Archive for Kathi Macias

May
11

A Missional Mother’s Day Declaration and 8 Books for Mom

by newhope

Actually, I wrote this for Kay, my wife and the mother of my 2 boys, in 2009, but was reminded of it this week. Let’s encourage Christian mothers to invest deeply in their children for the sake of Christ and His mission to all peoples.  How will you spur on the mothers in your life to the good works Christ has prepared for them?

New Hope Publishers offers a number of resources for mothers and grandmothers. These books, just a sampling of our parenting materials, would make great gifts:

You may also be interested in mother-related articles from Chandra Peele, Norman Blackaby, and Kathi Macias.

 

 

0 Categories : Articles, Columns, Randy Bishop
Mar
28

Kathi Macias: Examining the Real-Life Issues of Violence and Sex Trafficking Behind “Special Delivery”

by newhope

Author Kathi Macias discusses the violence in Juarez, Mexico, which is spilling over into El Paso, Texas, and the heartbreaking true story of a notorious place of sexual exploitation in San Diego, California. Kathi treats these subjects with sensitivity and closes the podcast in prayer.

These troubling topics inform Kathi’s new novel Special Delivery, which is the second book in the “Freedom” series. This redemptive 3-novel series explores the shocking problem of human trafficking, with characters in Thailand, Mexico, and the US. Special Delivery is available as a paperback and ebook.

Free book club guides with questions for discussion and prayer points are available for Special Delivery and Deliver Me from Evil.

Informative content to help you get involved in the fight against human trafficking can be found on NewHopeDigital.com. You may find “Ideas and Resources to Join the Fight Against Modern Slavery” a helpful overview. The Release and Restore CD is an extensive resource for this issue.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

0 Categories : Podcast
Mar
21

Special Delivery: Book Club Discussion Guide

by newhope

Special Delivery is the second novel in the 3-novel “Freedom” series from Kathi Macias. Broad in scope and riveting in plot, the series explores the modern-day scourge of human trafficking through the perspectives of a variety of characters—victims, rescuers, traffickers, and more. Available in paperback and in ebook format.

Deliver Me from Evil, book 1 in the “Freedom” series, is also available in paperback and in ebook format. A book club discussion guide is available for Deliver Me from Evil.

The Deliverer, the third and final novel in the “Freedom” series, is scheduled for release later in 2012.

Special Delivery book summary

In book 2 of the “Freedom” series, readers find Mara fighting against her attraction to Bible college student Jonathan Flannery. Mara also wrestles with risking her own precarious safety to become involved in the rescue of another girl who is pregnant and desperately wants to escape her captors and save her own life as well as her child’s.

Halfway around the world in a brothel in Thailand, a young girl is rescued with the promise of being reunited with her younger sister who was adopted by an interracial couple in the States, friends of Jonathan’s family. Meanwhile, Jefe—Mara’s uncle, who held her as a sex slave in his brothel in San Diego for years—seeks revenge for Mara’s testimony that put him behind bars for life.

Will his underworld connections be successful in kidnapping and killing the girl who believes she has finally won her freedom?

These questions, developed by Kathi Macias, are intended to be used as the basis of a book club discussion. Read the novel and then come together to discuss these important issues. (Allow 1 to 2 hours to discuss all the questions and for prayer. You could take extra time to view and/or read the additional resources listed at the bottom of this guide.) 

  1.  Special Delivery is the second book in the Freedom series, picking up 2 years after Deliver Me From Evil, which introduced readers to the sordid topic of human trafficking, as well as to the primary characters in the book/series. Book 2 opens with the main character from book 1, Mara. What differences do you immediately notice in the prologue regarding Mara? How do these differences affect the way you view her as this new episode of her journey begins?
  2. Jonathan and Leah are older now, more mature than in the previous book. How might you expect their maturity to affect their perception and involvement in their fight against human trafficking, and how might that play into their future or ongoing relationship with human trafficking victims?
  3. Another returning character in the series is Lawan, now 10 years old and having lived in the Thai brothel for 2 years. As you read about her struggle between yielding to hopelessness and despair or clinging to her Christian faith and praying for deliverance, how does that affect the way you deal with your own trials?
  4. The Johnsons’ “rainbow” family lends a light spot to an otherwise dark subject. Yet, in the middle of their loving home, they have a serious commitment to Christ, which translates into an outreach that extends across the seas. How does that challenge you in your own home life and ministry?
  5. The moment we see Jefe reintroduced into the story, we know that trouble is coming. What sort of emotions does this man, who so epitomizes evil, stir up in you as you read his ongoing story, now taking place behind bars?
  6. Barbara Whiting is the type of person we’d all like to know, isn’t she? Can you think of someone in your own life who positively influenced you in a similar way? Conversely, has God used you to bless or guide someone else in the way Barbara did for Mara? If not, would you consider asking God to let you be that type of person for someone else?
  7. What were your first impressions of Klahan when you met him? Did those impressions or feelings change as the story went on? If so, in what way and why?
  8. Francesca’s story is a heartbreaking one. She came from a loving family who agonized over her disappearance. The young teen’s entrance into Mara’s life challenges the older girl at the very heart of her tenuous safety and sanity. Describe the emotional wrestling that must have gone on in Mara’s heart from the moment she first saw Francesca and began to suspect what was going on in her life.
  9. Describe the emotions that ran through Jonathan and Mara when they connected again in person after not having seen one another in awhile. Did you find yourself leaning toward a certain outcome for them? Why do you suppose you felt that way?
  10. Alley Cat was nearly as evil as Jefe himself, and he was willing to do most anything for the right price. And yet it wasn’t so much money that motivated him as it was a desire to help his brother. Why do you suppose he had such conflicting personality traits—a willingness to torture or kill someone on the one hand, and yet an overwhelming love and dedication to his brother on the other? How can the 2 be reconciled in the same person?
  11. Though several young sex slaves are liberated in the course of this book, so many are still left behind—not just in the story, but in real life. How does that make you feel? What steps, both practical and spiritual, can you take on a personal level to make a difference for those still enslaved and longing for freedom?

Pray

Close your time together in prayer for those involved in human trafficking.

Markers for prayer include:

    • Physical and spiritual freedom for victims of sex trafficking in the US and abroad
    • Wisdom, courage, and compassion for those working with victims of sex trafficking (law enforcement, social services, Christian nonprofits, churches, shelters, and others)
    • Spiritual awakening around the world to end demand for sexual exploitation (prostitution, pornography, strip clubs, sex tourism)
    • Stricter enforcement of existing laws and the development of new legal protections (politicians, lawyers, police, and citizens worldwide)
    • More Christ followers to become involved in the battles against trafficking and poverty, both physical and spiritual
    • Ask God to change the hearts of traffickers, leading them to repent and turn to Christ

You also may find the  Set1Free Prayer Guide helpful; this is a free resource from  WorldCrafts.

WorldCrafts develops sustainable, fair-trade businesses among impoverished people around the world. Their vision is to offer an income with dignity and the hope of everlasting life to every person on earth. The Set1Free campaign focuses specifically on artisan groups working with those at risk of or leaving sexual exploitation.

The Release and Restore CD includes a prayerwalking experience and other resources.

You may also benefit from free prayer and fasting resources on this topic from The Salvation Army.

Additional resources

“Ideas and Resources to Join the Fight Against Modern Slavery.” Features an extensive list of New Hope Digital articles, podcasts, and a few videos related to the subject of human trafficking. Also includes a list of action steps and other resources. Consider reading Not in My Town: Exposing and Ending Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery, a nonfiction account of these horrors that also includes encouraging stories of hope and change.

Kathi Macias recently interviwed Lisa Thompson, Liaison for the Abolition of Sexual Trafficking, Salvation Army National Headquarters. Read her 2 posts: “Cultural Attitudes Toward Sexual Exploitation” and “Get Educated Then Get Involved in the Fight Against Human Trafficking.”  

“Kathi Macias Discusses Human Trafficking on the Harvest Show.” Video from Kathi’s appearance in October 2011.

“Shining God’s Light in the Darkest Corners of the World.” Article in which Kathi Macias answers the question: “Why do you write about such dark subjects?” Also includes a video from the CNN Freedom Project on slavery inAmerica.

“Chong Kim: A Trafficking Survivor’s Dramatic Story.” A New Hope Digital podcast.

0 Categories : Articles, downloads
Mar
19

Are You Ready to Rest?

by newhope

by Kathi Macias

“I’m tired, Lord,” I said one morning, as I sat on the edge of my bed facing yet another long day. “I need to rest.”

I know. But are you ready?

I was too surprised and confused to answer. What was God asking me? Was I ready? Ready for what? Ready for a new direction in ministry? Ready for some new assignment?

Are you ready to rest?

Of course I was ready to rest! Didn’t I just say . . . ?

You said you needed to rest. I know that. You’ve needed to rest for a long time. I’m asking if you’re ready.

My heart stopped, as Jesus’s words from Matthew 11:28 echoed in my mind: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (NKJV).

Be Still

How many times had I read that verse? And why had I never paid attention? I slipped from my bed and sprawled on the floor listening. . . .

Peace. Be still.

I couldn’t have moved if I’d wanted to.

Be still, and know that I am God.

I thought I’d known that for many years, but now it came as revelation, as if I were hearing it for the very first time. Maybe it was because I was finally being still. And I stayed that way for a very long time, soaking up the remarkable, life-changing truth that God is God, and nothing else mattered.

It was several hours before I rose from my prone position, feeling as if I’d just returned from a long and restful vacation. I had a seemingly never-ending list of things to do that day, and I’d done none of them. A mere 24 hours earlier I would have been in a panic over my lack of accomplishment. This day I was completely at peace, knowing I’d done the only thing I truly needed to do—rest. I’d finally obeyed Jesus’s command to come to Him and rest, to be still and know that He is God . . . not me.

What a lesson! I felt like I’d learned more in those few hours of resting in Him than in all the previous years of trying to do things for Him. And I’d learned it right back where I first started as a spiritual rug rat—on my knees. I smiled, realizing I’d come full circle. Only this time I had no desire to get up off my knees and learn to walk or run or fly. I just wanted to be still and listen for His voice, to know that He is God and that all else will one day pass away.

I was finally ready to rest.

Making It Personal

Have there been times in your life when you struggled to find the right balance between resting and doing? How did spending time with God’s Word and His people help you achieve that balance? When was the last time you took time to rest? Are there other times when you forget the “going” aspect of the Christian life?

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)

The Christian life does involve both resting and going. Read more from award-winning author Kathi Macias’s spiritual journey in How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I’m Surrounded by Loose Cannons? This article is an excerpt from that book.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved

2 Categories : Articles
Mar
15

Lisa Thompson: Get Educated Then Get Involved in the Fight Against Human Trafficking

by newhope

Interview by Kathi Macias

Editor’s note: By email, award-winning author Kathi Macias interviewed Lisa Thompson, Liaison for the Abolition of Sexual Trafficking, the Salvation Army National Headquarters. This is the second part of a 2-part interview. Lisa endorsed the first novel in Kathi’s “Freedom” series, Deliver Me from Evil.

Kathi: If we suspect that human trafficking may indeed be taking place in our own sphere of influence, how best do we safely and effectively get involved in helping to combat this evil and rescue the victims? Are there precautions you would recommend?

Lisa: It can sometimes be a challenge ascertaining whether someone is a victim of human trafficking or not. As a first step, I encourage people to attend an anti-trafficking training program to learn about human trafficking indicators. Many groups are offering such training programs in communities across the country.  

At such training programs, participants will typically learn standard questions to ask a suspected victim, questions that will give you clues as to their possible trafficking status. These questions include:

  1. Are you being paid?
  2. Can you leave your job if you want to?
  3. Have you or your family been threatened?
  4. What are your working and living conditions like?

Questions like these, and several others, are important because often trafficking victims are not even aware of what human trafficking is or that they may be a victim of it.

If you asked the individual, “Are you a victim of human trafficking?” you may be answered with a blank stare.  But by asking roundabout questions, such as those listed above, the questioner may discover important human trafficking indicators.

Be Wise

Of course, every situation is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all response to possible cases. That said, it is easy for members of the general public to miss signs of danger and to make matters worse if they take immediate, direct action by themselves. So, as a general rule, it is the best course of action to immediately contact the local authorities, if you suspect someone is a victim. There is also a national hotline number that people should call: 1-888-3737-888.

Often after learning about human trafficking people want to jump in and do something to help combat the problem. That is a very commendable response! Unfortunately, sometimes well-meaning people jump in before they have taken the time to do their homework. In other words, they decide to launch a program, start a shelter, or some other initiative, without the least experience, education, or understanding of what is already being done about the problem in their communities. This can waste time and valuable resources, as well as damage relationships and potentially harm those they intended to serve. Thus, I encourage people to become educated on the subject, to spend time interning or volunteering with existing anti-trafficking organizations, and to work cooperatively building partnerships with other groups and individuals in their communities.  

Lastly, we need to target more of our responses towards prevention efforts, rather than solely to the difficult and costly task of restoration. Yes, we need programs and initiatives to assist those who have already fallen prey to human traffickers, but we need to be devoting much more time and effort to stopping human trafficking before it happens.

NewHopeDigital.com offers a variety of resources to help you understand and become involved in the fight against modern-day slavery. A partial list is available here. Kathi Macias is a regular contributor by article and podcast.

Kathi is the author of the “Freedom” series of novels on human trafficking. The first 2 books, Deliver Me from Evil and Special Delivery, are available now in paperbook and ebook format (Nook).

0 Categories : Articles
Mar
14

Lisa Thompson: Cultural Attitudes Toward Sexual Exploitation

by newhope

Interview by Kathi Macias

Editor’s note: By email, award-winning author Kathi Macias interviewed Lisa Thompson, Liaison for the Abolition of Sexual Trafficking, the Salvation Army National Headquarters. This is the first part of a 2-part interview. Lisa endorsed the first novel in Kathi’s “Freedom” series of novels, Deliver Me from Evil.

Kathi: So often I hear statements like, “How could sex trafficking be going on without our knowing about it? Wouldn’t we see it?” How do you answer questions like that? How can we, as concerned citizens, recognize the signs of something like this when it’s hidden in plain sight?

Lisa: There are several factors that can blind people to sex trafficking that may be occurring in our communities. First, the actual provisioning of a woman or child for sex may not be happening on the street corner, but via the Internet. Certain Web sites exist through which people seeking to buy sex may connect with sex traffickers (i.e. pimps) to arrange a sexual encounter with a trafficked person. Such Web sites make sex trafficking less visible to the general public, but make connecting with sex buyers easy for traffickers.

Additionally, when women and girls are being sexually trafficked at the street level (meaning they are being controlled by pimps who make money by providing sexual access to them openly on the streets), it often happens late at night, in seedy parts of town. Again, this makes sex trafficking less visible to the general public.

A bigger problem, however, is that in the eyes of many, victims of sexual trafficking are “just prostitutes.” In other words, because of their involvement in the sex trade victims are considered unworthy of compassion and concern. The victims are seen as “dirty” girls who deserve whatever they get.

In the past, such attitudes meant that many victims of sex trafficking were never identified as such. Due to increasing advocacy, more people now are realizing that many people in prostitution are victims of sexual trafficking. Accordingly, they are being offered proper treatment and care.

Of course, some women in prostitution were not trafficked into it. Nevertheless involvement in prostitution is harmful to those who get caught up in it, whether they were trafficked or not. The physical, psychological, and spiritual traumas to women from prostitution activity are staggering. Just to catalogue a few of its harms, studies report forms of physical violence and abuse in prostitution that include:

  • threats with weapons;
  • abandonment in remote areas;
  • robbery;
  • kidnapping;
  • strangulation, stabbings, and physical assaults (with or without weapons) perpetrated by pimps, sex purchasers, serial predators, neighbors, wives and girlfriends of sex purchasers, passersby, and drug users;
  • rape by sex purchasers, police officers, husbands, or boyfriends/pimps.

Commonplace injuries as a consequence of such violence include abrasions, burns, broken bones, knocked out teeth, bruises, cuts and stab wounds, bullet wounds, and traumatic brain injury (which may result in headaches, memory loss, numbness, vision and hearing problems, etc.) So prostitution is traumatic to those involved in it, trafficked or not.

Cultural Normalization of the Sex Industry

Another factor contributing to a societal blind-spot for sex trafficking is the increasing hypersexualization of our culture. In fashion, television, movies, music, magazines, and advertising, women and girls are widely portrayed in ways that suggest they are always ready and available for sex. This creates a toxic sexual atmosphere in which all females must live.

This atmosphere is especially harmful to young females, because it conditions them to accept a role as a sex object. It is also harmful to young males, because it grooms them to become future sex buyers. Thus, many in the younger generation are being primed for involvement in the sex trade—as strippers, pornography performers, and prostitutes—and others are readied to take on their role as commercial sex exploiters.

Moreover, this normalization of an “it’s all about sex, all the time” mentality serves to normalize the sex industry as a regular part of life. If something is viewed as “normal,” then it’s much less likely to earn our close scrutiny. The less we pay attention to the commercial sex industry, the happier and richer sex traffickers will become.

NewHopeDigital.com offers a variety of resources to help you understand and become involved in the fight against modern-day slavery. A partial list is available here. Kathi Macias is a regular contributor by article and podcast.

Kathi is the author of the “Freedom” series of novels on human trafficking. The first 2 books, Deliver Me from Evil and Special Delivery, are available now in paperback and ebook format (Nook).

0 Categories : Articles
Mar
9

March 2012: An Honorable Title

by newhope

by Randy Bishop

I am not a Church Lady.

I admit this is a rather odd and obvious way for a man to start his editor’s column. But since the monthly focus on NewHopeDigital.com is Church Lady: Move Beyond the Stereotypes, it makes sense to me at least. I may not be a Church Lady, but I do know and give thanks for plenty of them.

So, who is the Church Lady?

If you read Church Lady: Freed to Be a Woman of God by dynamic author and speaker Chandra Peele, you’ll find out. But I’ll give you the simple answer now: the Church Lady is any woman who loves the Lord and loves others.

And it’s an honorable title. The label “Church Lady” has gotten a bad rap for some time now, but Chandra wants to reclaim, restore, and redeem the name. It is a wonderful thing to be a woman of God, part of the bride and body of Christ, a daughter of the King. And these royal women should not be boxed in by stereotypes, whether they are negative caricatures or simply categories of age, class, personality, ethnic background, or denomination.

By reading diverse stories from Chandra’s 8-year journey to discover who the Church Lady is, I pray you (or your wife or mother or daughter) will be encouraged and will find new freedom in worshipping our great God. [Men, this is a hint for Mother’s Day shopping! Church Lady is available as a paperback and an ebook (Nook).]

As I reflect, I realize the Lord has blessed my life with many wonderful examples of Church Ladies, starting with my mother in Maryland and including others from Chicago to China to Birmingham. Women who love and serve, advance the kingdom of God in word and deed, and offer great hospitality. (I’m remembering some good meals now).

Above all of these, I would like to honor the number one Church Lady in my life, my wife, Kay. Outside of my relationship with Christ, I can think of no greater gift I’ve received than her. She’s supported me in times of need and brokenness and continually watches out for my best. A passionate artist, she is a true servant of the Lord and His church, and a great mother to our 2 boys!

To support the Church Lady theme this month, NewHopeDigital.com will be offering:

Finally, I would like to remind readers that the second novel in the “Freedom” series by Kathi Macias, Special Delivery, is now available as a paperback and ebook. You can download the first 2 chapters for free here. NewHopeDigital.com will be featuring relevant articles from Kathi, a podcast, and a book club guide for Special Delivery this month.

Randy Bishop is editor of NewHopeDigital.com.

0 Categories : Articles, Columns, Randy Bishop
Mar
1

Download 2 Chapters of “Special Delivery,” Human Trafficking Novel

by newhope

Download the first 2 chapters of Special Delivery, the latest novel by award-winning author Kathi Macias. 

Special Delivery, available as a paperback and ebook,  is missional fiction at its best, stirring the Christian heart and mind to action. Focused on modern-day slavery in the US and abroad, this novel by Kathi Macias is the second in the 3-novel “Freedom” series. 

The first novel in the “Freedom” series, Deliver Me from Evil, is also available as a paperback and ebook. A free book club discussion guide for Deliver Me from Evil is available. A similar discussion guide for Special Delivery will be released this month.  

Book summary

In book 2 of the “Freedom” series, readers find Mara fighting against her attraction to Bible college student Jonathan Flannery. Mara also wrestles with risking her own precarious safety to become involved in the rescue of another girl who is pregnant and desperately wants to escape her captors and save her own life as well as her child’s.

Halfway around the world in a brothel in Thailand, a young girl is rescued with the promise of being reunited with her younger sister who was adopted by an interracial couple in the States, friends of Jonathan’s family. Meanwhile, Jefe—Mara’s uncle, who held her as a sex slave in his brothel in San Diego for years—seeks revenge for Mara’s testimony that put him behind bars for life.

Will his underworld connections be successful in kidnapping and killing the girl who believes she has finally won her freedom?

Passionate about some of the world’s most pressing concerns, Kathi Macias has written more than 30 books, including the “Extreme Devotion” series of novels for New Hope Publishers. Red Ink, the third book in the “Extreme Devotion” series on the persecuted church, was named a finalist in its category for the prestigious Carol Award.

Kathi is a popular speaker for women’s retreats, conferences, and churches. A mother and grandmother, Kathi and her husband, Al, call California home.

1 Categories : downloads
Feb
17

Deliver Me from Evil: Book Club Discussion Guide on Human Trafficking Novel

by newhope

Deliver Me from Evil is the first novel in the 3-novel “Freedom” series from Kathi Macias. Broad in scope and riveting in plot, the series explores the modern-day scourge of human trafficking through the perspectives of a variety of characters—victims, rescuers, traffickers, and more. Available in paperback and in ebook format.

Special Delivery, book 2 in the “Freedom” series, is also now available in paperback and in ebook format. A book club discussion guide is scheduled for release on NewHopeDigital.com next month.

The Deliverer, the third and final novel in the “Freedom” series, is scheduled for release later in 2012.

Deliver Me from Evil book summary

Mara, sold by her parents in Mexico and then smuggled across the border in San Diego, has been forced into sexual slavery. Bible-college-bound Jonathan and his sister, Leah, whose paths cross Mara’s, become involved in her dramatic rescue.

Interwoven is the heartbreaking story of another young woman in captivity in the Golden Triangle of Thailand. Her past mysteriously connects to the young people in California.

Book club questions

These questions, developed by Kathi Macias, are intended to be used as the basis of a book club discussion. Read the novel and then come together to discuss these important issues. (Allow 1 to 2 hours to discuss all the questions and for prayer. You could take extra time to view and/or read the additional resources listed at the bottom of this guide.) 

    1. When you first met Mara and realized the horrific situation she was in and how she got there, what was your initial reaction? What feelings were stirred up, and which of those feelings surprised you?
    2. Most people who are even slightly aware of human trafficking tend to think it takes place only in faraway places, such as Thailand. Deliver Me from Evil clearly shows that is not the case. How does that fact change the way you view the magnitude and seriousness of the situation?
    3. Jonathan and Leah’s home situation stands out in stark contrast to the dark life led by Mara and the others at the compound. In what ways was it easier for you to relate to Jonathan and Leah’s life than Mara’s? Do you suppose Jesus would relate equally with both?
    4. Though Jonathan had been born and raised in a loving, Christian home, he had his own spiritual battle to wage, as do we all. Describe his journey to personal faith as he walked through the discovery of the reality of human trafficking?
    5. In what ways did Mara and the other girls depict the typical view of hardened sex workers? In what ways did they break the stereotype and open your eyes to their position as victim?
    6. Chanthra’s life was a tragedy from nearly every standpoint. Though she better fits the stereotype of a sex slave than someone like Jasmine, what traits did they have in common?
    7. Consider Jefe and his 2 henchmen. Could you find any redeeming qualities in any of them? If not and you knew there truly were people like that, could you find it in your heart to pray for them?
    8. “The Reeds” is not a fictional place; it actually existed in the San Diego area, and young girls and women suffered horribly there. How does that knowledge spur you on to discover if any such places might exist in your own city or state?
    9. Huge numbers of young girls (and even some boys), particularly teenagers, disappear annually. If they are never found, often they are classified as runaways, despite the fact that their families are certain that’s not the case. How does that change the way you view the problem of sex trafficking?
    10. If you were to sum up the way this book has challenged/changed you, what would you say—to yourself, to others, and, most important, to God? 

Pray

Close your time together in prayer for those involved in human trafficking.

Markers for prayer include:

    • Physical and spiritual freedom for victims of sex trafficking in the US and abroad
    • Wisdom, courage, and compassion for those working with victims of sex trafficking (law enforcement, social services, Christian nonprofits, churches, shelters, and others)
    • Spiritual awakening around the world to end demand for sexual exploitation (prostitution, pornography, strip clubs, sex tourism)
    • Stricter enforcement of existing laws and the development of new legal protections (politicians, lawyers, police, and citizens worldwide)
    • More Christ followers to become involved in the battles against trafficking and poverty, both physical and spiritual
    • Ask God to change the hearts of traffickers, leading them to repent and turn to Christ

You also may find the  Set1Free Prayer Guide helpful; this is a free resource from  WorldCrafts.

WorldCrafts develops sustainable, fair-trade businesses among impoverished people around the world. Their vision is to offer an income with dignity and the hope of everlasting life to every person on earth. The Set1Free campaign focuses specifically on artisan groups working with those at risk of or leaving sexual exploitation.

The Release and Restore CD includes a prayerwalking experience and other resources.

You may also benefit from free prayer and fasting resources on this topic from The Salvation Army.

Additional resources

“Ideas and Resources to Join the Fight Against Modern Slavery.” Features an extensive list of New Hope Digital articles, podcasts, and a few videos related to the subject of human trafficking. Also includes a list of action steps and other resources. Consider reading Not in My Town: Exposing and Ending Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery, a nonfiction account of these horrors that also includes encouraging stories of hope and change.

“Kathi Macias Discusses Human Trafficking on the Harvest Show.” Video from Kathi’s appearance in October 2011.

“Shining God’s Light in the Darkest Corners of the World.” Article in which Kathi Macias answers the question: “Why do you write about such dark subjects?” Also includes a video from the CNN Freedom Project on slavery in America.

“Chong Kim: A Trafficking Survivor’s Dramatic Story.” A New Hope Digital podcast.

2 Categories : Articles, downloads
Feb
3

Watch the Trailer for “Special Delivery,” Novel 2 in the “Freedom” Series by Kathi Macias

by newhope

Special Delivery, the second novel in the “Freedom” series by Kathi Macias, releases in March 2012. Watch the trailer to learn more about this riveting upcoming release.

Follow Mara as she risks her own precarious safety to rescue a pregant young woman held in modern slavery. 

At the same time, halfway around the world in a Thai brothel, a young girl is rescued with the promise of being reunited with her younger sister who was adopted by an interracial couple in the States. They (the couple) are friends of the family of Jonathan Flannery, the Bible student to whom Mara now finds herself attracted.

Meanwhile, Jefe—Mara’s uncle who formerly held her as a sex slave in his San Diego brothel—seeks revenge for Mara’s testimony that put him behind bars for life.

If you have not already, you’ll want to read the action-packed first novel in the “Freedom” series, Deliver Me from Evil. Learn more about Mara, Jonathan, and Jefe—as well as the horrific and all too real problem of human trafficking, which stretches around the world even to our own neighborhoods.

The third and final novel in this series, The Deliverer, is scheduled for release in the fall of 2012.

0 Categories : Videos
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