"If you can't do everything, you can't do anything" is a fallacy too many of us buy into. Michael Bartel, founder of Free International, shares about the evils of human trafficking and ways you and I can make a difference.

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Host

You're listening to the No Grey Areas podcast with Patrick McCalla. Today's guest is Michael Bartel, founder and director of Free International. Michael brings awareness to human trafficking and explains how we can prevent it by collaborating. Let's dove in.

Patrick McCalla

Michael, welcome to the No Gray Areas podcast. So good to have you here. We actually have a connection. It goes a little ways back in our work lives. It goes back about a decade, I think, but we found out once we met that we go way back before that right?

Patrick McCalla

We're both Montana.

Michael Bartel

Bald Montana, Missoula, Montana. Yeah, yeah.

Patrick McCalla

So for for listeners, Montana is that big, huge state up near Canada that few people have heard of other than they see the Rocky.

Michael Bartel

Mount, and they like it that way, too. And yes.

Patrick McCalla

Anybody from Montana is like, don't tell anybody about, but we're not only from the same state, we're from the same little towns.

Michael Bartel

So yeah, absolutely. And my wife and daughter, if if they could do what we were doing and still live in Montana, that's that's where we'd be. Yeah.

Patrick McCalla

Yeah. And my wife is also from she's from small town ville Montana, which is by Lincoln.

Michael Bartel

Yep, yep. Yep, yeah.

Patrick McCalla

So but that was crazy. So the way we met all these years ago is I was working with the anti-human trafficking movement. You actually have an organization. You started anti-human trafficking movement. So we met. We were both doing some things.

Patrick McCalla

We actually connected, man. I just I immediately am like, Gosh, I love this guy that did Guy. But then it was cool to find out we actually came from the same small town in Montana. But let's dig right into that.

Patrick McCalla

And so you let, first of all, free international. Tell us quickly what that is.

Michael Bartel

Well, free is actually an acronym. I'm not an acronym guy, but it.

Michael Bartel

Worked with what we were doing and it stands for find, restore, embrace and empower.

Michael Bartel

Okay.

Michael Bartel

Michael Bartel

Yeah, and.

Michael Bartel

It was our response to.

Michael Bartel

Communities. Every time we come.

Michael Bartel

Back and tell those stories of India where we were primarily based, people are like.

Michael Bartel

Oh man, what can we do?

Michael Bartel

What can we put our hand to almost to a person that would come up and talk to us? And so free was our response to that.

Michael Bartel

How do we build.

Michael Bartel

Capacity here in the United States to address.

Michael Bartel

That type of vulnerability.

Michael Bartel

And exploitation here? And so that's how free was founded?

Patrick McCalla

Patrick McCalla

I think most people know now that that happens, but early in those days you were having to convince people that that's not just something that's happening over in Asia that's happening in our own backyard, correct?

Michael Bartel

Yeah, absolutely. And it's something we found through.

Michael Bartel

The process, too. I mean, our original context to learn about.

Michael Bartel

What was going on.

Michael Bartel

In the world was the international context fact, our origin story. My wife and I were working at Purdue University.

Michael Bartel

And she.

Michael Bartel

Ran the international center there, which was the cultural hub. We had 142 countries represented. And she also did the friendship program. So any time students were coming in from around the world, she did all their orientations.

Michael Bartel

She'd try to connect them into families in the community, and we're setting up for an event. one day.

Michael Bartel

African student struck up a friendship with him in a conversation.

Michael Bartel

And he began to kind of tell.

Michael Bartel

Me his dreams when he went back to his country because he had nephews and cousins that had been sold in the labor camps and nieces as young as eight sold into the brothels. I was January of.

Michael Bartel

1995 when he told me that, and if he gave.

Michael Bartel

Me a sketch artist, I could still.

Michael Bartel

Probably game that room out. It just was.

Michael Bartel

one of those.

Michael Bartel

Significant moments in our life, and that.

Patrick McCalla

Really changed the trajectory.

Michael Bartel

Of changed everything. We didn't get all in until a few years.

Michael Bartel

Later, but it just never escaped. My wife and I had conversations and we were pastoring, and it was a big part of our our prayer for it with the church and the internationals that were in our church. And so we just we just.

Michael Bartel

Got to a point as people, you.

Michael Bartel

Know, raised among farmers and ranchers kind.

Michael Bartel

Of really, you know, get it done, put the boots on, go to work type people. We just couldn't talk about it anymore.

Michael Bartel

We had to figure out how to do something about something now.

Patrick McCalla

So you guys went over to Asia?

Michael Bartel

Yeah, you went to.

Patrick McCalla

India there, seeing this India and seeing this firsthand. Yeah, there.

Michael Bartel

Yeah. Red light districts there.

Michael Bartel

I mean, obviously a.

Michael Bartel

Different contexts in the states, but we worked with some great nationals from all over.

Michael Bartel

India. They would take us into incredibly.

Michael Bartel

Large red light districts where very young girls are being exploited. Was it hard to see there?

Michael Bartel

But figuring out what to do about it in that.

Michael Bartel

Context was.

Michael Bartel

You know, obviously unique to how we would engage it.

Michael Bartel

Here in the.

Michael Bartel

States. But you know that that.

Michael Bartel

Solidified it for us. I mean, we.

Michael Bartel

Knew it would. But you don't know until you're in the mix, you know, and listening to God.

Michael Bartel

What direction he wants you to go with what you're seeing.

Michael Bartel

With what you're engaging with.

Michael Bartel

And yeah, that's just that's just how it took root in our lives.

Patrick McCalla

Well, and let me just pause and say this for the audience to hear this too, because I worked with this issue. I mean, there's no there's no other evil that. That is worse than this and and this is I just have huge respect for you and your family, your team that's been involved in this for so long

Patrick McCalla

. You know, I was deeply entrenched in this and working on the front lines with this is you are for a handful of years and I think I'm still recovering from that. You're hearing the darkest, most horrific stories and it just it wrenches your heart and soul.

Patrick McCalla

I mean, I just have huge respect. You can see it coming out right now. Thanks still affects me. So I appreciate that you're still in the trenches with it. So just to help, I think I understand you brought a couple of things which are really fascinating.

Patrick McCalla

When we unpack what you're doing, this right here is something you were just doing a couple of weeks ago, right?

Michael Bartel

Yeah, that's right. I mean.

Michael Bartel

The big search actually is one of our main programs that we do.

Michael Bartel

We do day to.

Michael Bartel

Day work, all our people around the country do.

Michael Bartel

But one of the things.

Michael Bartel

That just has really always tripped my trigger wi.

Michael Bartel

My entry point.

Michael Bartel

Into working with a lot of these issues here in the states as far as.

Michael Bartel

Seeing it at a much larger level was we jumped on with.

Michael Bartel

Super Bowl outreach, the very first Super Bowl outreach.

Michael Bartel

When we got back from India.

Michael Bartel

Brad Dennis, who's now on our team.

Michael Bartel

Actually.

Michael Bartel

Was with class.

Michael Bartel

Kids and he was the one who identified what was going on, not just at the Super Bowl, but anytime.

Michael Bartel

We brought all this disposable income into an area in a short period of time, just the increase of vulnerability and exploitation. And so he started a Super Bowl outreach.

Michael Bartel

And.

Michael Bartel

Managed just trip my trigger to see that first. When we.

Michael Bartel

Did, we had about.

Michael Bartel

80 volunteers for three days.

Michael Bartel

In Miami. The Miami.

Michael Bartel

Based law enforcement down there working directly with gave us all their missing kids that.

Michael Bartel

Had been gone least three.

Michael Bartel

Months and were.

Michael Bartel

Likely.

Michael Bartel

Or they knew for certain were being.

Michael Bartel

Exploited traffic. And so those 80 people.

Michael Bartel

Over those three days and they weren't 80 people every day, it was just spread out. Over those three days, we were able to clear three precincts worth of missing kids off the books. eight traffic victims were recovered. I think three pimps.

Michael Bartel

All got nabbed and went to.

Michael Bartel

Went to prison over that.

Michael Bartel

And and.

Michael Bartel

They're just energized me so.

Michael Bartel

Much.

Michael Bartel

Obviously the success.

Michael Bartel

Of it.

Michael Bartel

But to see.

Michael Bartel

When different.

Michael Bartel

Groups and.

Michael Bartel

Faith.

Michael Bartel

Partners and everything worked together.

Michael Bartel

And have the right faces.

Michael Bartel

In front of them to search for as well, right? We weren't just giving red flags. We were showing real faces of people.

Patrick McCalla

Who were literally looking for individuals with names fit.

Michael Bartel

Yeah. And people go, Man, how did you find so many kids? And this one we we had.

Michael Bartel

45 kids were able to find over about six weeks.

Michael Bartel

The community.

Michael Bartel

Piece to it.

Michael Bartel

Was.

Patrick McCalla

three days and.

Michael Bartel

45 kids. Yeah, yeah. And people go, how do you find so many kids? And that ultimately.

Michael Bartel

It's it's because we were.

Michael Bartel

Looking for. Yeah, right. I mean, you can't find what you're not looking for.

Michael Bartel

Yeah. And so to create an environment.

Michael Bartel

Especially within a community like Phenix.

Michael Bartel

We did the Super Bowl.

Michael Bartel

Here. We did it, you know, in.

Michael Bartel

Partnership with you out of your church. And just to see the success of those who are being recovered. But more.

Michael Bartel

Than that, see the light bulbs go on and people's eyes on how.

Michael Bartel

When we work together.

Michael Bartel

And when.

Michael Bartel

We're on the same page with a common task and.

Michael Bartel

Communicating.

Michael Bartel

How successful things can be. And so we just.

Michael Bartel

Kept going with.

Michael Bartel

The big searches and.

Michael Bartel

We're I don't.

Michael Bartel

Know, we're like 30 big searches now. We have ten lined up over the next year that we're going to do. That was our first one this year.

Patrick McCalla

Well, and that's one of the things I've known, you know, for over ten years, like I said in your organization is so good at partnering. I think that's one of the reasons you've had such great success as you recognize the value of collaboration.

Patrick McCalla

You and I have both seen. The messiness of that is really messy, but you collaborate really well. You try to partner, you try to work well together. When you go into a city, you're trying to work with the people that are in that city, whether it be the vice squad, the FBI, the local churches and communities.

Patrick McCalla

Patrick McCalla

It gives the name, gives her picture here and there's pages of it.

Michael Bartel

Yeah. And and you.

Michael Bartel

Know, we were pretty.

Michael Bartel

We're always strategic with the kids that we end up looking for. I mean, all kids.

Michael Bartel

Are worth being searched for and found right. But especially in Vegas, we have, I mean, just countless missing kids.

Michael Bartel

You can't put.

Michael Bartel

All those faces in front of people pragmatically.

Michael Bartel

And have.

Michael Bartel

Any of it stick in people's.

Michael Bartel

Minds.

Michael Bartel

And so so we work with the social workers in Vegas.

Michael Bartel

We have.

Michael Bartel

A specialized crew of social workers in Las Vegas called areas, which is is a.

Michael Bartel

Whole crew of them that.

Michael Bartel

Just focus on the seats that kids are commercially sexually exploited, children in.

Michael Bartel

Our community.

Michael Bartel

And so, so the kids.

Michael Bartel

We look for, we kind of know their intake. We know.

Michael Bartel

The different stories.

Michael Bartel

Behind whether.

Michael Bartel

They're being trafficked or at least.

Michael Bartel

The level of.

Michael Bartel

Risk, you know, they are considering their backgrounds.

Michael Bartel

And so, so, you know, to do that.

Michael Bartel

Strategic intake allows us to kind of understand, you know, the nature of what we're looking for. Not all of them are trafficked.

Michael Bartel

And when we go into a community, this is.

Michael Bartel

one of those things that we're able. To really draw a lot of attention to where on the news, where you know, we're doing all this stuff because a community is searching for its kids, right? And then people come forward and.

Michael Bartel

Go, Well, yeah, aren't they.

Michael Bartel

Just runaways, you know, aren't they? And that creates a great.

Michael Bartel

Educational moment because.

Michael Bartel

Awareness, you.

Michael Bartel

Know, that we've talked about is so key. But but the context to which.

Michael Bartel

This exploitation happens or this vulnerability is created is important. Sorry.

Michael Bartel

All right. Let's talk about that. So why would they go missing again?

Patrick McCalla

I mean, there's probably a lot that are listening right now that would think that they're like, Well, all these kids are just runaways, so. So help educate them or help them be aware on how exploitive these kids are.

Patrick McCalla

Well.

Michael Bartel

Brad Dennis, who started this, he always has a statement.

Michael Bartel

He goes, Hey, kids are running away for.

Michael Bartel

one of two reasons. They're running away for some from something, or they're running to something.

Michael Bartel

And actually.

Michael Bartel

The predators that.

Michael Bartel

Would, you know, want to take advantage of that all they've got to figure that all they have to do to exploit.

Michael Bartel

The situation is figure out what that is.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, what is it there? Why are they leaving?

Michael Bartel

Is it because there is abuse in the home?

Michael Bartel

Is it because, you know.

Michael Bartel

Whatever's going.

Michael Bartel

On there, then he can fill that role of, you know.

Michael Bartel

Protector, yeah, provider or whatever it might be if they just, you know, have wanderlust and.

Michael Bartel

Just want to get out there.

Michael Bartel

Then you just, you.

Michael Bartel

Know, paint them, paint the big picture.

Michael Bartel

Of parties and everything else you can be a part of. And.

Michael Bartel

And so that the nature of why kids run away and there's some kids out there, they're just, you know, got annoyed because they got disciplined and are couch surfing. We don't put.

Michael Bartel

Those in our.

Michael Bartel

Book, right? I mean.

Michael Bartel

Those situations need to be addressed, obviously, but that's not the point of the big search.

Michael Bartel

But yeah, that education that goes beyond.

Michael Bartel

Awareness, it's like.

Michael Bartel

OK, good question. Why are they running away?

Michael Bartel

And and that lets us draw the curtain even back further. So even once we.

Michael Bartel

Find them, how do those who are wanting to get involved more and more engage.

Michael Bartel

Upstream from where this exploitation happens in the first place, right? How do we implant our churches in our.

Michael Bartel

Community.

Michael Bartel

Not for profits in the areas where that vulnerability.

Michael Bartel

That that engagement will.

Michael Bartel

Make the most good and prevent this from.

Michael Bartel

Happening?

Patrick McCalla

And when you're talking about the predators feeding into that, what it finding, finding whatever that is that need that they're masters at that again, someone who maybe has not worked in this area has no idea how evil and how masterful they are at manipulating people, manipulate manipulating young girls or young boys.

Patrick McCalla

Yeah. And like you said, whether they need, Hey, I can protect you or you want to have the fun life, I can provide the fun life painting this dream for them. But I mean, someone who hasn't worked that they have no idea.

Patrick McCalla

In fact, that leads to this next thing. Yeah, that's on the table here. You brought this. You were just explaining this to me. So again, if someone's listening or not watching, it's a it's a piece of paper that's folded several times.

Patrick McCalla

It's written completely on front and back. Yeah. And just tell us top to bottom.

Michael Bartel

Yeah.

Patrick McCalla

Yeah. Corner to corner, top to bottom. Tell us where you got this and what this is.

Michael Bartel

Well, because of what I do, I get invited.

Michael Bartel

Into some interesting areas to have these conversations, and.

Michael Bartel

I was brought in monthly to high.

Michael Bartel

Security prison somewhere in this country.

Michael Bartel

And and there was about 50 guys, all basically in for life that really hated human trafficking. Right. And many of it.

Michael Bartel

Because it touched them personally as soon as they were removed from their situation, their daughters were trafficked or whatever. I mean, there was a real.

Michael Bartel

Emotional attachment to what this is and and I was given this it's handwritten. The sheets handwritten. And one of the pimps that had been put in.

Michael Bartel

Prison for the.

Michael Bartel

Long haul had.

Michael Bartel

This on his person when he went to the prison. So they took it from him and.

Michael Bartel

They gave it to me. And it's his rules on how he controlled.

Michael Bartel

His girls, his women.

Michael Bartel

That.

Michael Bartel

He was working as prostitutes. And it's like you said, it's just pure evil. I mean, it's purely manipulative.

Michael Bartel

And and really, that's that's the key.

Michael Bartel

For a lot of this. Education has gone.

Michael Bartel

As you know, over the years to is, you know, hey, why didn't these.

Michael Bartel

Girls just went away?

Michael Bartel

They weren't chained to the bed, right? They're not physically detained. And then when you realize, you know, from the background of.

Michael Bartel

This girl's.

Michael Bartel

Life.

Michael Bartel

How this person.

Michael Bartel

Manipulated.

Michael Bartel

Them, those chains are all tied up in their head, which are really the strongest chains.

Michael Bartel

You know they have anyway.

Patrick McCalla

Well, a phrase that I often heard and you know, you've heard for years, too, it's easy to get the girl out of the brothel, but not the brothel out of her head, where the trafficking victim. I mean, again, they've been so brainwashed, and there's no idea this right here if they could read like, I'm looking over this

Patrick McCalla

. It's disgusting. It's evil. I can't even I couldn't even read it out loud because of what it says here. We'd have to beep, beep, beep out all kinds of stuff, but this is literally from every corner of the page, front and back, a guy writing about how to manipulate and keep a victim trafficked.

Michael Bartel

And a lot of it's tied to identity, right? If you can get them to.

Michael Bartel

Just buy into, this is who I am. This is what my.

Michael Bartel

Law in life.

Michael Bartel

Is. It's so hard. To pray, you know, somebody away from from that whole scenario, and so that identity piece oftentimes is built in. Long before that pump ever got into the picture right, they were molested.

Michael Bartel

At home or, you know.

Michael Bartel

Whatever the situation.

Michael Bartel

Might be. And so, yeah, I mean, those chains.

Michael Bartel

Are so difficult to break.

Michael Bartel

So oftentimes, you know, the find of our name.

Michael Bartel

Oftentimes is the easiest part.

Michael Bartel

I mean, it's not easy, but.

Michael Bartel

Once you start looking, you're going.

Michael Bartel

To, you.

Michael Bartel

Know, you got to learn how to find.

Michael Bartel

What you're looking for. It's that whole back end.

Michael Bartel

Piece that takes so long.

Michael Bartel

To to really see a little recovery. Yeah. So this baby.

Michael Bartel

Steps in the right direction to to attain.

Michael Bartel

A new identity and attain value in who you.

Michael Bartel

Are especially created in this.

Patrick McCalla

Image. Yeah. Why would someone not that we want to get inside the mind of a pimp, but why? Why would someone do this? Like, why would they get into this? Like, let's say someone's going in the criminal world?

Patrick McCalla

Why not sell drugs? Or so it's like, why would someone going into selling human beings?

Michael Bartel

Well, there's a there's a.

Michael Bartel

Financial piece to it. Right?

Patrick McCalla

Huge financial.

Michael Bartel

Pieces. Yeah. I mean, when you when you're dealing drugs.

Michael Bartel

You can only deal drugs. You can only sell that drug once you know. Right. But you can sell.

Michael Bartel

That girl, that boy, that.

Michael Bartel

Transgender youth over and over and over and over.

Michael Bartel

Again. Right?

Michael Bartel

It's like a reusable product, so to speak. Also, it's easier.

Michael Bartel

In the.

Michael Bartel

Legal system to explain away.

Michael Bartel

Right? I mean, you find a kilo.

Michael Bartel

In somebody's trunk.

Michael Bartel

You you know, it is.

Michael Bartel

What it is. Yeah, you got a 14.

Michael Bartel

Year old girl on your.

Michael Bartel

Back seat.

Michael Bartel

Especially with, you know, our.

Michael Bartel

Law enforcement are better and better equipped to understand what this is.

Michael Bartel

But there's still a whole lot of.

Michael Bartel

Layers of of things that have to you have to go through and we have fewer and fewer hours in the day. Our law enforcement have to deal with this. It's just a lot easier to skirt the law.

Michael Bartel

You know, in the middle of it. And so in fact, a lot of the adult women or adult meaning.

Michael Bartel

Over.

Michael Bartel

18 that we work with don't want to, you know, when they say they want help. A lot of times that legal.

Michael Bartel

Piece, they just want to leave behind. They just want to start a new life.

Michael Bartel

They don't even want to engage with the.

Michael Bartel

Court system, don't want to because.

Patrick McCalla

It's so messy.

Michael Bartel

I guess.

Patrick McCalla

Yeah. Triggering all kinds of things.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, and all.

Michael Bartel

That's part of the reason it's so easy to.

Michael Bartel

You know, control. And that's why you see so many young.

Michael Bartel

Ladies that are wrapped up in this, too.

Michael Bartel

It's not that I hear a lot of people thinking we got we got way more pedophiles and then we.

Michael Bartel

Realize in this country and in the world. But but the pimps aren't really.

Michael Bartel

Looking for children.

Michael Bartel

To prostitute to pedophiles that are looking for young.

Michael Bartel

People that keep manipulated and have them oftentimes look.

Michael Bartel

Like they're of age, right? Because a lot of these johns aren't showing up looking for children, they're looking for young.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, but they're not looking for children. And so if you can shade that line enough, you know, it's.

Michael Bartel

A lot easier to control a 16 year old girl than it is a.

Michael Bartel

You know, a woman unless she's been in it all the time. Right? Yeah.

Patrick McCalla

And we've heard the horror stories about that. And what's interesting for me and you've been doing this a lot longer, but I know when I back up and think through all those stories on the many, many, many women that I sat down and heard their stories when you backed up to, I never heard one that didn't go

Patrick McCalla

back to some kind of abuse in their past, which is, you know, I mean, that's just unveiling a whole nother evil that, you know, every and I'm sure you probably there's probably some exceptions that you've run into, but I never ran into a single exception that it didn't back up to some kind of abuse that they had

Patrick McCalla

in their life or neglect.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, right. Because, you know, really one of the biggest, if not the biggest.

Michael Bartel

Vulnerability for those who end up being trafficked is is just self-esteem, right?

Michael Bartel

And self-esteem is built up.

Patrick McCalla

Pimps feed on. Oh, don't.

Michael Bartel

Absolutely. I mean, that's why, you know, and I don't say this to, you know me, I don't go casting.

Michael Bartel

Fear.

Michael Bartel

Anywhere, but we got to be mindful. You know.

Michael Bartel

When parents come to me, they're scared to death about their daughter being trafficked.

Michael Bartel

And I, I have a daughter.

Michael Bartel

I 100% understand that.

Michael Bartel

But it's almost it's almost impossible.

Michael Bartel

To have your daughter trafficked.

Michael Bartel

In an intact family where you know, the dad.

Michael Bartel

Loves on their daughter and is present in.

Michael Bartel

Her life.

Michael Bartel

Almost impossible right there, Teflon.

Michael Bartel

It's just that that has no appeal. That lie has.

Michael Bartel

No place to land because they're already.

Michael Bartel

Got that safety. They got that protection. They got that love. And so do abductions happen? Do all that happened?

Michael Bartel

Yeah, it's very, very rare. It happens. You got to be mindful. You also got to be involved in your kid's lives as far as where they're at on social media.

Michael Bartel

And, you know, because.

Michael Bartel

If our kids have access to the world, which is awesome, the world also has access to them. So to put the right boundaries is good parenting.

Michael Bartel

It's not.

Michael Bartel

Overprotective, it's it's wisdom because that's where these guys.

Michael Bartel

Will will look.

Michael Bartel

Because if you're complaining about dad on social media.

Michael Bartel

Then I'm going to come.

Michael Bartel

In and say, I can be your dad, I can be your daddy and play that role. Yeah, so be very present in your kids lives, for sure.

Patrick McCalla

Well, this isn't anything new either. Again, holding a book in my hand that you brought that you were just talking to me about, it's very interesting. It's a it's got a newer cover on it, but that's because you put it on there.

Patrick McCalla

Someone gave this to you. So again, sometimes if someone went, if someone thought like, Well, this is something new that's happening in our world or social media is causing this or it isn't, it's an evil that's been around for a while, in fact, explained this book a little bit.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, I had a friend of.

Michael Bartel

Mine who's a historian.

Michael Bartel

Actually, and he sent me a text out of the blue one day and said, Hey, do you want this book? And I looked.

Michael Bartel

At the cover and it was an.

Michael Bartel

Old looking cover, and the the exact.

Michael Bartel

Title of this book is.

Michael Bartel

How.

Michael Bartel

To prevent the traffic in girls.

Michael Bartel

And it blew my mind.

Michael Bartel

Because just that word traffic or the trafficking word was new to me.

Michael Bartel

I mean, we understand slavery.

Michael Bartel

We've heard that word for years, but trafficking is a term.

Michael Bartel

And then I saw this.

Michael Bartel

Book was.

Michael Bartel

Patrick McCalla

Michael Bartel

And the book actually is an outgrowth of a.

Michael Bartel

Conference, a symposium that rescue mission workers and social workers were having because they were seeing the growth of.

Michael Bartel

Trafficking. And so they got together. I mean, human.

Michael Bartel

Trafficking conference in.

Michael Bartel

Michael Bartel

With this very issue and the vulnerabilities in our own country in the growth of that. And this is less than 40 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, right?

Michael Bartel

Yeah. And this book just staggered me, not because.

Michael Bartel

It surprised me. I mean, it didn't surprise me.

Michael Bartel

I mean, I know.

Michael Bartel

Throughout history.

Michael Bartel

God always.

Michael Bartel

Sets apart a people, you know, to be present for the issues, you know, that are at hand. So I would Salvation Army, right? The Salvation Army as a as an organization, started as basically.

Michael Bartel

An anti-human trafficking that most.

Patrick McCalla

People don't know that. Yeah, I think most people think, you know, they're ringing the bells and raising money for for hungry people. But it started as an anti-human trafficking organization.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, yeah. And I don't know if they knew it was anti-trafficking then, but it was an.

Michael Bartel

Outreach to prostituted women on the streets.

Michael Bartel

Of London.

Michael Bartel

That's how it started, right?

Michael Bartel

And over the years.

Michael Bartel

The Salvation Army has.

Michael Bartel

Been engaged with.

Michael Bartel

Matters of this here and there, and there are certain certain ones of them around the world.

Michael Bartel

That that.

Michael Bartel

Focus on these issues of trafficking.

Michael Bartel

But yeah.

Michael Bartel

Was just staggered by.

Michael Bartel

By. If you read this book and I'll.

Michael Bartel

Try to get it to you, the focus of the predators is so similar to today, like when we're doing trainings or whatever on that.

Michael Bartel

It's it's.

Michael Bartel

Worded a little different, but.

Michael Bartel

The exact same M.O..

Michael Bartel

Focusing on the vulnerability.

Michael Bartel

And then using maybe not language like you.

Michael Bartel

Read on this paper, but a similar approach to rap.

Michael Bartel

That kit up and in in their head and be able to.

Michael Bartel

Take advantage of their situation. And so.

Michael Bartel

So their thing was, look, if we can't get ahead of this, if we can't fish.

Michael Bartel

Upstream.

Michael Bartel

On this, and they'll say that.

Michael Bartel

Almost verbatim in this book because.

Michael Bartel

All these people.

Michael Bartel

Do outreach to victims when this book was read, in fact, they use the term rescue rescues term.

Michael Bartel

That the trafficking movement doesn't like to.

Michael Bartel

Use. Survivors do not like that term. So we speak that I understand that, but they would use the term rescue.

Michael Bartel

They go.

Michael Bartel

Everybody wants to hear the stories of the rescue.

Michael Bartel

Right? And we do that.

Michael Bartel

So they weren't saying, that's bad. They're saying that's an aspect of.

Michael Bartel

What we do.

Michael Bartel

But 100 hundred years from now, we're going to have a bigger problem with this if we can't get upstream of it. That's the whole conference. And here we are.

Patrick McCalla

And we've been. That's what we were talking about. I mean, you still are. But when I was working with the issue, we were always saying that we're like forever. And again, I know this isn't the term that that the survivors like to use.

Patrick McCalla

Michael Bartel

Well, we got a school.

Michael Bartel

Assembly program at. It's fascinating to me. We started that.

Michael Bartel

About a decade ago now we've been in.

Michael Bartel

Front of over half a million students and right before.

Michael Bartel

COVID shut down. Right before COVID shut down the two months.

Michael Bartel

Of school assemblies we.

Michael Bartel

Did leading into COVID, there was actually 19.

Michael Bartel

Cases of trafficking that were identified out of those schools in those two months. And there was 100 and.

Michael Bartel

6160.

Michael Bartel

Plus cases of mandatory report situations molestation, rape, abuse.

Michael Bartel

That came out of a willingness.

Michael Bartel

To be able to talk about these difficult issues and vulnerabilities at the right age, in the right setting that created a safe environment for them to come forward. In fact, the school assemblies are out there right now. They went all last week, first one since COVID.

Michael Bartel

Shut everything down and today.

Michael Bartel

And tomorrow. But but the schools are such an important place for us to empower conversations that are going to.

Michael Bartel

You know, reveal.

Michael Bartel

Vulnerabilities in a way to help.

Michael Bartel

Preventing.

Patrick McCalla

Any event happening. That meant a girl who might have been susceptible to this or that boy that might have been susceptible to this or hearing some things. And now maybe and you know, only eternity where we know how many kids were truly prevented.

Patrick McCalla

I mean, that's that's the other difficult thing about that is it's hard to measure the success of that. It can possibly. You'll never really know. So tell us a little bit. What are some of the things that you do?

Patrick McCalla

Free international? So you've mentioned a couple of you do the school assemblies, you do the, you know, you do the huge mobile units, the rescues, you do some some stuff or you're going into strip clubs and brothels, right?

Patrick McCalla

And yeah.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Michael Bartel

Our outreach pieces are consistent.

Michael Bartel

And daily, and they.

Michael Bartel

Look different depending on where our.

Michael Bartel

People live, right?

Michael Bartel

So we base free international in Las Vegas. That's pretty much a.

Michael Bartel

Low hanging fruit there, right? When I when I lived in India, the people of India who had never left India.

Michael Bartel

Knew of Vegas's reputation.

Michael Bartel

They go, You're here doing that.

Michael Bartel

Are you guys doing stuff in Las Vegas back in your country?

Michael Bartel

And I heard that probably a dozen times when I lived in India.

Michael Bartel

It was crazy.

Michael Bartel

And it didn't. It made sense to me.

Michael Bartel

But the reputation Vegas had.

Michael Bartel

Had done so our day to day out. I mean, there's not a day you can't walk down a lot.

Michael Bartel

Of places in Vegas and just do direct targeted outreach, try to build trust and relationships. We have a drop in center in Las Vegas, so we just do a reprieve from the streets, let's say, right? We have just a place to hang out.

Michael Bartel

Netflix, they can watch whatever we got showers, washer dryer so they can come. And we just.

Michael Bartel

Have people who can.

Michael Bartel

Who understand trauma, being able to interact with.

Michael Bartel

Them in a way that we can build.

Michael Bartel

Trust to hopefully offer them our.

Michael Bartel

Mobile units. one of.

Michael Bartel

The things we learn when we first looking at our name free, when my wife and I first started free and we were considering a.

Michael Bartel

Name.

Michael Bartel

We saw it really is a timeline driven. You find them and you work on restoring them and embracing them and empowering them.

Michael Bartel

But but what we really found and.

Michael Bartel

Again wasn't surprising.

Michael Bartel

Is we were identifying people after.

Michael Bartel

We were working with them to, you know, get them in a better situation.

Michael Bartel

That's where the mobile units came in.

Michael Bartel

We were offered by a group called Speed.

Michael Bartel

The like.

Michael Bartel

Half million dollars worth of mobile equipment. So we got two originally two large mobile units that we primarily use as a way to collaboratively bring our strongest partners, but.

Michael Bartel

Put it in the middle of where the need.

Michael Bartel

Is right, find our most vulnerable neighborhoods.

Michael Bartel

And then provide.

Michael Bartel

Services toward the.

Michael Bartel

People. We want to get help to right down the block, right in their.

Michael Bartel

You know, parking lot of their, you know, weekly rental place or whatever.

Michael Bartel

That would be legal, medical, dental. We do tattoo removals, you know.

Michael Bartel

Because speaking of.

Michael Bartel

Identity.

Michael Bartel

And sheet, you know, pimps will brand their girls, you know, and so the faster you.

Michael Bartel

Can get that off them.

Michael Bartel

The better space you can be.

Michael Bartel

And to get them to.

Michael Bartel

These next steps. And so.

Patrick McCalla

So literally again, to help the audience know like they'll tattoo a girl so that every time, you know, let's say that tattoos on her, you know her left part of her chest every time she pulls her shirt off looks in the mirror.

Patrick McCalla

It says property of K Mack or property of whatever.

Michael Bartel

Or they'll be moneybags here because you're my moneymaker.

Michael Bartel

They'll tattoo their name straight on again.

Michael Bartel

Again, a.

Patrick McCalla

Subtle way for them to continue to align.

Michael Bartel

You, you or mine. Right?

Michael Bartel

And in the faster you can.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, you can.

Michael Bartel

And it's interesting, as we do this day to day outreach because we can offer that service.

Michael Bartel

That's that's the one thing that will always get.

Michael Bartel

Double looks on when we say, Hey, we can help with X, Y or Z, whatever you need, we'll get you those next steps.

Michael Bartel

The one thing that will make them do the double take back at you is in you go. I can take that.

Michael Bartel

You know, especially if it's a.

Michael Bartel

You know.

Michael Bartel

Former pimp or.

Michael Bartel

Whatever. We can get that off. We can do it right now. And 00.

Patrick McCalla

Yes, the thing that a.

Michael Bartel

Huge, you know, we just try to be strategic and all right, we want to build.

Michael Bartel

Trust and we never want to promise things we can't deliver on.

Michael Bartel

And usually we.

Michael Bartel

Just use community partners because to me, that's that's how you do.

Michael Bartel

It right. You build that.

Michael Bartel

Collaborative framework where everyone gets to be.

Michael Bartel

Involved you.

Michael Bartel

If they're doing a for profit business, they.

Michael Bartel

Want to be able to help, you want to do it.

Michael Bartel

But the shorter distance we can make between them saying, Yeah, I'll take you up on that to when we can start the process, the better chance we got it. Staying in their life long.

Michael Bartel

Enough to hopefully give.

Michael Bartel

Them other options so that restore peace is really.

Michael Bartel

A huge.

Michael Bartel

Part of our mobile unit. So we got mobile medical.

Michael Bartel

We've got a lot of different.

Michael Bartel

Things that allow us to be.

Michael Bartel

Logically.

Michael Bartel

Plausibly present and neighborhoods a face like mine.

Michael Bartel

Normally wouldn't, you know, would just stick out in and and, you know, not be.

Michael Bartel

Able to make a difference. It allows us that access to the community.

Michael Bartel

Because ultimately we want that.

Michael Bartel

For for this type of.

Michael Bartel

Evil to go back to prevention, to change. We need to build healthy community within these broken communities.

Michael Bartel

And that's where we get the on road churches, you know, church plants.

Michael Bartel

Building.

Michael Bartel

Resources around inner city churches that.

Michael Bartel

Have a great.

Michael Bartel

Reputation. The pastor and the people at church are trusted, but they that's all they have is their name and their trust.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, we get to.

Michael Bartel

Come in with our services and add services to that trust and see more people offered it. So the mobile units are huge for us. We got.

Michael Bartel

About 1,000,000 and a.

Michael Bartel

Half bucks worth of those and allows us to be very present wherever this need is.

Michael Bartel

We have we have.

Michael Bartel

Broader partnerships with Major League Baseball. We're doing strikeout slavery, one.

Michael Bartel

Of the founding.

Michael Bartel

Not-for-profits with Albert.

Michael Bartel

Pujols.

Michael Bartel

Which has been excellent in creating inroads to more collaborative partnerships in these cities. In fact, long term strikeout slavery wants to have our big search, which is what we were talking about we did in Vegas.

Michael Bartel

And in each of the.

Michael Bartel

Major league cities. So every time we do a strikeout slavery, we use it as a.

Michael Bartel

A way to engage.

Michael Bartel

Volunteers to come help us in the search for these kids.

Michael Bartel

That we're looking for. Yeah, we have a shelter we launched.

Michael Bartel

In fact, that's where you helped us a ton back because, yeah, it's a big part of.

Michael Bartel

What you were doing.

Michael Bartel

So we have a shelter in the Midwest for trafficked. We started as a place for trafficked minors.

Michael Bartel

And then because of COVID.

Michael Bartel

And the resources that kind of dried up a.

Michael Bartel

Little bit during COVID.

Michael Bartel

We went to over.

Michael Bartel

18 and.

Michael Bartel

We still have plans to reengage that minors side.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, but we have a.

Michael Bartel

Shelter there.

Michael Bartel

And we're getting.

Michael Bartel

Ready to launch a national ministry and training center, which is going to allow us. Our hope is to take primarily but not exclusively, the faith.

Michael Bartel

Community and be able to tighten that net of being able to find.

Michael Bartel

Those who are being exploited.

Michael Bartel

And and engage.

Michael Bartel

A national network of real resources and help through that process to bring in and professionally trained first responders, law enforcement, military people.

Michael Bartel

And then.

Michael Bartel

On the quarter to be able to work with or we're going to work with Albert Pujols and.

Michael Bartel

Launching like a.

Michael Bartel

Culinary program for survivors. So we're working with a survivor network that that we've worked with for years and years and years where they can take their young ladies who are ready to take those next steps. Give them a real career option.

Michael Bartel

Be able to skim.

Patrick McCalla

Some, yeah.

Michael Bartel

Some real certified.

Michael Bartel

Training in the field.

Michael Bartel

And then with our connections in like Vegas and Nashville and some other places, be able to plug them into some, some employment that bring some.

Michael Bartel

Dignity to their lives. Yeah.

Patrick McCalla

Yeah, man, you guys are just doing amazing work. And again, I love how you guys are doing the collaboration. When we talk about some of this stuff, here's the difficult thing for us as human beings, as you know, as human beings and we start talking about things and we have statistics and numbers, and it's hard for us

Patrick McCalla

to to wrap our minds around it. So maybe just share a couple of stories that can put a I know you had to change the name, probably, but give us a name and a face that will help us understand these are individuals we're talking about.

Patrick McCalla

They're not just a number.

Michael Bartel

Yeah. Well, we had one.

Michael Bartel

Recently in a city.

Michael Bartel

We did.

Michael Bartel

one of our big searches and we were.

Michael Bartel

Talking with.

Michael Bartel

Her social worker. She was 17. Colored diamond.

Michael Bartel

And diamond diamonds.

Michael Bartel

File with her social worker was over an inch thick.

Michael Bartel

And she.

Michael Bartel

Went right to Page one and she's like, You know, I just want to make sure basically she's still alive, right? I think she's just want a wellness check on her, if anything else. So her story was she.

Michael Bartel

At less.

Michael Bartel

Than two weeks old, her mom tried to sell her at the laundry.

Michael Bartel

Mat.

Michael Bartel

And then every page in that binder for the rest of her life until 17 was incest, molestation, prostitution, abuse.

Michael Bartel

Day in, day out. She she did not have.

Michael Bartel

A day in her life that she breathe without trauma.

Michael Bartel

Right? And so, you know, I've done this long time. You know, we go back to.

Michael Bartel

2003, when we started.

Michael Bartel

Full time.

Michael Bartel

I saw similar things in India, which is a whole. Similar but different context, because you're dealing with a generational.

Michael Bartel

You know.

Michael Bartel

Caste system and a theological structure that.

Michael Bartel

You know, kind of enhances that which.

Michael Bartel

Are huge to break through on. But in her situation, I mean, her brain wasn't even formed in the way the rest of us are.

Michael Bartel

Right? Yeah. You could always yeah, you could have waived the healthiest and we.

Michael Bartel

Found her right. We found her.

Michael Bartel

And she she had ways to when.

Michael Bartel

She was.

Michael Bartel

Found, she would go.

Michael Bartel

Acute or she would, you know, pretend to lose her mind because they knew they would place her in a certain place.

Michael Bartel

And she.

Michael Bartel

Knew how to escape it every time.

Michael Bartel

And when we do.

Michael Bartel

These big searches, since.

Michael Bartel

We know the intake and the kind of the background in the parents.

Michael Bartel

And the or the foster parents or the, you know, whatever the scenario is.

Michael Bartel

We work in when we do find them, which we intend to, what is that we need to do, you know, on the back end.

Michael Bartel

So we're not just running around finding people and going, OK, now it's yours to deal with.

Michael Bartel

How do we how do we engage.

Michael Bartel

That structure, whatever it's going to look like in every kid's different, you know, every situation's different. And so we got we got her set up and got her in, and she was six months in. This wasn't a program is more detainment, but it got her to those next steps and we were able to see her come.

Michael Bartel

Out and and, you know.

Michael Bartel

I won't get into her whole story. It's it's been pretty traumatic with her, but she's one of those people as well.

Michael Bartel

Going back to the tattoo removal, she went when she got.

Michael Bartel

Out last time and she shared with a different pimp, he tattooed her on her face. And so she wants to get her tattoo off, right?

Michael Bartel

I mean, so the simple.

Michael Bartel

Trust, we've never overpromised anything with her. Yeah, ever. Everything we've promised. We've delivered on and because of that, even though she's been back in this life multiple times, and that's not uncommon. But the first people she'll call when she's in.

Michael Bartel

A bind.

Michael Bartel

Is now us.

Michael Bartel

And our hope with that is that.

Michael Bartel

We can work her into a much more successful story.

Michael Bartel

Than than we.

Michael Bartel

Have so far. To us, the monstrous win is we have access into her life.

Michael Bartel

Now when she is.

Michael Bartel

At her lowest rate and she's.

Michael Bartel

18 now.

Michael Bartel

So she's.

Michael Bartel

Not going to end up.

Michael Bartel

On any missing kid report or anything. But we'll always pursue her, will always pursue her and be present. But that story just opened my eyes, even as somebody who's done this forever.

Michael Bartel

How young?

Michael Bartel

Yeah, this exploitation.

Michael Bartel

Happened.

Patrick McCalla

Weeks old, you said.

Michael Bartel

Before the pimp ever enters the scene, right? And so.

Michael Bartel

How? How much empathy that.

Michael Bartel

Builds into our approach now because.

Michael Bartel

You know, we don't expect.

Michael Bartel

Majority of these girls and not just girls, but a.

Michael Bartel

Majority of these kids to go, Oh, you came to get me right and hug me.

Patrick McCalla

You're not running to you with open arms. So much abuse. And in fact.

Michael Bartel

You're many times you're the enemy that's been built in.

Michael Bartel

By the predator in the process. But but that's just a very.

Michael Bartel

Maybe not at the.

Michael Bartel

Level of her life, but that is a very.

Michael Bartel

Common reason.

Michael Bartel

Why more and more people.

Michael Bartel

Need to be involved.

Michael Bartel

But understand.

Michael Bartel

What being involved.

Michael Bartel

Means.

Michael Bartel

Because finding, you know.

Michael Bartel

Like the book says, those.

Michael Bartel

Quote unquote.

Michael Bartel

Rescues are awesome. But that is so small a piece to this puzzle that needs engaging.

Patrick McCalla

And there's so many different layers and elements that we can do that are prevented. If someone doesn't, even someone may be helping with something like literacy or something you don't realize you're actually helping with literacy. You're helping prevent future potential trafficking issues.

Patrick McCalla

So there's so much that layers are going on.

Michael Bartel

You build community trust, too.

Michael Bartel

So just in brief, another story we were consistently.

Michael Bartel

Will mobilize.

Michael Bartel

Groups and and churches to.

Michael Bartel

Do ongoing.

Michael Bartel

Work in really sensitive areas like one in particular we were at in Las Vegas, had.

Michael Bartel

The highest violent crime rate in the state.

Michael Bartel

Michael Bartel

And so we started.

Michael Bartel

Showing up with our mobile.

Michael Bartel

Units and our partners on a weekly basis. Cooking pancakes. Just building trust. And we were going into a big search and we decided to go there for the morning for a couple of hours and we brought food and.

Michael Bartel

You know.

Michael Bartel

A lot of ministers there. So we were hearing people's stories, praying for them, telling testimonies. Just very, very awesome morning when across the street to the Starbucks and within five minutes, we're all there, 20 of us, over 20 of us in the Starbucks.

Michael Bartel

And while we're standing in the Starbucks, in walks, three girls and the two on the outside SA shirts, it said, Search team on it, right? We're very overt.

Michael Bartel

They pointed to the girl in middle.

Michael Bartel

And said she's missing. She needs help. OK, so we start to get her story. She's just turned 15, she's pregnant with either her father or her pimp's baby.

Michael Bartel

She had know.

Michael Bartel

Which one, right? So you knew home wasn't the place and she wasn't in our book for who we were searching for. We start helping her less. And five minutes later, in walks this couple, they see our shirts and instantly start weeping in a Starbucks while we're still waiting for a coffee.

Michael Bartel

Straight up happened just like I'm saying.

Michael Bartel

So we go over. Hey, how can we help? Well, they've been in.

Michael Bartel

They were from Virginia. They'd been in town all week looking for their daughter.

Michael Bartel

Who was 19? But bad things were going on. They knew it. They hadn't.

Michael Bartel

Gotten anywhere. They had guns pulled on whatever, because.

Michael Bartel

Imagine if my daughter.

Michael Bartel

Goes.

Michael Bartel

You can bet I don't care what door. Oh yeah. And I'd be Satan's door himself. You're knocking on my door for your daughter. But they hadn't gotten anywhere. They had to fly.

Michael Bartel

Out the next day, and.

Michael Bartel

They.

Michael Bartel

Literally sat in the parking lot at Starbucks and said, a prayer to God. You got to help us. We got to fly out tomorrow and they walk in the Starbucks.

Michael Bartel

And they see 25 people.

Michael Bartel

Are searched shirts on. We ended up finding her daughter. She's doing great.

Michael Bartel

By the end of that day.

Michael Bartel

Out of that one, Starbucks.

Michael Bartel

We had eight recoveries happen, almost all of them tied to the fact that.

Michael Bartel

People would come forward and go. We heard we could trust you because you guys have been doing stuff in our neighborhood.

Michael Bartel

Presence is everything in being able.

Michael Bartel

To get where. I mean, some of these stories we're talking about as far as finding these kids and their situation require some specialized skills and.

Michael Bartel

People on our team.

Michael Bartel

But by and large, a majority of it.

Michael Bartel

If we can be.

Michael Bartel

Upstream here.

Michael Bartel

In the middle of the vulnerability, be.

Michael Bartel

Consistent.

Michael Bartel

And.

Michael Bartel

Honest and trustworthy, those stories start to come out.

Michael Bartel

And not only do we were.

Michael Bartel

Prevented, but people are like.

Michael Bartel

That's my life. I need help.

Michael Bartel

And then they just start coming to you.

Michael Bartel

And that's what.

Michael Bartel

Happened at that. Starbucks at.

Patrick McCalla

eight. Well, and and Michael, I learned firsthand from that distress. I don't know if you remember this, but my wife and I were on a staycation here in Greater Phenix. You remember this guy called me, you called me up and you said, there's there's a girl that you guys had started working with years before.

Michael Bartel

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Patrick McCalla

And she she all of a sudden put in a call for you. You had no idea you just done some stuff.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, yeah. I remember now.

Patrick McCalla

And all sudden she called and she said, I'm in Phenix. I got away from my pimp for hours. I need some help. So you called me and you were like, in any way? Yeah, we.

Michael Bartel

Were in New Jersey. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you.

Patrick McCalla

Yeah. Well, we we ended up we ended up rescuing this girl, but it was because of some things that your team had done with her that built up enough trust. It took her a while, but it built up enough trust that she got away from her pimp from that moment, made a phone call and we got her

Patrick McCalla

out of there and in a safe place. So again, that trust is so critical.

Michael Bartel

Anyone can.

Michael Bartel

Build trust. Yeah, right?

Michael Bartel

And to me, that's a big, huge piece of even even.

Michael Bartel

All these years in what drives me is when that light bulb goes.

Michael Bartel

On that I don't.

Michael Bartel

Have to be special forces and kick down doors to go find those who need help. I just need.

Michael Bartel

To find a logical.

Michael Bartel

Reason to be in this neighborhood collaboratively. Shouldn't be your yourself.

Michael Bartel

Yeah, but I.

Michael Bartel

Mean, working with groups to be present in the.

Michael Bartel

Vulnerability will reveal, you know, those who.

Michael Bartel

Need help and as they begin to trust you.

Michael Bartel

You know.

Michael Bartel

Traffic victims will start telling you their story. Sure.

Patrick McCalla

So men love what you're doing. And I know that there's some listeners school and I want to know how we can help or support or learn more about this. How do they get a hold of you? How do they contact you or your organization?

Michael Bartel

We you can get a hold of.

Michael Bartel

Us on our website, which is free international dot org f our IEEE International dot org. We're on social media under the same.

Michael Bartel

Name, and we have a lot of ways we.

Michael Bartel

Work to on road people to work with us.

Michael Bartel

Although we don't take individual.

Michael Bartel

Volunteers from around the country, I mean.

Michael Bartel

That wouldn't be possible. We want people to connect locally with what's going on and where there isn't local. Maybe you can lead and we can help.

Michael Bartel

You kind of generate some points of contact in these vulnerable neighborhoods.

Michael Bartel

But we have.

Michael Bartel

The big search that started as a Super Bowl outreach we're doing.

Michael Bartel

For.

Michael Bartel

More of those this year, for next year, maybe more. So we're going to be in Orlando this year in Chicago.

Michael Bartel

And.

Michael Bartel

At the World Games this year. And then next year we're going to be in North Jersey and Detroit and Las Vegas.

Michael Bartel

And so we take teams in all the time we want to come in.

Michael Bartel

And just for that four or five days around a big search, they'll be educated.

Michael Bartel

They'll be able to kind.

Michael Bartel

Of see these things in motion and see how.

Michael Bartel

It can, you know.

Michael Bartel

Be a part of what they're doing. And if you're a church or college group or community group, we bring teams all the time into Vegas and.

Michael Bartel

Give a really good education. But but not an education.

Michael Bartel

That's disconnected from practice. You're going to.

Michael Bartel

You're going to really be involved. The ladies will be out.

Michael Bartel

At the legal brothels trying to minister. Those girls are in the strip clubs with our ladies who do work in the strip clubs. Dudes aren't. That's not for you.

Michael Bartel

But but there's yeah.

Michael Bartel

But just connect with us on social media at our website and shoot us a line.

Patrick McCalla

And again, I saw firsthand. So when you were doing that Super Bowl search and our church was partnering with you and we had mobilized some of our people. I still see when I see your stuff on social media, I see some of the people that were involved liking your stuff.

Patrick McCalla

I think all these years later, yeah, they're still connected and are still having an impact. It had a major impact. Let me plug this for you because I know it's always uncomfortable for you to do this. But even financially, you guys are doing a lot of really, really good things it takes money for.

Patrick McCalla

Are some of that stuff, and so I would just want to I would love to encourage the audience, I know you well. I know your organization. I know it's a trusted organization. You have a great reputation. But man, if they're looking for a place to turn to say, Man, I love God has given us a gift here

Patrick McCalla

and we'd love to support financially somewhere. Free International is a great organization.

Michael Bartel

I appreciate that. And just a little side note to that.

Michael Bartel

Our whole team is awesome in.

Michael Bartel

That.

Michael Bartel

Almost 100% of our whole team is self-funded, meaning they've all raised their own individual support. So they're they're fully.

Michael Bartel

Paid.

Michael Bartel

Volunteers for our organization. And so.

Michael Bartel

Any money.

Michael Bartel

That ever comes to free literally goes all.

Michael Bartel

To this. Yeah, the mobile units and, you know, in the school.

Michael Bartel

Assemblies and all that stuff just become part of where that goes, not to somebody's salary.

Michael Bartel

Not that they wouldn't be.

Michael Bartel

Deserving.

Michael Bartel

Of having.

Michael Bartel

A salary, but.

Michael Bartel

They believe in it enough.

Michael Bartel

That they generated their own, which helped us during COVID because.

Michael Bartel

You know, we didn't lose any anyone from the.

Michael Bartel

Team, and we're able to push forward and do even more things during COVID years than we ever thought possible.

Patrick McCalla

Human trafficking didn't stop.

Michael Bartel

Yeah. No. In fact, we got.

Michael Bartel

Busier during.

Michael Bartel

COVID because a lot of that.

Michael Bartel

Trust factor girls that rejected our help for two and three years. Previous. All of a sudden we're like.

Michael Bartel

OK, show me what you got? Yeah. And so when we got our shot with them, you know, we came through. I mean, we we can't.

Michael Bartel

Promise the world if we don't have the world to.

Michael Bartel

Promise, but we're going to be.

Michael Bartel

Honest and we're.

Michael Bartel

Going to we're.

Michael Bartel

Going to come through with everything we say.

Patrick McCalla

So let me let me let me land the plane. Let me finish with this. You're one of my heroes because I love how you, your families live this out. The danger for all of us as human beings is, you know, we just we basically just start taking up oxygen on this planet, right?

Patrick McCalla

It's not what any of us were created. It's not what any of us were put here. All of us were put here to make a difference. What would you say to someone who's listening? It may not even be specifically with this issue of human trafficking, but someone who's maybe been moved by what you said and they start

Patrick McCalla

going, I want to. I want to. I want to do something. I want to make a difference. What would you say to them?

Michael Bartel

Yeah, yeah. I mean, the wanting.

Michael Bartel

To is the first step for sure.

Michael Bartel

And I think you've got to find reputable.

Michael Bartel

Things near you to just jump in, right?

Michael Bartel

I mean.

Michael Bartel

Collaboration trips might trigger, but there's a.

Michael Bartel

Real humility.

Michael Bartel

And collaborating.

Michael Bartel

Because you can't you can't want to control everything going on. Obviously, you want those.

Michael Bartel

Who are involved to have an understanding of what they're dealing with, right? And if you're wanting more and more to get involved, especially directly with survivors of trafficking.

Michael Bartel

You need to, you know, find good education on what.

Michael Bartel

Trauma does to people, how they respond having gone through their trauma. That's not just a hoop to jump through. That's if you really.

Michael Bartel

Want to gain.

Michael Bartel

Trust and.

Michael Bartel

Connect with people. You need to know how to communicate to them. If I'm a missionary, go to India. I need to learn the language of Indian and know how to engage within that culture and trauma creates its own unique language.

Michael Bartel

Set that you know you. You would want to know if you really want to.

Michael Bartel

Gain that trust of.

Michael Bartel

People and then, you know you just can't.

Michael Bartel

Take yourself too seriously.

Michael Bartel

You obviously want to love loving somebody.

Michael Bartel

Serious business, whether you're married or it's somebody you just met who's been exploited.

Michael Bartel

You just got to have a humility. You got to be.

Michael Bartel

A good listener.

Michael Bartel

And have a.

Michael Bartel

Good support base, a great church to connect to.

Michael Bartel

Because I know a lot of the people who ended up.

Michael Bartel

Working with us even have come out of their.

Michael Bartel

Own background of.

Michael Bartel

Abuse or trauma or whatever. And you want to set yourself up for success. When some of those triggers start to flip, you need to have a strong support base.

Patrick McCalla

Because that's going to be part of their healing journey.

Michael Bartel

Their own healing, but.

Patrick McCalla

They need a support base.

Michael Bartel

And so if if you're part of a church, we will never take individual volunteers in apart from knowing how how well they're connected, especially if they're coming from a church or a church background.

Michael Bartel

That way, everybody.

Michael Bartel

Comes out the back end healthier, rejoicing for not.

Michael Bartel

Only what God.

Michael Bartel

Is doing in helping us find and restore those being exploited, but in our own lives as we grow healthier and.

Michael Bartel

You know, put it, one.

Michael Bartel

Step in front of the other to to follow him with our colleagues.

Patrick McCalla

Yeah, well, man, thanks so much for the time. Thanks for taking the time to come down here. Love what you're doing. I hope there's a way that our audience and we can be involved in what you're doing. one of the things that we do always to finish off our time is the two truths and a lie.

Patrick McCalla

There's irony in it because we call ourselves no free area, but it's it's maybe this has been this has been a heavy subject we talked about today. So this might be a lighthearted way to to finish up. So let's see if the audience or me can be stoked.

Michael Bartel

So I had to consult my family. I have I've been.

Michael Bartel

Married 28 years now.

Michael Bartel

And I had a 16 year old.

Michael Bartel

Daughter and a 20 year old son.

Michael Bartel

I named him Dylan Cash after Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Yeah.

Michael Bartel

And Veronica Grace is my daughter, and so I had to consult them on these things. So here, here are the three.

Michael Bartel

We came up with one. I am a descendant of.

Michael Bartel

The person that the story of Robin Hood is based.

Michael Bartel

On two, I was bullied as a child.

Michael Bartel

Because I brought a sock.

Michael Bartel

Puppet. My mom made to school for show and tell. three. I am one eighth. You have a pie from the Yavapai tribe.

Patrick McCalla

Oh man. So these might be some of the best ones.

Michael Bartel

Because I've known you for a while. OK, collaborative thing. I'm going to go with the.

Patrick McCalla

Because I'm from Montana too. Yes, Native American in me too. So I'm going to guess that that one's true. You probably have some.

Michael Bartel

one that is actually my life. No, I. I called my friend Paul.

Michael Bartel

Russell, who's vice president of the Pie Tribe here in town, one of the greatest men I know, one of my best friends, and I said, It's all right.

Michael Bartel

Michael Bartel

two are true.

Michael Bartel

I I was bullied because of my mom's sock puppet. Sorry, mom, if you're listening, had.

Patrick McCalla

Nothing to do with your senior year in high school.

Michael Bartel

Freshman year in college. Leave my sock puppet and I am a descendant of who. Really? Yeah, yeah. My dad found that out of.

Michael Bartel

four or five years ago.

Michael Bartel

Yeah. So the.

Patrick McCalla

Whole Robin Hood story, that's that's.

Michael Bartel

Whoever, whoever. I think there's a lot of different Robinhood's depending on what country in Europe you're in. But I'm attached to one of those myths, you know.

Michael Bartel

Whoever the story was based on.

Michael Bartel

Yep, I'm a descendant of, that's great.

Patrick McCalla

And you see, I usually get one. I usually get them right. Yeah, I get one right. Even if I'm wrong, I want you to dump me, right? Nice job. Well, Michael, thank you so much. Appreciate it. Appreciate what you're doing.

Patrick McCalla

Our prayers are with you. Keep up the fight, my friend.

Michael Bartel

Thank you, brother. Thank you.

Host

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