Tom Randall, an Ohio pastor who was charged with human trafficking in the Philippines at an orphanage he founded, has been vindicated. Randall was released from a Manila detention center, and all charges have been dropped.
According to CBN News, 31 orphans, including seven under the age of 18, say they’ve been routinely raped at the group home since 2005. The victims claimed Randall was aware of the rapes but failed to get involved.
“We are so grateful and know it was all of you praying unceasingly for us,” Karen Randall wrote on the ministry’s Facebook page. “We are so grateful! It was a very long day of waiting for signatures but finally around 7:00 p.m. I got word that he had been released. (It would not have happened without your bold and persistent prayers. There were lots of details that had to be taken care of that we had not anticipated.)”
The update indicates there’s more work to do, though. Some of the ministry’s workers are still facing charges, although the charges were modified and bail is now an option. There’s another hearing on Wednesday, after which Randall’s associates can wait at home until the trial.
