My teammates and I went to a gym to sign up for a monthly membership. Our squad will be doing the Camino in Spain during month 11. At our next debrief in Thailand, we will be participating in a 15k. We figured this gym membership was a great way to kickstart our training. Plus—here in Phnom Penh it’s not safe to run or walk the streets due to the insane amount of traffic.
The gym we signed up at is within walking distance and is ranked as one of the top gyms in Phnom Penh. After our first day of working out, I decided I was going to take full advantage of the services they offered. I went to the front reception and inquired about massages. There was a one hour foot massage listed for $3. Boom-sign me up! I’m totally in for that! I paid my $3 and was then sent with my receipt down a hallway towards the massage counter.
I arrived at the massage desk and handed over my receipt. Four women were sitting there, they took one look at me and then turned around and pointed to what appeared to be the youngest of the bunch. She jumped right up and led me down another hallway. I was taken to a dim lit room where there was a queen sized bed. I just looked at her and said, “No no. I just want a foot massage.” She looked confused. I repeated, “Foot massage only.” She smiled and then took me to a room that was labeled: Foot Massage Room.
I took a seat in one of the chairs while she closed the door behind her. I put my headphones in as my introverted self wanted nothing to do with awkward small talk. However, I wasn’t listening to any music. About 15 minutes into the massage she looked up at me and asked me, “Are you here with your girlfriend?”
I smiled and pulled out my earbuds, “No, I’m here with four of my friends. We are traveling missionaries.” I sat there and told her what we were doing in Cambodia and about World Race.
She had a follow up question, “So you are not married to a girl?”
“No I am not married to a girl. I am not married at all,” I replied.
She smiled again and then decided to tell me a bit of her story. I sat there as she told me she had been working at this gym for five years now (she is 25). She told me how her and her younger sister live alone because their parents died when she was younger. She is trying to go to a university here as she wants to be a nurse, but she currently doesn’t have enough money for tuition. Then, there was a knock at the door.
The woman got up to open the door and in walked another girl.
“This is my younger sister,” she said.
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you,” as I waved back.
She then said, “She likes girl for girl.”
I was confused. “Oh, okay,” I responded, thinking she was simply attempting to tell me her sister was gay.
“Do you like? My sister like the woman because they are nicer than the men,” she said.
“No no, I really just want a foot massage.” I replied.
“You okay? She don’t mind. She like the girl for sex better.”
My mind was racing. Did I just get solicited for sex? I couldn’t believe this was happening to me.
“Yes, I am sure. Are you expected to have sex with every customer?” I asked.
“Yes. Mostly only the men come for massage.”
“How much would something like that cost?” I asked.
“Only $20, but she real good. You would be happy,” she responded.
I would be happy. Those words rang in my head on repeat. What about her?
It was at that moment I sat up and asked her her name. She stopped massaging my feet. “My name is Da,” she said. I got to tell her how she’s worth so much more than $20. I got to tell her about Jesus and how much He adores her. I took out $20 and gave it to her. I then asked if I could pray with her. I then thanked her and got up to leave.
“No, you can’t leave yet,” she said. As she motioned me back to my chair. She then started massaging my hands, arms and head.
Oh that’s right. It needs to appear as if she is in here doing her job. So I stayed in the room an additional 25 minutes before I left.
People, this is happening in our world. This happened in my gym. A gym that appears to look normal from the outside. This was the last thing I was expecting to happen when I signed up for a membership.
My team’s assigned ministry this month is simply teaching English. Nothing on our set up sheet said anything about working with women who are enslaved to sex trafficking. But, that’s what is happening. Our gym is now also our mission field.
If you’d like to help and partner with me this month, there are a number of ways you can do so. First, please pray for the people of Cambodia and my team. If you’d like to partner with me financially, I could use your help. I’m planning to schedule massages with Da at least three times a week. And I intend to give her $20 each time. If you feel led and would like to help give financially so that I can continue to talk to Da about Jesus-I would love to partner with you. You can donate by finding me on Venmo (@Lyndsee-Landon). If you have any other questions, please ask.
