The Cambodia Initiative was another life-changing trip. Through your prayer, your thoughts, or your support, you helped change lives. We were able to raise $12,000 to purchase a farm for the orphanage in Kampong Tong that will now allow them to become self-sustaining. There are fields for vegetables to be grown, two ponds that will store thousands of fish, a mushroom hut, and pens full of quail and chicken. Soh-Kohan is our contact. His life was transformed when he accepted Christ after being involved in a gang for most of his life. Since then, he has not stopped dreaming and has established a church and the orphanage. His vision continues to grow, and because of people like him, the reality of Christ’s love is growing across Cambodia. I really believe the church is rising in Cambodia.
VILLAGE MINISTRY
The first four days we were there we did village ministries. We went to three villages each day where we played with the kids and then shared the gospel. We brought what we called a floating carnival to each village, where we set up games such as bowling, pin the tail on the monkey, ring toss, and more and allowed the kids to go to each station and have fun. We also did face paintings and let the children make paper bag puppets. It was interesting because Cambodian culture is very reserved, and each village was different in how to interact with the people. They definitely were seeking love and encouragement, and it was an enjoyable challenge to find the most efficient ways to display it.
At each village we performed dramas to share who Christ is and what He did for us. The first one was called the Cure, showing that God made everything perfect and beautiful, but Satan came in and destroyed the world, breaking hearts, casting sickness upon us, and blinding us. But Christ died on the cross and freed us from these sicknesses, so we don’t’ have to suffer anymore. Our second drama was called Bondage. In this drama there was a girl in a chain in which Satan had a hold of. To his side were groups of demons reaching for the girl. Satan would pull and jerk her around and lead her into temptations of drunkedness, greed, and bad relationships. It was intense and she was fighting it but could not get out because she was bound by the chain. Her only hope was the outstrected arm of the man on the other side, Jesus. She longed for him, but could not reach him. So Jesus came in, took the chain off the girl, put it upon himself, and then was hung on the cross. But then he came back freed from the chain, overcoming all evil. He showed the girl that there was no more chain, and she didn’t have to live in bondage ever again.
After this drama, we explained to them through translators what it signified and how they too could be freed of their brokenness. So we invited them to accept Christ, and village after village, hands after hands were being raised. The Cambodian people longed for something, something to give them hope and rescue them from the chains of their bondage. We were able to share it with them, and then connect them to the nearest church from their village. They will forever be changed by this message.
And then we had an alter call for healings. Christ says in his word that God wants to heal us, and we believe that with every ounce of our being. And the thing about people overseas, is they don’t question it. They are so expectant and ready to be healed, that they in fact have more faith than those of us who have known Christ all of our lives. That week blind eyes were restored, pain-ridden bodies were healed completely, and growths and sicknesses were suppressed.
HEALING TESTIMONY
In one village, there was a woman who had extreme pain in her back and hips. The day before they had church, and she could hardly sit through the service because she was in so much pain. They told her to come the next day when the American missionaries were there so we could pray for her, but she said she had to work. Well she ended up skipping work and coming anyways. At the end of the drama as we were approaching the healing alter call, the woman was standing up in front of our team, ready and expectant for prayer. You better believe she got healed that very moment! She immediately started dancing and giving praise to God.
Her faith was a testimony to another woman in the village who was 80-years old and had been blind since age 20. We prayed so intensely for her and then God healed her too! On the link to the pictures, watch the video of the three women stretching and dancing. We were about to leave the village, and they were the only three left. We were debriefing, talking about the site, and they were in the background showing off to each other! The lady in the black was the first woman who couldn’t sit through the service the night before but was healed immediately. The lady crouched down was the blind 80-year old woman. The lady in the white was another one who got healed. And the other lady was a friend they were witnessing to.
SHE RESCUE HOME
The last few days we went to the capital city Pnom Penh. There we volunteered with the She Rescue Home, which is a secure haven for young Cambodian girls who had been effected by sex trafficking. We began by listening to the grueling facts and statistics behind the industry. It wasn’t just teenage girls being effected, but girls as young as 3. And sadly enough the rate at which the industry is effecting young boys is growing quickly too. After getting a tour of the facilities, we went to the safe home and met the girls. Little did we expect to see girls on average of 7 or 8 years old. They ran up to us with huge smiles and playful hearts, and it was nearly impossible to believe these girls had the past that they did. They were so full of joy and love. The first day we made jewelry with them. There were two little girls I helped, Hannah and Malis, and I quickly found myself growing close in God’s love to them. The next day we came back, and to my surprise, as soon as the two girls saw me they ran into my arms! I felt on top of the world at that moment but very humbled too. I couldn’t believe that girls with these kinds of pasts would have the strength or will to enjoy life with as much zest as these girls had.
We had the best time playing games and giggling together. Praise God for restoration! At the end of the day, Hannah asked if I would write my name on her hand. As soon as I did, she ran back to her desk, wrote something down, and came back with a picture she had colored for me. It was one of the most meaningful gifts I’ve ever received. We weren’t able to take pictures with the girls due to confidentiality, but I am so happy I had something to remember her by. Those girls were so special, and it is so visible that the love of God is being poured into each and every one of them!
PRECIOUS WOMEN
We also got to volunteer one night with the Precious Women’s organization. There we took about four groups of three people each to the “Beer Gardens” where we were able to make conversation with the exploited women who work there. We ended our conversations by inviting the women to our party that next morning at the Precious Women home. There they would provide food and fun, and ultimately the message of Christ. That morning several women came, and it was so amazing to see our Cambodian sisters relay the message of Christ to these women in such a passionate and heart felt way. Many lives were touched because of the hearts of the women
at Precious Women’s Home.
NIGHT OF REFUGE
Then the Night of Refuge. The night that changed our hearts forever. We went out into the red light district in groups of three, one guy and two girls each. The bar we went to was called Red Bar. We walked in and there was a white man at the bar with a girl massaging his shoulders. As disgusted as we were, we had to ignore it. If we’d have gotten too worked up, it only would’ve ruined the whole reason we had came there. So we just asked if we could take some girls to our party, just for a fun night. It only cost us $5 per girl. But regardless they were super excited, and soon enough we got our six girls and headed to back to meet up with the team. Their names were Sombat, Makara, Mymy, Anna, Emily, and Adda. They were sooo excited. We talked and laughed and sang all the way up to the meeting point, which happened to be the boat that we rented and decorated just for them.
The boat was gorgeous-lights strung up everywhere, sweet treats all over, and full music and entertainment! We danced with the girls and sang the night away, while the guys stood back for the night, showing respect and servanthood in any way they could. And as the party went on, many of the girls began to open up and share their lives with us. None of them wanted to do what they were doing. Makara had to support not just her brothers and sisters, but her cousins and nieces and nephews.
Then at the brisk of the night, we performed our dramas for the girls. Showing them that the enemy puts us in a chain of bondage, and it feels like we can’t get out. But that Jesus died and set us free of that. Sooo many of the girls related to that message. Our team director, Christa, continued to pour life into the girls, telling them that they are worth more than gold to God and that He wants to be there for them. One of the girls in our group turned to us and said with a desperate heart and longing eyes, “I want it, I want it.”
And then there was Sombat-the one that God showed to me when I prayed the prayer, break my heart for what breaks yours. She was an older woman for the business, maybe in her 30s or late 20s. She was rigid at first, and as the night went on became a little more loose, and by the end was talking and smiling. But after the drama and the message, she had become broken of everything. Tears streamed down her face as she told us how her story.
She was married previously, but her husband would beat her everyday. So she divorced him after several long years. She had three children, one of whom was very sick. They each lived in Vietnam with her parents, who were sick as well. She worked at the bar to send them money to help pay the bills. So everynight she comes home to an empty house and just cries. She has nobody. She can never sleep, maybe getting two hours of sleep a night, because of the tears and the pain. She was completely broken and hanging on by a thread. And God just tore my heart in two for her. The tears came, and God gave me such a steadfast and devout love for her. She gave her life to the only hope that was left that night, and I am believing and praying for her strength. Our love and empathy can only go so far, but the Holy Spirit can take these girls farther than we could ever imagine. So that is just one of the several stories from that night, much less from the trip. God worked through us and in us, and through our brothers and sisters of Cambodia. I am so thankful for the support that has been given in any and every way possible. So thank you!
-Bonnie
