A Word about the Movie, “Sound of Freedom”

Pastor Paul and his wife, Missy, have dedicated years of their life to supporting human trafficking victims. The new movie Sound of Freedom deals with a true story of human trafficking children. In this blog, Paul shares why he strongly recommends the movie and encourages viewers to determine how God is calling you to fight this injustice. 

I’ll never forget a human trafficking victim named Sandra crying at the altar in one of our worship services. Having placed her faith in Christ, she prayed in fervent desperation, “God, I just want my mind back. Please, Lord, I just want my mind back.”

The years of dark dysfunction in her family of origin, which cultivated her emotional vulnerability, were discerned by people with evil intent. Her perpetrators began giving her affirmation, acceptance, and attention only to manipulate her for their greed. 

After more than a decade of living a trapped life, she was now free of the physical chains but longed to be free from the emotional and spiritual chains which lingered.  

My wife, Missy, and I have served for many years in various ministries related to human trafficking. Our family has two Homes of Hope named after my late mom, Patricia B. Hammonds, through the Compassionate Hope Foundation. These homes are located in Thailand, one of the world’s epicenters for the trafficking of children and adults.

Missy and I served on the Board of The Wellhouse for many years (Missy still serves on this board and has discipled victims of trafficking for many years). The Wellhouse is one of the most dynamic human trafficking ministries in the nation. It is a ministry for both adults and children who have been trafficked. 

I also served as a contributing author in publishing the book, She is Safe, which features stories of the impact of the Gospel in the lives of trafficking victims through the ministry of The Wellhouse. 

Every Sunday, while I formally served as the Senior Pastor of Christ Church Birmingham, approximately 20 to 25 human trafficking victims worshipped with us. I had the great joy of baptizing many of these when they came to know Christ. The joy of witnessing the depth of all God has done, and is doing, in these sacred lives is beyond description.  

Recently, a new movie dealing with children who have been trafficked has been released to the public. The movie is titled Sound of Freedom.

While an uncomfortable and evil subject to navigate, I highly recommend the movie. If you choose to see it and appreciate how your understanding of human trafficking is awakened to a greater degree, may I encourage you to embrace the imperative of helping your local church cultivate responsiveness to the hellish brutality happening on our watch? 

As the late Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere…Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” 

There have been some in the media who have been critical of the movie. The reasons vary from associating it with conspiracy theories, the controversy surrounding the producer and his associates, criticism of the story the movie is based upon, and more, but I find the waves of criticism both intriguing and troubling.  

If we were raising awareness of vulnerable children dying because they were running openly onto the freeway, we would spend far greater time rejoicing in their rescue than criticizing the people making us aware that they need rescue. The waves of criticism reveal the bizarre nature of our cultural hour. Elevating truth in an engaging art form, and contrasting it with pure evil, will draw certain fire in this age. These are strange times, indeed. 

Over the past year, The Wellhouse has started a new ministry division called Wellhouse Child. Why open a treatment center for children who are victims of human trafficking? Because what you witness in the movie Sound of Freedom is not make-believe. It’s happening in Thailand. It’s happening all over the world. It’s happening in our nation. If it weren’t happening in our country, there would be no need for Wellhouse Child.  

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Over the last several years, Missy and I have witnessed Sandra’s progress. She received much love, counseling, support, and care through the ministry of The Wellhouse. God has, indeed, restored her mind. Her life is not only a testimony of “what God can do,” but her life is also a testimony of the fruit of a great collaboration of Christians from numerous local churches who have determined “we will not be indifferent to the evil happening around us in this hour.” 

The church, transcending many denominations, has labored to develop a ministry that is changing lives like Sandra’s and seeking to make a difference in the lives of children. May God awaken us all with a new sensitivity to the many “Sandras” within our communities. 

I encourage you to see the movie Sound of Freedom. And may I encourage you to determine what God wants you to do after you have seen it because our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.