As you may be aware, human trafficking is a crime against children and adults that is taking place right here in our state and communities. Across New England, vulnerable people are being bought and sold for another’s profit! We believe that God calls His people, the Church, to help put an end to this atrocity.
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17
Would you know what to do if a victim of human trafficking walked through your church doors today? This is an amazingly complex problem, and there are many ways for a church to engage, but one important step is to be prepared to respond safely and effectively if someone comes to you for help out of a situation of human trafficking. To that end, in the spring of 2015 a group of pastors, social workers, law enforcement officers, and community members collaborated to create The Exploitation Response Plan.
Since 2012, at South Gorham Baptist Church in Gorham, Maine, we have presented a program called Potluck With a Purpose, designed to educate people about the horrendous injustices of human trafficking and to help them learn ways to make a difference. On Saturday morning, October 29, Potluck With a Purpose and the Not Here Justice in Action Network are sponsoring an Exploitation Response Plan Training session presented by Abolitionist Network staff. The training will take about 2.5 hours, covering the basics of what Human Trafficking looks like locally and how to implement the response plan for your church.
Our prayer is that as many churches as possible will choose to take advantage of this opportunity. This training will not solve the problem of human trafficking, but it is one small yet significant step toward equipping the Church to address this injustice in our communities.
We ask that each church select 2 or 3 people to be the “response team” that will take a leadership role in implementing the plan when the opportunity arises—perhaps the pastor, assistant pastor or youth leader, and anyone who has a heart for this issue and is willing to learn.
We will gather at South Gorham Baptist Church, 53 County Road, Gorham, at 8:00 for a light breakfast. Training will take place from 9:00 to Noon. There is no charge to attend. A free will offering will be taken to cover the costs incurred by the presenters and to support their ongoing work.
