Mosquitoes, flooding, poison ivy, thunderstorms, and submerged trees. These are just a few of the things that Tim Cahill, Justin Blomgren, and Ethan Johnstone have experienced in the last six weeks as they kayaked down the Mississippi River. The trio began their odyssey on May 12 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when they placed their kayaks into the River and started downstream. They reached Hickman on Saturday, June 14.
 

            Jason Sipes, pastor of West Baptist Church in Hickman, and his wife, Kelly, learned of the group’s travels when they were contacted by a friend of the young men looking for a place for them to stay upon reaching Hickman. The three men, students at California Baptist University, began the trip camping out on the banks of the River each night but were forced to change their plans as flooding along the River made it impossible to make camp each night. Johnstone was hosted by the Sipes family while Cahill and Blomgren spent Saturday night with Chad and Tamra Parker of Hickman, also members of West Baptist Church.
 

            On Sunday, June 15, the kayakers shared the reason for their adventure with the members of West Baptist. Last summer, one of the men suggested a journey down the Mississippi in kayaks. One thing led to another and the idea of a trip to raise awareness of human trafficking began to take shape. The men are now busy paddling down the River and speaking in churches wherever they are able spreading the word about and raising funds to fight the injustice of human trafficking. With a goal of raising $20,000.00 for the International Justice Mission, the men are well on their way having raised over $12,000.00 as of June 15. The International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression.