Pastor's ride fights slavery in Ukraine

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) - There was nothing but joy Thursday night on the road to an Orchard Park church. The church's pastor returned home after a month-long mission on his bike.

Even as they caught sight of the welcoming party from the Wesleyan Church of Orchard Park, Pastor Todd Glendenning and church member Bill Graves had others on their minds.

They said, "Our hearts are with the kids in Ukraine."

The pair have been pedaling an underground railroad route over the past month to bring awareness to what's called, "modern day slavery in Ukraine." Their journey began in Alabama.

Graves said, "It's a big issue down there, obviously, because that's where the slavery issue started for America. So you had a lot of interest in it along those lines down south."

This church has worked in Ukraine for almost a decade, trying to help children who are turned out of orphanages at age 16 and fall prey to human traffickers.

"Use them, exploit them for their own purposes, usually sexual things. It's sad, it's brutally sad. And its a major problem there," explained Pastor Glendenning.

Pastor Glendenning says a church group has just left for Ukraine to continue the church's mission on behalf of orphans there. He says they need education, support, and hope.

Pastor Glendenning preached, "I've been over three times myself, so it makes, it's even more tender to my heart because I've seen the kids. I know, I've met kids and I know that this is a real problem."

For more information about the church's work in Ukraine, follow this link .