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This is a blog where I share what needs to be shared.
To Get Us Started
I am the Co-founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Global Relief Association for Crises & Emergencies, Inc.
Also, I am the Co-founder of the Grace International Foundation Thailand.
I married to my best friend, Angela K Sullivan, over 30 years ago. Together, we started the GRACE organization in 2012. We have two children, Genie and Patrick. Genie is married to Jason Boynton and they have one son, Tyler. Patrick is married to Kaitlyn Lovingood and they have have one daughter, Savannah.
I hold a Bachelor's degree in Ministry from Andersonville Seminary, a Master of Arts degree in Human Services: Marriage and Family Counseling from Liberty University, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Human Services: Disaster, Crises, & Intervention from Walden University. My dissertation was entitled, "Motivations of Anti-trafficking Volunteers." The research was published in 2017.
The GRACE organization began in the early 2000's as I served in local churches and witnessed some of the most vulnerable among us being exploited to the benefit of others. In my circle, there was nothing being done to address the problem of exploitation. Granted, it is dirty work and far from the stained glass cathedral's from which most Christians are more comfortable. That experience was enhanced as my travels became more extensive. I saw exploitation in several cultures and in varying contexts. One of those destinations was Peru. In a small village in the Andes mountains I was accused of being a trafficker. I was sharing with some teenagers in the village about a youth event taking place that weekend. In the midst of our conversation a mother came running out of her house crying and shouting. Her tears and words were directed at me. She was telling the teens to stay away from me as I had plans of taking them back to America to sell them. The fear and terror in the eyes of that mother humanized trafficking for me. For some time I had heard news of trafficking rings and arrests being made in various part of the world. Until then, to me, trafficking was something that happened in "another place". Trafficking was more theoretical than reality until I looked into the eyes of that distraught mother and began to see the impact the problem has on families.
October 2012 proved to be a pivotal year as the Global Relief Association for Crises & Emergencies was incorporated in the state of Georgia, USA. Today, our home office is based in Cartersville, Georgia and the work was started in Thailand. Today, we have two locations where a Family Resource Center is operated. Over 100 children are in the sponsorship program, many of which still stand in need of a sponsor. The future is bright and the vision is clear to take this work deeper into Thailand and also globally. There is no limit.
This blog will chronicle my experiences related to leading an NGO that is addressing the issue of human trafficking prevention. I plan to relate those experiences through the lens of a leader, Christian, and citizen of this world. The blog is intended to raise awareness of the problem of trafficking and other issues that present themselves.