Advocating for the Vulnerable

This is Katie Russell's story about how she is helping advocate for the vulnerable.

"Park has been a part of my life since 2008 when I first moved to Chicago and my brother brought me along to Park Near North. I even joined the Park staff for a handful of years before moving to Washington, DC, the Lord ultimately calling me back to Chicago; a member at LP for a number of years, and now excited to plant myself at Park Forest Glen where that same brother and my sister-in-law are members with their four children. Park has been my church home and a thread in my life for nearly 20 years.
I love to consider how God created us and calls us each uniquely. In that, as early as I can remember God gave me a curiosity about His big, diverse world. As an adult, an understanding of the extreme abuses many experience, and a crystal clarity that He called me to be actively involved in His global work, specifically the mandates we find in Isaiah 1:17 and Micah 6:8 (and don’t get me started on Matthew 25:31-46… that’s my favorite conversation!).
For me, this means being a voice for my colleagues, brothers and sisters in Christ who He has uniquely placed and equipped where daily violence takes place against those who are most vulnerable. I work for a human rights organization called International justice Mission (IJM), where I have the immense privilege to share about the work of my colleagues – like colleagues who are attorneys representing children in court who have been unspeakably abused, colleagues who are investigators who train local officers how to safely remove a child who has been enslaved and appropriately collect evidence so a perpetrator can be held accountable. I get to share across the United States about my colleagues leading the charge in combating horrific crimes against children, women, and men around the world so we can work with justice systems for systemic change. Our goal is not just to remove people from these places of violence, but protection – protection so kids, women, men don’t know who IJM is because they don’t need rescued in the first place.
My colleagues love Jesus, have expertise that I never will – and I can be their voice here in the United States where we have so much power and resources. That’s my calling. I talk about incredibly hard things every day, and my colleagues see and experience it, but we do so with the clarity that our Father is a God of justice, calls us to seek justice, and He ultimately has already written this story. So, to do this work with our Father is the greatest privilege, the greatest joy, of my life. And, I get to work with some pretty awesome people who love Jesus with their whole hearts. I get to pray with them daily, worship with confidence and trust and JOY. What a gift."

More about IJM:
International Justice Mission (IJM)’s mission is to protect people in poverty from violence by rescuing victims, bringing the criminals to justice, restoring survivors to safety and strength, and helping local law enforcement build a safe future that lasts. IJM is a team of attorneys, social workers, investigators, advocates who work in 33 jurisdictions in 20 countries to combat violence, and 10 advancement offices around the world.
Since 1997, courageous partners worldwide have partnered with IJM to bring freedom and safety to vulnerable children, women and men. From the first rescue operations to rapid global expansion, IJM has protected over 10 million vulnerable people, with a bold and reachable goal to protect half a billion people in the foreseeable future.

Watch this Truth About Hope Video to learn more about IJM.