A predominantly African American megachurch in Pennsylvania is hosting an 8K walk and run on Saturday to help combat human trafficking.
Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church of Philadelphia, a congregation of about 15,000 members, will host its annual “She’s My Sister Walk/Run” on Saturday morning, with the course beginning at the church’s west campus and finishing at its east campus.
Enon Tabernacle Baptist First Lady Ellyn Jo Waller told The Christian Post that her church has hosted the annual run/walk for 20 years.
“Human trafficking wasn't just something happening somewhere else — it was happening right here in our own communities," she said. “As people of faith, we believe every person is created in the image of God, and no one should ever be bought, sold, or exploited. ... We also know that black and brown girls and women are disproportionately targeted because traffickers prey on vulnerability.”
"This event is our way of saying, 'We refuse to look away,'" Waller said. "It's more than a walk or a run — it's a public declaration that our community stands with survivors and is committed to prevention.”
'Awareness is prevention'
Noting that “awareness is prevention,” Waller said the church doesn't want attendees to leave thinking "they simply completed an 8K." Rather, the church wants them to leave "knowing how to recognize the warning signs, how to report concerns safely, and how to become advocates in their own families, workplaces, schools and churches.”
“The greatest weapon we have is awareness,” the first lady continued. “When parents know what online grooming looks like, when teachers recognize behavioral changes, when healthcare workers identify warning signs, when neighbors are willing to ask questions, traffickers lose opportunities to operate in silence.”
“If this event helps one family have a difficult conversation, one church begin a prevention ministry, one person recognize the signs of trafficking, or one survivor believe that healing is possible, then every mile is worth it.”
The event is part of a broader effort to support Enon Tabernacle Baptist’s She’s My Sister Ministry, which provides advocacy and education year-round to help communities and other churches fight trafficking.
The event also partners with the Salvation Army and the New Jersey-based anti-trafficking charity Hannah’s House Inc. to support programs like the Salvation Army’s New Day to Stop Trafficking (NDST) program.
'Not someone else's problem'
Ultimately, Waller believes the She’s My Sister event “is one of the ways we live out our faith by serving those who are most vulnerable and reminding survivors that they are seen, valued, and never forgotten.”
“My hope is that every person who participates leaves understanding that human trafficking is not someone else's problem — it's our community's responsibility,” Waller told CP.
“That's the vision that keeps us walking: a community where every daughter is protected, every survivor is embraced, and exploitation has no place to hide.”
Originally published by The Christian Post.
