Send Rescue this Christmas.
Through IJM’s Advent Rescue Offering, your church can send hope to a child trapped in modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation.
MAKE A TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE THIS ADVENT
“A Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5
Every year at Christmas, we celebrate the start of God’s amazing rescue plan—Jesus coming to Earth to save us.
Advent is a season that reminds us of the waiting of creation. Longing with expectation for the coming of light into darkness; hope into our world of sin and sorrow. And right now, across the world, there are children trapped in the sorrow and darkness of exploitation, trafficking and violence—waiting for the light of rescue.
Join us for Advent Rescue Offering.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Your Church can shine the light of Christ that will help end trafficking and violence in our lifetime.
At IJM, we regularly hear from individuals and churches wanting to “do something” to end this violence—To push back against this darkness.
Around the world today, there are over 50 million men, women and children trapped in slavery. IJM is preparing to charge into this darkness, but we can’t do it alone.
Through Advent Rescue Offering, your Church will gain a deeper understanding of Jesus’ rescue mission on earth to bring hope, joy, love and peace and will be empowered to collectively fund a rescue mission with IJM.
Our IJM Canada team is available to help you along the way with customized support and resources.
Here’s what’s involved in Advent Rescue
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EDUCATE
Share Hope
Teach about God’s heart for justice this Advent season by sharing stories of hope from IJM’s work around the world. Our Advent Rescue Tool Kit can help you prepare your message or you can inquire about an IJM Speaker.
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ENGAGE
Set a Goal
One rescue operation costs $10,000. Set a target for the number of rescues you’d like to fund or the portion you hope to contribute. Be prepared for God to move and surprise you!
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EMPOWER
Collect an Offering
Either through your Church’s own collection or our IJM Advent Rescue donation page, collect an offering to send rescue and see the light of Christ spread in your congregation and around the world.
Philippines
In the Philippines, 1 out of 100 children were trafficked to produce new online child sexual exploitation material in 2022 alone. The demand for this abuse comes from countries like Canada, where we rank 4th in the world for consuming these atrocities. Local law enforcement has asked IJM to help with this horrific crime, but we don’t go into these dark places alone. When a rescue operation is ready to go, our partners make it possible for IJM to act without delay.
Let your love for Jesus and your global neighbours be the light that shines in the darkness. Let your compassion and generous justice shine so brightly that the darkness cannot overcome.
Together, we can make true the Christmas hymn: “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;”
Join with other churches across Canada
Each Christmas we reflect on the things that are close to the heart of Jesus and challenge our faith community to match what they would spend on Christmas and give a gift to the least of these. This year, our Rescue campaign provided an opportunity to support IJM Canada. Together we were able to raise funds for ten rescues! We were overwhelmed by the extravagant generosity of our community. What a joy and privilege to partner with IJM in this amazing work!
When we heard about the Advent Rescue Offering, we saw a unique opportunity to reframe our Advent season around God's heart for justice. Instead of traditional gift-giving, we invited our congregation to donate toward IJM rescue operations. and then pass along IJM survivor stories as Christmas presents to raise awareness among family and friends.
It was one of the most meaningful and mission-focused Advents we’ve experienced, and the joy we experienced when we raised enough to fully fund a rescue project was something else. I’d wholeheartedly recommend this to any church longing to embody the gospel in action.
In 2024, we were able to share with the church family at Grandview concerning the great work of rescue and restoration that IJM was doing in the Philippines. It was such a joy to see our congregation rally around our Advent vision of funding rescue operations as an act of worship. In response to God's heart for justice and compassion, we asked the church family to fund two rescue operations ($20,000) and saw them give enough to fund ten! We were so encouraged and blessed to join hands with IJM and see God's generous heart reflected in His people.