What new drug trends are we seeing and why are they so concerning? This is the second episode in our series with Jessica Gobble, Elijah Rising’s Recovery Specialist. In this episode, Jessica goes over the most popular types of drugs right now and why they are so dangerous, specifically to young people. In this episode, Jessica sheds light on: The p…

Why and how do we address recovery in Elijah Rising Restorative Care? In this episode, Jessica Gobble, Elijah Rising’s Recovery Specialist, explains how addiction feeds trafficking and trafficking feeds addiction. Traffickers have learned that they are able to make more profit off of an exploited individual when they exploit them in multiple ways. …

We're joined by special guest Frankie Mazzapica, pastor at the Celebration Church in The Woodlands, Texas, and a longtime partner with Elijah Rising. Frankie brings profound insights on prayer from his new book, Ignite Your Life: 14 Things that Happen When You Pray. Frankie shares how prayer has drastically altered his life and its effect on others…

Check out this bonus episode where we share the story about an Elijah Rising presentation that went horribly wrong! Our Executive Director, Micah Gamboa, experienced cardiac arrest during her presentation at Celebration Church of The Woodlands. Amazingly, God worked a miracle, and Micah was able to recover in just a few days with no lasting effects…

We created this series of bonus episodes where we share some of the crazy stories we experience in ministry. In this episode we share the story about one of our volunteers stepping into a full-time role in anti-trafficking and the resistance he had to overcome to step into his role! Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on In…

We sat down with Joe Madison of Demand Disruption to look into the future of exploitation. Everyone is aware of the growing use and fast growing advancement of artificial intelligence. There is no doubt that technology will impact commercial sexual exploitation in a major way. In this episode we look at the role of technology in increasing demand f…

In this episode, we're diving into the story of how Elijah Rising partnered with Joe Madison of Demand Disruption to prevent the first robot brothel from opening in the United States. When we stumbled upon plans to open a robot brothel in Houston—it raised some serious concerns. But this story isn't just about one victory; it's about the implicatio…

We do outreach into the commercial sex industry because this is where exploitation and trafficking happens. In this podcast we talk about what our different intervention teams are like and how we reach different venues. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »…

Where can someone go after they make a decision to leave a trafficking situation? One of the major gaps in serving survivors of human trafficking and exploitation is emergency care. To meet this need, Frontline Response in Atlanta is making an effort to bring this model of emergency care to cities across the U.S. In this podcast, we interview Shann…

In this episode we talk about recovery services and helping women who have survived sex trafficking. For over 40 years, Ellen has worked with women in recovery. During Ellen's tenure, more than 2000 women were impacted by Passages Treatment Center for Women. Ellen is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, Certified Employee Assistance Profession…

Churches often want to become involved in combating sex trafficking but lack the education and awareness to do so. Leigh Kohler leads the Freedom Church Alliance and they continuously develop and refine strategies to help the church be more effective in the fight against trafficking. This episode highlights their new GoBox—which is a tactile, immer…

In this episode we interview the amazing team from Neighbors in Action, Kathrin Meier and Taylor Woodruff! This organization is doing amazing work in a community that experiences a high risk for trafficking and exploitation. Neighbors in Action partners with families in Port Houston and surrounding communities to transform lives through spiritual g…

In this podcast we interview one of Elijah Rising's amazing and faithful volunteers. We talk about the need for native speakers of any asian language to reach out to women trapped in commercial sexual exploitation. We also talk about cultural differences and some keys in reaching the asian community in regards to sex trafficking. Support the Show. …

In this episode of the Elijah Rising podcast, we sit down with Christa Mayfield, founder of Good Sustained, an organization that supports professionals who experience stress, vicarious trauma, and burnout incurred from their role of service. Christa is a Certified Health Coach and a Workplace Wellness Consultant who has worked with a variety of pop…

Welcome to this episode of our podcast, where we delve into the topic of Sex trafficking and the men who buy sex, and explore ways to reach out to these men. Our guest today is Joe Madison, the Executive Director of a non-profit organization called Demand Disruption. Demand Disruption fights the demand for sex trafficking by eliminating buyer motiv…

Cindy travels internationally, teaching on how to effectively engage the world we now live in with relevant language, understanding and a nonjudgmental approach to seekers everywhere. God has given her strategies on how to communicate Jesus to a world who doesn't know Him, His attributes and His heart for them. She is extremely effective in raising…

If we want to effectively combat human trafficking we must listen to those who are lived experience experts. In this episode of the podcast, Tre9 and James discuss pimping, and what factors lead someone to that lifestyle. We also ask the question about how to best reach out to pimps with the love of Jesus, and the answer may surprise you! Learn mor…

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Andrea Cressy is the Forensic Nursing Program Director at Houston Methodist. She is also a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurse with both national and international certifications to conduct forensic exams. Andrea talked to us about the importance of training SANE nurses to identify women in trafficking situations, resources Methodist provide…

We were thrilled to interview Pastor Frankie Mazzapica, founding and lead pastor of Celebration Church of The Woodlands, Texas. Celebration Church is a source of strength for many families and ministries including Elijah Rising. In this podcast we discuss practical steps every believer can take to experience the presence of God regularly manifestin…

A study done by the University of Texas at Austin states there are more than 300,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas, including almost 79,000 minors and youth victims of sex trafficking. In our experience of doing outreach and intervention we also come across teens being trafficked on the street and even in strip clubs. In this episode, we ar…

A major focus of Gen-Z is getting behind causes, especially in the realm of social justice. In this podcast we interview two Elijah Rising Staff Members, Sage and Janae. They work in our Restorative Care Program and they are passionate about anti-trafficking work and sharing the Gospel. We talk about social justice, ministry, and the hyper-sexualiz…

Studies show that over 90% of victims of trafficking have had some involvement with drug or alcohol abuse, whether voluntary or involuntary. You really can't talk about one without the other. We have found in our work at Elijah Rising that most women we serve have experience with drug or alcohol addiction, and Sharpen Recovery has found that many w…

In Elijah Rising's experience doing intervention and restorative care, we have found that many of the women we've encountered have a drug or alcohol addiction in addition to being trafficked. We realized we needed to be able to serve women in recovery from addiction well, so we now have a Recovery Coordinator, Jessica Gobble. In this episode, Jessi…

Since Elijah Rising was founded, prayer has played a crucial role. In this episode, you will hear from Elijah Rising's Prayer Director, John LaChapelle, and hear from Tiffany Pardue, Executive Director of The Greater Houston Prayer Council. If you are wanting to grow in your prayer life you will gain some new insights and encouragement that will en…

Despite increased efforts to bring awareness to the issue of human trafficking, there are still many people who do not know or understand the reality of trafficking. Elijah Rising believes in the importance of bringing awareness to communities in order to combat trafficking. In this episode we talk about the new digital museum and how van tours are…

One organization cannot be the solution to combat the effects of sex trafficking. It takes a community of NGO's, volunteers, churches, and public officials to effect change. In this episode you will learn more about what we call "the pipeline of care" which describes how service providers work together to help people who are coming out of trafficki…

A study in Houston made the claim that there are more brothels than Starbucks and McDonalds. That statement always grabs people's attention, but an important detail is often left out. Most of the women exploited in these brothels are Asian migrants or vulnerable Asian-Americans. Not only are these women victims of the sex trade, but they also exper…

Elijah Rising has always made it a priority to maintain a physical presence within the places where exploitation occur in order to help those who may be trafficked. In this episode, we reflect on the past 10 years of doing intervention sharing what we have learned and improvements that are still needing to be made. We also share some powerful stori…

In this episode we talk about Elijah Rising's social enterprise alongside Zach Lambert from Mercy Goods. Mercy Goods exists to create employment, job-training, and mentorship opportunities for at-risk youth. We also have an important update to share, so tune into this podcast to learn more! Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow …

In this episode, we look back on the 10 years of Elijah Rising. Over the years, we have changed yet been able to maintain core values of prayer and emphasis on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. For those of you who've been around for years, this might serve as a refresher. Hopefully, this episode will help you learn more about us if you are a new…

In this episode we talk with Elijah Rising's new Prayer Director, John LaChapelle, about the role of prayer and intercession in ministry. In 2022 we have been able to host multiple prayer events in our new space and it has been really powerful. We share about some of the prayers that have already been answered this year, and ways for the community …

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Cara is Executive Director of The Landing, a Houston based nonprofit whose mission is to serve survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation with a trauma-informed approach, fueled by the love of Christ. In this podcast, Cara explains what a drop-in center is and how this approach is effective in serving individuals who are expe…

Sydney is Manager of the Safe Community Program at Crime Stoppers of Houston, a non-profit dedicated to public safety and committed to its mission to solve and prevent serious crime in the Greater Houston Area in partnership with citizens, media, and the criminal justice system. In her role, Sydney uses prevention and awareness programs to educate …

We had the honor of interviewing Rebecca Bender about misconceptions about trafficking, the complexities behind prostitution, and the Equality Model and why it matters. Rebecca Bender is CEO of the Rebecca Bender Initiative and Founder of Elevate Academy @thisiselevateacademy. Rebecca is a thought leader, advocate, and consultant who equips individ…

In this episode of the podcast we interview Jayson Berryhill. Jayson is the co-founder and partner at (en)visible, a company working to enable supply chain visibility in global food systems. He is also a co-founder and partner at Wholechain, a blockchain-based traceability solution built to enable trust, coordination, and transparency in fragmented…

We were so excited to visit with Dr. Stroope in Dallas to talk about evangelism, missions, and anti-trafficking work. A couple of the questions we ask are: How should we think differently about the term "mission"? Are social services auxiliary to the church? Or are they an important function? How can we be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in evangelism…

In this episode, David and Adam discuss recent Houston trafficking events. We hope this conversation helps you become a better-informed citizen and equips you with some tools to become more engaged in anti-trafficking work. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah Rising » Follow us on Instagram » Donate and Support Our Work »…

In this episode of the podcast, we interview Chelsie Lancaster. Chelsie is the Manager of the Elijah Rising Social Enterprise. We talk about common misconceptions people have about overcomers of trafficking, obstacles they face, and how others can better support the women who are overcomers of trafficking. Support the Show. Learn more about Elijah …

In this podcast, we interviewed Elijah Rising Restoration Program Director, Liesel Araoz to talk about restorative care. Our conversation is around questions like: What is the Elijah Rising Restoration Program? Who does the program serve and how are you serving them? What sort of services does the program provide? We also talk about some of the cha…

In this episode, we interviewed our very own Melody Jacobs to talk about the status of Elijah Rising interventions. Since COVID we had to limit the number of volunteers being utilized on outreach, but now we are beginning to open back up. While some interventions were paused, we were able to develop new volunteer training material, and we made it e…

What are the challenges an individual faces when leaving a trafficking situation? The truth is there are more factors than we can mention in this one episode, It's complicated. That's why we wanted to focus this episode on discussing some of the barriers one faces when exiting the sex industry. We invited Allison Madrigal of Rescue America to talk …

We are often asked how do people end up in trafficking situations? There are many different answers to that question as each case is unique. However, sometimes there is a system that some traffickers use to prepare someone for abuse. This is often referred to as "grooming" and if you can understand the tactics traffickers use, hopefully, you can he…

In this episode, we interview Kathy Givens and talk about the best ways to serve those who have overcome sex trafficking. Kathy is a wife, mother, author, and playwright who has overcome the dark world of sex trafficking. She is also the co-founder of twelve11 partners, a survivor-led nonprofit organization focused on supporting those who are overc…

In this latest episode of The Elijah Rising Podcast we talk about the role of prayer in anti-trafficking work. I'm excited to share it with you because as you listen you will acquire a deeper desire to pray. At the end of the episode we come to a powerful realization about the power of prayer, don't miss it. "Many times we pray about things and don…

In this episode, Adam interviews Munatsi Manyande of DASH Network. In response to the compassionate and welcoming love of Jesus, DASH Network exists to love people who are seeking asylum by serving their physical and relational needs. Munatsi shares about their work, the difference between refugees and asylum-seekers, and human trafficking. For mor…

In this podcast we interview Kevin Lilly, Chairman of the TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission). Some of you may already be asking what does trafficking have to do with alcohol? Even Kevin admits he was surprised, when he took the role as Chairman, the amount of work that goes into anti-human trafficking efforts. The TABC is committed to stopp…

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Vanessa Bouché about her research on human trafficking in cities like Houston. Dr. Bouché is an Associate Professor of Political Science at TCU, creator of HumanTraffickingData.org, and co-founder of Savhera, a wellness company providing employment to survivors of sex trafficking in India and the U.S. For more inform…

In this episode, we interview Amber Knowles, Executive Director of Fostering Family. Fostering Family is a nonprofit committed to strengthening foster and kinship families through training and collaboration. Amber shares about the foster care system and the impact on human trafficking. For more information about Fostering Family go to: https://www.…