A Tough Film

Back on July 4, Renée and I went to see the new film Sound of Freedom starring Jim Caviezel.  It is based upon the true story of Tim Ballard who quit his job as a Special Agent with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to become a vigilante and embarks on a mission to rescue children from cartels and human traffickers in Latin America. Ballard had spent more than a decade at the Department of Homeland Security, where he worked on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. When he realized that there were real children who couldn’t be saved without cutting an impossible amount of government red tape, he left in 2013 to create OUR (Operation Underground Railroad), which boasts 4,000-plus predators arrested and 6,000-plus survivors recovered.

Statistics on human trafficking are hard to compile, but the State Department reports that it has 27.6 million global victims. Many of these are children, and many of them are continuing to be exploited right here in the U.S., not just through physical violence, but also a seemingly endless supply of child pornography. OUR states that “Americans are some of the top consumers and producers of child pornography.”

It goes without saying that it is a tough film. Hard to watch because of the subject matter. Even harder because it’s true. When the credits roll at the end of the film, some information is projected onscreen, and Renée and I both felt the weight of the reality of child trafficking. There are more people in slavery today than at any other time in history, and millions of them are children. The human trafficking is an estimated $150 billion annual industry.

The LORD is clear. “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3). And Jesus said to anyone who may try to hurt a child, “…if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck” (Mark 9:42). In fact, Jim Caviezel quotes this scripture twice in the film.

It was hard to watch but the film began with several real videos of people snatching children right off the street! Unbelievable. In broad daylight people drove up to children playing, grabbed them, and off they went. It was hard to process what I was seeing. It was so horrific, if I was not watching actual video evidence, I’m not sure I would have believed someone telling me such things. I simply cannot comprehend anyone intentionally hurting a child. But actual videos reveal it is true. It does happen. Every day all over the world.   

The Bible reminds us, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Satan is constantly battling against all who are on the Lord’s side. Surely, there cannot be more blatant evidence of Satan, and his demonic influence in this fallen world then the abuse of a child. 

We cannot remain silent. We have to pray – hard.  If we know of anyone viewing child pornography or visiting motels known to participate in this sickening business, we must report it to authorities. Support organizations such as The Underground New England (theundergroundne.org) or LOVE146 (love146.org). As Jim Caviezel said in the movie, “God’s children are not for sale.”   

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Remember you can email praises and petitions to southchurchprayer@gmail.com. I lift them up every Wednesday at 4:00 pm on Facebook Live.