“Light is the life given over to the glory of God, service to others, and the fight for good.” – Chris Brady
The Life on Life Initiative has developed into a worldwide mission to help people from all walks of life gain functional freedom in society. In fact, the Pennsylvania Project was one of Life’s first and largest charitable projects in the history of the company. In just a handful of months, Life Members from around the globe banded together and raised over $100,000 to help a deserving family in need. We are so proud and thankful to everyone who was involved in that operation! It’s been just over a year since the culmination of that project took place and we are gearing up yet again for another huge charitable undertaking.
The inspiration and success from the PA Project captivated so many of our hearts that we decided to devise another plan to raise money for a cause with an even greater urgency, human trafficking. All Grace Outreach spokesman, Chris Swanson, along with Life on Life has teamed up with Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) to raise $100,000 to help put an end to child sex trafficking. Here’s the story:
Operation Underground Railroad
Since being founded in December of 2013, Operation Underground Railroad has gathered the world’s experts in extraction operations and in anti-child trafficking efforts to bring an end to child slavery. O.U.R.’s Underground Jump Team consists of former CIA, Navy SEALs, and Special Ops operatives that lead coordinated identification and extraction efforts. These operations are always in conjunction with law enforcement throughout the world.
Once victims are rescued, a comprehensive process involving justice for the perpetrators and recovery and rehabilitation for the survivors begins.
“Good people don’t know how vast this problem is.” – Tim Ballard (O.U.R. Founder)
EMMANUEL’S STORY (O.U.R. rescued Emmanuel* from an illegal orphanage in Haiti in 2014):
Only 3 years old, Emmanuel could have been sold to traffickers and forced into the illegal sex trade. When the undercover rescue team arrived, the abusive ringleader told them: “These kids are all for sale.” Emmanuel’s story ended well. O.U.R. rescued him. “I think he knew who we were,” O.U.R. leader Tim Ballard says. “Emmanuel jumped into my lap…It was his ride to freedom, and he was no longer a slave.”
*Name has been changed for privacy.
How Operation Underground Railroad frees child slaves:
Their 3-step process was designed by covert military, intelligence, and law enforcement operators.
- Strategy
- Research
- Coordination with local authorities
- Planning for the safety and legality of the operation
- Finding safe, legal, and sustainable care for the children
- Action
- Undercover operation led by trained experienced Jump Team
- Safe rescue of the children
- Arrest of perpetrators in conjunction with local law enforcement
- Follow-up
- Transition of children to long term care
- Monitor judicial case against the suspected traffickers
- Train local law enforcement for future rescue operations
It’s time for private citizens and organizations to rise up and help. It is our duty as a free and blessed society.
O.U.R. Life on Life Push-up Contest
In order to raise money for Operation Underground Railroad, Life has decided to launch another push-up contest that will take place on Saturday, October 14th, 2017 at the Life University Fall Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Here are a few important details you should know prior to the event…
Push-up Contest Participants:
As the title suggests, the upcoming Push-up Contest is just that–a contest! Not only will everyone have the opportunity to contribute, but there will also be trophies awarded with on-stage recognition for the male and female winners in each category, as well as a grand prize of an all-expense-paid mission trip with Chris Swanson that will take place in 2018.
- First, each interested participant is required to register for the contest prior to the convention. You can register by logging into your Life Account > Push-up Contest Registration on the left side of the main landing page. Registration closes at midnight on Thursday, October 12th and there will be no on-site registration. Don’t wait, register today!
- Second, download and print the 2017 Pledge Form. You can download the Pledge Form by logging into your Life Account > My Business > My Forms > Enrollment > 2017 Life on Life Push-up Contest – Pledge Form (located at the top of the page)
- Before arriving to the event, make a copy of your Pledge Form (for your records). You will be required to turn in a copy the day of the contest. If you do not have a Pledge Form, you will not be eligible to participate.
- Each donor has the option to decide how much money they want to pledge per push-up, and then each participant will go back after the event is over to collect the donations based on how many push-ups were successfully completed.
- You will also have the opportunity to turn in pledge money the day of the contest. If you decide to do this, please put the money in a sealed envelope labeled with your full name and Life # and attach it to your pledge form. Be sure to include the total money received on the yellow line item near the top of the form.
- The contest will take place in a predetermined area of the Tool Room on Saturday, October 14th with banners directing you where to go. Your team leader at the Coordinator level will have a designated time slot that they will communicate to you prior to the event.
- Only Life Members that are present at the convention are eligible to win any of the prizes; but anyone can donate and be a part of the cause!
- These are the categories that will make up the contest:
- Who raised the most money?
- Each dollar raised is one point.
- Who completed the most push-ups?
- Each push-up completed is one point.
- The mission trip winners will be the man and woman with the highest cumulative total points in both categories.
- Who raised the most money?
- These are the categories that will make up the contest:
Handling Donations:
As is also normal with any charitable project, many prospective contributors may prefer to simply make a one-time donation to the Operation Underground Railroad Life on Life Initiative. Donations can be submitted in any of the following ways:
- If the donor wants to donate with either a Credit or Debit Card, or through ACH from their bank account, they may do so at www.youcaring.com/OURLifeonLife anytime between July 29th, 2017 and December 1st, 2017.
- If the donor prefers to donate with a Check or a Money Order, they may write it out to AGO (All Grace Outreach) and write “OUR Life on Life” in the Memo area. Checks and Money Orders should then be mailed to:
- All Grace Outreach, 200 Commonwealth Court, Cary, NC 27511
- If the donor wishes to give cash, the push-up contest participant can collect the donor’s money and turn it in with their pledge form the day of the event.
- There will also be a “General Donations table” for anyone not competing but wanting to make a cash or check donation during the push-up contest at the convention.
- Once the Life University convention weekend has concluded, all participants should go back to their donor’s and collect their pledge money. They should then submit the donations using one of the methods previously mentioned by December 1st, 2017.
- Mission Trip winners announced at the convention are required to have all of their pledge money turned in by the due date or they will forfeit their win.
- Those participants who are seriously competing to win the mission trip should have a valid US passport (or should be in the process of applying for one) immediately following the convention.
- Mission Trip winners announced at the convention are required to have all of their pledge money turned in by the due date or they will forfeit their win.
Whether you can raise $1 or $10,000, you can make a difference for these poor, defenseless children. Will you join us?
Eric Gladson says
I’m in! Started training already! Sex trafficking is a sick twisted evil that needs to be stopped in our world. I have 4 kids ages 1-11. I can’t even imagine this happening to them :'( So to support helping other kids is huge!
Thank you Tim Ballard for your lead in helping stop this evil. Chris Swanson, thank you so much for knowing Tim and partnering with OUR to make this possible!
Mandy Bergeron says
Count me in. Registered last night.
Ashlee Wolfe says
The Wolfe family is in!!! We have set some family goals and are ready to… raise a lot of money and do a lot of push ups What an amazing mission to be a part of!
Joshua Henery Mauzy says
#redemptionnewmexico is alive and well! Looking forward to doing push-ups with you guys at seminar!
Kelly McGinley says
Both my husband and I are already registered. We have two daughters ages four and 18 months. The horrors of this just got to my heart and we need to do something.
Michael Forrest says
Just Registered!
Sia Mallios says
I think this is an amazing cause! It has really touched my heart. I cannot wait to participate!
QUESTION:
Say a person would like to sponsor us (with a one time donation) for our push-ups. Do we hold those checks for 3 months till the contest?!
Is there some form of tax credit receipt that we can give to our doners? It would be a good incentive for them to give us sponsorship.
Thanks for the help I’m really excited to run/push-up for a good cause !!!
Kristen Seidl says
Great question! You can mail their one time donation into the office (details in the article) or they can donate on our You Caring site. Then on your pledge form make a note next to that person’s name that their money was mailed in to the office or paid online. As far as tax receipts, we will have pre-written tax receipts at the convention that you can fill out for your donors. Also, if someone donates online, they will automatically have an electronic receipt that they can print for their records. Hope this helps. Thanks!
Elaine Mallios says
Can we get a printable form for use as donations are received? Thank you for your quick response! Sia and Elaine
Kathleen Fuchs says
The overwhelming emotion I felt during Tim Ballard’s talk can not be described in words. I felt like my heart had literally fallin out of my chest. My husband and I have 4 children, 2 grandchildren and one on the way. I read a quote once” God gives us opportunity everyday, all around us, but you must see it to sieze it” God is showing us all opportunity to save these children. I’m in and I will be giving it 110%!!!
Lynn Burns says
LOVE, LOVE LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!!
So excited to be a part of this to help children across the world escape sex slavery and bring healing to them! We are all part of the world and we need to work together to bring light into the world and make this a better place to live!!
Thank you to all those involved to make a huge difference in our world!!
Heather Woods says
I have never been able to do more than one, sad push-up in my life. But this is a great reason to push past my limiting beliefs for a cause I believe so deeply in. I’m in and I’m going to start training immediately as well as seek donors immediately. This scourge is worldwide and thrives in darkness. We have to drag it into the light and rescue these victims. God bless Tim Ballard and Chris Swanson for bringing this cause to us in the Life community.
Bryan Vashus says
I will be participating!
Faleshia Pyles says
Totally in just signed up!! I could never imagine this happening to my four kids let alone to so many others. It’s time to take action and get behind a cause that matters so deeply. It’s time to be the voice of protection!!
Nettie Embry says
We are in! Such an amazing and worthwhile cause. I am broken hearted at the thought of our children being used in such an evil way. Thank you Life for bringing us this opportunity to make a difference!
Alex and Stephanie MacDonald says
We are in!! All the glory goes to God!
Cathy Kilpatrick says
How much was raised at the July Des Moines event when it was announced, by the spontaneous donations from the crowd? If it was announced later, I missed it, and I was curious. It was both thrilling and frustrating to see it happen. Thrilling because it did happen, and so many stepped up so quickly. Frustrating because we were seated too far away and budgeted too tightly to participate!
It tore my Nana (2 children & 4 grandchildren) heart out to listen to Tim Ballard’s presentation. I’ve known of this evil a long time (author and ministry leader Lisa Bevere is also involved, through a different ministry). I never had a way to get involved myself. Thank you for giving us this chance to give feet to our heartfelt prayers!
Rosemary Fechser says
Thank You so much for bringing this to Lifeleadership. The energy in the room was electric: 10,000 people both enraged and inspired! We are a force to be reckoned with and i am so grateful and honored to be part of this!!
Hope S. says
Fired up!
We’ve launched a campaign here in the Twin Cities! To God be the glory!