Koncert 2 Kolkata

Lord, I will go anywhere you send me and do anything you ask. Just please don’t send me to ______________. Admit it, we have all had this thought. But from what I have learned, God has a funny way of sending us where He wants us anyway, and we have a funny way of being used by Him, and finding ourselves blessed when He sends us.

Last January, my wife and daughter went to Kolkata, India to work with victims of human trafficking, through a partnership of our church with the International Justice Mission. From what I have seen and heard, Kolkata is not a real clean place. In fact, it is very much the opposite. Mother Teresa gained worldwide popularity simply for her willingness to stay there and work with the poorest of the poor. The slums of Kolkata are a rough place, and very different from the suburban life most of us here are living.

Seriously. Very, very different.

But my daughter loves it and can’t wait to go back. It is a challenging ministry both physically and emotionally, but God has simply filled her heart with the people of Kolkata.

If you are not familiar with human trafficking, or the International Justice Mission, you need to be. This is a widespread problem throughout our world today, and it doesn’t just happen overseas. Shockingly, there are more slaves in the world today than at any time in history, with estimates ranging from 12 million to 27 million. The number is hard to pin down, as it is so widespread. My wife and daughter traveling to India isn’t going to change that number very much. But if the number decreases even by one, it is more than worth it. If one girl rescued from slavery knows that she is loved and that she is valuable, it is worth it.

Traveling to the other side of the world isn’t cheap, however, and we started brainstorming ways to get there. Here’s what we came up with: I was a professional touring musician once, and have put on an event or two. My daughter Rachael and I have sang together several times before, and so we decided to call up the some of the very best musicians I know, put together a great band and do it for a cause - a Koncert 2 Kolkata.

Our goal is to raise the funds for this trip, raise awareness for the people we are going to help, and honor God in doing it. If you are in the Katy/Houston area, I encourage you to come out! There is no charge, just give as you feel led to give. For more info, or to find out about VIP tickets, go to our page at koncert2kolkata.wordpress.com, and be sure to visit the event page on facebook. If you can’t make it, you can still go to the page and see how you can help! God is faithful, and He often accomplishes great things through His people. Thank you for your help in getting the message of hope to these girls in Kolkata!