t want to do more harm. But God has shown up and given me the things to say, and to just be loving.”
In addition to volunteering to provide respite, since 2021, Nicolle has led an optional weekly Bible study at the Safe House. This one evening a week Bible study offers women who have experienced human trafficking a safe space to explore faith, find hope, and build meaningful connections with other women who understand their journey. For many survivors, these weekly gatherings have provided comfort through spiritual encouragement and have been a reminder that they are valued, loved, and not alone in the world. Praying together and reflecting on scripture are powerful tools for healing emotional wounds, fostering a sense of community, and inspiring a relationship with God as survivors move forward in their recovery.
Although she has served Engedi Refuge tremendously and helped many women over the years, Nicolle maintains that she’s the one who receives the most from her volunteerism. She says, “Whatever the girls or Engedi get out of it does not compare to what I get out of it, or with what God has opened up in me.”