The band Act of Congress performs during the 2025 Light of the World benefit concert hosted by Into the Light. (Submitted)
Into the Light’s mission “is to provide refuge and restoration for minor survivors of sexual exploitation and to bring awareness and education to the issue of human sex trafficking.”
Formed in 2015, Into the Light has been rescuing and caring for victims of sex trafficking for 10 years. They currently serve 31 counties in Northwest, North Central, and Central Arkansas.
On Friday, Nov. 14, the organization hosted the 2025 Light of the World benefit concert at the Arkansas Baptist Children & Family Ministries building in Little Rock. The theme for the evening was Darkness in Light. The emcee of the event was Matt Foster, human trafficking coordinator for the Arkansas State Police.
During the event, attendees heard an Into the Light update from Gretchen Smeltzer, founding board member and executive director. Additionally, Smeltzer is a Southern Baptist. She and her husband, Jon, are church planters, planting Summit Bible Church in Mountain Home.
Smeltzer shared how over 10 years ago, “God led a regular group of everyday Arkansans to understand a dark reality occurring right in front of us and all around us. Child Sex Trafficking.”
“I am sure, like me, those three words conjure up all kinds of emotions – fear. Anger. Horror. Sadness. Vengeance. ‘God, how? If this is happening to children in Arkansas, how do we stop it? How do we help the victims?’ And God’s response to me, and to our founding board, was clear: Bring the darkness into the Light,” Smeltzer said.
Ten years ago, Smeltzer walked into an Arkansas Juvenile Detention Center for the first time with a simple desire and willingness to answer that call. She sat with two girls – half-sisters – with a desire to connect with them, equip them with understanding what trafficking was, how they could protect themselves, and to let them know there were people here to help if this was happening to them.
Both shared their daily realities of being trafficked and that as soon as they got out of jail, they would be right back with their trafficker. They had no other option. He would be the one picking them up.
“And the reality? I had nothing to offer them. No swift intervention. No law enforcement partners with understanding. No collaborative community partners. Just a compassionate and understanding heart… and the grave realization that this is real. This is happening. And it was time to bring light to the darkness,” Smeltzer said.
Fast forward to early 2024. When a victim of sex trafficking was desperately trying to leave her trafficker and called out for help, Smeltzer said the army was there. An army of knowledgeable and compassionate law enforcement, understanding prosecutors, established community partnerships to meet crisis needs and provide long-term stability, and a team of trained advocates.
“Almost two years later, this survivor remains free. The trafficker is behind bars. She is safe, stable, and now pursuing her college degree – with her army still surrounding her,” Smeltzer said.
“Since that day in May 2015, when the dark reality of child trafficking smacked me in the face, I am beyond grateful to say God has allowed Into the Light to provide crisis intervention, coordinated community response, advocacy, and long-term mentorship to 589 victims of sex trafficking and exploitation – most between the ages of 12 and 15 when we first begin serving them.”
The work of Into the Light is grounded in three pillars: Christ, Connection, and Collaboration.
Smeltzer said their team follows the call of Micah 6:8: “What does the Lord require of you, oh man, but to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”
“We know we cannot have the wisdom or strength to seek justice or show God’s mercy without a daily, moment-by-moment dependence on Him. Ultimately, ending child trafficking is God’s heart – and we trust Him to equip us to do this work,” she said.
Their efforts are also rooted in establishing healthy, safe, trust-built relationships.
“Victims of child trafficking have been harmed at the deepest levels of identity and humanity. Traffickers have exploited their need for connection, safety, love, and belonging. Rebuilding these basic human needs takes time, consistency, and presence. Our team is committed for the long haul,” Smeltzer said.
Of the 589 they’ve served, Into the Light is currently providing long-term services to 125 survivors, and on average they walk alongside survivors for two years.
But they cannot do this work alone. Smeltzer said it takes local, state, and federal partnerships and a shared understanding that this crime is real; it is here, and victims need swift and sustained intervention.
In the last ten years, they have established relationships with the Arkansas Juvenile Justice System, partnered for nine years with the Centers for Youth and Families to ensure victims in their residential program receive specialized advocacy, served as a key victim-service provider in establishing the FBI Arkansas Human Trafficking & Child Exploitation Task Force, partnered with the Department of Child & Family Services to support trafficked children in foster care, coordinated with the Attorney General’s Office and the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council to provide effective services to victims of human trafficking, supported the Arkansas State Police human trafficking investigators, and are currently partnering with the Child Protection Center to build a specialized multidisciplinary response for high-risk and identified victims in Pulaski County.
“I think about those two sisters often. If our advocate met them today, things would be so different. A small army has been built. There would be intervention. There would be safety. There would be hope,” Smeltzer said.
But this is still not true everywhere. In the 31 counties they currently serve, collaborative partnerships still need to be strengthened. And there are more than 35 counties in Arkansas with no specialized advocacy services at all to meet the complex needs of survivors.
“But hear me clearly: We are committed,” Smeltzer told those in attendance. “We are committed to leaning fully on Christ. We are committed to building healthy, safe relationships with victims. We are committed to expanding collaborative partnerships across every county in this state. And we are committed to ending child trafficking in Arkansas. … But we cannot do this alone. Just as that survivor prayed for an army, we need an army behind us now.And that is where you come in.”
Smeltzer invited folks to be prayer partners and to give, if they felt called to do so, stating when they give to Into the Light it’s not just a donation. “It is an act of justice. It is an act of mercy. It is a declaration that children in Arkansas are worth fighting for,” she said. “When you give tonight, you help build the response that didn’t exist for those two sisters. You help create safety, stability, and hope for the next child that needs swift intervention. The task is big – but with Christ, and with this community, it is possible.”
In addition to Smeltzer, attendees heard words from Into the Light Central Arkansas Director of Advocacy Peggy Tillman and Chris Carter, a founding board member. Furthermore, attendees heard a survivor perspective, read by Reagan Webb, a Central Arkansas advocate. Into the Light also recognized Melissa Dawson, president and CEO of The Centers, with the Champion of Light Award.
Following the program, the band Act of Congress took the stage, playing originals, covers, and even a few Christmas tunes.
For more information on how to be a prayer partner or volunteer, visit intothelightus.org.