S2E22: Surviving Human Trafficking
I am Lena Cebula. I am wife and mother of three beautiful children. I am an author of spiritual autobiography called Miraculous, drug addiction and human trafficking survivor. Today I am social justice advocate, blogger, speaker and host of Love&BLoved Podcast.
My mission is to encourage, inspire and to give hope. That there is a chance to have love, joy, peace and wholeness again after everything you’ve seen and done!
Social media and contact information:
Email: lenacebula@gmail.com
Website: https://loveandbloved.com
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1583527
Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/lena-cebula-4033318b
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lenacebula
FB page: https://www.facebook.com/LoveBLoved-101426048404287/
Podcast Transcript:
[00:00:00] Damaged Parents: Welcome back to the Relatively Damaged Podcast by Damaged Parents. Where sold trafficked, courageous people come to learn. Maybe just, maybe we're all a little bit damaged. Someone once told me it's safe to assume. 50% of the people I need are struggling and field wounded in some way. I would venture to say it's closer to 100%.
Every one of us is either currently struggling or has struggled with something that made us feel less than like we aren't good enough. We aren't capable. We are relatively damaged. And that's what we're here to talk about in my ongoing investigation of the damaged self. I want to better understand how others view their own challenges.
Maybe it's not so much about the damage. Maybe it's about our perception and how we deal with it. There is a deep commitment to becoming who we are meant to be. How do you do that? How do you find balance after a damaging experience? My hero is the damaged person. The one who faces seemingly insurmountable odds to come out on the other side, whole.
Those who stare directly into the face of adversity with unyielding persistence to discover their purpose. These are the people who inspire me to be more fully me. Not in spite of my trials, but because of them, let's hear from another hero. Today's topic includes sensitive material, which may not be appropriate for children.
This podcast is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended as advice. The opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them.
Today, we're going to talk with Lena Cebula. She has many roles in her life, wife, mothers, speaker, author, podcaster, and more. We'll talk about how she was sold into sex trafficking and how she found health and healing let's talk
Welcome back to Relatively Damaged by Damaged Parents. Today, we have Lena Cebula she has a wife and mother of three children. She's also the author of the spiritual autobiography called Miraculous. She has experienced drug addiction and she is a human trafficking survivor. She's. Now, today a social justice advocate, a blogger, a speaker, and she is the host of the Love & BLoved podcast. L O V E &. B L O V E D. Thank you for coming to the show Lena I'm so glad you're here.
[00:02:27] Lena Cebula: That's awesome. Thank you so much for inviting me.
[00:02:30] Damaged Parents: Yeah. human trafficking is one heck of a journey and I'm really interested to hear your story and how, I mean, I would think it's really hard to get out of once you're in it. so please tell us your journey, how, how you ended up in it. Just give us the gamut and I might interrupt you along the way.
[00:02:50] Lena Cebula: Absolutely. Yes. Well, I was born in, raised in Ukraine. My parents struggle in their marriage and they became an alcoholic and lost well-paid jobs. And at our home, the government. turned off, our electricity in hot water for outstanding bills. I was hungry all the time. I was literally starving. Our home was infested with black mold, cockroaches, and mice, and we struggled in poverty trying to survive.
I was raised in a home full of strangers who brought booze and drugs with parents who did nothing to protect me. And so I've become an easy target for those guys. I was drugged and raped in the basement of my apartment numerous times.
[00:03:32] Damaged Parents: When you were living at home as a child.
[00:03:35] Lena Cebula: Yes. When I thought that things couldn't get any worse one month before my 15th birthday, I woke up with severe abdominal pain. I was scared and confused only to realize that I was labor and I didn't know I was pregnant and I didn't know who her father was. My baby girl died three months later from health complications.
I burried her when I was 15 years old. I suffered with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. And I used alcohol and drugs to medicate my pain. I had turned to heroin because it was better to be high than feeling worthless, hopeless abandoned and broken. As the years went by, I saw people dying around me or went to jail and desperate and in despair I needed to change and, oh my goodness guys, I met this lady.
She brought me to her house and offer me fancy coffee and sweets, I was so impressed. She told me that she would be able to find me job, not specifics just a job. So without much thought I accepted eager to escape and her team went to work still on heavy drugs. I vaguely remember, in airport and how I got through customs
I'll never know I woke up hearing the Muslim call to prayer one day. Allaahu Akbar I ran out and I was confused and terrified because I was in the foreign country. Um, Nice lady actually sold me into human trafficking. I found out I was in Cairo, Egypt, and I actually later on, was forced to crawl under the barbed wire cross in the Israel border.
So I was bought by a family business and learn that it's very important. what brothel you end up in. And most of the girls who came with me died or went missing.
[00:05:30] Damaged Parents: Well, let me ask you a question real quick. So you said , you agreed to work with that lady because she said she would find you a job and then she drugged you.
[00:05:39] Lena Cebula: No, no, I was on heroin. I was a drug addict already.
The fact that she was really nice to me because I was street junkie and she literally took care of me. They dressed me up nicely. They did the make up. And it was somebody finally cared
[00:05:57] Damaged Parents: Okay. So, and then when you were in Egypt, you said you woke up, so was it just that you came down from this high or.
[00:06:05] Lena Cebula: Yeah, exactly. Just was like one day I literally woke up because my head was clear and I felt that I need next dose and I realized I wasn't home anymore.
[00:06:18] Damaged Parents: Oh, wow. Was that scary in that moment?
[00:06:22] Lena Cebula: Absolutely. But I think like the scariest now that I understand, you know, sometimes we're looking for a signs of human trafficking and we assume that it's like evil people dragging the girls by the hair. I went willingly. I don't remember anything, but I submitted.
[00:06:40] Damaged Parents: You submitted to it.
okay. going down that path with me. Go ahead with your story.
[00:06:46] Lena Cebula: Yeah, So what is really miraculous that in that brothel, one of my body guards shared the good news of God's love with me. And when my grandpa had the heart attack, we actually went to Jerusalem to pray at the Wailing Wall, and God actually answered my prayers
[00:07:05] Damaged Parents: Wait, somebody had a heart attack.
[00:07:07] Lena Cebula: Yeah, my grandfather have a heart attack back home.
[00:07:10] Damaged Parents: So you were still in contact. To know what was happening.
[00:07:13] Lena Cebula: Yeah. I actually got in contact with my family three months later, but the craziest part in this is guys like put it into perspective why it was like So easy with me because nobody looked for me. I was gone for three months. I was like hardly 18 years old. I just got my well I didn't get, they helped me to get the passport, the traveling document.
I just hit 18, like maybe two months prior. I left the country. So nobody ever hurt me, but I was allowed to actually, yeah, the place just because the place that I ended up with, they actually was humane. Nobody could beat me to death or raped me or anything like that. So they actually allowed me to connect with my family and I was even able to send them some money as well.
[00:08:03] Damaged Parents: Wow. That's amazing. So when I think of sex trafficking, I am not thinking of people that are gonna let a person talk to their family, or, if there's even a loss they find out about, I don't think of them as, oh, they're going to let me go deal with this loss.
[00:08:19] Lena Cebula: I literally, I know like about the cases all the time that I was there, that people were dying, like flies around me. So the women who came with me, they were all gone.
[00:08:30] Damaged Parents: And they were with different brothels than you?
[00:08:33] Lena Cebula: Yeah.
[00:08:33] Damaged Parents: Oh, wow. So you really got lucky.
[00:08:36] Lena Cebula: Yeah. Lucky is not even, even the um word because honestly this guy shared the gospel with me. So he was talking about God in the middle of the brothel. That was crazy. And. I actually like well you really never leave this kind of situation alive, unless you have been rescued by the grace of God again two years later, I pay off make them tons of money, pay off all my debts and they actually allowed me to go home.
[00:09:07] Damaged Parents: So did you have to pay them off?
[00:09:09] Lena Cebula: Yeah,
[00:09:10] Damaged Parents: Wait, wait, wait, wait. wait. So the lady sold you to them and then you had to pay them back for the money that they spent to buy you.
[00:09:20] Lena Cebula: Oh like million times more than that, but yeah, I bought that
[00:09:24] Damaged Parents: Oh wow.
[00:09:27] Lena Cebula: And that's why it's like really miraculous that they let me go because. Honestly, like it's, never heard of cause you work until you die and there is no quarter. There is no understanding there. Like you just slave you pretty much slave but it's like one in a million. I got the chance to get out.
And I actually thought that when they come back home, I'm gonna build a new life because they send my aunt some money to keep it from me. And in the up that she's stole all my money. And one of my, other body guard He cheated me out of all my possession, that I kind of accommodated there for like almost two years.
And he lied to me. So I literally ended up with nothing gain
[00:10:11] Damaged Parents: So you thought you were going to have you kind of set yourself up to be successful, and yet you find yourself in this place once again, where being successful,
[00:10:20] Lena Cebula: not even success we're talking about success, all I was thinking I wanted a normal life. I want a normal, I wanted something normal. and it was like going through my mind over and over because this is not okay. I know it's not okay first it was drugs and it's this and then I'm like, I just want a normal life.
And then they came and it's like, everything went to zero again. So I was like, What now, what now? And I turned to familiar. I find the guy that I knew and drugs in that time really went hardcore in my city and I became his like number one drug dealer, in my city, because I was still thinking that the drugs money and influence will set me free and bring new value.
Bring me worth. And um, I still was empty and it wasn't safe because I have to get away because I could die of overdose or possibly end up in jail or even being murdered. So I didn't know what to do so I literally, went and sold myself again, into sex industry because this is the only commodity that I knew.
[00:11:30] Damaged Parents: And at this point in time, you're still in the Ukraine.
Or you went back to the Ukraine. And just briefly, we were talking prior to the recording about how trusting law enforcement over there and feeling safe enough to ask for help just was not an option.
[00:11:46] Lena Cebula: No, I was raped in my own home. The cops like would not do anything because honestly, half of the time actually, they're partying in my house too. So like it's, doesn't matter. And it's very interesting how I look back and how I'm thinking about this now. And yes, we did touch on this, how different it is, and I'm not talking.
About there is no other corruptive like countries or anything like this, but still like, I feel so much more safe here because I do believe if I need help the government and law enforcement still gonna be on my side, you know, compared like back home. Honestly, that was a hard time for everyone that time to leave because we just separate with Russia.
So we have like brand new country that tried to establish. So there was very high corruption and was like, no really governmental law enforcement everything was like, so blurred the lines for so blurred. So I do understand now probably like now, like 20 years later, They have better and solid understanding what's going on, but it was very hard and for the people and for the government.
So I do understand why this is happening, you know, that for sure.
[00:13:06] Damaged Parents: Yeah, thank you for going down that path with me real quick
[00:13:09] Lena Cebula: Yeah. so I've been brought to Canada actually second time, but for me like, I didn't care, whatever, like as long as I can get out of Ukraine. I didn't care where I end up..
[00:13:19] Damaged Parents: Wait, so you were sold again.
[00:13:21] Lena Cebula: Well, this time, like I went and sold myself.
[00:13:25] Damaged Parents: Oh, wow.
[00:13:26] Lena Cebula: Well, because this is only one way, like I could get out because no other way, like there was like no hopes, no dreams, no help, nothing. So this is the only way I knew. That's what I decided to take that chance. But yeah, I was brought to Canada and I ended up on alcohol and drugs again. But here in Canada, I realize I have an opportunity to start the new life.
And I took it, I actually escaped and I lived in shelter and the learn English from level zero and I applied. Yeah, it's very interesting. And that applied to and graduated from cosmetology school and I became a hairstylist and in 2011, actually alpha course, I give my life to Christ and receive grace and forgiveness.
So that's where all the worth and value came in my identity of who I am. And today I'm a wife and the mother of three beautiful children. And like you say, I'm author and social justice advocate, blogger and speaker. And I have my podcast called Love & BLoved because I do believe we've all been born and learning to love and be loved.
[00:14:39] Damaged Parents: Yeah, that's an amazing story. I've just got to. So in Canada, you sold yourself to, to be a sex worker. And then in Canada, you said that you found yourself in a shelter and was there more abuse? Was there what happened to leave sex trafficking after you sold yourself into it again, right?
Like the first time you weren't, but the second time you did sell yourself there, I guess what made you decide to leave that and, really live in the shelter and you had nothing at that point. So what was that part of the journey like?
[00:15:13] Lena Cebula: Yeah, it's very interesting, but I think one thing it's always like I have it in my heart that I would end up normal. I want something better. I'm was seeking at all the time. And when I got the opportunity. I didn't care that I have to quit drugs again and to be clean because honestly, that's number one.
Why people don't quit drugs because the withdrawals so bad that you can die from it, especially like on a dose that I usually been through it's very difficult, but the second part is the money too. When you live in, a certain way and you don't know any other way, you're actually like socially not adjusted.
You don't know where you fit in in the normal people lives like quotation,
mark. I don't know how to explain to this. Yeah.
[00:16:03] Damaged Parents: But like with the sex trafficking, you were living at a higher level. What's the word I want to say? There were nice houses, probably nice clothes,
nice cars,
[00:16:12] Lena Cebula: No, not really. no.
I would say like more you live in, in high intense, like trauma. That's what in, that's what the drugs helped me to cope with that. It's not because I just want to be high, but in general it was like antidepressant. And um, what's interesting though, with this sometimes people think to be like rescued, you need to like, have like police raids or stuff like that.
For me, it was like one person who believed in me and I met him and he said, I see the light in you. You made better for this. But he actually in some point didn't know what I was doing. And he literally rescued me. He said, okay, I can help you with English school. And it's actually like part of my books guys.
And honestly, if you believe in God and the angels, that was the person for me here. It's crazy now to think that he's actually been given me away as my father. For my wedding. So he taught me how to do laundry, how to hold the fork and spoon and how to set the table. He found me this, government traded cosmetology course and that's how I ended up being hairstylist because he was asking me first time.
In my life, somebody was asking me like, what is your hopes and dreams? I'm like, I don't have any hopes and dreams. I didn't know if I wake up tomorrow. So that's what he said and say, you know what I really like doing hair. And that's how I ended up being hairstylist and owning my hair salon and doing this business for over 12 years.
Prior or my speaking career, but that's another story. And that's what there is. You know, What, if you have a desire to get out, like you're going to have opportunities, but then you have to take action. You like, I was afraid. I was afraid for a very long time. I looked behind my shoulder probably for three years.
I learned English like crazy. I was learning the phrases. Don't touch me, please help me stuff like that right away, because. I was paranoid. Somebody gonna get me and then I'm dead you know, so it's not easy decisions, but you know what? I wanted to be out and I wanted better life. So
[00:18:31] Damaged Parents: It wasn't the raid, it was just someone you met and they became your friend.
[00:18:36] Lena Cebula: absolutely.
[00:18:38] Damaged Parents: So in some ways it sounds like just by spreading love and acceptance, we can help people that we're not even aware of need help cause it sounds like he had no idea what was going on.
[00:18:50] Lena Cebula: Absolutely. And they, where this part will be craziest, like unusual pair. He's old Chinese gentlemen who like helping me with taxes. And I was like young, crazy, like Russian girl half of the time, was high and crazy so but he saw something in me. He said, you know what, whatever you need , I help you.
And he helped me with the shelter. He helped me to get food from the food bank. He helped me even, like he said, you speak so loud, you need to like, control your voice, like exactly what the parent would do. But honestly my parents never did that for me, but he did. And honestly, when I got my first job, oh, he went to all of the interviews with me.
It was ridiculous. He told me how to dress for an interview, how to behave and like how to answer the question, how to practice. And then it's so interesting when I got my first job and I got. paid first and last month. So I had no money. And then I remember I was so sad crying on the couch because I was so poor and hungry and he called me and he said, I'm so proud of you.
You spend all this money to try to rebuild your life and be like, better. And I see huge improvements. And he said, I actually going to come to you right now and I'm going to give you some money so you can get the sandwich and they're going to give you bus tokens. And I was so overwhelmed. Like my mother never called me and say, are you hungry?
So that's kind of beautiful. So now I have three kids and they think he's their uncle, but we are Russian and he's Chinese and he perfectly fit in to my family because it's always two way street, you know, because he had no family. And that's what he said. He's like, I know how hard it's to be newcomer.
And I know you're alone, but don't feel like that I will help you. And that's it, the most amazing part about this human being. He never want anything in return. And I never met a man who doesn't want anything in return
[00:20:52] Damaged Parents: Oh, my gosh. Yeah, first, were you waiting for him to want some, like to ask you or you were just assuming.
[00:20:59] Lena Cebula: Oh for a better, long time. And I was like, I was not trusting. I was like really harsh on him and all this stuff, because I'm like, what is your problem? Like why you like glue to me you know, because it's very hard to trust someone after like you've been, betrayed over and over again. And in my world, like men it's, no, a good people, you know what I mean?
So it's took us a long time to actually get on the same page and it's so funny because from his side too, he was like, why are you treating me like this? It's because I'm Chinese, are you discriminating against me? I'm like, I treat everyone like this, you know? so it took us like long time to adjust, but he never give up on me.
And, later on, I was like, it was eye opening. How he actually like, literally like his own kid He did for me, like more than anyone ever could do for me. So that's really amazing. So, and yeah, and that will be our best friends for like what um 17 years. Yeah. And he saw me getting now dating my husband.
He saw every baby that I have, he found my home, you know, and he's like, I'm very proud of you. So it's kind of sweet.
[00:22:17] Damaged Parents: That's really beautiful. I just love that. First of all, second of all do you think it helped that when you were in Egypt and they had introduced you to, God that, and then you prayed at the wall that having had done that allowed you when you were in Canada too, to trust in some ways.
[00:22:38] Lena Cebula: I don't think so, because I think actually that answered prayer and that wall was very important for me when I already here on another side and looking back because I see how faithful God was to me through all of my life, but it did not affect my trust. It took a long time. And you guys if you. Ever have like challenges, not maybe crazy like I am, but if you still have like challenges with any problems, you know what?
The trauma doesn't disappear overnight. The trials doesn't appear overnight. It's all takes very, very long time. And by the grace of God, that person did not give up on me no matter how obnoxious rude and crazy I look from outside. It's almost like he looked beyond, but it took me a long time to get to the point that I could look back.
I'm like, oh, this is me. Now I know who I am. Now. I know where I'm standing, how it's took me to learn, to adjust to change. And it was very painful process and God definitely played a huge role. In fact, that. I want to be better. I want to be different. I want something better. And then finally I'm I met levellove ofmy life and I got married and my first child was born.
My first now living child, but the amazing part that for them, I want to change for them. It was like the point of no return already. And I want to, so the transformation to be a good wife and a mother.
[00:24:18] Damaged Parents: Yeah. Now, are you, or you have experienced triggers of that trauma since? I mean, I'm thinking probably early on for certain and you're saying 17 years later, does it sometimes still come up for you? And if so, how do you cope with that?
[00:24:33] Lena Cebula: Oh, absolutely trauma still gonna come up one way or the other. And literally like lots of things change over the years. Especially after I give my life to Christ. It was an amazing transformation in my mindset and what I want. So I have a clear direction, but even now, I'm working on my communications because well, I realize I'm going to tear up you guys.
I didn't realize it took me like a while. But I'm so grateful to God that he teaching me those lessons one by one, because if he tried to change me, everything at once, I probably die how many things that is like actually wrong, but my latest revelation. It's my communication because I realized I am very controlling.
I want to control situation because then I know. Everything gonna go my way. And guys, nothing ever goes like our way, but the fact is I'm getting frustrated. and I'm like, Now I have a family so I'm like crazy leader too. I won everything and my experience already give me exact I know what to do, how to do it.
And if somebody stand in my way, they better choose my way or the highway. And it's still, it's not a good thing because that's rooted in pride and, that's rooted in the fact that that's where it's my safety net you know, Because I know how to take care of myself. I know that I'm survivor. I know I can do it and everybody better listen. So now when, my kids were young, it was good because that's what mom has to do. But now I, raised them to be independent and now thinking for themselves. And now what I'm dealing with like push back and I'm like, oh, wow. So there are human beings who gonna choose the direction and go out of the house
so I have to give them this freedom. So now God's working on me and I'm taking the action to let go of control and be, listen, somebody else and be. Like kind of like empty of myself then the opinions. And they know it's pretty hard for me to do because like I can, I know I can save them so much trouble the way they speak, the way they behave because of my experience.
But I have to literally like back off and allowed them to be who they are and, build into them with the compassion rather than the like controlling. But it's all rooted in me being abandoned as a child. That's what very interesting because all the stuff coming back to my parents never show up for me.
So I'm like over show up for my kids because I'm thinking that's how it's supposed to be. But in that, I'm just controlling them and it's not satisfying me because most of the time, like then it's like, they shut down and they're like, you know what, mom, I'll talk to you later. So this is like new stage of my parenting.
That I want to be better, so it's always like stuff like that are coming up and I just have to be accepting that's I think like number one tip, I want to give you guys because if you reject that, it's just going to take longer time because you have to deal with whatever come up with. By the grace of God, I don't have any crazy like nightmares or memories or stuff like that.
That actually haunts me. But this, I attribute to God only because it's miraculous. I don't know how come I'm not. really gray. Although I call her my hair all the time, but. I mean, it should be much more severe trauma, but most of this stuff, it's my behavior because I am survivor because of the stuff that I went through.
So I'm working on it. I'm work in progress. I'm better, but it's still, I have to make sure the way I talk and behave Yeah.
I have awareness,
[00:28:45] Damaged Parents: it's like you're coming from a beginner's mind. Just in general, in your life. It sounds like to me that. As things come up, it's not, oh, I absolutely know. Well, except for when that control seeps in out of fear right. And then all of a sudden then, but, but the willingness, it sounds like to be self-aware and to investigate what is happening inside of you, I think is really beautiful.
So thank you for sharing that. Now, before we close out with three top tips or tools, I just want to ask what can people do to help those who are having the similar struggles as you.
[00:29:20] Lena Cebula: Honestly guys, like for me writing my manuscript was like the most liberating thing because for 20 years I didn't speak about it. So all this darkness, all this pause that was kind of tormenting me and um, I had a feeling that I couldn't share with anyone, because I thought it story of shame, guilt, and condemnation.
And if you have something dark, just start writing, you know, sometimes it just have to come out and guess what? You don't need to write the book as long. Like If you want it, of course, but start writing. It's gonna get. Outside of you and the second wall, if there's someone around you that you can trust and you cannot speak to them, I just actually interviewed this lady on the podcast.
And she said that, then I'm like, wow, that's a great idea. Because the first person I told my story, it was just recently when my book been published and it was like five hours and I cried non-stop. The fact that she hugged me and hold me and say, everything has a purpose and you loved.
And she just put into me, it's broke that lie, that you're divorced of divorced and nobody gonna care. Everybody gonna abandon. If they know who you are, they will reject you and abandoned all that trauma actually. Almost stepped away and the truth coming that you loved somebody there is loving you and take care of you and you are not alone.
So what this lady on podcast, she said not only journal, if you feel safe with someone, give the journal to them. So if you.
cannot say that. Just share because you're not alone. There's going to be people who are going to help you just choose wisely and you do have that one person in your life. I bet. And you don't need an army.
You need one person that you could trust, but speak up through the writing or through the, talking to, through the person that you trust. So that was definitely was number one would help with my mental health as well. Yeah.
Our own thoughts tormenting us. We are on our own enemies because we believe lies and they allow this to happen to us.
Well, yeah. So, oh, and if you've saved three. Then um, two others. It was of course my spiritual health and I was losing all the positive, affirmation, reading the Bible listen to worship music, because it's all about. Good, good, good. So it's renewing your mind. With positivity or others and listen to your own negative thoughts.
And my next one, I had to take care of my physical body because I notice if I'm not sleeping, eating, exercising, my mental health goal right after. So those one three important things for me.
[00:32:15] Damaged Parents: I love those as three top tips or tools. What though can the public do if they're listening to this and they're not in it because I know we talked earlier about befriending. Them, just being a friend because we never really know what's happening in someone else's life, but what else can we do to help, support victims?
Like I know your donate profits from your book, Miraculous https://Fight4Freedom.ca, which helps support victims. But so even if we do that, what are some other things we can do?
[00:32:45] Lena Cebula: Yeah, absolutely. You can fundraising and volunteer. You can advocate, you can hold events to raise awareness. You can buy from the products and companies that permit human trafficking, you can help survivors and help stay informed and honestly for candidates https://Fight4Freedom.ca, but if you guys Google, you can find a different organization in every city who fights against human trafficking and uh on their website.
Definitely. You can find the how you can get involved and sometimes like you think, oh, I need lots of money on lots of time honestly just I heard this in somewhere, my friend posted we can not help everyone, but everyone can help someone you know, As long as you do something, just do your part just little bit, just get involved sometimes.
Like you need only prayers. Sometimes you can donate funds, like wherever you do, like big or small, it's still going to benefit people who are less fortunate than you are. So I'm so blessed. With this amazing opportunity to speak about human trafficking and raise awareness. I'm so blessed to get out and be healthy and have a beautiful family, but there's lots of people who are still in there in this turmoil and oppressed.
And um, we need to do our part to fight injustice.
[00:34:16] Damaged Parents: Most definitely. Thank you so much for being on the show. You can find Lena Cebula https://LoveandBloved.com. L O V E A N D. The letter B as in boy. L O V E D .com and she's also on Instagram, Facebook. I mean, she's everywhere on social media. Check out her book Miraculous again, this is Lena Cebula and thank you so much for being on the show.
[00:34:43] Lena Cebula: Thank you so much for having me.
[00:34:44] Damaged Parents: Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Relatively Damaged by Damaged Parents. Today, we really enjoyed talking to Lena about how she learned to heal from the trauma of her past. We especially liked when she spoke about how lucky she was to meet someone who just simply loved her. Tonight with other damaged people, connect with us on Instagram. Look for damaged parents. We'll be here next week. Still relatively damaged. See you then.
