By Tracy Dang
Times Managing Editor
Published: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 12:15 AM CDT
Go Beyond Justice Initiatives, a ministry of Kingsland Baptist Church, is hosting the Just Run for a Just Cause Saturday. The 5K starts at 8 a.m., and the family run and walk begins at 8:15 a.m. in the church parking lot, 20555 Kingsland Blvd.
Go Beyond Justice Initiatives, a ministry of Kingsland Baptist Church, is hosting the Just Run for a Just Cause Saturday. The 5K starts at 8 a.m., and the family run and walk begins at 8:15 a.m. in the church parking lot, 20555 Kingsland Blvd.
Go Beyond Justice Initiatives, a ministry of Kingsland Baptist Church, is hosting the Just Run for a Just Cause Saturday.
The 5K starts at 8 a.m., and the family run and walk begins at 8:15 a.m. in the church parking lot, 20555 Kingsland Blvd.
“Although slavery is illegal, more than 27 million people in the world today are held as slaves,” missions pastor Omar Garcia said. “Millions of these are forced to work in brothels – from Houston to the red light districts of South Asia. Millions of others are forced to work as laborers. Whether forced to work in brothels, brick kilns or dangerous construction sites, all of these individuals are treated as a disposable commodity by their oppressors.
“At Kingsland, we are committed to addressing the issue of modern-day slavery and are willing to do something about it. We are also committed to partnering with organizations that work to liberate people trapped in the dark world of the commercial sex trade in our own community.”
Kingsland Baptist became aware of human trafficking concerns through its involvement with House of Hope in Nicaragua that was bringing women out of prostitution and teaching them a trade. And with the involvement with a pregnancy help center in Uganda two years ago, the church was introduced to an aftercare center that rescued girls from Africa and South Asia.
“It was an eye-opening experience for us to be in this home and see what was being done to provide care for these young girls,” Garcia said. “In fact all of them were teenagers, far from home, so they needed counseling, education, medical care and things like that.”
After posting a blog about it, International Justice Mission contacted the Kingsland Baptist about helping with its efforts, which led the church to provide the support for an aftercare home in South Asia that cares for 150 girls. In January, Kingsland Baptist began funding the aftercare home, which costs about $3,000 a month.
The church started an initiative called Just Change for a Just Cause and asked families to give up a meal at a local fast food restaurant and put the money they would have spent in a little bank instead. The initiative has raised enough money to allow the church to fund the aftercare home through the end of 2011.
“This also gives us the opportunity to share with families about a very serious issue in the world, and parents are able to do it in an age-appropriate way,” Garcia said. “You don’t want to necessarily expose them to all the horrors of life in a brothel, but you do want to make your children aware of the fact that there are some injustice in the world that need to be addressed. These are things that according to the Bible are things that break God’s heart.”
Kingsland Baptist is also working with two local ministries in opening aftercare homes in Houston.
And the run is one way the church can help raise awareness about the issue in the Katy and greater Houston community.
“Most people believe the slave trade ended years ago, but in reality there are more slaves today than there ever was in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade,” said Kelly Isenberger, one of the coordinators of the run. “In fact, 27 million people are in slavery today.
“Houston and the United States are not immune to this. Houston has become a hub for those trafficked into the United States. (Interstate 10) is the No. 1 corridor in the United States. We believe that these innocent victims need a champion, and Kingsland is partnering in various ways with the current ministries in Houston.”
Other ministries that are helping in the effort include Children at Risk, Redeemed Ministries, Houston Rescue and Restore, Free the Captives and Home of Hope.
The cost of the race is $20.
Packet pickup will be held Thursday and Friday from noon to 7 p.m. at Luke’s Locker at LaCenterra or Saturday from 6:30-7:30 a.m. at the starting line in the church parking lot.
To register, go to www.kingsland.org/missions.
To learn more about Kingsland Baptist Church’s Justice Initiatives, please visit KingslandJustice.com.
The Katy Times > News > Walk to raise awareness for human trafficking
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