For many of us, this has been a challenging week.
I’ve tried, somewhat successfully, to remind myself of deeply-held principles. Right now, perhaps the most important of those principles is Community.
Especially in times of stress, it’s not good to isolate ourselves.
You and I were created by a Community. We were intended to live in community.
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Last week, Becky and I had the opportunity to hear from two survivors of sex trafficking. These stories, from people in our own county, were raw, and heartbreaking, and beautiful.
As these two brave souls shared their trauma, I found myself wondering why they would do such a difficult thing. Why stand in front of a bunch of strangers and open such dark secrets?
The answer, of course, is a combination of Awareness and Community.
A group of like-minded people come together to learn about a difficult topic. And now we’re united by the knowledge that this happened, and is happening, all around us.
Some may choose to turn away, but once you know, you can’t un-know.
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After that meeting, we gathered a few of the people who were part of the HOPE & FREEDOM CHALLENGE. That’s us in the photo.
This is just a small sample of 116 folks who biked, ran, and walked nearly 97,000 miles with a $1 per mile match. They did all of this to support a group of kids rescued from human trafficking, kids halfway around the world they’ll never meet. We’re united by commitment to bring hope and freedom to these special children.
I’m grateful to be included in these communities, people who follow Jesus’ call to care for the marginalized.