JoAnne Pounds

JoAnne Pounds

Rev. JoAnne Pounds is an Ordained Elder in Full Connection (Pastor) in the United Methodist Church currently serving two small congregations in rural northeast Louisiana: Mer Rouge and Memorial United Methodist Churches as well as coordinator of the Morehouse Parish (County) Ministerial Alliance. She understands her primary calling is to function as a “tendon” or “ligament” in the Body of Christ (see Ephesians 4:15) — connecting people and organizations in unexpected ways in order to empower the church universal. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX), Truman State University (Kirksville, MO), and Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, AR). Some of her favorite pastimes are spoiling her nephews and niece, pampering her cats, painting, and square-dancing (pre-pandemic).

Noticing human trafficking

I learned some possible signs of persons who might be in danger: living with the employer, poor living conditions, multiple people in cramped spaces, inability to speak to the individual alone, answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed, the employer is holding identity documents, signs of physical abuse, being unpaid or paid very little.

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