{"id":731,"date":"2010-10-06T10:18:21","date_gmt":"2010-10-06T10:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/redletters\/2010\/10\/you-will-not-believe-what-happened.html"},"modified":"2011-12-07T19:46:01","modified_gmt":"2011-12-08T00:46:01","slug":"you-will-not-believe-what-happened","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/redletters\/2010\/10\/you-will-not-believe-what-happened.html","title":{"rendered":"You Will Not Believe What Happened"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated: December 7, 2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is one of my absolute favorite stories of the past few years. A group of people stood up and acted to stop sex trafficking. Out of this, another couple joined Change Their Story 2010 and raised several thousand dollars. If you are moved by this story, I invite you to give again to invest your gifts in preventing sex trafficking. If you are moved by this story, please make a gift this Christmas<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

>>GIVE TO CHANGE THEIR STORY TODAY<\/a><\/strong><<<\/p>\n

Original Post: October 6, 2010<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had the privilege of speaking at the\u00a0Together for Adoption<\/a>\u00a0conference this past weekend. Something happened at the end of my session that I’ve never seen before. My new friend\u00a0Kristen from wearethatfamily.com<\/a>\u00a0says it better than I can. She was in the room.<\/p>\n

\n

I was late.<\/p>\n

So, I slipped into the back of the crowded room and\u00a0crouched on the floor.<\/p>\n

I couldn’t see the face of speaker, Tom Davis, CEO of\u00a0Children’s Hope Chest<\/a>\u00a0at the\u00a0Together for Adoption<\/a>\u00a0Breakout Q&A Session. But it didn’t matter, his words still pierced.<\/p>\n

He is a modern-day abolishionist, rescuing young girls from the terrifying grips of sex slavery. Every minute a child in our world is trafficked.\u00a0Every minute.<\/em><\/p>\n

I listened as he answered questions about the unbelievable life these girls lead, most servicing a dozen or more men every day and the dangerous covert rescue operations that his organization orchestrates with the local police.<\/p>\n

It was terrible and beautiful to hear.<\/p>\n

One of the questions: “How many girls do you know about that need to be rescued right now?”<\/p>\n

Tom Davis: “Three. It costs about $2000.00 per rescue.”<\/p>\n

He went on to describe the safe house the girls are taken to and the elaborate process of rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

It was time for the session to end. As Tom shared his final thoughts, a man from the crowd pressed towards the front. He was nervous as he spoke, but their was authority and anointing behind his words, “I don’t know Tom Davis and his associate. I don’t know any of you. But I know there are about 80 people in this room. And there are 3 girls who are in slavery, being forced into the unthinkable, waiting to be rescued. If we all gave $30 each, we would have enough money to rescue one of them\u00a0right now<\/em>. My company will match whatever is given today,” he urged in the hushed room.<\/p>\n

Tom Davis concluded the session with prayer.<\/p>\n

My own tears splashed onto my $30 check as I ripped it from the checkbook. The room was noisy with silent tears and generosity.<\/p>\n

Within minutes the table at the front of the room looked like this:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On my own, I couldn’t rescue a girl being sex trafficked. But my small check added to 79 others, makes a powerful impact.<\/p>\n

It’s the power of working together for the cause of Christ. It’s ordinary mixed with God’s extra.<\/p>\n

It’s taking 3 minutes to pray for the 3 girls raped every 45 minutes in Kenya.\u00a0It’s giving $3 a month<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That off-the-cuff gesture by one man listening to the urging in his inner man didn’t raise enough money to rescue one girl or three.<\/p>\n

That pile of money will rescue\u00a0six girls<\/em>\u00a0being sex trafficked. Six!<\/p>\n

Don’t underestimate the power of doing something, even when it seems insignificant. Don’t think that your small gesture doesn’t matter. Don’t let the opportunity pass to make a difference in the life of someone today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Updated: December 7, 2011 This is one of my absolute favorite stories of the past few years. A group of people stood up and acted to stop sex trafficking. Out of this, another couple joined Change Their Story 2010 and raised several thousand dollars. 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