When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
            "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.
            because he has anointed me
            to bring good news to the poor.
            He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
            and recovery of sight to the blind,
            to let the oppressed go free,
            and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." -- Luke 4.16-21

     Yesterday I attended the American Baptist Churches of the Great River's Region Annual Meeting. At our last large gathering, Dr. Reid Trulson, the Director of International Ministries, shared some disturbing information concerning the growth of human trafficking in the world. Although all modern countries have anti-trafficking laws, there is a marked increase of underground slavery in almost every country. Estimates from a study done by our nations Central Intelligence Agency, claim that human trafficking has surpassed illegal arms sales to become the second most lucrative source of illegal income, and will, within the next decade, outstrip the current top illegal economic leader, trafficking in illegal drugs. In our own country, a conservative estimate by the immigration authorities says that 50,000 people are sold over our nation's boarders each year, with the CIA's estimate being nearly three times that amount. In other words, using a conservative estimate, the population of the city in which I lived in Idaho, Idaho Falls, is sold into slavery each year (plus about 500 individuals from Ammon, ID to complete the 50,000).

     I know that these statistics are not new to many of you. At a recent ABW Ministries gathering at Green Lake, missionaries from around the world shared personal stories of working with people who are and have been victims of this illegal slave trade. Many of our women have been praying regularly for insight into how we, as a church and a denomination, may be able to help with this battle for the release of these captives and those experiencing such oppression. Let me suggest a practical first step: give to the World Mission Offering during the month of October.

     After sharing such sobering statistics as these Dr. Trulson went on to share what the Holy Spirit has been doing through our missionaries around the world. Through no plan of our denominational leaders, God has been placing many of our missionaries into places in which they are now working with people who have been caught up into the grip of human trafficking. Approximately 10% (or a tithe of our missionaries) now are primarily working with victims of this illegal activity by finding those whom they can reach to bring them out of slavery, training these people with marketable skills so that they will not once again be trapped in the net of human trafficking, as well as bringing these people the opportunity for spiritual freedom through invitations to become disciples of Jesus Christ.

     Yes, giving to the WMO is just an initial step—but it is an important one. The Holy Spirit has already placed our missionaries in special places of ministry to influence this trade and He has already trained them for this spiritual warfare. But our missionaries need our help with prayer support and financial support. Won't you join me in giving this October, so that our missionaries may be able to "proclaim release to the captives"?