Fighting for a Worthy Cause

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When only the best is needed, see Dr. Johnny Gayton at eyesightassociates.com. This is the Truth Network. Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is set for one flaw. Introducing first, from Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, the Russian nightmare, Nikita Kolod. Now, the devil's nightmare. Welcome back to another episode of It's Time to Man Up. Welcome back to another episode of the Man Up show with yours truly, Nikita Kolod. And here's the problem.

Are you ready? Here's the problem. Human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in all 50 states. Now, of those trafficked for sex in the US, nearly 70% are women and 30% children. Now after entering the sex industry, the average life expectancy is seven to 10 years. Think about that just for a moment. That's a sobering thought.

And only 1% of victims are being rescued because many are unaware of the issue or fail to respond. On that note, I want to welcome to the show today, Anthony McEwen. Welcome to the Man Up show, sir. Thank you so much. I appreciate you having me. Well, and I appreciate you being here because you have at least one solution to this problem, and we want to talk about that today.

You've got a very unique approach. And first, for our listeners out there, Anthony, why have you embraced this fight? Well, I mean, I think me personally, I'm not a survivor of human trafficking, but I am a survivor. I am a trauma survivor. I was abandoned, abused, fought for my life in first grade, third grade, third grader tried to kill me with a hammer.

I was homeless, drug addicted before graduating high school. So, I mean, there's more stories I could tell you about trauma. But, you know, just mostly it was growing up in a very broken home. So a lot of trauma there. So when I learned about human trafficking in the world, but primarily when I learned about how many kids were being trafficked, I mean, that just, you know, for me, it wasn't should I do something?

It was how could I not do something? Yeah, kind of mind blowing, right? When you look, when somebody, because I think a good majority of the people are just, you know, they go about their every day, you know, they've got work, they've got family, they're raising children or just doing what they do. And in a sense, oblivious, right, to like for this particular issue, that it even exists. Have you found that to be true? Yeah, I mean, I think, unfortunately, the media could do a lot more to focus on this. I mean, we heard about Corona, you know, the COVID, right, 24 seven, and we got the numbers 24 seven. And then, you know, that raised awareness and kept that awareness going, right?

I mean, how much more important in my mind? I think most people would agree. I mean, when kids are disappearing, kids are being trafficked. Kids are walking out of their houses because they've been groomed. So they're not even being abducted, most of them, the overwhelming majority of them. And it's just all this is going on. And we, you know, you might hear a new story here or there. But I mean, we should be hearing about this 24 seven, to ramp up people's awareness, and then hopefully motivate them to do something. Yeah, to get involved and to do something.

Now, now let's, let's back up just for a moment, if you would, if you if you're willing, and and she come from a broken home, which, again, we know that that in itself is another major problem, right? The broken home divorce, you know, raging across America and really around the world, but especially in America, and, you know, fathers being pulled out of the house, which, you know, is a part of the passion for me, right? Even the man up show, I'm, you know, and, you know, out there every day, you know, promoting, you know, men to be godly men, godly husbands, godly fathers, stepping into that role the way God designed it. And yet, you know, we know the warfare is real. And by warfare, I mean, spiritual war, right? Ephesians 612, we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but we wrestle against principalities. So, so we know there's an enemy to our soul, and one who is bent on destroying the family.

And so this atrocity that we're discussing today, sex trafficking, only feeds right into to all of that, right? So you're broken home, Anthony, I know you said there's a lot of stories there. Pick one that you think would really speak to our audience and maybe bring some hope or a reason to continue listening to this show today. So when you say a story, a story of redemption or a story of something that I went through? Yeah, so obviously you're a survivor, you know, I mean, look, you caught my attention when you said, you know, someone tried to kill me with a hammer.

I mean, that caught my attention, right? So take a moment, and again, it doesn't have to be lengthy, and if, you know, just give us an abbreviated synopsis of that story, like what happened, you know, that led to that? Yeah, I mean, so my, well, that story in particular, you know, I'm 68 years old, so it was the early 70s, you know, drugs and freedom and quote unquote freedom.

And so I was in one of those kind of schools where I don't remember learning anything. I was playing with bricks, blocks by a wall. And I remember hearing, not hearing audibly, but I heard a voice tell me, turn around. And I stopped, and I thought to myself, how could I hear something without my ears? And I was just very confused, and I tried to figure it out, and when I couldn't figure it out anymore, I just thought, well, let me just, you know, turn around. And so when I turned around, that's when I saw the hammer coming at my head, and I literally had a split second to get out of the way.

You know, so God timed it, knowing, you know, that whole process that I would go through before I actually turned around. And then, you know, the kid was just, I mean, he was a third grader, so I'm a little first grader. I mean, that's a big difference when you're little. And I'm a little guy, so yeah, I just remember him pounding me and pounding me till I snapped. And I, you know, I had a lot of adrenaline, and I, you know, I was smashing the kid's head into the ground, and the teachers came and pulled me off the kid. And it was just, you know, but just that whole thing of that fight, and, you know, when you experience something like that and you walk away from it, you have no way to process that as a child. You know, but things like that stick with you, and, you know, so it was just that and so many other events, and ultimately, you know, praise God, he found me and saved me. And, you know, I was a youth pastor for many years, and then a pastor, but so, you know, so now this is where I'm at. He's called me to this fight.

All right, well, let's just pause right there for a moment. So you've had, that's just one of a number of traumatic experiences you had as a child, right? So, I mean, in this particular one, it's first grade, and it's the third grader coming after you. And I imagine through more of elementary school and middle school and even into high school, you had experienced many, many other traumatic type events in your life. And so at what point or at what stage, you mentioned the word redemption, and so at what point did you encounter Christ then and the process of healing begin for you, Anthony? Well, yeah, so I met, so I was 19 years old working in a restaurant, and one of my co-workers was a former heroin addict, and I didn't know any of his story. I just knew he was a Christian, and I mocked him, I cursed him, I cursed God. You know, I always made sure that Vince knew, you know, what my sin was that day or yesterday. I just kept him abreast, if you will.

He threw it in his face, huh? Right, right, hey, I'm going to smoke some of this, I'm going to get some coke, this, that, that, that. I just always told him what I was doing, and, you know, without exaggeration, the guy never, you know, thank God it was him and not other people. No judgment, no condemnation, obviously, knowing where he came from. And one day he showed me a picture of himself when he was a heroin addict, and I've seen a lot of people messed up and on drugs, but very rarely do you see someone so gone, like you look in their eyes and nobody's home.

That was him. And when I saw that picture, I, you know, I wasn't like, oh yes, give me Jesus, but it made me curious at that point to begin my own spiritual journey started at that point. I wanted to know what is true, is there such a thing as truth, can I find that, how would I go about that?

And so, you know, I asked Vince a lot of questions, he gave me the most instrumental book that I got was Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell. You know, that type of thing, I could tell you, you know, way more stories about how God just began to move and begin to open my eyes and begin to draw me to himself. You know, and so I got saved, I went to Bible college, but unfortunately, you know, I think the church can often not, we, you know, we want to get as many people in the door, but then we don't have much of a healing strategy. I'm not saying this is true of everyone, but you know, Jesus came to heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds. And so that was not a focus of mine for either in Bible college, you know, healing from your past wasn't really a focus a lot, you know, it was just you're saved, you're under the blood, now get out there and win the loss.

And so I was going home to do so, but then I crashed and burned about 10 years in and so that's when my healing journey started and I have PTSD and I have, you know, I'm still on a journey of healing and I think it probably will continue till I see him face to face. Well, and I think we all are, right, you know, we're a work in progress, every one of us, right, are a work in progress and yeah, I feel like, to agree with you, the only point of arrival is when we're standing face to face with Jesus, right, that's when we've truly arrived. Now let me, so let's pause there for a moment because you've got a fascinating story, Lisa, I think it's fascinating, and so you're working with this co-worker, I think he's Vince, and you see him as he is while you're working with him and then he flashes this picture of his, I'll just call it his old life, and you saw there was a noticeable difference from the picture.

I want our listeners just to really catch hold of what we're discussing today. So there's this picture that, in a picture, you know, the old expression is a picture's worth a thousand words, right, so the picture can't speak but it's speaking a thousand words, right, you're looking at it going, wow, okay, I know who I'm working with and this is not the same man that I'm seeing in this picture is what I'm hearing. And so it was evidence of a transformed life, right, so that puts you on this path of curiosity of like, okay, so maybe this God thing, maybe it is real, right, so it puts you on the path, because there's probably some listeners out there who may be right where you were at at one point or where Vince was at at one point and are wondering, is God real?

And so you encounter him, it sets you on this different path. Take a moment, Anthony, and talk about, you said the way you phrased it, 10 years in, you crashed, talk about that for a moment. Well, yeah, well, like I said, I went to Bible college, I was a minister for many years and I was just focused on everybody else and trying to help everybody else, you know, totally clueless about my own need and so I was engaged to be married, that's a whole other story, but the relationship ended and it was very rough. And so all my identity issues, you know, my sense of value and worth issues and things that, again, things I didn't really, I didn't really grow in the knowledge of these areas, you know. And so I was just exposed, you know, and so I just, you know, I had, I would say an emotional, spiritual meltdown for several years while I was just trying to, you know, figure out, you know, how did I get here? Why am I such a mess right now?

And how do I get out of this hole that I'm in? You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Nikita Kolof here and I am excited. Did you hear the huge announcement, the big announcement?

Well, maybe it's a minor announcement. Anyway, Facebook, go look up my new fan page, Nikita Kolof Fans, and like it and follow today. Many people often ask me, is Nikita Kolof your real name?

Well, I have news for you. Now you can get the whole story on my audio book, Nikita, A Tale of the Ring of Redemption, narrated in my own voice, gaining all perspective and insight into my whole life, including my redemption. Would your company, business, or you personally like to partner with me in supporting Kolof for Christ Ministries, the Man Up Show, and Man Up Minutes? Go to kolof.net and click the donate button.

You can give monthly, annually, or one time. God bless you for making a difference around the world. If you would like to support Kolof for Christ Ministries, for a gift of $25, Nikita will send you his two CDs, Adoration and Declaration. For a gift of $50, Nikita will include his book, Wrestling with Success. And for a gift of $100 or more, Nikita will include a signed copy of his newly updated life story, A Tale of the Ring and Redemption.

Go to www.kolof.net and donate today. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. So you said something, too, that really, again, piqued my attention because, you know, you talked about how, you know, maybe the church at large is, you know, we're about, hey, let's get people, quote, saved, right? Let's get them into the kingdom. But then what happens after that, right?

We just kind of move on. And the word that comes to mind is discipleship. And you mentioned healing as well, right? And, you know, I'll put a shameless plug in here for the man camp because that's one of the, when God gave Lex Luger and I the vision for man camp, it was to give men an opportunity, maybe men who, you know, just need restoration or need recovery or need their heart healed. And don't even realize they need their heart healed from something traumatic as far back as their childhood.

And it's been pretty amazing over the years and the stories that we've, you know, we've heard and the testimonies that we have since seen from men who make that commitment and come and attend. And of course, it's just one of many opportunities out there for men to be healed, for people to be healed, to go to different events and things like that. So that's what I hear you talking about as well is, so you're saved, but you weren't really receiving or in a position really for your heart to be healed. So you kind of crash and burn, so to speak, but then that sets you on a path of pursuing more healing then, correct?

Right. And I think, you know, the pastor that I was with most recently, a great guy, you know, he said you hit what you aim at. And I think, and that's always stuck with me. And, you know, I think, you know, what's important to us and what do we value? I think when we value people above all things, it's not about me, it's not about my ministry, it's not about the tasks that God has called me to perform. It's about, I mean, all those things are important, but ultimately, how well do I love people? And when you love people, you know, I always give the illustration of, it's like someone coming to your tennis camp and they have a cast on their arm and you put a tennis racket in their hand and say, and you're just instructing them and tell them to hit the ball and all these things.

But you're not addressing the fact that they have a cast on, you know what I mean? It's like if we really get to know people, and that's why I think discipleship is so important because, you know, it's beyond a service. It's about walking in community with people, you know, sharing your life with people as you get to know them and you hear their story and so forth. Then you begin to, you know, you have to be a rocket science, you don't have to be a prophet to begin to see, you know, where people are hurting. And then when you see the hurt, even if I don't have the answers, it's, you know, it's about, hey, how can we, let me acknowledge this, let me validate your pain. But then also, hey, how do we wrap arms around one another and say, hey, let's get some healing, let's get some help.

And that should be, you know, fundamental to the Christian experience, but I think for many people, it's literally foreign. Well, very valid, but I just validate those points that you've just made. And what a great illustration you gave. I've got a visual of the guy having a cast on his wrist because I've had casts on my body before, so I get that. And so you gave one where there's a very visible injury, but yet they're kind of ignoring the injury, right?

But when we talk about trauma, like what you've been describing in terms of your childhood, or, you know, we're going to jump in here transitioning in a moment to what you're doing to fight human trafficking. But, you know, even that, that atrocity, you know, some of those hurts or some of those wounds, if you will, are not as noticeable, right? I mean, you can't see, somebody has a broken heart, you can't really see a broken or wounded heart, but you bring a very valid point into this conversation that by having conversations with others and really getting to know them, you can then assess maybe where they're hurting and then have an answer, right? Have perhaps a solution to the problem, correct?

Right. I mean, ultimately we, I mean, we know Jesus is the answer, but I think sometimes it's like, you know, obviously there's his word and there's truth and there is, it's not always, just like you said, the injury is not always easy to see, nor is the answer easy to find. But I think where there's a heart of love, where there's a heart of commitment and compassion to one another, we can go on that journey together and we can get those answers asking, you should already seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be open. He is a healer of broken hearts.

Yes, he absolutely is. And so, so this, this, so let's fast forward in a sense from your days in ministry, from youth pastor to being a lead pastor, to what you're doing now as God has now led you into this fight against human trafficking. And you, you formed a company, a business, if you will, with a, I feel kind of a bit of an unusual name that might get somebody's attention though. Fight coffee, fight coffee.

It's like, what, what, fight, wait, wait, what? And so, talk to us about, take a minute, talk to us about what gave you the vision to develop this, this coffee company and then how it ties in with human trafficking. Sure. Well, um, I think I always, years ago I asked the Lord, how, how do we, um, uh, tap into the wealth? You know, the Bible says the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous. How, how, how would we tap into that? I was curious and I just had the idea of a cafe. People come to it from the community, they come in, they give you their money, right? And then my vision was when I've heard that like picture that I received that picture was a coffee shop and taking the money that I would give then a hundred percent of the profit back into the community. Right. Um, so I, I always had this kind of vision when I was, um, pastoring here in Gray, Maine, uh, we had a cafe, uh, but you know, a lot of people who are in the community, they don't want to step into a church building.

So it didn't, the cafe kind of, you know, it didn't happen. But so I always had that kind of dream. And so when I learned about human trafficking, I kind of had, I love coffee. I was passionate about that.

And so I was just kind of married mountain now, a new passion and a new calling with an old passion and love, and just kind of married those two in the name fight. When I realized that 1% of people were being rescued, I couldn't believe that number. I got, I just was blown away. I'm like, you know, if you call nine one, one, pretty much a hundred percent of the time, someone is going to respond.

If you are trafficked and you, you know, and you're out there and you're lost, you know, who's going to come and get you. So, um, and a little bit, I know when I named it, fight coffee, how much of a fight on every, you know, like in a war that, you know, every level. Yeah. Right.

Right. I mean, there's so many, uh, everything is a fight. Every little thing is a fight. Even to get people to respond is a fight.

Um, legislature, uh, children and to, to the, the hoops that many homes are not don't, they, they don't have homes for kids because of all the red tape that you have to go through to have a home for a child. So, I mean, at every level, it's a fight. So that's why I named it like coffee.

I know how much of a fight it would be. Yeah. And so it's interesting. So, so, so you've developed this coffee business at a hundred percent, a hundred percent of the profits to go to fighting human trafficking coffee with a mission.

And then the challenge is to join the fight against human trafficking. Right? So, so people can, can take a minute. Uh, we've got a few minutes left here. Take a minute and tell them why they would want to purchase your coffee, how they can do it and by doing it.

They're, they're, they are joining the fight right against you. Exactly. Exactly. Well, I mean, I would say coffee is obviously a hundred billion dollar industry. So a lot of coffee drinkers out there.

Yes. A lot of money. Imagine, imagine if Starbucks gave a hundred percent of their profit to fight human trafficking. That's, that's the vision that we have. If we could be a player at that level, just think how many lives in every state would be changed thousands in every state. So that, so that's, that's a good reason.

Another reason is most people don't know how much exploitation is going on in the coffee industry. Uh, on my, on my, um, um, webpage on the home page down on the, you, if you go to the bottom, you can click on the YouTube channel. There's a little story. Marco's story.

It's like two minutes. It's about a nine year old from Guatemala who works at 14 hours a day. He's vomiting because of the chemicals in the field. He's getting paid $5 a day. He's exhausted.

He's not going to school. And this is the price that, you know, they're paying a high price so we can enjoy coffee at a low price. Coffee.

Yes, it costs more because it's responsibly sourced. We have fair trade, organic, we have direct trade coffee. So, so that's, you know, from the coffee level, plus it's delicious. I mean, I, I hand select our roasters and pick the best that each one is offering. So, I mean, it's, it's delicious coffee.

People are always surprised. I just did a video about that. So, um, uh, on my Instagram and Facebook, but, um, how people can do it, it's super easy. Just go to fight coffee.org you place an order and there you go.

I mean, it's just that simple. I mean, if everybody just, if, if the, and especially if the believers, if you know, in the, um, when slavery was around in 18 hundreds, right? The church led the way in the fight against, uh, slavery. My prayer is that the church today, at least the coffee drinkers will be a part of leading the way in the fight just simply by, you know, by when they purchase the coffee, then we can give the funds to those on the front lines and say they're all struggling. They're all hurting there. There's organizations that are closing.

There are organizations that can do very little because they have very little support. So if we can fund them, our, our goal, if I coffee isn't to do everything, our goal is to fund those on the front line so that they can do more of what they, you know, are already doing, but struggling many are burning out. Um, so it's, it's, it's rough, but it's, so it's easy.

Just drink coffee. It's a fight. It's a fight.

As you said, everything is a fight. Well, and it's pretty amazing. So you can partner with fight coffee and, and fight human trafficking by purchasing their coffee. I mean, and I'm, you know, I'm looking at your website. I mean, you can do fundraisers, you know, church churches can get involved, the businesses, students, hospitals, celebrities, pro athletes.

I mean, there's a lot of avenues out there, uh, uh, on in terms of who could partner and, and help you, uh, spread the word. Uh, I love your, your quote from Martin Luther King, our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter. And so I appreciate you, Anthony McEwen, appreciate you being on the man up show today. Uh, last, last word. What, what, what do you want our listeners, you know, you're an overcomer.

We want to join in this fight. What's your last word to our listeners out there today? Yeah, I just encourage people to prayerfully consider, you know, um, moving with a heart of compassion. Uh, imagine it was your kid, your niece, your nephew, someone that you knew and loved that was being violated every day, multiple times a day. You know, many don't survive.

Uh, many commit suicide or killed, um, die of some, a sexually transmitted disease overdose. So I just, if people responded, I'm just encouraging people everywhere with a please respond with a heart of compassion. I guess that would be my encouragement.

That's awesome. And, and, and the, the website once again is a fight coffee.org fight coffee.org and you, you have a S you have Psalm 82 three on your website. And, and this just really, uh, I think that's very appropriate, which it says, defend the cause of the week and the fatherless maintain the rights of the poor and the oppressed. And man, I hope, uh, you out there in, in, in listening land today were inspired in some form or fashion by Anthony McEwen's story today.

And if you're a coffee drinker and Hey, even if you're not like for the record, I'm not a coffee drinker, but I'm willing to join the fight. And, and help, uh, rescue, rescue these women, rescue these children, uh, out of sex, slavery, sex, and human trafficking. And, uh, Anthony, thank you. Thank you for being a part of the man up show today and, and thank you for, for your vision and for what you're doing, man. I got, I just feel it's going to really continue to bless you and, and help you, uh, to, to grow this business and, and, and rescue others. So thank you so much for having me and thank each of you tuning in each and every week, uh, go out today and live a God field. God bless. This podcast is made possible by the grace of God and your faithful prayers, support, and generous gifts. May God bless you for your continual contributions.

Go to coloff.net and donate today. If you are enjoying the man up show, would you help us spread the word? Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your neighbors to download, subscribe, and leave a comment. Hi, Nikita Koloff. Be sure to check out the man up show now available on television, broadcast, and podcast. Go to MorningStarTV.com or the Truth Radio Network. Check out your local listings or better yet, download the Truth Network app today. Nikita Koloff here.

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