Wednesday 2nd September 2009
Quite how to start something about today is a mystery. First stop was Toul Sleng otherwise known as Former Office S.21. Originally built and used as a school this was taken over during the revolution and became the most notorious high security and torture centre. An estimated 22,000 people were taken here to answer to fictitious charges before being either tortured to death or taken to the killing fields. Wall after wall of images of men, women and children stare back at you with empty eyes – all dignity and self worth removed. Before departing I read as much about this place as I could fit in – in preparation for what awaited. It is with all honesty that I can say that nothing can ever prepare you for this. Story after story of injustice. The most shocking thought is that most of us were the same ages as these people. Most of us were engaged in activities of everyday life. Most of us remained – and to a great extent remain – totally oblivious to the nature of suffering these people endured. Our guide, herself seven at the time of these atrocities, fled to Vietnam to avoid the same futile end. It is difficult to write the emotions I sensed in this place.
Comrade Duch, the prison commandant, is presently on trial for these atrocities. He personally sanctioned the torture and execution of each of these 22,000 individuals. Individuals who are no longer a faceless, nameless mass. Duch converted to Christianity before his arrest and was actively engaged in ministry at the time of his detention. So how does that line up with my theology…? At this point in the evening it is so very difficult to say.
Following this we departed for Cheong Ek – the location of one of an estimated 300 Killing Field locations. The place where the majority of S.21’s occupants were ritually executed and thrown into pits – pits which have since been excavated. Even today – yes this very day – the ground releases its dead. Clothing, bones and teeth are commonly seen as they rise to the surface. Little of the population of this nation is unaffected by these happenings. Either as perpetrators reintegrated into a society or as those who were persecuted of family thereof.
The final stop of the day was the Royal Palace. A place which brought me as almost as much sadness as the first call of the day – yet in a different way. Cambodia is a nation so submerged in Buddhism combined with Hinduism. A nation so blinded in most part to the glorious truth of the Gospel of Christ. There are a great deal of powers at work in this land – powers which every Christian should oppose with all that is within them. Yet in the midst of this darkness there is a light - a light that burns with ever increasing intensity.
Cambodia has suffered much within the last thirty or so years and to some extent still endures a great deal. As we ended the day by the Mekong we sat and chatted to local people – people who eke out a meagre living every day selling a few roasted peanuts or a coconut or two. Children selling water or offering a shoe shine… A wonderful, warm and beautiful people.
The Bible tells us that satan came to “steal, kill and destroy” and it can be seen here as a very real truth and yet the latter half of that is also very true – “BUT I have come to give you life – life to the full.”
Pray for the people of Cambodia and all involved here that they will come to know this truth and find freedom in the One who loves them - sending his Son to die for them.
Steve Norman
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Water flows backwards
At 4 pm the deluge broke, the drops of rain pounded on the pavement, hammered the canvas awnings and richoched off the tin roofs. The wind stirred the leaves. Soon the splash of raindrops into the quickly forming puddles was added to the cacophony of sounds. The wind blew harder. I headed for the roof. Now the wind was driving the rain sideways, and it was falling in horizontal sheets. I looked across the rooftops; the rain was pounding into the tin roof across the street. The gutters were disconnected, but there was no rain coming out of them on that side. The wind caught the torrents of rain coming down on that side of the roof, drove it up the roof, and it broke over the rooftop like the crest of a wave at the beach. The water was flowing backwards.
Phnom Penh is not what I have come to expect from an Asian city. Mind you I have not seen the poorer side of town yet, but here are no piles of garbage, no animals wandering through traffic, there is no black deposit at the back of my throat from breathing the air. This is one of the nicest, cleanest Asian cities I have ever been in. I had the picture on 1979 deeply etched on my mind. Things have been rebuilt, and there is obviously a good work ethic that has contributed to the renewing of this city.
Yesterday we went to IJM (International Justice Mission) and it was great to hear that most of the staff working in the country seeking justice for the abused girls are Cambodian. With the city surpassing my expectations and the news that progress is being made on the justice issues I felt as if the river has changed direction, and has started running the other way. The years of work have paid off, hope is stronger than ever.
Today we went to Tuol Sleng and the killing Fields. It was a humbling experince to be were so many were tortured and lost their lives. At the killing Fields articles of clothing and bones and teeth are still oozing up out of the ground after 30 years.
There are so many unanswered questions as to how and why this could happen. While we are here Duch, the man who ran Toule Sleng is on trial. This is the man that ordered and supervised the deaths of about 20,000 men, women and children that came through his prison. Today Duch is a Christian, He admits to what he did and acknowledges that Jesus is now his Lord. So many unanswerable questions.
Pray for IJM as they are looking to expand to Siem Reap, pray for the resources needed. Good People, time and money. Pray also for Dutch, as he is on trail that his faith will be firm and that he will be a bold witness.
Steven Friebel
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I’m sitting here in the hotel room - damp from the rain – tossing off my shoes – realizing that my feet stink. It’s been as you would expect – very hot – then very wet – then very steamy. What an incredible day today. So much of it makes me uncomfortable and yet it’s been very good. I needed to learn about Cambodia – to contextualize the human fabric here. We visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh. The site is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979. It made me very sad. The extent to which violence and killing occurred for no gain was heart breaking. Disturbing also was the fact that I was so tied up in my own little world in those years that I “knew” about this genocide but I didn’t really “know”. How could have I missed the gravity of this situation? It was just TV news I guess and I was in the midst of my own dramas. Astonishing that I never really clued in to this issue at a viseral level until the Lord focussed me on Ratanak and I started to do research. Makes me feel ashamed really that for so many years this atrosity was just a small little blip on my radar screen.
We went from learning about the Khmer Rouge Killing Machine and the brutality of incarceration and torture at the prison to driving out about fifteen miles to the Killing Fields. This was the part that I had feared most before coming. I didn’t want to stumble across anything that would be a tangible reminder of the deaths right there of men, women and children. My fears were well appointed as that is just what happened. Clothing had risen to the surface here and there as had small bones, buttons and other debris. In some areas there was a smell of decay.
The introduction to the place was a stack of skulls probably three stories high – classified by age and gender. Blunt traumas obvious on the skulls. At least 200,000 people were killed by the Khmer Rouge. This killing field I was standing on was holy ground. Holy ground because every human being is created in the image of God and this very place heard their parting screams - received their warm, bloody bodies – and was their portal to eternity. Enough said.
My mind screams with outrage – shudders with horror and cries out to understand. My heart aches. My blood rages. Clearly this is a country that has endured unspeakable pain and all for what? There were no winners. Not a thing was gained. It was a scheme from the pit of hell.
I’ve got a lot to pray over – think on and analyse. There surely is a link in this post traumatic period in Cambodia - to the abuse and use of girls today by Asian men. There also is surely a link too to the pit of hell that results in western podophiles coming to abuse children. Like opportunist vultures they pick apart the lives of little girls and throw them away as rubbish when there’s no strength left to assualt anymore. Nothing could be more comprehnisvely abusive than atrocities like that in a land that moans with memories.
I am so thankful that the Cambodian people I have met are gracious to me and smile. I am so utterly humbled.
Beth
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Grace and Karma
Today we started to develop our understanding about the history of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Brian’s mantra from the start of this trip was that you could not understand Cambodia today until you understand the Khmer Rouge. So reality set in today. First we went to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. It was the former security office 21 or S-21 designed by the Pol Pot regime for det ention , Interrogation, torture, and killing. Later we visited the infamous Killing Fields just outside of the city.
As part of the museum, there are hundreds of photos of detainees of the more than 20,000 prisoners. These prisoners would stay for 2 to 4 months before being killed. Only seven prisoners survived. You first see these photos as you enter the building. The photos still haunt me tonight. It is the eyes in the photos - eyes of fear, anger, pride, hurt, and pain; but most of all it is eyes of surrender. Many were children and youth - all innocent of the bizarre charges attributed to them. Then we saw the photos of people being tortured, and then the actual instruments of this evil torture.
How could this be? How could millions of people be killed by people of their own nation? What was the purpose, even if the purpose was twisted? I realized that I was standing face to face with pure evil. I could not speak. My mind went numb. How could such evil take over a whole nation? How could the world stand by and let it happen? I thought about those years in the mid to late seventies. I thought about what I was doing then. I remember seeing such horrific pictures from Cambodia then. Why I was not outraged into action then? I should have known better. After all I had travelled through Asia in the early seventies. So what do I need to be outraged into action today?
At the end of the tour we watched a film of a based on the letters of a couple held in captivity but separated from each other. I learned from these letters of their love for each other, for life itself and for others. I heard of their pain and then of their death. In one letter the woman questions this terrible evil inflected on her and others. But she then states that it must be a result of her karma… from this life and from past lives. There seemed to be from her lips a rationale for allowing this violence to be inflicted upon her. Maybe if I believed in karma it would make sense. Thirty five years ago I did believe in karma. Today it seems so foreign to me… it seems so soft…so uncourageous.
When love came down and changed my life, my whole thinking and feeling changed to grace and not karma. So in reflecting tonight I do love and respect other cultures and faiths. But karma leaves me cold.
Stephen
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
First Full Day
A Blog from a Brit!!
Well this trip is a trip of firsts! I achieved a boyhood dream in flying on a 747 which is as big as I thought it was when I was 10! Boy – Cambodia is a long way. Why when God places things on your heart are they so far away?! All in all the three flights were good – I had curry for lunch, dinner and breakfast on the way over! Good job I like curry…! Clearing customs was fine and hotel is good. Never has a bed – even a firm bed – felt so good as it did last night!
Today is the first real day here. Met with IJM this morning for a briefing on the position as it is now. Fair to say it is no better than anticipated. All around are hotels with ‘massage’ facilities – girls for sale like a cattle market. This is the legal stuff! The younger girls are much more strictly controlled due to the ‘commodity’ value and the fact that it is ‘illegal’… Martin Smith of Delirious? once said in a concert – “If it’s not acceptable in heaven then it should not be acceptable down here”. There is so much in that statement – things that go on round here fit that. As ambassadors of Christ we ought to be challenged, stirred and perhaps even angered over these matters. In any case we must never sanction them as being acceptable to God who I am sure weeps over every girl – and boy – who find themselves in this position. It is an honour to be able to be something of a voice to those who so clearly go unheard.
This afternoon was another fist – a tuk tuk ride for 5 people! A whole afternoon for $9! We experienced the Russian Market where almost anything can be found! Yes I bought and yes I haggled - but I have to admit to being pants at the latter. When a guy wants to sell you a huge tablecloth for $8 how do you argue…!
Anyway – a shower and dinner await. Perhaps I will have a curry!
Thank you to all for your prayers and support – do keep them coming for the challenges which lay ahead.
Steve
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I’m sitting in downtown Phnom Penh on a very comfortable wicker chair in an open air restaurant – with a bowl of peanuts and a cold drink in hand. I’m looking onto the street before me at a scene that has become very familiar to me in Asia over the years – motorbikes, tuk tuks, traffic mayhem, a massive entrance into a wat, cars, dogs, food vendors. It’s pouring rain and the heat of the day has been consumed. The air smells like a musty soup of exhaust fumes. Slushy side roads teem with people. What is unusual about this scene for me though is to see so many white men in colored shirts – obviously working for NGO’s – young white men and women in T-shirts – obviously working for NGO’s. I didn’t expect to see this dense concentration of NGO’s in the streets. I know this is the area where most stay because of the reasonable and clean hotels and eating places. It’s the NGO ghetto in Cambodia and I find it that interesting. On the right I hear a young man with an English accent talking to a waitress about his day working with people who are affected by HIV and AIDS. Further back there are small groups of others reviewing their day and making plans and tapping on their computers just like me. It is comfortable here. It feels safe.
The rain has stopped. It’s five o’clock and something else has changed… pedestrians have returned to the streets. Looking to the left three beautifully groomed Cambodian girls are strolling along – two are probably about 16 and one is about 12 – they appear to be available for pick up. The shoe shine boy shows up – his eyes are tired and his hair still looks dusty. Young girls appear with flowers in a basket – they too look exhausted, dusty and vacant. Why do their tired eyes and emotionless faces speak so loudly?
I am on my first journey to Cambodia many things to discover.
Beth.
----------------------------------------
Yesterday Beth and I flew to Cambodia from Thailand where we had spent a week of meetings. The flight was short but about 20 minutes from Phnom Penh we hit a major storm. The plane started to rock and roll and the passengers got a bit tense.
Just a few minutes before we landed the skies cleared just a bit so that we could peek down on the landscape. Cambodia from the air was beautiful, lush and orderly. I was struck by its beauty. So the plane ride seemed to give us a good introduction to both Cambodia’s stormy history and its God created beauty.
That night after dinner we walked along the streets for a few minutes. We passed lots of bars, restaurants and the large temple that seemed to dominate and to overlook on all the street activities. Men were definitely on the prowl and I noticed a very tired looking girl standing around who looked so much older and worn out as compared to her young years. No doubt she had a long and unpleasant evening ahead.
The next morning we had a very informative meeting with representatives of International Justice Mission, one of Ratanak’s partners. I was encouraged as I heard about the newly created training program for police officers by IJM. This program trains police officers from the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit by sharing 12 well developed and locally contextualized training modules. It helps Cambodia police have the tools and understanding they need to deal with the complexity of human trafficking and on how the police can make a critical difference. This is just one of the recent positives changes that are happening in Cambodia.
I look forward to learning more tomorrow.
Stephen Lauer
September 1, 2009
Well this trip is a trip of firsts! I achieved a boyhood dream in flying on a 747 which is as big as I thought it was when I was 10! Boy – Cambodia is a long way. Why when God places things on your heart are they so far away?! All in all the three flights were good – I had curry for lunch, dinner and breakfast on the way over! Good job I like curry…! Clearing customs was fine and hotel is good. Never has a bed – even a firm bed – felt so good as it did last night!
Today is the first real day here. Met with IJM this morning for a briefing on the position as it is now. Fair to say it is no better than anticipated. All around are hotels with ‘massage’ facilities – girls for sale like a cattle market. This is the legal stuff! The younger girls are much more strictly controlled due to the ‘commodity’ value and the fact that it is ‘illegal’… Martin Smith of Delirious? once said in a concert – “If it’s not acceptable in heaven then it should not be acceptable down here”. There is so much in that statement – things that go on round here fit that. As ambassadors of Christ we ought to be challenged, stirred and perhaps even angered over these matters. In any case we must never sanction them as being acceptable to God who I am sure weeps over every girl – and boy – who find themselves in this position. It is an honour to be able to be something of a voice to those who so clearly go unheard.
This afternoon was another fist – a tuk tuk ride for 5 people! A whole afternoon for $9! We experienced the Russian Market where almost anything can be found! Yes I bought and yes I haggled - but I have to admit to being pants at the latter. When a guy wants to sell you a huge tablecloth for $8 how do you argue…!
Anyway – a shower and dinner await. Perhaps I will have a curry!
Thank you to all for your prayers and support – do keep them coming for the challenges which lay ahead.
Steve
----------------------------------------
I’m sitting in downtown Phnom Penh on a very comfortable wicker chair in an open air restaurant – with a bowl of peanuts and a cold drink in hand. I’m looking onto the street before me at a scene that has become very familiar to me in Asia over the years – motorbikes, tuk tuks, traffic mayhem, a massive entrance into a wat, cars, dogs, food vendors. It’s pouring rain and the heat of the day has been consumed. The air smells like a musty soup of exhaust fumes. Slushy side roads teem with people. What is unusual about this scene for me though is to see so many white men in colored shirts – obviously working for NGO’s – young white men and women in T-shirts – obviously working for NGO’s. I didn’t expect to see this dense concentration of NGO’s in the streets. I know this is the area where most stay because of the reasonable and clean hotels and eating places. It’s the NGO ghetto in Cambodia and I find it that interesting. On the right I hear a young man with an English accent talking to a waitress about his day working with people who are affected by HIV and AIDS. Further back there are small groups of others reviewing their day and making plans and tapping on their computers just like me. It is comfortable here. It feels safe.
The rain has stopped. It’s five o’clock and something else has changed… pedestrians have returned to the streets. Looking to the left three beautifully groomed Cambodian girls are strolling along – two are probably about 16 and one is about 12 – they appear to be available for pick up. The shoe shine boy shows up – his eyes are tired and his hair still looks dusty. Young girls appear with flowers in a basket – they too look exhausted, dusty and vacant. Why do their tired eyes and emotionless faces speak so loudly?
I am on my first journey to Cambodia many things to discover.
Beth.
----------------------------------------
Yesterday Beth and I flew to Cambodia from Thailand where we had spent a week of meetings. The flight was short but about 20 minutes from Phnom Penh we hit a major storm. The plane started to rock and roll and the passengers got a bit tense.
Just a few minutes before we landed the skies cleared just a bit so that we could peek down on the landscape. Cambodia from the air was beautiful, lush and orderly. I was struck by its beauty. So the plane ride seemed to give us a good introduction to both Cambodia’s stormy history and its God created beauty.
That night after dinner we walked along the streets for a few minutes. We passed lots of bars, restaurants and the large temple that seemed to dominate and to overlook on all the street activities. Men were definitely on the prowl and I noticed a very tired looking girl standing around who looked so much older and worn out as compared to her young years. No doubt she had a long and unpleasant evening ahead.
The next morning we had a very informative meeting with representatives of International Justice Mission, one of Ratanak’s partners. I was encouraged as I heard about the newly created training program for police officers by IJM. This program trains police officers from the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit by sharing 12 well developed and locally contextualized training modules. It helps Cambodia police have the tools and understanding they need to deal with the complexity of human trafficking and on how the police can make a critical difference. This is just one of the recent positives changes that are happening in Cambodia.
I look forward to learning more tomorrow.
Stephen Lauer
September 1, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Brian - First Night in Cambodia
Ok Brian here. Arrived a few hours ago and are in pretty good shape. Steve (UK) and Steve (Canada) are here and we had a very short meeting with Brian and Graeme from Australia just as we arrived in our hotel. Stephen and Beth are due in about another hour. It will be great to get the team assembled and get to work figuring out where God is leading.
The two Steves and I went out for a walk this afternoon. From the hotel past the independence monument towards the river to the Cambodiana and then up to the waterfront to the Royal palace and back to the hotel. Don’t know how much fluid I lost but your really do forget how hot it can get here.
As far as the travel here goes it was fine. Better than I expected. Leaving the house is always the hardest. I go around each bedroom saying goodbye to Louise and the boys all fast asleep. At this point I find myself wondering “is all of this worth it” “why has God afflicted me with this drive for Cambodia”. Once I get over that part I’m Ok - I just hate leaving.
Our flight did not leave Vancouver till close to 3am so we were bagged before we got going. At about hour 3 of the 13 hour flight I was so tired I felt ill – hate that. But after a time that passed and I seemed to get into the groove as I always do.By the time I got on the plane in Hong Kong for the last leg of the journey I was excited – as always.
Haven’t a clue what God has done to my heart but it is the same every time, no mater how fatigued I just feel wonderful getting close to Cambodia. By the time I get my first glimpse of the country through the clouds I am sitting like a total idiot grinning for no apparent reason. By this stage I am thanking God for the privilege of once again setting foot in this land that will forever be sacred to me.
Later…Stephen and Beth arrived fine we all went out for supper near the hotel. Got half way through the meal and sleep deprivation kicked in the worst way. Tomorrow meeting with IJM staff.
Now to bed. Brian.
The two Steves and I went out for a walk this afternoon. From the hotel past the independence monument towards the river to the Cambodiana and then up to the waterfront to the Royal palace and back to the hotel. Don’t know how much fluid I lost but your really do forget how hot it can get here.
As far as the travel here goes it was fine. Better than I expected. Leaving the house is always the hardest. I go around each bedroom saying goodbye to Louise and the boys all fast asleep. At this point I find myself wondering “is all of this worth it” “why has God afflicted me with this drive for Cambodia”. Once I get over that part I’m Ok - I just hate leaving.
Our flight did not leave Vancouver till close to 3am so we were bagged before we got going. At about hour 3 of the 13 hour flight I was so tired I felt ill – hate that. But after a time that passed and I seemed to get into the groove as I always do.By the time I got on the plane in Hong Kong for the last leg of the journey I was excited – as always.
Haven’t a clue what God has done to my heart but it is the same every time, no mater how fatigued I just feel wonderful getting close to Cambodia. By the time I get my first glimpse of the country through the clouds I am sitting like a total idiot grinning for no apparent reason. By this stage I am thanking God for the privilege of once again setting foot in this land that will forever be sacred to me.
Later…Stephen and Beth arrived fine we all went out for supper near the hotel. Got half way through the meal and sleep deprivation kicked in the worst way. Tomorrow meeting with IJM staff.
Now to bed. Brian.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Expect The Unexpected
Today is a new day and after yesterday's emotional rollercoast experience I am not at all deterred but all the more thankful to God. Many of you have been praying and following the story about SN for the last few weeks, praying for her safety and protection. Just to recap, yesterday we thought she was really safe...but as I did a double check on the facts it turned out that she was not completely safe humanely speaking. But in a sense she is safe. Perhaps this is why I have so much peace in my heart today. She is in the safest place and that is under the shelter of the Almighty. I was so moved by many who emailed responding with cheers and words of encouragement...friends who have prayed for this little girl's protection. It made me realize more than anything else that God is using SN's life to bless us in the most unusual ways. For each of those who have prayed and continue to pray are the invisible army who stand or in some cases who are bowing their hearts and their knees before the Lord of the universe pleading on her behalf. This is just another dimension of what it means to seek justice for the oppressed. To perserve in prayer and to have the resolve to not give up. Whether we realize it or not, He is knitting our hearts with hers. He is knitting our hearts with the things that are on His heart. He is drawing us deeper into His purposes and for that there is much to be thankful for.
This morning in my quiet time, I was meditating on 1 Corinthians 15:58 which says: Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. To seek justice on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves involves standing firm, not being troubled by the visible reality but having the resolve to give ourselves fully to that which God has called us to do knowing that when we are laboring for Him we are indeed not laboring in vain. The fact that SN is still in Svay Pak is indeed a cause for concern, but more and more, as we wait for her to truly be safe, to truly live a life free of fear and free of oppression, God is raising up a community of believers to pray and in the process, He is enlarging His army and enlarging our faith, our trust and causing us to lean on Him in ways that we are not normally used to. This journey is not just about SN's life but it is also about our lives. I am learning that He is teaching me (and perhaps others) to live on the edge, to expect the unexpected, to accept the twists and turns as we labor for Him and for His purposes. To not yield to the visible reality, but to rest in Him and to wait patiently in Him. Psalm 37 has become one of my life verses for this cause for as it says 'commit your ways; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.' So let us not grow weary but keep commiting our ways to Him--- commit to intercede, to not forget these who He holds so dear in His heart, commit to press on with hope in Him, commit to speaking up for the voiceless and as we do, indeed we will have the privilege of experiencing and seeing the justice of the Lord.
A friend of mind once said to me the journey is the destination. This is the journey that He has called us to. It is a journey that has many tears but it also is a journey that has inexpressible joy, a term that my dear colleague Brian shared with me yesterday. For some strange reason God has given me an inexpressible joy as I think of SN. Regardless of the uncertainty that she lives under at this moment, regardless of the uncertainty that we may feel at this time, I happen to believe that God has set her apart as His, I happen to believe that its just a matter of time when she will enjoy a life of true freedom, I happen to believe that despite these times of waiting, He is weaving something that when finished will bring Himself glory and make us more like His Son as we persevere in obedience to Him. But for now He has given to me (and to others) a very special treasure --- to love her as if she were our own daughter and to allow our hearts to be stretched to a new level of faith. So let us walk with eyes of faith for without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
This morning in my quiet time, I was meditating on 1 Corinthians 15:58 which says: Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. To seek justice on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves involves standing firm, not being troubled by the visible reality but having the resolve to give ourselves fully to that which God has called us to do knowing that when we are laboring for Him we are indeed not laboring in vain. The fact that SN is still in Svay Pak is indeed a cause for concern, but more and more, as we wait for her to truly be safe, to truly live a life free of fear and free of oppression, God is raising up a community of believers to pray and in the process, He is enlarging His army and enlarging our faith, our trust and causing us to lean on Him in ways that we are not normally used to. This journey is not just about SN's life but it is also about our lives. I am learning that He is teaching me (and perhaps others) to live on the edge, to expect the unexpected, to accept the twists and turns as we labor for Him and for His purposes. To not yield to the visible reality, but to rest in Him and to wait patiently in Him. Psalm 37 has become one of my life verses for this cause for as it says 'commit your ways; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.' So let us not grow weary but keep commiting our ways to Him--- commit to intercede, to not forget these who He holds so dear in His heart, commit to press on with hope in Him, commit to speaking up for the voiceless and as we do, indeed we will have the privilege of experiencing and seeing the justice of the Lord.
A friend of mind once said to me the journey is the destination. This is the journey that He has called us to. It is a journey that has many tears but it also is a journey that has inexpressible joy, a term that my dear colleague Brian shared with me yesterday. For some strange reason God has given me an inexpressible joy as I think of SN. Regardless of the uncertainty that she lives under at this moment, regardless of the uncertainty that we may feel at this time, I happen to believe that God has set her apart as His, I happen to believe that its just a matter of time when she will enjoy a life of true freedom, I happen to believe that despite these times of waiting, He is weaving something that when finished will bring Himself glory and make us more like His Son as we persevere in obedience to Him. But for now He has given to me (and to others) a very special treasure --- to love her as if she were our own daughter and to allow our hearts to be stretched to a new level of faith. So let us walk with eyes of faith for without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Friday, August 28, 2009
Another Ratanak Team Going To Cambodia
Many of you have been following this blog over the past few months. In the next few days you will get a change of writers. My colleague Brian McConaghy, the founder of The Ratanak Foundation is leaving for Cambodia this weekend along with a few others who have 'joined' the Ratanak family. These include one of our board members from Canada---Steve F., then there is our Ratanak rep in the U.K, Steve N. who like Brian is a policeman and then there is Stephan and Beth, long term missionaries who have worked with mission organizations in Africa on several projects related to the poor and the oppressed. Stephan and Beth are now 'official' Ratanak partners. None of these have ever been to Cambodia before so it will be great to hear their perspectives as they see Cambodia with fresh new eyes. Joining this group will be Graham from Australia who has been to Cambodia several times and knows many of the people we have worked with. It is exciting to see how God is orchestrating various people to be a part of His work in Cambodia.
These guys will be spending time learning about various Ratanak projects. Please remember them in prayer as they will be in Cambodia from August 31 to September 13th.
In the mean time, some of my future blogging musings may be found on my own personal blog called: Child of God
These guys will be spending time learning about various Ratanak projects. Please remember them in prayer as they will be in Cambodia from August 31 to September 13th.
In the mean time, some of my future blogging musings may be found on my own personal blog called: Child of God
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Silence is not an option!
These are the words that are resonating in my spirit today as I am worshipping the Lord. Truly silence is not an option now that we know that there are children being sold this very moment.
Silence is not an option, when we say God break our hearts with the things that break your heart and yet we guard our hearts from feeling the pain and suffering of those who are broken.
Silence is not an option when we ask God to see the things that He does and then we refuse to look into the darkness
Silence is not an option when we ask God to be more like Him and then we put conditions on how we will serve Him and what we will do for Him.
Silence is not an option when we ask God 'bless me' and yet we refuse to be a blessing to those who He brings into our sphere of influence
Silence is not an option, when we hear the cries of those who are suffering and we close our ears and tune out because it is too unbearable for us.
Thank you to many who have chosen to not remain silence. Who have chosen to speak by taking the first step of entering into the darkness, to face it head on in all its ugliness, to wrestle with their emotions and questions to God. As we raise our voices in unison, as we speak up on behalf of the oppressed, we discover that God is using the marginalized to enlarge our hearts, deepen our faith and teach us a whole new way of 'loving our neighbor.' Ministry as my pastor once said is not our gift to God, it is God's gift to us---in ministering to the poor, the broken, the voiceless and the oppressed, God deepens within each of us the gift of compassion, the gift of tenderness, the gift of solidarity, the gift of understanding, the gift of hope, the gift of strength, the gift of patience, the gift of endurance, the gift of faith and most importantly the gift of love which leads us to always trust, always persevere and never give up and not remain silent despite the overwhelming odds and obstacles.
Silence is not an option, when we say God break our hearts with the things that break your heart and yet we guard our hearts from feeling the pain and suffering of those who are broken.
Silence is not an option when we ask God to see the things that He does and then we refuse to look into the darkness
Silence is not an option when we ask God to be more like Him and then we put conditions on how we will serve Him and what we will do for Him.
Silence is not an option when we ask God 'bless me' and yet we refuse to be a blessing to those who He brings into our sphere of influence
Silence is not an option, when we hear the cries of those who are suffering and we close our ears and tune out because it is too unbearable for us.
Thank you to many who have chosen to not remain silence. Who have chosen to speak by taking the first step of entering into the darkness, to face it head on in all its ugliness, to wrestle with their emotions and questions to God. As we raise our voices in unison, as we speak up on behalf of the oppressed, we discover that God is using the marginalized to enlarge our hearts, deepen our faith and teach us a whole new way of 'loving our neighbor.' Ministry as my pastor once said is not our gift to God, it is God's gift to us---in ministering to the poor, the broken, the voiceless and the oppressed, God deepens within each of us the gift of compassion, the gift of tenderness, the gift of solidarity, the gift of understanding, the gift of hope, the gift of strength, the gift of patience, the gift of endurance, the gift of faith and most importantly the gift of love which leads us to always trust, always persevere and never give up and not remain silent despite the overwhelming odds and obstacles.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
August Newsletter
Dear Family & Friends
It’s been just over a couple weeks since we’ve been back from Cambodia but my heart and emotions still seem to be in Asia. This is a normal aspect of the re-entry process that we are called to embrace. In many ways, it is the most difficult part of any mission experience because it is a time to be still, to listen and to wait on the Lord for another chapter to enfold. Nonetheless, as I reflect on our journey, there is much to give thanks to God for. I especially thank Him for each of you who have sown so generously into our lives. Because of you, we experienced His faithfulness in providing for all the needs of our team---whether it was your prayers for us, whether it was the financial resources given, whether it was your words of encouragement, whether it was your support at the Our Thai Fundraiser, whether it was your gifts for the Cambodians, God blessed us way beyond what we could imagine. He indeed was not only watching over us, but time and time again, we saw His hand directing our steps and giving us opportunities to encounter Him through the poor, the oppressed and the broken. So on behalf of the team, thank you for your investment of time, energy and resources to stand in the gap not only for us but for the people and children in Cambodia. This service that you perform not only supplied the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(2 Corinthians 9:12)
Jesus In the Least of These
This year’s trip, the verse that seemed to reverberate in my soul was from 2 Corinthians 12:9. “For my power is made perfect in weakness." Each time I visit Cambodia, it is the weak and vulnerable that God uses to speak to my heart. For it is in their vulnerability, my vulnerability is revealed. In their brokenness, I am forced to confront mine, in their helplessness, I see my own. This is not about dwelling on the pain and suffering of others but rather gaining understanding about an aspect of ‘the cross’ that we so often seek to avoid. For the cross of Christ challenges us to enter into the suffering of the world in all its darkness, hopelessness and pain, yet it is the cross of Jesus that also reminds us that where there is brokenness, there can be wholeness, where there is despair there can be joy, where there is ugliness, there can be beauty, where there is rejection, there can be acceptance. It is in the spending time with the ‘least of these’ I find Jesus and discover that His power is made perfect in weakness. What do I mean by this?
Jesus With The Rejected
At a tender age of 4 days old, baby Bayana who I met at Daughters experienced rejection. Because of her disabilities (she was diagnosed with spina bifida and had club feet) she was rejected first by her parents and then by a pediatric hospital where the doctors suggested to her parents to just take her home and let her die. But Jesus is on the side of the rejected and one phone call and a few hours later, baby Bayana was ushered into a whole new world; a world where her weakness became her strength, a world, where new opportunities and new hope arose. She was given a new name, Neang Rua (which means ‘Ruth’ but also ‘live’), ‘adopted’ by Place of Rescue run by my dear friend Marie Ens and was sent back to the very pediatric hospital where she was initially rejected and is now receiving treatment for each of her ailments. As Marie said, God has a plan for Neang Rua’s life. Yes Jesus’s power made perfect in the weakness of the abandoned. Though the world may reject Neang Rua, He accepts her just as she is. Though the world may want to write off Neang Rua, God has engraved her on the palm of His hand. Though the world may want to forget her, He has not, for He has created her for such a time as this!
Jesus With The Oppressed
But Jesus was not only present to rescue a helpless babe, for He was standing in the midst of one who continues to live a life of oppression as I thought of a former sex worker from Daughters Cambodia, whose tears were a visible reminder of the pain that she endured each day. The violence against her has been transferred from the brothel to her home where she experiences daily beatings from her husband. In one of our seminars, she came forward for prayer, she could barely look up, her body language, a reflection of the downcast spirit within. How does one possibly offer hope to one who is so crushed? I asked her what her name was and asked if she would look into my eyes. I began to tell her that Jesus sees her pain. He knows what she goes through each day, He hears the cries of her heart. He is not a God who is distant but who cares what happens to her and He will rescue her because He loves her. She began to cry and so did I. There is something special in having the privilege of sharing in another person’s suffering, in sharing their pain and helping them to know they are not alone; that we stand in solidarity with them just as Jesus does. I wanted her to know how much she was loved and valued as a human being. That day, she laid her pain at the foot of the cross trusting that God could make something beautiful out of her brokenness. That day she stepped out in faith choosing to believe that God’s power is made perfect in her weakness. That day, I prayed that she saw the loving gaze of Christ, offering her hope that a new day was coming in her life.
Jesus With The Exploited
Svay Pak, the village 11km outside of Phnom Penh notorious for being the pedophile’s paradise is a place where strangely I have come to experience God’s love through the little ones I reconnected with from last year. For it was here that I was confronted with the reality of the statistic that 80% to 100% of the girls in this community are trafficked. Such was the case one Saturday when I learned that within 24 hours one of my little “daughters” was going to be taken to a brothel up north owned by her parents. She had come to the sanctuary of the Lord—Rahab’s House asking for help from the pastor. This time she did not want to go for she knew the fate that awaited her. Each time she had been previously and returned, Pastor Chantha had to take her to a medical clinic for treatment. It is here that both my fear and faith collided. Fear as I thought of the ‘worse’, tears welling up in my eyes, as I sat with her and others, yet ‘faith in Christ’ as we prayed and pleaded for God to intervene. For the first time in my life I felt compelled to fast for the life of this precious one that evening. God’s word to me over night was ‘don’t worry she will be okay.’ Indeed the next day I saw her at the Sunday school program and gave her my cross necklace not only as a symbol of my love for her but more importantly, as a symbol that Christ loves her and that He would never leave her nor forsake her. Praise God, as of this writing she is still safe. Her grandmother who attends Rahab’s House church had refused to let her go, but the tension remains. She remains ‘at risk’ of being sold for sadly she is a ‘favorite’ in the pedophile catalogue. What is it like for a child to live under such a cloud of darkness? I have no answers to this question, but through this process, I am reminded that to love the way Jesus loves, is costly—for it demands that we persevere with an enduring hope despite the visible reality, trusting that in the invisible reality, Christ will be faithful to His promises of protecting the defenseless so that one day, they will terrify no more.
Jesus With The Redeemed
But all is not dark and dismal. For God also is in the business of restoring the years the locusts have eaten from those who have experienced years of sexual slavery. Such was my encounter with 3 of the former victims of the first ever convicted Canadian pedophile/sex tourist Donald Bakker. These special ones are now under the care of a Foster care program that Ratanak funds in Cambodia. I had the awesome privilege of spending a few hours with them, celebrating their birthdays, asking them about their hopes and dreams for the future. They are all believers, doing things that any teenager would do—enjoying junk food, going to youth camp, posing with their favorite stuffed animals, giggling and laughing as they each shared their hopes of being a lawyer, a hip hop instructor, or a business woman. But I was struck by their spiritual maturity as one of them prayed for us and asked that God would use the words that we had prayed for them to touch their hearts deeply. Their story and journey demonstrates the power of Christ to heal, to bind up wounds, to set free and to release new hope and new life. In them, I see evidences of God’s grace restoring and redeeming shattered lives.
Indeed each of these stories are reminders that the oppressed and the brokenhearted will continue to call us out of our comfortable apathy and indifference, just as Christ himself calls us to set aside all that entangles and follow after Him. It is an emotional roller coaster with bitter and sweet moments intertwined, but the poor and the downcast are in need of hope and justice; they need mercy, they need love, they need to know that someone cares, they need to know that they matter and they need our time, even as Jesus seems to tell us that it is we who need their time. For in gaining a glimpse of their darkness, in spending time with them, I become more keenly aware of the words that Henri Nouwen once penned: In these suffering bodies of people we must be able to recognize the suffering Christ. They too are chosen, blessed, broken and given to the world. As we call one another to respond to the cries of these people and work together for justice and peace, we are caring for Christ, who suffered and died for the salvation of our world." In each one of them we not only see Jesus in disguise, but it is the poor and needy who teach us how to love Christ even more. In the cup of cold water delivered to the least of these, He is there among us demonstrating that His power indeed is made perfect in weakness.
It’s been just over a couple weeks since we’ve been back from Cambodia but my heart and emotions still seem to be in Asia. This is a normal aspect of the re-entry process that we are called to embrace. In many ways, it is the most difficult part of any mission experience because it is a time to be still, to listen and to wait on the Lord for another chapter to enfold. Nonetheless, as I reflect on our journey, there is much to give thanks to God for. I especially thank Him for each of you who have sown so generously into our lives. Because of you, we experienced His faithfulness in providing for all the needs of our team---whether it was your prayers for us, whether it was the financial resources given, whether it was your words of encouragement, whether it was your support at the Our Thai Fundraiser, whether it was your gifts for the Cambodians, God blessed us way beyond what we could imagine. He indeed was not only watching over us, but time and time again, we saw His hand directing our steps and giving us opportunities to encounter Him through the poor, the oppressed and the broken. So on behalf of the team, thank you for your investment of time, energy and resources to stand in the gap not only for us but for the people and children in Cambodia. This service that you perform not only supplied the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(2 Corinthians 9:12)
Jesus In the Least of These
This year’s trip, the verse that seemed to reverberate in my soul was from 2 Corinthians 12:9. “For my power is made perfect in weakness." Each time I visit Cambodia, it is the weak and vulnerable that God uses to speak to my heart. For it is in their vulnerability, my vulnerability is revealed. In their brokenness, I am forced to confront mine, in their helplessness, I see my own. This is not about dwelling on the pain and suffering of others but rather gaining understanding about an aspect of ‘the cross’ that we so often seek to avoid. For the cross of Christ challenges us to enter into the suffering of the world in all its darkness, hopelessness and pain, yet it is the cross of Jesus that also reminds us that where there is brokenness, there can be wholeness, where there is despair there can be joy, where there is ugliness, there can be beauty, where there is rejection, there can be acceptance. It is in the spending time with the ‘least of these’ I find Jesus and discover that His power is made perfect in weakness. What do I mean by this?
Jesus With The Rejected
At a tender age of 4 days old, baby Bayana who I met at Daughters experienced rejection. Because of her disabilities (she was diagnosed with spina bifida and had club feet) she was rejected first by her parents and then by a pediatric hospital where the doctors suggested to her parents to just take her home and let her die. But Jesus is on the side of the rejected and one phone call and a few hours later, baby Bayana was ushered into a whole new world; a world where her weakness became her strength, a world, where new opportunities and new hope arose. She was given a new name, Neang Rua (which means ‘Ruth’ but also ‘live’), ‘adopted’ by Place of Rescue run by my dear friend Marie Ens and was sent back to the very pediatric hospital where she was initially rejected and is now receiving treatment for each of her ailments. As Marie said, God has a plan for Neang Rua’s life. Yes Jesus’s power made perfect in the weakness of the abandoned. Though the world may reject Neang Rua, He accepts her just as she is. Though the world may want to write off Neang Rua, God has engraved her on the palm of His hand. Though the world may want to forget her, He has not, for He has created her for such a time as this!
Jesus With The Oppressed
But Jesus was not only present to rescue a helpless babe, for He was standing in the midst of one who continues to live a life of oppression as I thought of a former sex worker from Daughters Cambodia, whose tears were a visible reminder of the pain that she endured each day. The violence against her has been transferred from the brothel to her home where she experiences daily beatings from her husband. In one of our seminars, she came forward for prayer, she could barely look up, her body language, a reflection of the downcast spirit within. How does one possibly offer hope to one who is so crushed? I asked her what her name was and asked if she would look into my eyes. I began to tell her that Jesus sees her pain. He knows what she goes through each day, He hears the cries of her heart. He is not a God who is distant but who cares what happens to her and He will rescue her because He loves her. She began to cry and so did I. There is something special in having the privilege of sharing in another person’s suffering, in sharing their pain and helping them to know they are not alone; that we stand in solidarity with them just as Jesus does. I wanted her to know how much she was loved and valued as a human being. That day, she laid her pain at the foot of the cross trusting that God could make something beautiful out of her brokenness. That day she stepped out in faith choosing to believe that God’s power is made perfect in her weakness. That day, I prayed that she saw the loving gaze of Christ, offering her hope that a new day was coming in her life.
Jesus With The Exploited
Svay Pak, the village 11km outside of Phnom Penh notorious for being the pedophile’s paradise is a place where strangely I have come to experience God’s love through the little ones I reconnected with from last year. For it was here that I was confronted with the reality of the statistic that 80% to 100% of the girls in this community are trafficked. Such was the case one Saturday when I learned that within 24 hours one of my little “daughters” was going to be taken to a brothel up north owned by her parents. She had come to the sanctuary of the Lord—Rahab’s House asking for help from the pastor. This time she did not want to go for she knew the fate that awaited her. Each time she had been previously and returned, Pastor Chantha had to take her to a medical clinic for treatment. It is here that both my fear and faith collided. Fear as I thought of the ‘worse’, tears welling up in my eyes, as I sat with her and others, yet ‘faith in Christ’ as we prayed and pleaded for God to intervene. For the first time in my life I felt compelled to fast for the life of this precious one that evening. God’s word to me over night was ‘don’t worry she will be okay.’ Indeed the next day I saw her at the Sunday school program and gave her my cross necklace not only as a symbol of my love for her but more importantly, as a symbol that Christ loves her and that He would never leave her nor forsake her. Praise God, as of this writing she is still safe. Her grandmother who attends Rahab’s House church had refused to let her go, but the tension remains. She remains ‘at risk’ of being sold for sadly she is a ‘favorite’ in the pedophile catalogue. What is it like for a child to live under such a cloud of darkness? I have no answers to this question, but through this process, I am reminded that to love the way Jesus loves, is costly—for it demands that we persevere with an enduring hope despite the visible reality, trusting that in the invisible reality, Christ will be faithful to His promises of protecting the defenseless so that one day, they will terrify no more.
Jesus With The Redeemed
But all is not dark and dismal. For God also is in the business of restoring the years the locusts have eaten from those who have experienced years of sexual slavery. Such was my encounter with 3 of the former victims of the first ever convicted Canadian pedophile/sex tourist Donald Bakker. These special ones are now under the care of a Foster care program that Ratanak funds in Cambodia. I had the awesome privilege of spending a few hours with them, celebrating their birthdays, asking them about their hopes and dreams for the future. They are all believers, doing things that any teenager would do—enjoying junk food, going to youth camp, posing with their favorite stuffed animals, giggling and laughing as they each shared their hopes of being a lawyer, a hip hop instructor, or a business woman. But I was struck by their spiritual maturity as one of them prayed for us and asked that God would use the words that we had prayed for them to touch their hearts deeply. Their story and journey demonstrates the power of Christ to heal, to bind up wounds, to set free and to release new hope and new life. In them, I see evidences of God’s grace restoring and redeeming shattered lives.
Indeed each of these stories are reminders that the oppressed and the brokenhearted will continue to call us out of our comfortable apathy and indifference, just as Christ himself calls us to set aside all that entangles and follow after Him. It is an emotional roller coaster with bitter and sweet moments intertwined, but the poor and the downcast are in need of hope and justice; they need mercy, they need love, they need to know that someone cares, they need to know that they matter and they need our time, even as Jesus seems to tell us that it is we who need their time. For in gaining a glimpse of their darkness, in spending time with them, I become more keenly aware of the words that Henri Nouwen once penned: In these suffering bodies of people we must be able to recognize the suffering Christ. They too are chosen, blessed, broken and given to the world. As we call one another to respond to the cries of these people and work together for justice and peace, we are caring for Christ, who suffered and died for the salvation of our world." In each one of them we not only see Jesus in disguise, but it is the poor and needy who teach us how to love Christ even more. In the cup of cold water delivered to the least of these, He is there among us demonstrating that His power indeed is made perfect in weakness.
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