SERT Team Ministries
Pastor Rudy and Lori Gonzalez
Endorsement Letter
February 25, 2013​

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To whom it may concern:

We are writing this letter as an Endorsement for Pastor Rudy and Lori Gonzalez of SERT Ministries International. Before we go too far we would like to share our story.
On January 11, 2013 our 15 year old daughter ran away from home. We had very few clues of where she had gone. A few days later we received a phone call from a woman saying that our daughter was safe but wouldn’t tell us where she was. We were able to track down the information and later found out that our daughter was in Sacramento, California. We were told that our daughter first went to Portland, Oregon by bus and was contacted by a 30 year old ex-convict that was willing to pay her for sex. Our daughter told the women that she didn’t do anything but that he gave her money to travel by bus to Sacramento anyway. For the next four weeks information on where our daughter might be became convoluted and didn’t make sense. We were in contact with several Law Enforcement agencies in Oregon and California with little information to go on. After the first week of our daughter being gone, we started a Facebook Page to encourage anyone that might know something to come forward. No leads became available. What was remarkable was the steady support of the Lord and prayers that came from ordinary people reading about our daughter.

About three weeks after our daughter left I was contacted by Pastor Rudy Gonzalez and SERT Ministries. Pastor Rudy was so comforting in that initial call. He offered his assistance in trying to find our daughter. He shared what his ministry was about and prayed with me for the safe return of our daughter. We were in the process of planning a search with volunteers on Friday, February 8, 2013. Pastor Rudy and his team said they would meet me there and would be willing to help in the search. We were overjoyed with this outpouring of love and generosity for our daughter.

On the day before I left for Sacramento, California I was over whelmed with apprehension and fear of what the next few days would bring. I had no idea who these people were and what they were offering to help me. I found myself going back and forth from believing that some type of miracle was going to happen, to this is all fake and all these people want is money and notoriety. On my way down to Sacramento, Pastor Rudy called me and said that they were all set to meet with me the next morning. My apprehension left me and I felt like God was leading every step I was going to take over the next few days.

On Friday morning, I showed up early at the location where we were going to set up our base station for the search. I’m sure I was at least two hours early. I wondered around the area aimlessly feeling like I was living a dream. Again, I was full of doubts and disbelief that these people who graciously offered to help my family would really show up and help. Promptly at 0900 Pastor Rudy and the SERT team did indeed show up. They were so full of love and strength in Jesus that I could feel it immediately. I’m not one to show my emotions in public but when Pastor Rudy showed up and gave me a hug, I broke down and wept. He and Lori both started out by praying with me and asking God to guide us through this process. It was so overwhelming but so real.

The first steps were to set up a command post in my motel room where the SERT team could set up computers and surveillance equipment that they would use as intelligence became available. The team members were so thorough and professional. They continually checked in with me to see how I was doing and if I had any concerns. During the first few hours of the search, they were gathering leads and running down possible tips. I was amazed at what I saw. It became so evident that Human Trafficking was alive and real in very big way. I felt so naive. I was seeing things for the very first time that I would have never recognized. There were so many stories within this story. What impressed me is that the SERT team took every opportunity to reach out to anyone that they saw that was in need while still focusing on searching for our daughter.

One example of that (there were many), was late that evening when we were waiting for Sacramento PD to meet us at a restaurant.  The SERT team had seen a young homeless couple during the day and they were taking shelter in the restaurant that we were in. Pastor Rudy’s team remembered them and approached them and bought them dinner and shared Gods word with them all while working on trying to find our daughter. As I said earlier, they pay attention and see things that most of us would never see. I offered to help monetarily as well but the SERT team refused. That impressed me so much!!! They were focused on delivering God’s word.
That part of this endorsement is so important.  We as a society are to busy and close our eyes to these less fortunate people and their perils. I have always thought that it’s their fault and they should be able to get themselves out of these situations. I no longer have that belief. My eyes were open so many times. I do have to say that there were several times that I thought to myself, are these people real. When are they going to ask for money? When will this stop being God’s mercy on this situation and start being man’s greed?  It never happened. Every time I would thank the SERT team for this or that, they would always say thank the Lord or “God is great”. That said, I am a Christian I have attended church regularly for a long time. I can truthfully say that I have never felt as close to God as I felt that day with this great group of people doing His work. I pray that everyone that reads this will at least one time in their life feel the love and closeness I felt with God during this time of crisis. I so want that to continue.
As the day wore on the SERT team met with the women that had the last contact with my daughter. These meetings took place over the day and slowly started to provide leads that would eventually produce my daughter. Pastor Rudy and the group are experts in extracting and processing information that they get when questioning people. One great example of that was when Lori had a conversation with one of the women that had been with my daughter. I believed every word this person was saying but Lori had a very different take on the situation, which proved to be accurate.

I wish I could articulate how much gratitude and respect I have for this fine group of people. They are truly inspired by God. As a family we have a long road of healing ahead of us. We place our faith in God that things will work out and that the healing will take place. My family will always be grateful to Pastor Rudy, Lori and the SERT team. They are truly doing God’s work. Supporting their efforts is a blessing that came from a very traumatic event in our lives. Our Endorsement of their God inspired work is from the heart. We have experienced the mercy that God has for all of us. He is using this fine group of people to rescue those that are lost in a world of deceit and sin. We are no longer naïve to the evils that are all around us. As long as this world exists there will always be a need for people doing God’s work. Our daughter will now have a chance to grow up and be a productive member of society.
Thank you,
Pat and Kim Williams