Matt's Ride Against Traffick

This coming September 26-29, I will be participating in the fourth annual Ride Against Traffick. This year it will be a 550 km bike ride starting in Busan and ending in Seoul.

The purpose of our ride is to raise awareness of the rampant sex trafficking problem in South Korea and to raise money for two great local causes making tangible efforts to put an end to these very issues.

The sex industry in South Korea is huge. Each year a large number of women from various nations are illegally trafficked into South Korea to help meet the demand. Korean women from assorted backgrounds find themselves caught up in the industry as well, many dragged in through coercion and exploitation. Frequently they are trafficked to other countries such as America, Japan, and Australia where they are in demand. It is estimated that up to one million Korean women around the world are trapped in the sex industry today.

The first is the Women Hope Center's House of Hope. The House of Hope provides Gospel-centered restoration and aid to women in crisis pregnancy situations, who are frequent targets for traffickers.

The second is Hope Be Restored, a ministry focused on advocating for and restoring women caught in the industry.

The third is Jerusalem Ministry's Oak Tree Project, which provides college scholarships and one-on-one mentorship to orphans, giving hope and opportunity to young adults who are otherwise extremely vulnerable to exploitation after they are released from the orphanages.

All these ministries are gospel-focused and depend on the partnership and generosity of those who share in God's heart for the vulnerable and oppressed. All funds raised through our ride will go straight to these organizations (all costs for the ride are covered by the riders and by various sponsors). Every bit counts so even if you can only contribute a small amount, please don't hesitate to give!

Please also join us in prayer. Pray for freedom for women that are trapped in the industry. Pray for protection of the vulnerable - the orphan, the widow, the poor, the foreigner. Pray for a change in culture, that the people of Korea would no longer stand for this injustice and would emerge as a global leader in eradicating this evil. Pray for the church to stand and be a voice for the voiceless, that we will truly be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Thank you for your support and prayers!

The Ride Against Traffick is a five day, 550km bike ride from Busan to Seoul intended to raise awareness of the problem of human trafficking in South Korea and to fight it. Your donations will go to two great organizations who are actively working to combat this modern-day evil: Hope Be Restored, which is one of the leading anti-trafficking ministries in Korea, and Oak Tree Project, which is a scholarship and mentoring program for orphans in Korea. The ride costs are paid completely by the participants and sponsors, so 100% of the money we receive from your donation will go straight to these organizations.

Donations made in the United States are tax-deductible through our partner organization, Five Two Foundation.

The ride this year will be September 25-29.

Want to ride? For more information, please visit www.ratk.org.

** 제 4회 연례 Ride Against Traffick **

The Ride Against Traffick (거꾸로 국토 종단)은 부산에서 서울까지 5일만에 국토를 종단하는 자전거 여행으로 전국의 교회와 교단의 기독교인이 한 마음 한 뜻으로 한국의 인신매매를 위해 싸운다는 취지를 지니고 있습니다. 참가자들은 매일 평균 125km를 자전거로 주행하며, 저녁마다 찬양과 기도를 드립니다. 한국의 아름다움을 체험함과 동시에, 참가자들은 한국의 부활을 기원하며, 성경에서 가르치는 고아와 억압받는 자들을 위해 살라는 하나님의 말씀을 실천하는 삶을 살도록 기도합니다. 육체적으로는 고단하지만 영적으로는 새로이 일깨워지는 일생일대의 한 주간이 될 것입니다. 자전거 초보자부터 전문가까지, 열심히 훈련할 준비가 되어있다면 누구나 참가할 수 있습니다. 기간은 추석연휴(9월 25일-29일까지)이며 www.ratk.org 에서 참가 신청하실 수 있습니다.