After starting the new year of 2019 in Africa, I will be moving on to Southeast Asia to spend time in Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia from February 2019 to April 2019. 2019…how strange it is to even think that far ahead.
Now, as I learn more about some of the countries that I will be in during my time in Asia, my heart has been breaking. There have been a lot of conversations in my personal world and in the national world about Human Trafficking that have gripped my heart. I don’t know if God will use me in these countries to experience these things, but one thing I know– I want to break this cycle…I want to dream of a kingdom coming, I want to see evil drown in mercy streams, and I want to see those rivers of justice…
Cambodia
Cambodia boasts the famous Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple that later became a Buddhist monastery.
Cambodia itself is struggling to heal from one of the worst genocides in modern history.
In the 1970s, the Khmer Rouge killed over 1.5 million men, women, and children. Faced with inconceivable poverty and desperation, Cambodia became a source, transit point, and destination for human trafficking.
Thailand
In Buddhist culture, women work to support their families so men can earn spiritual merit as monks. Many parents send their daughters to work in cities where the only option is prostitution.
As the country’s natural beauty continues to draw visitors, sexual tourism continues to grow. It’s estimated 60% of tourists visit the Red Light Districts—and 90% of Thai men visit local karaoke bars for the same reason.
Malaysia
With a large number of immigrants from India, Thailand, China, and Burma, Malaysia is culturally rich, with heavy influences of Hinduism and Buddhism. However, this culturally diverse and rapidly developing nation is mostly Muslim.
With 61% of the population practicing Islam and 19% claiming Buddhism, the majority of Malaysians have never heard the Gospel.
// It’s time to break the cycle // In the darkness of fear, there’s a dawning light // It’s time to break the cycle //
