HE UPHOLDS THE CAUSE OF THE OPPRESSED… THE LORD SETS PRISONERS FREE... THE LORD LIFTS UP THOSE WHO ARE BOWED DOWN." PSALM 146:7, 8

Over the past few years the Lord has awakened me to the plight of women enslaved by the sex trafficking industry. Across the globe women are taken from their families, imprisoned, and horrifically abused. Without a voice and with no hope of freedom, these women are prisoners to an institution that treats them as less than human. Through news outlets like Dateline NBC and Hollywood movies like Taken, this issue has become a hot topic. Yet is anything really happening to help these victims?

I recall thinking when I watched the movie Taken (a film about a girl abducted and sold into prostitution) how much the story mirrored the Gospel…depicting the passionate love of a father who fights to redeem his daughter from captivity. Sounds a lot like Jesus, doesn’t it? Luke 4: 17-19 tells us that Jesus took the scroll of Isaiah and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me For He anointed me to preach gospel to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed. This is the heart of God. Knowing the Lord’s concern for the oppressed and His compassion for the captive, I knew He was stirring my heart to do something…. but what could one person do in the face of such evil? Thankfully, I’ve learned that we can rest knowing when God stirs our hearts to act, He is already at work…our job is to just be available.

Around this time a guest speaker (Ralph Borde, President of Charasia Ministry) visited my home church, Second Baptist of Houston, educating us on the work God is doing among women in India. He shared his desire for a team to come and minister to the very women that the Lord had placed upon my heart. The following is the vision he shared: “India has millions of women and children who are victims of the horrific prostitution industry. It is our goal to rescue children whose mothers are enslaved in prostitution, thereby saving the children from being forced into child prostitution, as well as providing an opportunity to witness to their mothers. Our hope is to bring many women and children out of their terrible bondage into a life where they know the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Of course I knew immediately that the Lord was calling me to go…after all, these are girls desperate for the redeeming love of Jesus Christ.

As usual, God’s timing and His plan are perfect! Everything worked out with my travel schedule and ministry obligations in order for me to lead the trip. Our mission is two-fold. We will teach and disciple the young women who’ve been taken out of brothels and the men on our team will train pastors who are planting churches across India. For more information about the ministry, please visit www.charasia.org. I joyfully write these words from a cramped airplane seat bound for India. Our team is amazing. We are small in number but mighty in Spirit. In the months of planning we’ve bonded and are of one heart and mind.

Please pray for us as we travel. Lift up the women and men that we will be serving and please check back here for updates each day. For His Glory, Marian In the photo is “Team India”—Biff Johnson (Pastoral Leader), Adam and Jennifer “Tank” Seals, Jennifer Guiterez, Debi Ostrom, Susannah Thorn and Marian Jordan (Team Leader)