Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow appeared on Sunday Night in America hosted by Trey Gowdy to warn of the great evil of human and child trafficking and called on people to join his army to fight against it.
Tim Tebow via March for Life Education and Defense Fund YouTube
Tebow began his conversation with Gowdy boldly declaring, “I appreciate you having this conversation with me to talk about one of the greatest evils in the world today. And honestly, I really believe that.”
“40.3 million people right now estimated are trapped in this horrible evil of human trafficking, and so many more are actually being exploited on-line and that number’s going up every single day,” he detailed.
Tebow then recalled a story about his father saving four young girls who were being trafficked.
“It was about a decade ago and I got a call from my Dad, who had an underground pastor’s conference in a remote country, where faith isn’t allowed. And where he was teaching these pastors there were four girls getting auctioned off,” he relayed.
“And one of the reasons my Dad is such a hero of mine is because my Dad is not someone that could ever turn away,” he continued. “And these girls were getting auctioned off and he couldn’t help but purchasing these girls freedoms. And he did it, and he called me, and he told me what just happened, and I knew that God had opened up my eyes to a new calling that day. And ever since we’ve been getting more and more into this fight.”
Tebow then called for an army to help him to fight this evil, “And what we really need is an army because there is an army of bad people doing terrible things, and so we need an army of good people standing up against them because there are so many precious lives on the line.”
Tim Tebow via ESPN YouTube
He then discussed the project he’s working on to combat human trafficking in Thailand, “This project that we’re working on building in Thailand right now it is for precious girls that have been rescued from trafficking, but they’re still not safe because their traffickers actually have active threats against them.
Tebow elaborated, “They have death threats against them, and they have prices on their head. And they are still not safe until this protection center is built, until they can testify against their traffickers so they can go away.”
Tim Tebow via K-LOVE Fan Awards YouTube
“This is something that you can only imagine that they have been in trafficking, that they have been rescued from one of the worst evils you can possibly go through, and yet they are still in danger,” he detailed.
“It is our job. It is our job to stand up for them to give them a place of refuge, to give them a place of safety, to be able to protect them. So maybe for the first time in their life they will actually feel free and feel secure. That’s why this is important,” he asserted.
Tim Tebow with the Denver Broncos in his signature position called “Tebowing” on the sidelines prior to the second half of a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile Hile Stadium in Denver, Colorado on January 1, 2012. Photo Credit: Ed Clemente Photography, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Tebow then detailed how many of these traffickers prey on people, “What some of these people do, is they prey on the desperate. They prey on those that are lonely, on those that are looking for friends, on those that are looking for a relationship, on those that are looking for hope. And so they find vulnerable people all over the world, and they build those relationships, and then they do terrible things.”
He then explained that if you want to help him fight this great evil and join the army you can join him at The Tim Tebow Foundation. He also detailed that he and the foundation already have 15 girls lined up and waiting for the home to be built.
“We need your help, but honestly this isn’t about us. They need your help,” Tebow concluded. “They need us to work together to stand up for them because they are worth it.”
Tim Tebow watches the outcome of one of his plays. This was at the Broncos / Texans game in Denver on December 26, 2010. Photo Credit: Jeffrey Beall from Colorado, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
On The Tim Tebow Foundation’s website it details that “human trafficking generates $150 billion worldwide, with the United States leading all other countries demand. Roughly 70% of victims worldwide are female. 25% are children. They have been identified in every single US state, and more than ever are reaching out for help.”
It also notes that “Human trafficking is an offense to the sanctity of human life. It is not only a crime, it is pure evil. We believe it is on all of us to confront this global atrocity, and fight like never before for the millions desperately in need of true healing and hope.”
Tim Tebow via ESPN College Football
The Tim Tebow Foundation goes on to detail that the type of work the foundation is doing aside from working to create the shelter in Thailand, “First, we are proactive. We believe that the implementation of programs designed to preserve and strengthen a healthy family unit is key to lowering the trend. Secondly, we are reactive. We are working in conjunction with rescue organizations on the front lines, those actively involved in the literal rescue of those who are enslaved.”
“And finally, we are committed to supporting the survivors’ long-term recovery through relationship by providing them with comprehensive resources needed for healing, including sharing with them the life-changing message of the Gospel, so they may overcome the vicious trauma and abuse they have suffered,” it states.
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