But looks can be deceiving, as history may one day place the petite blond next to historical giants like William Wilberforce and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In venues that literally span from India and Greece to downtown Chicago, Chris shares the story of an epidemic that most Americans were taught ended with the American Civil War: human trafficking.

Just as the plight of German Jews under Hitler’s reign was kept hidden from the majority of Europe until the outbreak of World War II, most Americans have never heard that there are more people in slavery than at any other time in human history, with more than 27 million people worldwide being forced into hard labor, prostitution, or both.

And the problem is growing worse. Human trafficking is the fastest growing worldwide crime, generating more than $32 billion in revenue per year.  Bondage is a fate even worse than death. A murder victim only suffers once, while the slave must wake up each morning to a hopeless world, since only one percent are ever rescued.

It would be easy for even Chris, one of the global leaders of the modern abolition movement, to become overwhelmed by the problem. But the difference, as she puts it “is boiling that huge number down to one person’s story.”

It’s because of Natalia that Chris keeps speaking, keeps moving across the globe. One day, Natalia stepped into a coffee shop, jittery with the nerves that come along with a first date. Only a few ounces of liquid changed her life, in the form of a knock-out drug her “date” slipped into her drink, loaded her into the trunk of a car, and paid off a Greek border patrol agent to transport her into a neighboring country, making her just one of 800,000 women who are moved across borders every year in the sex slave industry.

Natalia woke up to a living nightmare. She was repeatedly beaten and raped. Four days later, she was sold as a sex slave.

Natalia’s ray of hope came when she was rescued, and brought to a safe house, run by A21, an organization Chris heads up to rescue and restore victims of sex slavery. Thanks to A21 lawyers, Natalia’s trafficker is now serving a fifteen year prison sentence.

Human trafficking is epidemic, both global and local. Sex slavery can not only be found in Greece and Thailand, but on the streets of affluent neighborhoods in Chicago. But while the industry is rampant and closer to home than we think, the opposition to this human travesty is diverse and growing, one of the few causes that every person can get behind. As Abraham Lincoln famously put it, “if slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.”

Christine Caine will be speaking on the hard truth human trafficking, and sharing the hope to be found in the fight, at City Church Chicago at 777 North Green Street on Sunday, June 5^th at 9:30 and 11am.

Dear Friends of City Church:

After a long trip to Bihar, N. India, (pop. 95 million) I am pleased to report that the “Clean Drinking Water in Thirsty Villages” project was a success. Your support was instrumental in establishing a clean water well in a village called “Sassam Puja” just outside the capital city of Patna.  These villages consist of people who are the poorest of the poor. They lack basic education and sanitation and fall in the lowest caste of Indian society. The hand pump will serve approximately 300-400 people with clean drinking, cooking and washing water for many years to come.

The wells are strategically located near a new Christian ministry center and school to be built by Emmanuel Christian Fellowship Ministries of Patna. This investment will enable the villagers to be connected to a Christian community where pastors and others can share Christ and educate and minister to these people’s needs.

I’m so thankful to all of you who have believed in me and this project. You don’t know how much your support means to me—and to the villagers, who welcomed me with open arms. It’s a huge blessing to partner with friends who not only believe in the Lord’s work but also make it their own. And when we do this, we make the invisible kingdom of God “visible” in this world.

This trip is also the birth of Aqua Vida International meaning “Life Water.” God has given me a vision to partner with business, government and the church to bring clean water to the world. Right now, I’m in the process of writing out the vision that God has given me. As Habakuk 2:2 says, “Write the vision, make it clear…” In the coming months, you will find more information at www.aquavida.org. Stay tuned!

As a famous evangelist once said, “When God is your partner, make no small plans.”

Check out the recap video below:

Pray for the safety of all those present on the island.  Pray against diseases that would spread with breakdown of infrastructure.  Pray against further injuries from aftershocks and collapse of buildings.  Pray for the safety of aid workers moving among collapsed buildings.  Pray for the safety of those traveling to Haiti to assist.  Pray against violence and looting.

Ps 91:10-12
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

2. Comfort

Pray for the comfort of those bereaved through loss of family members or friends.  Pray for the grief-stricken who have witnessed terrible tragedy.  Pray for those traumatized whose souls are severely wounded.

2 Cor 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

3. Reuniting of families

Pray that all those still trapped would be found, liberated, and healed.  Pray that family members separated from one another might be re-united.  Pray that they would hear good news of each other’s health and safety.  Pray that communications infrastructure be restored so that families can communicate until re-united.

Mal 4:6
6 And he will gather the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers,

4. Leadership/Relief efforts

Pray that worldwide and local leadership of relief efforts be strong and swift, that God would raise up leaders at every level.  Pray for the church to rise up strong and demonstrate the true love and compassion of Jesus Christ.  Pray that generosity toward Haiti in money, goods, and services would arise all over the world.  Pray for all needed supplies to flow toward Haiti swiftly and efficiently.  Pray for transportation infrastructure to be rebuilt quickly, such as ports, airports, and roads.  Pray for all infrastructure to be rebuilt quickly, especially potable water, healthcare, and communications.

2 Sam 10:12
12 Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God, and the Lord will do what he considers right.  (God’s Word Version)

2 Cor 8:14-15
14 Your abundance at the present time should supply their want, so that their abundance may supply your want, that there may be equality.15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

5. Revival/Rebuilding

Pray that Christians would have wisdom not to speak judgment.  Pray that the witness, compassion, power, and servanthood of the Church be strong and persevering.  Pray that the hearts of the Haitians would turn to the Lord Jesus as never before.  Pray that investment would come in to rebuild Haiti into a modern, prosperous nation with a heart toward Jesus.  Pray that what the devil meant for evil, God will turn into Victory and Revival.

Ezek 36:33-36
33 “Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. 35 And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now inhabited and fortified.’ 36 Then the nations that are left round about you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places, and replanted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.

Also, the FCC Help Haiti blog is NOW LIVE. This is where we will be updating our people and community regarding all things Haiti and our efforts there with on site missionary Tony McCreary.

Giving is available as well our prayer strategy for the nation.

Now is the time for your influence to shine! Send this link out through your social media networks (facebook, twitter, etc).

In the words of Pastor Kent, “We can’t do everything, but we can ALL do SOMETHING”.

$1 feeds 4 People!!!

www.fcc4me.com/haiti

Overview From Rich Sterns:

-This disaster is fundamentally different from any that we have seen recently like the asian tsunami & Hurricane Katrina.

1. This is an urban disaster. It happened in a major city, with a high population density of about 3 million people. Because of the many multi-storied buildings, there is severe infrastructure damage.
2. Access to Port-Au-Prince has extremely difficult. It is an island, the port has been destroyed and is not operational. The airport is struggling, opening & closing at different times. Most of the roads in & out are blocked.
3. Communication with Port-Au-Prince is difficult because most of the cell phone service is down.
4. Most notably, this is a disaster in which the responders that are on-site have been effected. The World Vision Staff, the Compassion Staff, and the United Nations have been victims.

How can we as churches respond?

According to Rich Sterns & Bill Hybels the best course of action at this time is to donate financially. It is not the time to send teams or youth ministries. The US Milatary is on site and so are other trained professionals. The time will come to send people, but at this point our best course of action is to give financially.

Bill Hybels quoted Zechariah 7:9-10 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor.”

He talked about this being the time to show mercy & kindness.

Max Lucida asked for us to pray specifically for these things:

1. That families would be reunited
2. The God of comfort would surround the people of Haiti
3. Relief Efforts
4. Safety of Government & aid agencies
5. Increased coordination
6. Justice
7. A New Day for Haiti

Let’s stay in prayer, and give what we can.

-Christian Hage

The Christmas season offers so many opportunities for family interaction, play and fun.  Opportunities such as baking cookies, decorating the Christmas tree, wrapping presents and visiting family and friends are interactive “teachable moments” that children learn not only social skills, but physical, language and reasoning skills that are developed through all these fun activities. The “Christmas Season” is fading as we begin a new year; the laughter and joy of children opening their presents and discovering surprises Santa left are memories.  The familiar Christmas music on the radios, in the CD player and on the ipods has been changed and stored away for another year.  If you’re in the midwest, or any part of North America this time of year, its cold outside and children are playing indoors and starting back at school.  It has been extensively researched that children learn through play and build on their development through activities such as: drawing, building, dancing, singing, crafts, dramatic play, playing games, science projects, putting together jigsaw puzzles, and playing computer/video games.  As we settle back into our routines, and start a new year, what interactions, routines, and play do you and your family share on a daily or weekly basis?

We know children learn through play, but its also important for us to infuse positive interactions with children through their play, as children will only play what they already know.  Scholastic Book Company has stated, “all play is educational play, just as all television is educational television.  We may not be happy about the curriculum, but the learning happens, just the same.  Good stuff, bad stuff, stupid stuff- it all gets played and learned.” This teaches us that children learn by doing, watching, observing everything around them and the play they experience as children transform into hobbies or “adult play” as they grow older.  Essentially, play teaches children trial and error; connections to events, feelings, memories, thoughts; and how to organize information in their brains.

As an early childhood and parent educator for the past 10 years, I have seen children grow and develop through implementing various curricula, lessons and interactive activities to promote development.  I have worked with many families to implement structure and routine to their daily schedules to help curb challenging behaviors and maximize learning between home and school.  I’m excited as I interact with children and families at City Church because now we get to discuss how child development and the roles of parents and educators is demonstrated by Jesus in the Bible.  In Luke, chapter 14 as Jesus talked with the Pharisees, he tells them (us) that today is the day to teach your children, not to wait for another day and by teaching our children and interacting with them by modeling Christian behavior, infusing Bible lessons into play, and establishing routines to live and lead a Christian life, we are building a solid foundation for our children to build their house and life upon (Matthew 7:24-29).  Jesus taught his followers by sitting with them (Matthew 5:2) and interacting with them by meeting his followers where they were.  In Luke chapter 5, Jesus taught his followers from Simon’s boat and demonstrated his teachings using the fisherman’s “play” or “work” experiences.  Jesus teaches his children in our daily lives, through activities and work we do and enjoy; he interacts in our play!  Raising children with Christian values is exciting, fun and enjoyable!  Values and habits formed in children’s brains start young and continue through adulthood but start with positive adult interactions and modeling Christian behaviors through “Child’s Play”!

Today, I have been reading about the church… Here are some scriptures and thoughts I wrote down from what I read. – Christian Hage

THE CHURCH__________________________________________

God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made himhead over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. -Ephesians 1:22-23

THE ECCLESIA: the gathering together of the called out people.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation. God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness onto his wonderful light. -1 Peter 2:9

The Church is the gathering together of those who are “saved” and “called out,” those living in right relationship with God.  If you are a Christian (a Christ Follower) you are apart of The Church. It is impossible to take any other position.

All of you together are Christ’s Body, and each of you is a part of it. – 1 Corinthians 12:27

TWO PARTS TO THE CHURCH:

THE GATHERING: where we can come together to worship together, pray together, and for teaching about the Word of God, and how it applies to our daily lives.

THE COMMUNITY: a place of belonging where people get together (in homes or other places)

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper) and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
- Acts 2:42-27

The place of belonging then becomes a place where we find our significance in life by realizing that we have a vital part to play in contributing to God’s rescue plan for humanity, which is His Church.

____THE CHURCH IS GOD’S CENTRAL PLAN FOR HUMANITY___