Anyone you come into contact with on the street who is over 50 has a certain stare. It’s almost as if you can see the tragic film replaying in their mind when you look into their eyes. You can hear the screams of their families when they were dragged away by their hair in the wrinkles on their sun tanned cheeks. You can see how hard they winced in the deep crows feet emanating from their eyes, when they weren’t allowed to scream from the pain of torture in one of the 200 prisons around this country.
Cambodia, an entire country set back by one man’s ruthless quest for power. Not even 40 years ago there were hundreds of thousands of innocent people being driven from their homes and tortured, confessing to crimes they didn’t even commit so the Khmer Rouge guards would finally fire a 9mm round into their awaiting skull to end the suffering. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, researchers, people with glasses who looked smart, people with soft hands who had office jobs, anyone who seemed to pose a threat to the rebellion, all murdered in cold blood by brainwashed teenagers who wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves. This place has been torn apart by pure evil, but managed to survive. The land and the people are beautiful here, but there is a looming darkness which can’t be described in words.
A few years ago, two sisters were enjoying a walk on the Cambodian countryside, while waiting on their single mother to get home from work. It was a day just like any other day until a 70 year old government official drove by on a motorcycle and snatched the younger sister off the road. They both screamed but, nobody was listening. The older sister, wrought with fear for her life long best friend, followed the bike to an abandoned construction site. The screams stopped before she caught a glimpse of her little sister though the crack of a door, passed out from pain. All she could do was watch in horror as her seven year old sister was raped by the man on the bike.
Unfortunately, this is the story of one of the girls whom I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know this month. The ministry we have been partnering with takes in “high risk” girls like these who are in danger of these types of events, or being sold into prostitution under the guise of giving their family a better life. Not only does the family receive money for the initial sale, but now there is one less mouth to feed. It may seem horrible to us westerners, but in the Bhuddist-Hindu driven culture of Cambodia, it is shockingly normal.
In matters such as these, I think we always want to blame someone however, I don’t know if the question is who did it. I don’t think it is, why, or how either. I believe the better question is what do we do now? Where do we go from here? Is your energy better spent hating, or hunting down the bastard who snatched this precious seven year old girl off the street and violently plundered her innocence? Or is your energy better used helping this child heal from her physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds?
As a Christian, I don’t think it is worth our energy to stew and hate the man who did this. Is it injustice? Absolutely. Does he deserve punishment? I believe so. However, as pissed off as I was after hearing this, I felt the Lord moving my heart from seething bitter hatred for this man, to an understanding that he was only operating out of severe wreckage and brokenness. So, instead of churning in a pool of animosity toward him, I have come to the conclusion that my energy would be better spent loving this little girl well and directing her to the ultimate healer, comforter, and friend.
After all, is the outrage we feel when we hear a story like this an excuse for us to stew in anger, which breeds even more unforgiveness, bitterness, and discord in our hearts, or is our indignation better channeled in a holy battle cry to fight for this beautiful little girl and others like her? I believe the latter induces freedom, while the former incubates more bondage, and unnecessarily perpetuates a cycle of pain. When you first read this story, did your heart immediately brew hate for the politician who committed this act, or did it bleed with compassion and ache for the little girl?
I believe passion can either destroy a person, or drive them to change the world. It’s up to us what we do with the information we have been given. It’s time to forgive and press on toward the goal and fight for the cause you believe in. How deep are you willing to go? Prayer support? Financial support? Or are you being called do the dirty work, shedding blood, sweat, and tears in the trenches with girls and boys all over the world who have fallen victim to the sex trade?
I beg you to ask the Lord what your part is.
PS. We have been attending church with the girls the last couple of weeks and it has been a wonderful experience hearing their pastor’s heart for the congregation! It is an amazing house full of people who are passionate about the Lord and are driven to build the kingdom. All of their instruments are borrowed and they need a sound system for the bigger building. I have already given but I feel led to ask you if you would like to get involved as well. I am setting up a gofundme account for their worship program. If you feel led to donate, any amount helps. Thank you!!!
