God’s Children are Not for Sale: Gaining Perspective on Sound of Freedom

Suzanne Pearson • Sep 18, 2023

In recent weeks, the movie Sound of Freedom has brought awareness of exploitation to audiences around the world. The film has also sparked lively conversations and even controversy, as various voices offer thoughts on the movie’s messages. Regardless of where we land on the movie itself, Sound of Freedom ’s widespread exposure opens the door to a greater conversation about the realities of trafficking that are far more complex than can be portrayed in a two-hour film.    

TEAM has long been engaged in anti-trafficking initiatives in multiple countries around the world. We reached out to some of TEAM’s global workers and practitioners in the anti-trafficking field to get their helpful perspective on how we as the body of Christ can better understand what trafficking is and the best practices to counter it.  

The following was written and contributed by Erika Tello, Joyce Zick, Rachel Zuch, and others unnamed for security reasons. We thank them for their invaluable insight and for their tireless work empowering survivors every day.

Trafficking Realities  

The classic storyline of Sound of Freedom is compelling: good guy defeats bad guy. Sadly, in the real world, the story of trafficking is rarely so simple. It is important to go beyond the script and take time to learn about the realities of human trafficking. Education is critical to having a well-informed perspective. Aspects to learn about include:  

  • The roots of trafficking and reasons that trafficking happens, which need to be addressed within each of our communities
  • The numerous ways that exploitation occurs in the world today (Child sex trafficking, such as the movie shows, is only one horrific type of trafficking of the many horrendous forms of exploitation that happen on a daily basis to both children and adults in their homes, at their places of work, on the streets, etc.)
  • The array of effective real-life methods being used locally and globally to combat trafficking and to walk alongside those who have survived exploitation 
  • The multiple ways that every human can play a role in standing up against trafficking

Connecting with Those “In the Trenches”   

A great first step is to connect with grassroots organizations that uniquely address counter-trafficking. These organizations may provide community development, prevention education, trauma-informed survivor care, advocacy in government systems, or other types of assistance.   

These organizations’ diversity speaks to the multiplicity of trafficking stories and survivors’ needs. For instance, rescue operations, such as those seen in Sound of Freedom , account for less than 1% of cases of survivor freedom. In the vast majority of cases, survivors take brave steps to speak up about their exploitation and reach out for help in order to leave the situation. As practitioners, we recognize this and realize the importance of empowering survivors to inform and lead us in our efforts. 

Global Efforts to Meet a Global Need  

We have had the honor and privilege to have a hand in starting and operating some such grassroots organizations. This list is not exhaustive of TEAM’s touchpoints on this issue, but it represents a good cross-section of the work being done. Each of the ministries highlighted here is different, though they all exist to end exploitation in the name of Christ and in partnership with the global Church. Our service is Gospel-motivated and encourages each individual who encounters our ministries to come to know Jesus as the true liberator and Savior.

Anti-trafficking efforts around the world meet survivors where they are and empower them to forge a new path ahead.

In Austria…  

TEAM Austria global worker Rachel Zuch was compelled to found Herzwerk (Heart Works) in 2007 after being impacted by the number of brothels and nightclubs that seemed to be on almost every corner. Since then, Herzwerk has grown into a multifaceted organization. There are weekly street outreaches and visits to some of the approximately 350 brothels throughout the city. Social workers meet with clients to answer questions, translate official letters and documents, arrange doctor’s appointments, and walk alongside women (and sometimes men) when they make the difficult decision to leave sexual exploitation and begin a new life. Currently, the latter work includes several Chinese women who are new to faith being part of a Bible study led by two Mandarin-speaking workers. 

In South Asia…  

A TEAM worker in south Asia has founded and is overseeing a locally led effort to provide income and educational opportunities for girls and women while assisting other vulnerable people groups. Efforts include a scholarship program for 90 children who are at risk of exploitation and a women’s sewing center that employs eleven women. They sew washable, reusable sanitary pad kits that are donated to the girls in the village schools, allowing the girls to continue their education once they’ve reached puberty. The women also create handicrafts that are sold nationally and internationally to assist in making the program sustainable. Overall, the ministry provides opportunities for vulnerable groups to live and work in their communities, free of marginalization and exploitation. 

In the Middle East…  

In a country closed to traditional counter-trafficking methods, a TEAM worker is networking so that individuals and communities can experience God’s Kingdom. This is accomplished by connecting Christians with the resources necessary to meet the holistic needs of people at risk of exploitation or who are being exploited through sex and labor trafficking. The program has impacted people from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania and has resulted in everything from translating trauma resources for earthquake survivors to repatriating survivors of sex trafficking. This ministry also includes volunteering for the European Freedom Network (EFN), a network of Christian practitioners in Europe and globally, including many TEAM workers.  

In Italy…  

TEAM Italy global workers serve in multiple ways. Erika Tello’s counter-trafficking work began with outreach to victims of trafficking in northern Italy but soon expanded to a national scale. With the support of her husband Jon and others (including former TEAM worker Ruth Brucato and current TEAM worker Joyce Zick), Erika founded Alleanza Tesori Raggianti (ATR), a national alliance of Christian counter-trafficking practitioners and advocates. Jon piloted a work program for a survivor of trafficking, and both Erika and Jon were instrumental in the establishment of the Alba Safe House & Recovery Program , which offers long-term, trauma-informed care to survivors of sex trafficking in Italy and beyond.  

Joyce and Herb Zick began their work in street outreach alongside Ruth Brucato, whom Joyce remembers as “a dynamic and passionate worker in the fight against human trafficking.” The Zicks have continued street outreach as well as starting a school program for awareness and prevention called Dalla Vulnerabilità alla Vittoria (Vulnerable to Victorious). They also founded a global, virtual fundraiser for the Alba Safe House called the Alba Run For Recovery . 

So what’s next?    

Just like one movie can’t encapsulate the stories of 40 million trafficked individuals, reading one blogpost is just the beginning of educating yourself on the realities of trafficking and exploitation. We encourage you to check out the organizations linked above and others like them. Together, we can support efforts to bring counter-trafficking into focus and empower more survivors in their journey to freedom. 

Do you have a heart to empower those affected by trafficking and exploitation? Talk to a missions coach today about how God may be calling you to serve.

Loving Like Jesus Cross-Culturally (Part 1)

By Megan Lunsford • 23 Apr, 2024
When seeking to serve cross-culturally with an authentic love for others, there’s no better example for us than Jesus. If we sat around a table and threw out the question, “How do we love like Jesus?” I think we would have several commonalities as we respond. For example, Jesus loved all people right where they were. He loved those who were deemed the least, those hardest to love, or those who were His enemies. These are all beautiful realities of the heart of Jesus. When we step into relationships, it can be easier to take on the warmer, more gracious gestures of Jesus’ love, especially in cross-cultural relationships. Think about it––when doing life with those who look and act differently than us, we are already out of our comfort zones and would rather keep things as simple and familiar as possible. But there are other facets of Jesus’ heart we often overlook that can transform us and others even more into His likeness. Jesus is love because God is love. Everything Jesus did was out of love; it’s the mere definition of who He is. As followers of Jesus, He calls us to the same: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John:7-12) Every display of love we offer to others is an opportunity for them to encounter the ultimate love of the Father. That’s a pretty big deal! In this article, we’ll look at three expressions of Jesus’ love that we tend to overlook when engaging others cross-culturally. (Next month, we’ll look at three more.) 1. Jesus loved sacrificially. Everywhere Jesus went, crowds followed Him. We even see times in Scripture where Jesus had plans to step away for time alone but those who were hurting found Him and He had compassion on them and stayed with them. Can you imagine rarely having any time to yourself but, instead, constantly being surrounded by crowds of people wanting help from you? Jesus loved sacrificially. He welcomed all who came to Him with love and compassion, never turning anyone away. “When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) In the same way, we can make room in our lives for Jesus to bring sacrificial interruptions which, in His eyes, are orchestrated encounters to transfer His love to others. It can be tempting to be so “on mission” that we are full steam ahead and find ourselves frustrated when the Holy Spirit sends an interruption into our path that we feel we don’t have time for. Or, perhaps, we have scheduled a meet-up but it’s the norm in another culture to be 30 minutes or an hour late. We anxiously think through how it will affect whatever we have planned next. While it’s normal to feel a little stressed, what if the very "interruption” standing in front of you was really a divine appointment sent by God? Or what if that person running late experiences how peaceful and gracious you are in adapting to their culture and therefore, they can encounter a beautiful display of Jesus’ love? To truly represent Christ, we should remain ready and willing for each assignment the Lord sends into our path, no matter the cost or how much we will have to re-route our day. He is always a hundred steps ahead and will work all things for His glory and our good. 2. Jesus loved by discerning each situation well. Think about how many situations Jesus had to respond to on a daily basis. We read in Scripture that there were lines of people waiting to be healed by Him, talk to Him, hear His teachings, or simply touch the hem of His robe. Jesus was fully dependent on His Father to discern each situation before addressing it. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) Another temptation we can have when in a relationship with those God has sent us to is to think we already know the solution or what God wants to do before we’ve even asked Him. We believe we are full of knowledge, so we just pull from the bank we have stored within and go with it. However, when we access what is familiar to us as our default, we risk missing out on a God-given solution that might truly be the key to unlocking whatever challenge is in front of us. What does this look like when interacting with others? We can simply ask, “God, what is on Your heart for the person standing in front of me?” Then we listen and respond as He speaks. When we make it a daily habit to pause and hear God’s heart for each situation before responding, we are guaranteed to be effective in loving those around us. He knows the heart of every person that will cross our paths. Imagine how impactful we can be if we first lean on His wisdom and discernment before moving forward. 3. Jesus loved by speaking truth. Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. If we are honest, this conversation makes us a bit nervous as none of us would be comfortable with Jesus calling out intimate details of our lives that we would prefer to hide. But Jesus went further than just airing her dirty laundry. He offered her the hope of the Gospel and a relationship with Him - a divine fulfillment that could never be found in an earthly relationship. Jesus modeled a powerful example of loving others well cross-culturally. He took the low place and spoke truth, truly out of love––speaking to her heart from His. Like Jesus, our goal in sharing the truths about Him and His Word is to bring hope and satisfaction through Him alone. When we speak truth from Scripture, we are calling others higher into all God has for them. The tricky part here is we should avoid speaking truth if it isn’t first fueled by compassion. If it merely comes from a place of judgment, condemnation, or self-righteousness, it will fall flat 100% of the time. But if it truly comes from love, you are likely to not only win a heart back to the Father but, like the story of the Samaritan woman, even an entire village! If you see someone living outside of God’s best for their lives, ask God to show you your heart before engaging theirs. Once your heart is properly postured, you can speak truth out of an overflow of God’s love and trust Him for a transformation in their lives.

Hospitality, Help, and the Hope of the Gospel

By Suzanne Pearson • 16 Apr, 2024
TEAM Canada provides warm welcome and trusted friendships for diaspora populations living far from their native countries. As TEAM Canada workers Peter and Ruth (names changed) drive from their home to a nearby community center, they pass numerous apartment buildings and townhouses. Most of the families who live there are immigrants. They’ve left their countries of origin due to political unrest, trauma, and other difficulties. They’ve left family, friends, homes, jobs, and personal wealth behind. They search for peace, justice for the oppressed, and rest from fear and weariness. And as they adjust to a new country and a new language, they are often very isolated from others around them. “The sad reality is most immigrants are never even invited inside a Canadian home,” says Ruth. Peter and Ruth and their team try to change that reality. For the last nine years, the team, which includes workers from partner organizations as well as volunteers, has held English classes at the community center. Three days a week, over 60 students from more than 20 countries come together to learn English as well as to fellowship together and receive practical help in assimilating to a new normal. Meeting Needs and Building Trust That practical help may come in the form of procuring furniture, clothes, or dishes for newcomers, assistance with creating a resume and finding a job, or teaching people how to navigate Canadian laws and the medical system. As these tangible needs are met, relationships are built. “We invite them into our homes for meals and games,” Ruth shares. “We take them on hiking trips, picnics, outings, and out for coffee.” This is particularly important in this type of ministry because most immigrants come to Canada from cultures that value hospitality. Conversely, Canadians do not typically prioritize hospitality and consequently many newcomers feel lonely and isolated. Inviting folks to various gatherings and outings allows the team to spend extended time hearing people’s stories, struggles, hopes, and dreams. When she speaks about building friendships, Ruth’s heart for the people she serves is evident. “Hearing their stories, it’s easy to love them, and many have become close friends,” Ruth says. “We recognize the value of steady one-on-one relationships.”
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