By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
For the second time, the U.S. Marshalls, along with other law enforcement agencies across America have conducted a search that helped them to find close to 200 missing children, the youngest being only five months old. There is a unit whose badge actually says, We Will Find You, and to hear the stories of the Marshalls as they are able to get kids to safety brings a dose of industrial-strength hope to my soul. From May 20 to June 24, the USMS in cooperation with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) set out to rescue kids that have gone missing in areas that are considered by the Department of Justice to have “large clusters of critically missing children.”
Such areas are designated as “districts,” and it should come as no surprise that they should be considered as having “high concentrations” of such vulnerable children of both sexes. The operation was conducted in the District of Arizona, the Eastern District of California, the Southern District of Florida, the Western District of Michigan, the Eastern District of North Carolina, the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the District of Oregon.
“One of the most sacred missions of U.S. Marshals Service is locating and recovering our nation’s critically missing children,” said USMS Director Ronald Davis. “This is one of our top priorities as there remain thousands of children still missing and at risk.”
The news of the success of this operation comes at a perfect time, and that is this week’s theatrical release of the movie Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. I have written and talked about the fact that fully 90% of children who get trapped in sex-trafficking come from the foster care system, and a small black church in Possum Trot, Texas, made history by adopting over 70 of them. Understand, this is adopting, not just fostering. When a child is given a “forever name” and a “forever home,” something radical happens in their heart, and the movie, which premiered this week in honor of Independence Day is making waves, mighty ones. It is not very often that Rotten Tomatoes gives a rating of 100% on their site, and my prayer is that Sound of Hope will do the same thing that Sound of Freedom did in 2023: expose, explain, educate, and empower. The more we understand that we really can make a difference, and that adoption is the antidote to trafficking, the more good agencies like the Marshalls can do. As was the case with Sound of Freedom, Angel Studios has a way you can make an impact even if you have no contact with missing kids. You can buy what are called “pay it forward” tickets, which are tickets that are pre-purchased at a theatre that is showing the movie, and anyone can call the theatre and tell them they need a ticket to see the movie. No questions asked, no proof of income; you can simply say, “I need to see this film.” Yes, you do, so do it. And, if you can help the USMS by becoming aware and involved as a result of seeing this movie, you will have done something that will make your Savior smile.
September 6, 2024
