Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Soul Rescue First, Human Rights Second

Daegu Journal Entry: Volume 1 Issue 4
Saturday, March 1, 2014

Today’s journey into Daegu was different.  Jubilee Project, who is doing a documentary on Sex Trafficking in Korea, joined us on our trip down.  The purpose of this documentary is to bring awareness about the current trafficking issues in Korea with the hopes that the rest of the world will start putting more pressure on them for their lax attitude and laws in regards to prostitution and trafficking.  As I wrote in a previous blog, “Supply and Demand go Hand in Hand” Korean lawmakers and churches just turn the other way when this issue is brought up.  If you would like to know more you can read that blog. 

Most of the way down the team was interviewing Pastor Choi in Korean so I mostly slept, drove, or studied my Korean.  Traffic was really bad so the trip took about 1 ½ hours longer than normal.  Because of this we didn’t have much time before we went into the RLD.  A friend of P. Choi’s from seminary met us there.  She will graduate soon and is praying about what God wants for her next.  She stayed in the car and prayed while P. Choi and I went into the RLD with 2 people from Jubilee Project. 

Today’s bible verse was Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?”  What a good reminder.  If only these girls understood how valuable they are to their Creator.  All human life is valuable to God.  These ladies are valuable to God and he wants to honor them.  They have to choose to honor themselves and a relationship with God first however.  We handed out toothpaste and QT sheets that the team from Masan prepared. 

Tonight was raining and cold, which was fine with me because it got rid of the horrible pollution we have been experiencing the past week.  There were a few guys walking around and a few cars driving by but not nearly as bad as the last time I went.  We prayed for the same two ladies.  One of those ladies gave us coffee on the way out to show her gratitude and appreciation.  My friend was back, the one that calls me American friend.  She ran up to me and gave me a big hug.  I haven’t seen her in over a month.  It was so good to see her.  I wish I could communicate better with her.  I am learning some new phrases in Korean so I can surprise her next time I go with my Korean. 

One thing P. Choi said during the interview that was translated for me is something that really got me thinking.  He said that with this mission “Soul rescue comes first, human rights second.”  I never thought of the fight for human rights in this manner before.  I mean sure, we are sharing the Good News with them but I was honestly more concerned for their freedom on Earth first. 

If we rescue these ladies from the bondage on Earth but not from the bondage of hell in the after life, what good are we doing? Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying all these women are going to hell.  I don’t know where they are in their walk with Christ.  There may be some women that are in there saved.  I don’t know.  I haven’t met them all or spoken to them all and it’s not my place to judge where they will spend eternity. What I am saying is eternity is a lot longer than the time we have here on Earth.  If they do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ then hell is exactly where they will end up.  Until I know for certain what their spiritual state is, I am going to just assume they are all unsaved (as I do in every new place I encounter) and work to witness to as many as possible. 

Yes we should work to rescue them from this place but the rescue is more than a physical one, it’s a spiritual one as well. It should go beyond that.  Once these women are out of here, they will have such much emotional and spiritual baggage that they have to work through.  Their minds are going to be full of conflicting thoughts.  This isn’t just a physical earthly battle but a spiritual, emotional battle for the mind as well.  There is a whole other realm out there, a realm we cannot see.  In that realm is a battle we cannot fight on our own.  We need God’s help, we need God’s divine power to reach deep in their hearts and help these women win the battle of the mind, the battle of their souls. 

I believe this is such a right attitude to have when working to fight for any human rights issue.  Many people are working to free these women from trafficking but few are working to save their souls.  God forbid but even if they never know freedom in this life at least by going in and sharing the love of Christ, we give them the opportunity to know a different kind of hope, an eternal freedom you cannot find anywhere but in Christ.

Even though their salvation may come through death and not physically at least, if they know Jesus, they will be free forever!  That thought alone gives me more confidence to go into these places and continue fighting for freedom.  The issue of human trafficking is huge, 27 million huge, but it is encouraging to know that while I may not be able to rescue them on Earth, at least I can fight to rescue their souls with eternal freedom.  No one on this Earth has the power to determine the bondage of our soul.  That is a choice we make for ourselves and my goal is to help others make the right choice by “testifying the Good News of God’s grace to all”.  (Acts 20:24)


If you would like to know more about Jubilee Project you can check them out here:


Prayer Request:

Please pray for Jubilee Project as they put together this documentary on sex trafficking in Korea.  They will be in Korea for a month doing research and interviewing organizations that work with trafficked victims.


Recently, P Choi had to get a new car because his broke and it was going to cost $5000 to fix it.  Please pray that God will provide financially.  If you would like to support Love Neighbors Mission and the car they just had to purchase you can contact me. 


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