Sues'day! (that's hello in the Khmer language) First of all I would like to thank you for all your prayers for our group during this trip. We truly appreciate all your support. This mission/vision trip so far has been pretty amazing. It's difficult to describe in words the experiences that I've gone through the past week. Everywhere we went there was brokeness, from just seeing the endless poverty on the streets when we're travelling in our van and hearing tragic stories of orphans and victims of sex trafficking. But despite seeing all this darkness I do see hope for this country. I see God setting beacons of light to slowly change things for the better, through the churches, orphanages, and NGOs. For me it has been a while since I've visited a third-world developing country and I am reminded of all the corruption and struggles that are faced with the people at these places. Although I am still processing everything here there were a few experiences that really moved me spiritually. One was our attendance at the church service at New Hope for Orphans. Eventhough I didn't understand their language the majority of the time during the sermon and worship I felt really joyful just to be in the same room praising God with them. Despite our differences in culture and background we are all related as brothers and sisters in Christ. I was also thinking of our church service back home and seeing some things that might be still lacking, one is the disconnection I still feel sometimes and not really having that family feel. Hanging out with the numerous orphans that we visited was also a great experience. It's encouraging to see how strong spirited these children are despite all their tragic family backgrounds. I truly believe the struggles that God put in our lives will make us stronger people. For these children I can see them growing up to be leaders of this country. Visting Hagar, one of the christian NGOs here, was pretty inspirational. Social enterprises that just focus to make money for social causes is so different from the typical corporate mentality back at home. All enterprises should be social enterprises is the philosphy of one of the Hagar staff. Well there are still so much other stories that I have yet to share but honestly I don't really like blogging :) So I hope to share more with you guys in person when I return.

-John

It's been interesting waking up each day thinking that you know what is going to happen but as the day progresses, God inserts mini detours along the way.


Our first activity Friday was attending the building dedication ceremony for the Pursat orphanage. We were all suprised at grandeur of the event as the provincial governor was an honored guest, along with a few other government officials. The governor, who is not Christian, shared a mini-biography about his life that was pretty inspirational. He too was an orphan whose parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge. He encouraged all the orphans at the ceremony that anything is possible for them as well. The governor also shared that he was amazed that coming from such a business-oriented profession, that the people of our church would just give money to build an orphanage all the way across the world. Who would have thought that the orphanage itself would be a witnessing tool to others in the community, especially the provincial governor?


The next item on our agenda was to meet with Yeng from Chab Dai to learn more about sex trafficking. Instead, we were asked to drop off some people at the Kompong Chhnang orphanage since they were on our way back to Phnom Penh. The drop-off turned into a mini-visit and we were all worried about the time since we had to get back to meet with Yeng. I'm really glad that we stopped there because Boeurn showed us these wells that were dug a couple years ago. At first there was no water and the orphanage did not have water to shower, drink, or cook, so they just prayed. After several days, water appeared. We were all amazed at the faith they had to simply leave up it to God to provide such a basic necessity to live. Later I spoke with one of the orphanage parents and asked some questions about the orphans, which he told me all of their parents died of HIV. I didn't know HIV was so prevalent here, which is really sad because it shows how prevalent the trafficking and prostitution industry is.

Our last stop was our visit to Svay Pak, a small village 30 minutes outside Phnom Penh, that is well-known for using children for sex. This was the most horrific, but eye-opening experience of our visit. The moment we jumped outside our van I could feel this overwhelming darkness and evil present. Yeng first showed us the community church, Rahab's House, which was a former brothel. He gave us a tour and showed us a small room that they had preserved that used to be a cell where they would lock a child in while waiting for customers to come in. It was surreal to be standing in a building where so much pain, suffering and evil took place. I tried to imagine what everything looked like before it was converted to a church. Next, Yeng took us around the community and pointed out which buildings were brothels, even though they had a front of another business like a coffee shop. The fact that children were locked in those buildings and we physically could not do anything about it broke my heart. There were also other small children about 5-9 years old following us around. Yeng asked the guys in our group to stay close as he explained that some children might come up to the guys and offer sex to them. Standing in the midst of the village gave me an overwhelming sense of fear, pain, hopelessness as the children stared at us and the villagers watched us walk around. I couldn't help but ask God how this could happen; how people could be so heartless and cold-blooded. I wrestled with so many emotions.

Yeng quickly scurried us back as the sun was setting and he warned us that customers would start coming by and we needed to leave for our saftey. Although there is so much pain, brokeness, and suffering in that community, the fact that the church was present gave me hope and showed that God is working.

~christine

Prayer Requests

God has really been reminding us about the power and importance of prayer. We met all day with several people at the Hagar Shelter today and Hagar International Office. Each person independently incorporated prayer into their conversations with us in different contexts, both on personal and global levels.

Our team has been encouraged by your thoughts and prayers. With this please continue to pray for health and safety of our team. Victor and Jake are now not feeling well and are starting to develop cold symptoms. On top of that our team has to leave Phnom Penh by 4:30am and drive out 3-4 hours to the Pursat orphanage for the building dedication ceremony where Victor is supposed to be speaking at.

Thank you for your continued support!

HAGAR: Social rehabilitation; Economic empowerment

Today our team visited Hagar, which is an ''organization committed to the recovery and empowerment of women and children who are victims of human rights abuse; particularly human trafficking, sexual exploitation and domestic violence." We met up with Aimee, who is the Communications Director and were able to tour one of the shelter facilities where women and children who have been raped, sexually abused or are victims of domestic violence live. We were also able to see firsthand one of the counseling rooms where group and individual therapy for these women takes place. We ate lunch at Hagar's training Bistro (where the women are trained before they are actually hired on for their Catering Business, which is one of Hagar's Social Enterprises.) Before we ate, we were able to meet with one of the women, Srey Neang, who was the victim of an acid burning. Her face, hands and neck are severely scarred because of what was done to her, and we were informed that this is a common occurence and oftentimes happens because of jealous rage. Battery acid is purchased easily at any market. She shared with us how she felt suicidal upon entering the shelter, and how being a part of Hagar and going through counseling and their career pathways program helped her believe that she was worthy of living again. Now she works for a tailoring botique named Ëlsewhere and she is one of the best seamstresses there. She was quoted in a newsletter and shared with us today saying: Ï do not want to die anymore, I want to survive. Before I was so weak and always wore a mask when I would go anywhere. But now I am strong and recognize myself. If I do not recognize myself, society also does not recognize me."

She hopes to one day open up her own dress shop.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 58: 6-14

For me personally and professionally, visiting Hagar was something I felt very close to my heart. I was very impressed with Hagar's training and holistic approach. They believe in fully investing in the women and children that come into their shelters: spiritually, educationally, emotionally & mentally, even though it is extremely costly. They believe this because they have tried and seen that beyond prayer, it is the only way that works for these people to be reintegrated into society effectively after the horrible atrocities that have been done to them. They truly believe that only with God can the pain and wounds of sexual trafficking, domestic violence and rape be diminished and people be made whole again. They believe that God is hope, and that with His (and the community's) love, care & restoration, people can be changed and healed.

It is very apparent to me in Cambodia how pervasive and real sin and evil is and how it continues to effect generations and nations down the line. There is a definite corruption here -- especially among the government. There is a lust for power and money and generally women and children suffer and end up paying the cost. While discussing how Aimee (who is originally from Canada but moved here almost a year ago with her husband and began working for Hagar shortly after) she shared with us the passage from Matthew 26:11 which reads "The poor you will always have among you, but you will not always have me" And shared how many of her friends back home have used this verse to turn a blind eye -- but how this attitude of complacency really only perpetuates the problem.

We also asked her the question we have been struggling with since the onset of our arrival in Cambodia: We are only here for a short trip, how do you deal with the pain and suffering you see on a daily basis?? She replied with the following message:

Ï can see God moving through and in this country. I have learned that I have to be okay with the mess. I don't like it, and yes, there is a sense of holy rage, but I have to learn how to dive in and learn to release and submit it before God. I have seen people's lives transformed and changed. I am constantly hearing stories of redemption and I focus on those. Living in Cambodia I've learned to believe in redemption like never before."

I feel her telling us this only confirms what we've been studying in the lord's prayer book for devotions every morning. Learn to live in the tension, learn to acknowledge and trust that God is bigger. He is a God of redemption and healing -- and while I have only been here for five (six?!) days, it is very evident that Cambodia is a nation He is restoring.

I'm not sure what all of this looks like personally for my future, but I do sense a strong connection with Hagar's holistic, specifically therapeutic approach to counseling and restoring these women and children.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.

We are so thankful for you!

Much much love,

<3erin

PS HAPPY 27th BIRTHDAY CHRISTINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This link will take you to Hagar Project (focused on reintegrating victims of sex trafficking and abuse/domestic violence)

http://www.hagarproject.org/c_cam.php

This link will take you to Hagar's Social Enterprises -- While I didn't discuss this portion of our day in this blog, I know a lot of you would be interested to hear about the going-on's and this website will help explain more in detail the different enterprises they have set-up. It's extremely interesting so you should check it out!

http://www.hagarinternational.org/hagar-social-entre.php

Prayer Request

Hey everyone,

Thank you for all the support and prayers. It's been a powerful couple of days and already I am amazed by all that's happened. Much of it could not have happened without all of you behind us which is why I'm coming to you now.

Someone from the team has been sick for the last 2 days. She has symptoms of headaches, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. Praise God that we have two medical staff on the team (though none of them practice general medicine) but have been extremely helpful during this time. We are hoping that it's just a severe case of indigestion and are closely monitering the situation. Just to be on the safe side, we decided came back early to the main city so that she can get some rest and be near a hospital. I am praying that rest is all that she needs.

We have a full schedule today and will be leaving for the rural parts of the country late afternoon. Again, just to be on the safe side, I've asked her to stay behind at the hotel if there are no signs of improvement by then, and two members of the team have volunteered to stay behind to be with her.

Would you pray for Joanna?

Pray for healing

Pray that this would not hinder, in any way, what God wants for her here.

Pray that she would be able to come with us to Pursat today.

Pray against any guilt that she may have.

I am also asking if some of you would fast for her as well.

And of course, please continue to pray for our team.

With much peace and hope,

- Victor

______________________________

*Update*

Joanna woke up this morning feeling a lot better! (6:30am right now)

A Child-Like Faith

I am at a loss for words to describe everything that has been going on for me. The only word that can sum up my experience so far is 'crazy'. The trip has been a huge learning experience for me from our interactions with the orphans to our meetings with Chab Dai and other random missionaries that we've met to roaming the streets of Cambodia. I didn't think I would see God actively working and changing Cambodia in such an obvious way. I feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity to be here and see everything that I have seen and to have met so many different people; every night I feel refreshed and overjoyed.

One thing that God has really been showing me is what genuine, child-like faith and joy is through the 3 orphanages we have visited so far. First, it is hard for me to grasp how these kids can be so happy despite their poverty and history of hardships, whether it be losing their parents or being sexual abused. At first I wasn't sure if their joy was genuine but the more I watch them and spend time with them, I realize that their happiness is sincere. I can't even begin to imagine how I would deal or react if I was in their position. How can they still have so much trust and faith in anything good or even God after enduring so much pain and suffering?

There are 3 kids that have really stood out to me. The first is a 4-year old girl who I thought acted very ADD. She was bouncing all over the place more than a normal toddler does and everytime I tried to take a picture with her she would react negatively. I then found out that she was sexually abused and when she first arrived at the orphanage she refused to talk or play with anyone. It broke my heart to know that something so cruel could happen to such an innocent person (or anyone, for that matter). The second is a 6-year old girl that the orphanage just recently found out has HIV, which she most likely contracted from her mom. She has 2 brothers and 2 sisters, but none of them have HIV. When she first found out she had HIV, she refused to eat because she thought she was going to die anyway. I didn't know this when I was watching her play and was actually surprised because she was really assertive and bossy towards me and the other kids. The third is a 2-year old boy who lost his parents. My first impression of him was that he was adorable with his chubby cheeks. Later, the kids started singing worship songs and he danced, but right when they started singing "Open the Eyes of my Heart" he immediately threw up his arms in the air and closed his eyes and sang (see pic). Again, I thought this was 'cute'. Later, the orphanage 'mom' told him to pray for me and he closed his eyes and laid his hand on me and just started praying in Khmer. I have no idea what he was saying but he just prayed. He has also prayed for Joanna, Victor, and Boeurn (the churches chief admin and our tourguide/translator). To me he is more than just a 'cute baby' but someone who has taught me what true faith can look like. Hearing these 3 kids' stories and seeing their restored joy, hope and faith has shown me what an unhindered faith looks like.

God has also been reminding me of the power of prayer. When we met with Yeng, the facilitator for Chab Dai, we asked what we could do for the organization. He simply responded, "Pray." Our team prodded him to give us a 'deeper' answer and he repeated, "You can pray for us." Apparently that answer wasn't satisfactory so we asked him again, but his answer did not change. It made me realize that as Americans, we are so action driven and like to take things into our own hands, when in actuality it is out of our control. It reminded me of many missionaries' stories that I had heard in the past about overcoming intense struggles simply by praying and trusting in God. Prayer is the most powerful tool we have. This really spoke to me as I have just recently learned what it means to truly trust God and let Him take control of my life and seeing Him answer many of my prayers this year.

Other interesting events that have made this trip fun was getting to ride on the back of Boeurn's motorcycle sans helmet dodging other cars and motorcycles and then burning my calf on the exhaust pipe. Second was watching Victor kill a chicken and then eating it as part of our dinner...Yes, you read that correctly but I'll let him tell the story. It is the freshest chicken I have ever eaten.

These are just a few things I wanted to share with you. Everyday, God has been really humbling me and teaching me through his people here in Cambodia. Our entire team has been blessed by his people here through their faith and their love for us. It made me wonder what it would look like if they sent their own missions team to us to help us strengthen our faith.

~christine

"The joy of the Lord is my strength"

PRAYER REQUESTS

- Joanna: she is pretty sick, please pray for healing and strength to continue the rest of the trip.

- For our team to understand the power of prayer and to pray diligently

- For each individual team member to start thinking about how we can put into practice all that we are learning here when we return home.

- To continue to serve the church, orphans, and Cambodians with a humble attitude

- To learn more about NGOs and how we can serve and pray for them

Humility

Thoughts Pre-Arrival

We’re coming to a broken country, a place that we see as needing help. A place that’s dirty, dark, and lacking God. We’re coming from a place that we see as liberated and privileged. We’ve been blessed with having and knowing our maker, and we come with the intention of sharing this gift. We come to help, to teach, and in some sense to serve. We’re driven by a sense of compassion and desire to help the less fortunate. But are we coming with the right intentions and purpose? That is to say, are we going to help others in order to feel good about ourselves? Are we there to say that we’re from GRX, we’ve raised all of this money to come, and we’re here to do something for you on behalf of our church?

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

-Phillippians 2:1-4, 14-18

I’m struck by Paul’s call for humility. A call to lower ourselves to nothingness. As I take what he says into account I’m faced with the fact that I, and possibly we, are coming with the wrong attitude. Perhaps we are part of the crooked and depraved generation that he warns us about. As we’ve been preparing for this trip I’ve been throwing around words like orphanage, sex-trafficking, donation, and non-profit in my attempts to explain to others what we’ll be doing in the hopes of raising money for this trip. Usually when I hear these words I feel a combined sense of guilt and sympathy fueled by a bit of superiority.

I think that sometimes we think that we’re there to help people and we forget that we are there to serve. I really like the quote from Bill Drayton, founder of the NGO Ashoka, says “Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.” But even still I feel that is a bit pompous. I don’t think we’re there to teach or to help, but rather to serve. And beyond that serve with humility. Jesus, the Son of God, lowered himself to nothingness and didn’t even think twice about it. Can’t we do the same?

Thoughts Post-Arrival

Having been in Cambodia for the past 4 days I am taken aback by this country and the beauty of its people. Going into this project I had the notion that Cambodia was a place in need of help. A place that had been devastated by the Khmer Rouge regime. A place ravaged by poverty, pain, death, and hate. I came with the idea that this country was filled with brokenness. Yet, as I spend my time touring the city and meeting the people I see nothing but hope and I am overwhelmed by a sense of redemption. Everywhere I go I see constant rebuilding and renewal. Social welfare organizations cover every corner of every block in Phnom Penh and I see just how dedicated these people are to rebuilding their own country. With this reality in mind and the realization that I am gaining much more from this experience than what I'm giving back to the people, I am now struggling with the question of, "am I really serving the Cambodian people in the way they need?"

More to come as I continue to process this challenging journey....

- Chris