Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

Three days ago, I met Gaiw, a 10-year-old scavenger boy, living
in a dump community on the outskirts of Phnom Pheh, Cambodia. 

After a long day of work, collecting scrap metal in baggies…
 Gaiw exchanges his metal for
$1.  His days seemed endless to me.
He collects scrap metal, to survive?   What thoughts go through Gaiw’s mind each day, Lord?

Does his imagination run free? 

Gaiw spoke with Ratanak and proudly shared his greatest
finds with his dedicated friend.  I
know they chitchat about the way they can unwind the coils and cut them into strips
to bring in a larger profit.  What
a humbling experience to see two young boys sharing a genuine friendship in the
middle of a wasteland.    
– – – – – – – – – – –
Their
shiniest treasures did not stand a chance against their matchless bond.
 – – – – – – – – – – –  

 Gaiw, do you dream? Ratanak, do you share with Gaiw about
what you want to be when you grow up?

 I selfishly desired for their childhood to look different.  I wanted to save these boys from their
conditions and present them with something better.  How crazy to think I had all the answers. 

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are
being renewed day by day.  For our
light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far
outweighs them all.  So, we fix our
eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary
but what is unseen is eternal.”   – 2 Corinthians 4:16 – 18

I couldn’t help but grieve the innocent childhood they were
possibly being robbed of.  Or,
maybe they were not.  Their
friendship will most likely stand the test of time. In the desolate plain there
was an irreplaceable camaraderie.  More
unique than anything I had ever seen. Their friendship was rooted in
loyalty.  What a testimony of the
warrior spirit living inside of them. 
I couldn’t help but think… Lord, do they know you?

Is their hope in you? 
Do they find peace in your love amidst the waste?

 
My steps through the dump seem to be increasing these days…
from Happy Land in Manila Bay to the dump on the outskirts of Phnom Pheh. Why
the repetition?

Again, the simple question remains… who is a voice for the
voiceless? In the wasteland there was silence… yet I found souls wandering and
eager for life.  They were searching,
seeking… looking for something more. 

What I found was a hidden treasure… a matchless friendship.

 “For where your treasure is your heart will be also.” –
Matthew 6:21

 
The interaction between Gaiw and Ratanak was a rare find. I’m
discovering the importance of keeping my eyes open for all the treasures. Often, they are hidden, in the most unexpected of places.
Don’t miss them.