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?
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?
“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
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.
