Today we met Don and Bridget Brewster. They are a great couple working hard in the after care of trafficked girls. Primarily they work out of Phnom Penh but they also have part of their ministry AIM here in Siem Reap. (For now I will just refer to Don, but Bridget was very cool too and shared specifically about the ministry here in Siem Reap and oriented us to some of the staff). Don has been here 8 years and is a director for Agape International Mission. Here is their website check it out:
http://agapewebsite.org/
Don took us on a tour of Siem Reap, but this wasn't a normal tour like I'm used to, instead Don drove us by brothels, hostess bars, and Karaoke clubs. These are really bad places where often 10s to 100s of girls and under age girls are trafficked or used. These places look normal or just like regular bars or night clubs, but they are full of corruption and pure evil. After listening to Don today I have a better handle on the evilness of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of the people in Noah's day who's every thought was evil! Ever wanted the Bible to come to life, the horrors seem pretty real to me right now, but so does the hope and life found in Jesus!
I was so encouraged by Don's testimony about the real solution to the problem of trafficking: Christ. I can't count on two hands how many times he said that "there are many good things, but nothing like the transforming power of Christ!
This place is a Karaoke club that is pure evil. Don says they could be forcing up to 500 girls. It's a tough thing to see and this is only the beginning.
I cannot do justice on this blog to what I saw and heard. My girlfriend, who is also on the trip, has been blogging as well. She is going to be posting soon some pictures and thoughts on Don's tour. So I will point you to her for more info:
http://janelfetterelli.blogspot.com/
After the tour of the city and several heart wrenching hours of raw information - we went to the Silk Worm farm and saw how silk is made. It was cool to see something again that I remember seeing as a child. I don't think we ever came to this specific farm but the process was familiar. I learned the Silk from worms here is yellow naturally because of the heat and the Silk from worms in China is white because of the cooler less tropical climate.
Dinner tonight was at a cultural show. We had a good buffet and ate a lot of mangos! They had on stage a cultural and traditional dance. The dance was similar to what I have seen in other places. After dinner we walked over to a super market and got ice cream. It is such a shock to see so much ice cream and for it to taste so good - since when I was younger the best you got was a drumstick or little individual ice cream from New Zealand. Matthew and Melissa Stock met us at the ice cream place.
So much to see, so much to share...so little time!
Psalm 43:1-5 NIV
Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation. Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked. [2] You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? [3] Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. [4] Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. [5] Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
The events of today put a bit of a rain cloud on our team. It's tough to be told and shown evil and have it so close, yet not be able to defeat it. This Psalm reminds me to get my happy on and be filled with hope.
Grace, mercy, and peace!
No comments:
Post a Comment