Lauran Bethell Portrait

Global Consultant

Lauran Bethell

Lauran Bethell

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Lauran Bethell, M.Div, D.D., has been working for more than two decades on behalf of and caring for women who have been exploited and abused. Most recently, she serves as a consultant with grassroots organizations, encouraging the development of new projects dealing with the issues of prostitution, trafficking in persons and other forms of abuse and exploitation. While based in The Netherlands, she travels extensively throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas, teaching, training and consulting.

As the first Director of the New Life Center in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand (1987), Lauran pioneered projects in Southeast Asia that specifically addressed the issue of child prostitution and trafficking of women and children. The Center was started with 18 residents in an effort to offer young tribal women an opportunity to receive an education and vocational training which provided alternatives to prostitution and other forms of exploitation. Rev. Bethell directed the Center for 14 years; at various times, there have been as many as 200 girls and young women in the Center’s houses in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. The Center also sponsors at-risk girls who are attending schools in their villages or living in hostels. Though the work primarily focuses on preventing girls with high-risk factors from being exploited, the Center also offers rehabilitation and life alternatives to women who have come out of labor and sexual exploitation.

The New Life Center has received international recognition and awards for its work, and has been the subject of many television documentaries (60 Minutes, BBC, Dutch National TV) as well as newspaper and magazine articles. In 1995, Lauran received an award on behalf of the New Life Center from the Prime Minister of Thailand. The Center also hosted former U.S. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

In January 2001, Lauran began working full-time as an international consultant. Her main goal is to initiate and encourage new grass- roots projects addressing the exploitation and abuse of women and children, many of whom are victims of trafficking. In August 2004, Lauran directed the first “International Consultation on Ministry with Women in Prostitution” (ICCP) bringing together the leaders of faith-based organizations from 25 countries which are involved in this work. Second and third similar conferences were held in April 2006 and September, 2008 with representatives from more than 35 countries. From the ICCP has come the “International Christian Alliance on Prostitution” (ICAP) an organization whose purpose is “Networking for Transformation and Hope”.

Lauran was honored in 2005 with the Human Rights Award of the Baptist World Alliance, which was presented to her by President Jimmy Carter. She serves on the Anti-Trafficking Committee of the European Baptist Federation (EBF), providing resources to EBF churches in an effort to both prevent trafficking and offer restitution to victims. She also serves on the Board of "Make Way Partners". <www.makewaypartners.org> In 2004, she initiated “Project Hope” in Prague, working with Bulgarian Roma women involved in prostitution, many of whom are trafficked.

Lauran has collaborated with governmental agencies and non-government organizations, and a broad spectrum of faith-based groups and organizations. Because of her personal contact with hundreds of women involved in prostitution and victims of trafficking and her experience of pioneering new projects, Lauran has been invited to testify before U.S. House of Representatives (2003) and Senate (2000) committees, as they drafted and revised the U.S. anti-trafficking legislation.

The Rev. Dr. Lauran Bethell is originally from California, USA. After graduating with a B.A. in psychology, religion and education from the University of Redlands, she taught elementary school in Central California (6 years) and then at the Hong Kong International School (4 years). She returned to the U.S. to complete a Masters of Divinity (M.Div.) from the American Baptist Seminary of the West, from which she was later awarded a Doctor of Divinity for her pioneering work with women in Southeast Asia. In 2009, she was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from Palmer Seminary for her "longstanding and focused ministry of justice and compassion".

Language used in ministry: English

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New Easter Clothes... more »

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IM Headline News: Feb. 13 - March 1, 2013 more »

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Prayer Requests from IM Missionaries for "World Day of Prayer" on March 1st more »

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Love on Valentine's Day--or Not? more »

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Prayer Requests from IM Missionaries for World Day of Prayer on March 1st more »

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Encouragement on a Gray Day... more »

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Want to Combat Human Trafficking??? more »

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January 11 - Human Trafficking Awareness Day more »

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That's Enough, Huh??? more »

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Tribute to Dad more »

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Valentine's Day Visitor more »

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Remarkable Reunion! more »

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A Taste of Heaven! more »

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The Most Difficult Journey... more »

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Pilgrimage:Hong Kong-The Journey’s Beginning more »

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Way More Than I Could Envision! more »

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Pilgrimage: "Home" to Chiang Mai! more »

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Pilgrimage: Joyous Bangkok Reunions! more »

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Pilgrimage: Bangkok more »

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Pilgrimage more »

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Lauran Bethell’s Thoughts on Homeless Children and Trafficking in Haiti more »

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New Easter Clothes... by Lauran Bethell Released on April 2, 2013
IM Headline News: Feb. 13 - March 1, 2013 by Catherine Nold Released on March 1, 2013
Prayer Requests from IM Missionaries for "World Day of Prayer" on March 1st by Karen Mason Released on February 25, 2013
Love on Valentine's Day--or Not? by Lauran Bethell Released on February 22, 2013
Prayer Requests from IM Missionaries for World Day of Prayer on March 1st by Karen Mason Released on February 13, 2013
Encouragement on a Gray Day... by Lauran Bethell Released on January 31, 2013
Want to Combat Human Trafficking??? by Lauran Bethell Released on January 11, 2013
January 11 - Human Trafficking Awareness Day by Karen Mason Released on January 9, 2013
That's Enough, Huh??? by Lauran Bethell Released on January 5, 2013
Tribute to Dad by Lauran Bethell Released on February 29, 2012
Valentine's Day Visitor by Lauran Bethell Released on February 15, 2012
Remarkable Reunion! by Lauran Bethell Released on July 27, 2011
A Taste of Heaven! by Lauran Bethell Released on June 12, 2011
The Most Difficult Journey... by Lauran Bethell Released on January 20, 2011
Pilgrimage:Hong Kong-The Journey’s Beginning by Lauran Bethell Released on January 19, 2011
Way More Than I Could Envision! by Lauran Bethell Released on January 18, 2011
Pilgrimage: "Home" to Chiang Mai! by Lauran Bethell Released on September 26, 2010
Pilgrimage: Joyous Bangkok Reunions! by Lauran Bethell Released on September 9, 2010
Pilgrimage: Bangkok by Lauran Bethell Released on September 8, 2010
Pilgrimage by Lauran Bethell Released on September 6, 2010
Lauran Bethell’s Thoughts on Homeless Children and Trafficking in Haiti by Lauran Bethell Released on February 7, 2010
"Showing Up"... Because??? by Lauran Bethell Released on December 7, 2009
God at Work: Keeping me from despair by Lauran Bethell Released on September 15, 2009
Maggi’s Musings by Lauran Bethell Released on September 11, 2009
God at Work: In Serendipitous Gatherings by Lauran Bethell Released on September 10, 2009
God at Work: In ways I can’t talk about here... by Lauran Bethell Released on September 9, 2009
God at Work: In "Massage Parlors" by Lauran Bethell Released on September 8, 2009
God at Work: In Government by Lauran Bethell Released on September 6, 2009
God at Work: The Movement by Lauran Bethell Released on September 5, 2009
God at Work: Baptist World Alliance (BWA) by Lauran Bethell Released on September 4, 2009
Let’s Celebrate by Lauran Bethell Released on September 2, 2009
God at Work by Lauran Bethell Released on September 1, 2009
Reflections on "Showing Up" by Lauran Bethell Released on June 11, 2009
The Experiment... by Lauran Bethell Released on June 9, 2009
Lauran Bethell received Honorary Doctoral Degree by Benjamin Chan Released on May 17, 2009
IM Global Consultants receiving honorary Doctoral degrees in May by Catherine Nold Released on April 24, 2009

There are currently no projects for Lauran Bethell

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