Sophea: A Woman of Hope in the Darkness
Sophea grew up in the slums where she was told that her only hope in life was to become a prostitute, or a beggar. But, Sophea did not accept that life as her fate even though she was told time and time again that she had no hope of escaping her inevitable future of a prostitute. Every day Sophea would wake up in complete darkness and at 3am she would pack an extra pair of clothes in her bag, put on her coat and wade through the mud and water as she made her way out of the slums. Then, she would change clothes and go to the market to gather vegetables and food to sell, doing everything she could to take care of her sick mother and two sisters. She worked for 8-12 hours every day of the week just to make enough to support her family. Despite all of the hours of hard work she would still find time go to New Life Ministries to take the free English and Business Training Skills classes. She was determined to escape the fate of so many of her neighbors in the slums.
One day when she went to her English class her teacher was not there. The other students in the class decided to ride their bikes to the teacher’s home. Sophea sat there almost in tears because she did not have a bike and had no money to get to the teachers house. She was worried that if she did not go and learn that she would be unable to get a good job. As she sat there the phone rang and on the other end was her teacher calling to offer someone in her class a job opportunity with Mobitell, the number one cell phone company in Cambodia. Since Sophea was the only one there she received the job. Sophea was a new believer at this time and this answer to prayer greatly increased her faith in the Lord.
Mobitell provided Sophea with a renewed hope as well as clothes and a cell phone, which was a big deal to have nice business clothes and a phone living in the slums. Her neighbors noticed her new attire and found out about her wonderful job. Sophea became an inspiration to the parents in the slums and they began to understand the importance of a good education. The parents began to do everything they could to enroll their children in school and encourage them to take the free English classes at New Life Ministries. Now many students are attending these classes from her village and are creating a better future.
Sophea is an inspiration that fought the odds that she would end up as a prostitute and now she is an example to so many. She is a light in a dark place and provides hope to a place that was once barren. She volunteers at New Life Ministries in the Children’s Ministry teaching the children bible stories and praying that they too would know that God created them with love for a purpose in this world. She volunteers at the Healing Home as well where her husband Donnie works and she used to volunteer with Esther Ministries with the SHE house, a ministry that reaches out to women and children from the slums that have been rescued from a life of sex trafficking and forced labor. Sophea once at high risk for this course of life herself understands what it is like to cry out in desperation for a life of true hope. Sophea has dedicated her life to being an example of hope in the darkness.
