Two American Christians are traveling to Pakistan to free fellow believers trapped in modern-day slavery. Aaron Hutchings from Idaho and Emmanuel Hernandez from Project Jubilee have already rescued dozens of families from bonded labor in the country's brick-making industry.
Up to one million Christians are caught in debt bondage in Pakistan, according to Open Doors UK. After paying off their debts, Hutchings and Hernandez escort families to freedom, covering legal fees, rent, food, and providing a tuk-tuk for income. The average cost per family is $8,500.
Bonded labor was outlawed in Pakistan in 1992, but enforcement remains weak. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom noted escalating attacks against religious minorities in the country. Hernandez says 98% of those rescued are Christians, who are treated as second-class citizens.
Hutchings, retired from IT, started Intentional Faith Foundation after his first trip in January 2025. He returned in May to free ten more families. He calls the work transformative, saying, "I believe God's hand was in it from the beginning."