When I saw the number I was stunned.
125,000. That was the number of dollars in support our faith family was handing over to our beloved Missionary Sam on Sunday night for the cause of justice and rescue. At the conclusion of all the weekend services the number had topped 100K. I wish you could have seen Sam’s face when he heard the news. It was better than a Super Bowl. Our little discipleship tribe is not huge and we are certainly not rich, but something huge is going on in the hearts of our people and it thrills my soul.
Just to put some perspective on what such a number means:
- $160 rescues a child out of slavery.
- $1040 takes a child from rescue, rehabilitation, and ultimately adoption into a Christian family.
- $20,000 provides a new children’s home to increase the number of children able to be rescued.
$125,000. Incredible. That does not even include whatever funds may still be trickling in via the internet and online giving. (By the way, if you happen to be reading this and you’d like to donate, click here and designate “India”. We do not hold back one penny for overhead and every dollar given makes its way to the precious work taking place in India.)
Check out some words from missionary Sam:
After the amazing Sunday 10/15/2012, I’m still trying to think as to how do I react to such an amazing display of God’s blessings through the generosity of God’s people. One incident in my life 11 years ago confirmed the calling and stamped the desire in my heart to do what our Father in Heaven wills.
As I saw a small girl being dragged out with her damaged lip, my heart literally stopped, my state of mind was of anger, pain, confused as to how I will react, 11 years later along with people like you, we have been reaching touching and changing lives in the name of Jesus.
Let me share with you a small story…..
Happily a little girl skips her way home from kindergarten one warm afternoon in early April. It’s a bit muggy out as summer is getting a head start this year. As she makes her way home she tromps down a familiar path: two blocks, left turn, past the yard with the mean dog (thankfully it’s still tied up), past the small corner grocery store, a right turn..
The van door opens quickly. On one fluid, practiced move, the little girl is grabbed, gagged with an oily rag and tossed inside. The driver, accustomed to this routine, drives away slowly. After a few turns he makes his way out to the highway and is swallowed in the gradually building miasma of afternoon traffic.
Hours? Days? She can’t tell. Must be only hours. They let her have a thin mat, but no blanket. A small amount of food has been provided, but she’s been told that more must be earned.
She resists for a day or two, but an empty stomach is hard to ignore. Eventually, she gives in; they all do.
Her first customer leaves her shaken and bleeding, but food is provided afterward.
The next “visit” is no less painful, but as the days begin to slide by, each one becomes a little easier.
She’s a survivor. She’s learned how to mentally and emotionally check-out; how to position herself so that it doesn’t hurt as much.
“This must be karma,” she supposes. Or fate. Or both. There is no hope! (Life For the Innocent)
Now, imagine that little girl is your daughter, your sister, your neighbor or someone on your street.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work? Proverbs 24:11-12
We do what we do because we don’t want even one child to be abused or trafficked. Can we rescue every one of them? God willing YES! How do we stop this deadly disease of human trafficking? The answer is the Gospel. Only the infectious grace of Jesus Christ can truly change the human heart and reorder its desires. It is our only solution, In the words of German Chancellor Adanaeur “Outside of Jesus, I see no other hope for the world”.
