Church Raises $100,000 in Battle Against Human Trafficking
The Evangelical Covenant Church announced this week that it helped raise an astonishing $100,000 to fight the slavery of today – human trafficking, estimated to affect as many as 27 million people around the globe – in the short period of only five months.
"This is utterly amazing," said Ruth Hill, executive director of Women Ministries of the Evangelical Covenant Church, in a statement.
Human trafficking is today's modern day version of slavery, says the ECC, a denomination of more than 750 congregations in the United States and Canada.
"I am humbled by the Covenant's response to human trafficking. Because some expressed concern with the stark reality of our promotional DVD, I assumed the giving would be much lower than past initiatives," Hill explained.
According to Hill, it was the efforts and tireless giving of nearly 135 ECC churches that helped raise the funds.
All the funds will help finance ministries in India that cater to rescuing and ministering to prostitutes in India, Hill said.
Founded in 1885 by Swedish immigrants and based in Chicago, Illinois, the ECC has been described as one of the fastest growing and diverse denominations in the United States.