By Steve Rees —
A soul-stirring anthem that shines a bright light on the horrifying darkness of human trafficking – originally written by one of the most anointed voices in modern worship – debuted live at a summit exposing sex- and modern-day slavery.
Written by worship artist, musician, vocalist and project leader Jared Anderson of “Glorified,” “Amazed,” “Rescue,” and “Great I Am” acclaim, the anthem titled “A Thousand Rescues” moved audiences at United To Stop Anti-Trafficking.
Anderson, formerly connected to Desperation Band and presently with New Life Church and Worship in Colorado Springs, Colorado, shared the emotional ballad with band members and friends who first recorded, then performed “A Thousand Rescues” live at the Colorado House of Prayer in Fort Collins.
The annual anti-trafficking event – vigorously supported and promoted by dozens of Christ-centered ministries – draws survivors, faith-based groups assisting them, elected officials and law enforcement to the battle, this year on May 17-18.
Anderson’s victorious anthem builds musically and lyrically from the hopelessness of captivity to the glorious freedom of rescue, encouraging captives and motivating listeners in the fight against human trafficking and sex slavery. Listen here: A Thousand Rescues (youtube.com)
Featuring worship artist Shauna Chanda (Zimbelman) and the Old Guy Revival – all friends and collaborators – “A Thousand Rescues” was arranged, recorded and engineered by Dave Beegle Music.
Anderson, who is friends with the Colorado worship leaders, graciously offered the song as a weapon of warfare, said Jeff Coleman, who is a member of Old Guy Revival.
On his Facebook page, Anderson honored a courageous trafficking survivor, calling her the epitome of “A Thousand Rescues” – a cry of quiet desperation and jubilant redemption.
Worship artist Chanda (Zimbelman), whose energetic, Holy Spirit-anointed voice is featured on “A Thousand Rescues,” introduced a woman she called “a brave survivor, one precious life and example of who the song is about” on Facebook before they met in person at United To Stop.
Ultimately rescued from a strip club where she was trafficked, Cassandra Hammond abused alcohol and drugs for a decade – making her an easy target for perpetrators. She eventually was owned as “property” by an organized crime family.
Hammond was branded like cattle, identifying her as property by criminals across five states and in 27 strip joints.
None of the profits for the club reached Hammond; she in fact had to meet a quota set by her pimp before eating or sleeping.
Physical abuse and fear were methods of controlling Hammond, as well as threats of harm to her loved ones.
Today married to her best friend and the mother of four children, Hammond plans to courageously share her harrowing tale as a captive at events like United To Stop summit, where she and at least one other trafficking survivor heard “A Thousand Rescues” live.
“From the first time I heard it, the lyrics resonated with me in so many ways. Memories of living in Las Vegas, the red lights and strip clubs bombarded me – things I’ve not thought of for nine years,” Hammond said from her home in Montana.
Emotional tears of sadness and happiness – remembering her captivity and rescue – swell within Hammond listening to the anthem dedicated to victims of human slavery.
“I’m overwhelmed with gratitude that God saved me from the pit of hell,” said Hammond.
Sharing her ordeal at United To Stop was a first for Hammond but hopefully not the last experience to encourage and alert audiences to the growing, harsh reality that precious lives are owned and used by humans.
“I’m done hiding behind my pain,” Hammond said. “I’m ready to share my story and help raise awareness as this is a very real thing that happens in our backyard,” she added.
Hammond hopes to meet Anderson, who still serves as a worship team member at New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
There and around the nation, Anderson continues to lead people into the Lord’s presence through worship at churches and conferences.
Hammond was fortunate to meet Chanda (Zimbelman), who masterfully debuted “A Thousand Rescues” at United To Stop first in Fort Collins, and then at a nearby high school the second night of the summit.
“She’s fantastic, energetic, kind, genuine, beautiful. I could feel the Holy Spirit moving through her,” said Hammond.
Collaboration on “A Thousand Rescues” – from Anderson, Old Guy Revival to Chanda (Zimbelman) – was bittersweet from conception.
“I speak for everybody who is involved in fighting human trafficking when I say we would rather be doing almost anything else. It is so sinister and evil that it makes you seriously question the nature of man.
“We take hope solely in the fact that God overcame the evil of man by the sacrifice of his Son and that gives us strength and courage to continue to contend daily with this earthly scourge,” said Jeff Coleman of Old Guy Revival.
“A Thousand Rescues” lyrics:
Take my heart inside your hands, can you feel it start to dance
Break my body to the bone
Trample every ounce of gold
With the red lights we multiply the shadows
In the daylight we hide away in plain sight
I need a thousand rescues bring me with you
So much I’ve already been through pull me out
Of a red world blinding my eyes
It’s a dead world I’m in tonight
When your arms can’t feel the rain
When you grow used to numbing the pain
There’s a whisper there’s a prayer inside a nightmare
And we wonder if anybody’s out there
Cause we need a thousand rescues bring us with you
So much we’ve already been through pull us out
Of the red world blinding our eyes
It’s a dead world we’re in tonight
Out of the fire pure gold up from disaster beautiful
Out of the fire pure gold up from disaster beautiful
Please don’t deny it cause I can’t fight this on my own
I need to be rescued
I need a thousand rescues
I need a thousand rescues I’m asking you
So much I’ve already been through
I need you now
Take my heart inside your hands, you can help it dance again
