Briefly: Global slave trade is local, Batstone says

One of the nation's most horrendous crimes rarely gets noticed, but David Batstone hopes to change that. He has taken a leave of absence from teaching duties at the University of San Francisco to launch a nationwide tour drawing attention to the global slave trade.

Think that's not a problem here in wholesome Minnesota? Think again, says Batstone, who is speaking at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Solomon's Porch, a church in south Minneapolis.

"There was just a [police] raid in Minneapolis involving human trafficking," he said in reference to a July 7 raid in which police arrested four women and one man at a brothel.

Batstone understands that this is "the invisible crime," and he admits that he was dumbfounded when he first discovered that it was happening right in front of him.

"It was at one of my favorite restaurants," he said. The owner of the restaurant was forcing illegal aliens to work by threatening to report them to immigration officials. My shock turned into a consuming passion that took me around the world to learn more about how slavery flourishes in the shadows," Batstone said.

He eventually launched the Not For Sale campaign designed to help victims of trafficking, a program that encourages involvement by the religious community.

"The faith communities, including Solomon's Porch, have become a place of sanctuary," he said. "I want to get churches and synagogues to volunteer to be safe houses" for those trying to escape from the people who control them. "There's a great need for organizations and places in our communities to be safe havens. In our history, churches have been the place to do that."

Batstone's tour is piggybacking with a movie, "Trade," that is opening nationwide Sept. 28. The feature film stars Kevin Kline as a Texas policeman who stumbles on a plot to sneak teenage girls over the border from Mexico and force them into prostitution.

"The filmmakers approached us about forming a partnership," he said. "The character is not based on me, although he is investigating some of the same things I've investigated."

Batstone's appearance is free. He's looking for a different sort of payment.

"You save one child, one person from slavery and the feeling of accomplishment is really something," he said. "It's the satisfaction and gratification of seeing one person go free."

Healing en masse

The third annual Worldwide Day of Healing takes place next Saturday. Faith communities in 64 countries will take part in ministering to the sick through the laying on of hands.

Four places in the Twin Cities will take part in the event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are Bay Wind Christian Church in Excelsior, Healing Center International in Golden Valley, Love Lines Crisis Center in Minneapolis and Pilgrim United Methodist Church in Plymouth. For churches outside the metro area, check www.worldwidedayofhealing.com.

JEFF STRICKLER