Kvoe's Christmas

I’m not trying to make a difference to the world. I just want to make a world of difference to a child.

We spent Christmas with our family in Texas, exchanging gifts, playing games, and enjoying meals together. It was nice to see everyone again, especially our new grandson. Even family from Florida flew in for the holiday. Christmas is a special time.

On the other side of the world, this Christmas hasn’t been so pleasant for a twelve-year-old Cambodian girl named Kvoe. Kvoe is new to our safehouse. She was labor trafficked to Thailand and worked there for nine months before being taken to a Thai prison for three months. I’ve visited a Thai prison before. It’s no place for a child, especially one who has done nothing wrong except having the misfortune of being trafficked.

From prison, Kvoe was brought to Rapha House where she now lives. Some of our girls come to us after being trafficked as slave labor.

Recently, our staff took Kvoe home to visit her family. It was a long trip over bumpy roads to reach her village. When she arrived, she was greeted with heartbreaking news. Her house was gone. Her mother had died. And now this young girl and her little sister were left all alone in the world. Kvoe sobbed and couldn’t say a word.

There’s an interesting passage in the book of Proverbs. I like how The Message puts it: “Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person” (Proverbs 3:27).

People who like to philosophize talk about the suffering children in the world and the fact that people can only do so much. And that’s about as far as it goes. Girls like Kvoe and her little sister don’t care about debates like that. They just want someone to be God’s hands to them. And by supporting Rapha House, your hands have become God’s hands to them. And now Kvoe and her little sister have a place to call home.