Friday, July 26, 2013 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia
"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,'
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you."
Psalm 139:11-12
Today we traveled through the city quite a bit. We went to a Christian bookstore, which does not sound like a big deal in the US, but it is in Cambodia. This country is infiltrated by Buddhism. Christianity is not generally accepted here. We also went shopping for Kids Club and the Coconut Boys ministries. We bought 16 Bibles, 35 chairs, one table, two sets of bunk beds, and 10 mattresses. The Coconut Boys had previously been contently sharing twin bunk beds with no mattresses. Needless to say, they were ecstatic to receive the new beds and mattresses!
In the midst of visiting these sources of light, we experienced the reality of darkness. We drove past buildings composed of crumbling, moldy concrete. By US Standards, they appeared to be condemned abandoned buildings. However, remnants of curtains in the windows, or clothes hanging to dry gave reason to believe people live within these filthy walls. I quickly learned that these buildings are brothels. The scum on the building's exterior does not compare to the scum inside. [The following pictures depict one of the brothel buildings.]
The purpose of the Khmer Rouge, the Cambodian genocide which occurred in the 1980's, was to essentially eliminate the educated. Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, was determined to achieve these end goals at all costs.
What I find interesting, however, is that Cambodia's tactic with respect to the Khmer Rouge is to honor the lives lost, but focus on the future. The goal is to leave the past in the past. In contrast, when I traveled to Rwanda, a country which experienced a more recent genocide (1994), I saw that the country is being proactive in educating the people about genocide in hopes to prevent it from occurring again in the future.
Phnom Penh comes alive during the day- heavy traffic, families picnicking, street vendors, and even open-air exercise classes, all on the lawn in front of the King's Palace. But amidst this liveliness, there is so much darkness. You do not see it unless you are looking for it: older white men with young Khmer girls. For the "trained" eye, it screams "trafficking." Unfortunately, for the untrained eye, it just appears to be an oddly matched couple.
According to our translator, one reason why trafficking is so prevalent here is that the people are not informed that it is an issue. The Khmer people could literally live their entire lives passing brothels on a daily basis and not know the extent of the issue. In fact, some individuals may be naive to the reality as a whole.
This is why education is so important. It seems to me that by keeping the Khmer Rouge out of the public eye, Pol Pot's goals are still being met. Forgetting the past and looking toward the future probably works in some instances. However, what if the problems of the past are still very much alive today?
This is why I am so grateful for all of the programs we have been visiting that educate individuals about sex slavery and work to effectively fight the evil and injustice. These programs not only work to educate the public, but those who are stuck in slavery. These ministries show these individuals the value of an alternate future. They shift the perspectives of prostitutes, showing these men and women their self-worth and potential. Most importantly, these programs teach those involved in trafficking how precious they are in God's sight. They allow those who have been in slavery to view themselves as our Father sees them- much more valuable than they could have ever imagined.
[The following pictures are from today's travels around Phnom Penh and Kid's Club.]
In the midst of visiting these sources of light, we experienced the reality of darkness. We drove past buildings composed of crumbling, moldy concrete. By US Standards, they appeared to be condemned abandoned buildings. However, remnants of curtains in the windows, or clothes hanging to dry gave reason to believe people live within these filthy walls. I quickly learned that these buildings are brothels. The scum on the building's exterior does not compare to the scum inside. [The following pictures depict one of the brothel buildings.]
The purpose of the Khmer Rouge, the Cambodian genocide which occurred in the 1980's, was to essentially eliminate the educated. Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, was determined to achieve these end goals at all costs.
What I find interesting, however, is that Cambodia's tactic with respect to the Khmer Rouge is to honor the lives lost, but focus on the future. The goal is to leave the past in the past. In contrast, when I traveled to Rwanda, a country which experienced a more recent genocide (1994), I saw that the country is being proactive in educating the people about genocide in hopes to prevent it from occurring again in the future.
Phnom Penh comes alive during the day- heavy traffic, families picnicking, street vendors, and even open-air exercise classes, all on the lawn in front of the King's Palace. But amidst this liveliness, there is so much darkness. You do not see it unless you are looking for it: older white men with young Khmer girls. For the "trained" eye, it screams "trafficking." Unfortunately, for the untrained eye, it just appears to be an oddly matched couple.
According to our translator, one reason why trafficking is so prevalent here is that the people are not informed that it is an issue. The Khmer people could literally live their entire lives passing brothels on a daily basis and not know the extent of the issue. In fact, some individuals may be naive to the reality as a whole.
This is why education is so important. It seems to me that by keeping the Khmer Rouge out of the public eye, Pol Pot's goals are still being met. Forgetting the past and looking toward the future probably works in some instances. However, what if the problems of the past are still very much alive today?
This is why I am so grateful for all of the programs we have been visiting that educate individuals about sex slavery and work to effectively fight the evil and injustice. These programs not only work to educate the public, but those who are stuck in slavery. These ministries show these individuals the value of an alternate future. They shift the perspectives of prostitutes, showing these men and women their self-worth and potential. Most importantly, these programs teach those involved in trafficking how precious they are in God's sight. They allow those who have been in slavery to view themselves as our Father sees them- much more valuable than they could have ever imagined.
[The following pictures are from today's travels around Phnom Penh and Kid's Club.]
