tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55041059201902340152024-03-12T18:30:12.606-07:00Rapha House Freedom CenterHelping Survivors of Human Trafficking Find FreedomKerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-50715911981133603432012-02-20T10:20:00.000-08:002012-02-20T10:22:22.831-08:00My Teacher at Rapha House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gOg4PUdQ4LI/T0KPNTyS5_I/AAAAAAAAAMU/JuGjnDTLGL8/s1600/pixlr.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gOg4PUdQ4LI/T0KPNTyS5_I/AAAAAAAAAMU/JuGjnDTLGL8/s320/pixlr.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711284736271509490" /></a><br />While sitting in the air conditioning of our finance office, I strike up a conversation with Dailyn. She's a Rapha House girl who has been with us for years and is now interning as an Assistant Bookkeeper.<br /> <br />I remark about how far she has come. And in true Khmer form, she says without pride, "I know." Then she adds completely out of left field, "But my father hates me."<br /> <br />I pull my chair alongside her desk. We chat briefly about her family. Then I ask her, "Since you are a good girl, and your father hates you, who has the problem?" Without a moment's hesitation, she replies, "He does."<br /> <br />She then adds, "My teacher here at Rapha House taught me that every night before I go to bed to give all my troubles to God. So that's what I do." In that moment I realize she has just become my teacher at Rapha House.<br /> <br />That's the way things go here. Right when I think I'm the one teaching these children, they turn the tables on me and remind me of how much I've yet to learn.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-36428516786080674312011-06-25T12:30:00.000-07:002011-06-25T12:43:33.422-07:00Trafficking Statistics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NiJgDTq_WBI/TgY5YkiUuvI/AAAAAAAAAMM/DESs08R06LY/s1600/Stats.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NiJgDTq_WBI/TgY5YkiUuvI/AAAAAAAAAMM/DESs08R06LY/s320/Stats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622244279105927922" /></a><br />Recently, I stumbled across a website that questions some of the common statistics used by anti-trafficking organizations. And that got me thinking.<br /><br />I think that it's good to be a critical thinker and not just parrot everything you hear from authorities. Yes, I'm a product of the "Question Authority" generation. But since then, I've grown a little wiser. And when people tell me to question authority, I always ask, "Who says?"<br /><br />You see, we all rely on some authority for the beliefs and conclusions that we've drawn. After all, I don't have the time nor the funding to do a fancy study to determine the exact statistics about the scope of trafficking both here in the US and abroad. And I would hazard a guess that even those folks questioning the statistics don't have much good solid data to back up their skepticism.<br /><br />That brings me to another point. I would think that truly reliable statistics on such issues would be extremely hard to come by. After all, how many traffickers are going to sign up for that survey? "Please check the number of persons you've trafficked over the last twelve months: [ ] 1 - 10 [ ] 11 - 50 [ ] 51 - 200…" You get the point.<br /><br />So when it comes to statistics, I honestly think that there's a lot of Kentucky Windage involved in computing them on both sides of the debate. However, a lot of the folks passing along the common statistics that you hear are good folks with feet on the ground doing the work to help victims, including children who are being exploited for labor and commercial sex work.<br /><br />Here's one thing I do know. I've met children who have been exploited for labor and commercial sex work. They are in programs that I serve as a volunteer. <span style="font-weight:bold;">And I've decided the most important number when it comes to trafficking statistics is the number 1.</span> For me, one child slave is one too many. And as long as one child (for that matter, one adult) is exploited this way, I will work to fight trafficking.<br /><br />Let me offer this challenge to the statistic skeptics: Do something meaningful to help one traffic person. Volunteer some of your time. Donate just a portion of your money to the cause. Speak out against this injustice. And go ahead and be skeptical. Just don't be someone who offers nothing to this fight other than your criticism.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-91332572911596716082011-06-16T08:49:00.000-07:002011-06-16T08:51:13.836-07:00Jewelry Program at Rapha House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dy9zHfCXF8w/TfomT8e6cdI/AAAAAAAAAME/Kt7gWyxfemM/s1600/Jewelry_sm.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dy9zHfCXF8w/TfomT8e6cdI/AAAAAAAAAME/Kt7gWyxfemM/s320/Jewelry_sm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618845609193271762" /></a><br />Our “NEW LIFE<span style="font-style:italic;"> by design</span>” training program equips survivors of trafficking with the skills to make exotic, one-of-a-kind jewelry designs. The Rapha girls that are preparing to graduate from our safehouse need a dignified way to support themselves. We are hiring a professional trainer to teach these girls jewelry making skills. And we need your help<br /> <br />We are asking you to look through your collection of long ignored jewelry with an eye to give it new life. That one remaining crystal earring, the necklace with great beads you’ve been intending to fix, that unusual bracelet with the broken clasp, or maybe a piece you never got around to wearing—these all can find new life!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Send your jewelry donation to Rapha House, Attn: Opal Singleton, 6755 Victoria Ave., Riverside, CA 92506. And we’ll bring new life to your old jewelry.</span><br /><br />Maybe you’re a bead collector or bead maker. A gift of your beads can be a great way to bring new life to a rescued girl giving her a chance to support herself once she leaves our safehouse.<br /><br />Spread the word. Tell your mother, sisters, daughters, and friends. Tell your Sunday school class, women’s group, or sorority. Host a “NEW LIFE <span style="font-style:italic;">by design</span>” party and invite guests to bring their old jewelry. Tell those who attend about child trafficking and Rapha House.<br /><br />Collect your old jewelry; put it in a baggie; and then send it to us. Be sure to include any special stories associated with the pieces that you send. <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Send your jewelry donation to Rapha House, Attn: Opal Singleton, 6755 Victoria Ave., Riverside, CA 92506. And we’ll bring new life to your old jewelry.</span><br /> <br />If you wish, make a financial contribution to help this project. Donations will help us secure equipment and supplies, as well as compensate our trainer. We appreciate you investment in the future of our girls.<br /><br />For more information email Opal Singleton at Osingleton@RaphaHouse.org.<br /> <br />To you it’s old jewelry, to her it’s a chance to for a NEW LIFE <span style="font-style:italic;">by design</span>.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-5998930253530909042011-03-29T16:04:00.000-07:002011-03-29T16:06:37.614-07:00Celebrate With Us!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lDqC4EXRhM/TZJl5dCD2zI/AAAAAAAAAL4/GfCSZhxApUs/s1600/CelebrateFRONT.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lDqC4EXRhM/TZJl5dCD2zI/AAAAAAAAAL4/GfCSZhxApUs/s400/CelebrateFRONT.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589642125240425266" /></a><br /><br />Because of your partnership, Rapha House was able to purchase the land for our second safe house! Please continue to pray with us as we embark on the next phase of this project. We will continue to keep you updated.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Thank you for partnering with us to show the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rapha</span> girls that they are greatly loved.</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-42182785750563070562011-02-21T16:48:00.001-08:002011-02-21T16:51:21.430-08:008-year-old Burn Victim Gets Surgery<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-52WHna9Gmfg/TWMIAjkeNjI/AAAAAAAAALo/lFdwboiytPo/s1600/Sokpong.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-52WHna9Gmfg/TWMIAjkeNjI/AAAAAAAAALo/lFdwboiytPo/s320/Sokpong.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576309569256044082" /></a>By Stephanie Freed<br /><br />Please pray for little eight year old Sokpong. She is the little sister of one of our Rapha girls.<br /> <br />During a social work visit with her family, it was discovered that Sokpong had been horribly burned a few years ago; and instead of seeking medical help, her arm was wrapped to her torso by her mother. Subsequently, her arm actually grew to her torso and she has been unable to move her shoulder and arm for years. This little girl has lived a life of great pain.<br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XB_9EEvWO64/TWMIHTU2kCI/AAAAAAAAALw/MwlMNGGkW7o/s1600/01.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XB_9EEvWO64/TWMIHTU2kCI/AAAAAAAAALw/MwlMNGGkW7o/s320/01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576309685154648098" /></a><br />When presented with this information from our native staff, a US staff member made it her mission to find medical help for little Sokpong to have the necessary surgery to separate her shoulder from her torso. Finally, after a long period of tireless knocking on doors, a wonderful foreign doctor did the operation in Cambodia.<br /> <br />Sokpong will endure more surgery and a long period of recovery. Please pray for her as she is in excruciating pain in the native hospital where the operation was done. We will update you as we receive updates. We are thankful to have the opportunity to reach out to the families of our girls, and be a part of their healing and hope as well.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-75468177160914782812010-12-29T11:52:00.000-08:002010-12-29T11:58:50.743-08:00Feliz Navidad Cambodian Style<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TRuSQd99hvI/AAAAAAAAALc/c4MHt6SkUUU/s1600/Feliz.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TRuSQd99hvI/AAAAAAAAALc/c4MHt6SkUUU/s320/Feliz.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556195376911714034" /></a><br />Now that's something that I never expected to hear—the song <span style="font-style:italic;">Feliz Navidad </span>sung in Khmer (Cambodian).<br /><br />Just before Christmas, my wife and I talked via Skype to some of our girls in our program. Our translator said that they wanted to sing us a song. We agreed. And that's when it happened. The girls broke out into their rendition of <span style="font-style:italic;">Feliz Navidad</span>. Amazing.<br /><br />What else was amazing is the gratitude that the girls expressed for the small Christmas gifts they received. Many of them said that this was their first time ever to receive a Christmas gift. That's humbling.<br /><br />It's nearing the end of the year, and we're asking you to consider making more small miracles like this to come true.<br /><br />You can help us purchase the land for our second safehouse in Cambodia. All it takes is $7 per square meter to purchase a piece of freedom for a girl who has been rescued from trafficking.<br /><br />For the past few years, we have been renting facilities for our second safe house. This rented facility cannot fully meet the needs of our children. So we are turning to you for help.<br /><br />Recently, God opened a door of possibility for us in this location. Land prices in this high tourist destination are extremely high. And we knew that without a miracle we would never be able to afford property there. But it looks like we have our miracle. Another Christian organization that loves our work has offered to sell us a parcel of their land at a reduced price. The cost is $70,000. So for $7 per square meter, you can help us purchase this 100m x 100m piece of property. Purchase a piece of freedom. Invest in the lives of our Rapha girls. They’re worth it!<br /><br /><blockquote>1 square meter = $7<br />5 square meters = $35<br />10 square meters = $70<br />100 square meters = $100</blockquote><br /><br />We need to raise enough money to purchase all 10,000 square meters. <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">And with your help, we can!</span></span><br /><br />We offer you two secure ways to give using our <a href="https://www.donation-net.net/donation/donation1.cfm?dn=1132&source=8&CFID=7434836&CFTOKEN=70713057">website</a> or our <a href="https://www.mogiv.com/rapha/freedom/">Mogiv</a> page.<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Feliz Navidad. Prospero año y felicidad!</span></span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-79141952375775366092010-11-10T15:00:00.000-08:002010-11-12T09:20:51.145-08:00Two Monkeys<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TNsmdnQlq1I/AAAAAAAAALQ/6mLzMOnoKvo/s1600/Little.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TNsmdnQlq1I/AAAAAAAAALQ/6mLzMOnoKvo/s320/Little.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538062456978778962" /></a><br />We received this cryptic message from our Cambodian Director the other day: “The little monkey is now at the safehouse with the big monkey; they are very happy.”<br /><br />Insiders know what he’s talking about. Let me explain.<br /><br />“Monkey” is the nickname of the girl that’s featured in our prison visit video. Perhaps you saw it at <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/15407704">http://www.vimeo.com/15407704</a>.<br /><br />In that video, you see Monkey’s little sister. She was living at the prison where her mother is incarcerated for human trafficking of children.<br /><br />It took the intervention of a human rights organization. But the “little monkey” has now been set free and is reunited with her big sister.<br /><br />Currently, we are looking for a foster family in Cambodia to raise this precious little girl. Pray that we’ll be successful.<br /><br />With the holiday season upon us, consider giving the gift of freedom. We are purchasing a $70,000 parcel of land for a permanent home for our second safehouse in Cambodia. We need $200,000 for land for our Thailand operations. And $180,000 is needed to start construction of the Cambodian facility. Every dollar you give to these projects is a long-term investment in freedom. And few gifts are more precious to give.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-74582191718206298872010-10-15T10:23:00.001-07:002010-10-15T10:32:43.174-07:00Flood Disaster<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TLiPcCkTRCI/AAAAAAAAALA/3jKsanSWITI/s1600/flood1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 168px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TLiPcCkTRCI/AAAAAAAAALA/3jKsanSWITI/s320/flood1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528326254485521442" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Special Message from Stephanie Freed, Executive Director</span><br /><br /><br />Hello friends—I am here in Cambodia with the Rapha House Kid’s Club Program Manager, Chris Wheeler. You will be hearing more about this prevention outreach project in the near future. In an effort to combat the selling of children into slavery, we have targeted an area of the capital city where children are highly trafficked. The slums of this district of the city are hard to describe. Thousands of people live in situations of extreme poverty and desperation. <br /> <br />Yesterday morning, it began raining. This is not uncommon this time of year. It is the end of monsoon season here, and we often experience hard tropical downpours. The strange thing about this rain is that it did not stop. The storm lingered all morning, and we found it difficult to see while driving through the city on our way to the prevention project area. Before we knew it, we were driving through deep water. We noticed a current running through the water and realizing that the situation was growing dangerous, we pulled our small car off the street onto the higher ground of a gas station. Unable to sit in the car in the stifling heat, we exited to stand on the higher ground alongside hundreds of other people who were already mid calf deep in water. Just a few feet from us, down in the street, it had become a river where people were walking waist deep in water—evacuating with their belongings carried on their heads. This surreal scene escalated as we watched a baby in a large mixing bowl floating past, being navigated by his father. his kind of flooding here in the streets of Phnom Penh has not occurred in more than ten years. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TLiOcSgSPbI/AAAAAAAAAK4/SzmX-mB3tT0/s1600/flood2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 147px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TLiOcSgSPbI/AAAAAAAAAK4/SzmX-mB3tT0/s400/flood2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528325159252016562" /></a><br><br /><br />We found ourselves trapped only for a few hours in this very unsanitary water which was a mix of rain, river and sewer, but many families in the city lost everything they owned—which was little to begin with. Many of the families we work with in our prevention project live in meager bamboo and cardboard homes which washed quickly away taking the little food that these families had. <br /> <br />I know that I cannot adequately explain the desperation which many children in our area are facing right now. We are facing an emergency need for food and medicine. Please consider helping us in this real time of urgent need. Working in a grass roots effort, we will be able to get the food and medicine directly to the people who need it. <br /> <br />Navigating mud and water yesterday, Chris and I walked down one alley where naked children begged us for something to eat. One mother carrying a baby approached us and, with tears in her eyes, thanked us for providing their family with some rice. Please help us be the hands and feet of Jesus to these desperate people.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-8144740655487072312010-09-29T15:57:00.000-07:002010-09-29T15:59:21.345-07:00Check It Out!Our latest video<br /><br /><a href="http://www.vimeo.com/15407704">Prison Visit</a><br /> <br />Help spread the word about Rapha House. Share this video with others!Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-82404606638568800192010-09-19T19:13:00.000-07:002010-09-19T19:15:56.728-07:00Sopheap: A Re-entry Success Story<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TJbDh2FsH5I/AAAAAAAAAKo/cU48nCLGEr4/s1600/shop.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TJbDh2FsH5I/AAAAAAAAAKo/cU48nCLGEr4/s320/shop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518813379611598738" /></a><br />I first met Sopheap many years ago on my first visit to Rapha House. She was living there with her siblings.<br /><br />We didn't find Sopheap, she found us. She sought us out when her father was preparing to sell Sopheap's younger sister to traffickers. Maybe you remember seeing the story of Sopheap's sister. We showed her rescue on DVD.<br /><br />Now Sopheap is living independently with her husband and son. She also cares for her younger brother and another sister who recently reintegrated from Rapha House.<br /><br />Sopheap was our very first micro-credit project. She faithfully repaid her loan and owns a small clothing shop in the marketplace.<br /><br />During my last trip to Cambodia, I approached Sopheap about becoming a wholesaler distributor to other business owners in her area. It seemed like a real opportunity for her and a good way to provide employment for our reintegrated girls, if this project succeeds.<br /><br />We don't know if it will, but here's the latest. Sopheap took our seed money and went to Phnom Penh to shop for items that she thought business owners in her area may want. She returned home. And within <span style="font-weight:bold;">two days<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span>, she had sold everything that she bought!<br /><br />We're smart enough to know that one success doesn't build a business. But we're also smart enough to back a winner. Sopheap is a winner. So we're going to provide her with business coaching and the financial resources to see if we can build a wholesale distribution business that will provide economic opportunity for other reintegrated girls to come.<br /><br />Want to get in on the action? Make a donation to Rapha House and mark it "Sopheap."Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-14881649133198673112010-09-12T19:29:00.000-07:002010-09-12T19:32:22.717-07:00Religious Freedom at Rapha House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TI2M51IgWgI/AAAAAAAAAKg/VK7lgTYquRw/s1600/baptism.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TI2M51IgWgI/AAAAAAAAAKg/VK7lgTYquRw/s400/baptism.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516220043741911554" /></a><br /><br />At Rapha House, we believe in religious freedom. All Rapha girls equally benefit from all our programs and services regardless of what they believe. We value religious freedom. And we practice religious freedom.<br /><br />However, we understand that there is another side to the freedom coin. Our girls are also free to decide to become Christians, if that's what they want. And many choose to do so.<br /><br />When they learn about the God who values them as women; when they learn about the incredible love that He has for them; when they learn that they did not cause their abuse, it had nothing to do with bad karma; then many Rapha girls choose freely to follow Christ. They learn that the Cross proves their tremendous value to God. The Cross shows how far the God of all creation will go to rescue them. And the Cross promises them a purity than no man can take from them. So our girls are freely drawn to God by the Cross of Christ.<br /><br />During my most recent trip to Cambodia, I had the awesome privilege of participating in mass baptisms on two separate occasions. And during those events when hundreds of Cambodians freely chose to follow Jesus, some Rapha House girls and staff were included in that number.<br /><br />Freedom is important to us because freedom is important to God.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. (Galatians 5:1)</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-52621532254322276262010-07-03T16:29:00.000-07:002010-07-03T16:36:36.972-07:00The Five Faces of Jonti<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TC_JYHXqTpI/AAAAAAAAAKI/nbYs88lvZ_Y/s1600/Jonti.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 147px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/TC_JYHXqTpI/AAAAAAAAAKI/nbYs88lvZ_Y/s200/Jonti.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489827886920257170" /></a><br />Five faces of the trafficked girl Jonti are represented in this artwork. It is a story of life and death.<br /><br />The lower left background face is obscured by the large foreground image of Jonti. The obscured face represents that portion of Jonti's life hidden from our view when she was a flower girl in Thailand and worked as a beer girl in a karaoke bar in Cambodia.<br /><br />As a flower girl, she woke up at six in the morning and began selling flowers to tourists and men in nightclubs and bars. She worked all day and early into the morning of the next day, subsisting on one bowl of noodles a day. About three in the morning, she would then go to bed, only to arise again at six o'clock to start her workday over.<br /><br />The Thai authorities arrested Jonti and put her in jail. She was nine years old. Upon her release, she was gang-raped at knifepoint by three teens. <br /><br />Eventually, she returned to Cambodia and was sold by her mother to a karaoke bar. There she worked as a beer girl, serving drinks and servicing men.<br /><br />Jonti's smiling face in the upper left corner of the art piece is from a photo taken of her after she arrived at Rapha House, where she experienced safety and her first glimmer of hope. But as your eye follows her image clockwise, her face deteriorates. Despite our best efforts, Jonti did not emerge from her woundedness and returned to the streets.<br /><br />The foreground image is from a photo taken by the artist when he found her on the streets again. She was invited to enter our extension program. But again, she slipped away.<br /><br />Her body eventually gave out. Her parents took her to a hospital in Vietnam. And her last words are seen faintly in the lower right-hand corner of the art piece—God help me.<br /><br />Her mother tells the story of Jonti's death. It was early in the morning. Jonti's father was in the room with her. Jonti began speaking. Her father called to the mother to come. "Listen," he said as Jonti faintly cried, "God help me" and then died. She was seventeen years old.<br /><br />Embedded in this artwork is a cross. It represents hope in this tragic story. One is reminded of the occasion when Jesus granted grace to the dying thief on the cross. He had done nothing to merit salvation but was welcomed into God's kingdom that very day simply by turning to Christ and asking for help.<br /><br />Jonti now rests beyond the reach of any perpetrator.<br /><br />-----------------<br />See the original artwork at our gallery in Joplin, Missouri. Visit www.freedomforgirls.org for times.<br /> <br />You may purchase Rapha House a 16" x 21" signed limited edition aluminum print, mounted for hanging for $200.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-14042805552564688432010-05-11T08:56:00.000-07:002010-05-11T08:59:22.901-07:00Religion At Rapha House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S-l-vOo29nI/AAAAAAAAAKA/kT-LrbsKZg8/s1600/budda.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S-l-vOo29nI/AAAAAAAAAKA/kT-LrbsKZg8/s200/budda.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470042572266600050" /></a><br />People often say that all religions are essentially the same. But think how that sounds to the ears of a girl at Rapha House.<br /><br />Take the eastern doctrine of karma, for instance—the inexorable law of cause and effect. So what does karma say to a Rapha girl? <span style="font-style:italic;">You got what you deserved. It was because of some sin from this or a past life that caused your abuse.</span> The explanation is karma. So ultimately you're to blame for your own suffering.<br /><br />Imagine when a Rapha girl hears about the God of love—the God who values her and is willing to die in order to rescue her. How might that sound to her ears?<br /><br />It's no wonder that many Rapha girls freely decide to follow Jesus. We don't require any Rapha girl to convert to Christianity in order to benefit from our services. As a matter of fact, even the girls who don't become Christians receive the same care, education, and opportunity as those that do.<br /><br />This is certain at Rapha House. Respect for others and equality of treatment are important to us. But we understand that not all religions are essentially the same. Differences do make a big difference.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-24192807683486993932010-04-27T16:58:00.000-07:002010-04-27T17:05:26.501-07:00What Difference Can I Make?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S9d7qI7nACI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/u38eFejopxk/s1600/Elizabeth.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S9d7qI7nACI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/u38eFejopxk/s200/Elizabeth.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464972636719611938" /></a><br />Elizabeth had fun at the car show that Grandpa Bill and Grandma Sharon organized at Pathway Christian Church in Riverside, California. Her whole family is nuts about cars, as are a lot of people at Pathway. After all, Riverside once was the home of the Riverside Raceway. And now the track in neighboring Fontana hosts some of the great NASCAR events.<br /><br />So what does all this have to do with Rapha House and human trafficking? It was Grandpa Bill and some of the guys at Pathway who dreamed up the idea of hosting a car show charity benefit to help Rapha House. And the community responded. With the receipts from the food, car show entry fees, and Rapha House product sales, they brought in over $2,300 in a single day to help the girls at Rapha House.<br /><br />All over the country, churches, youth groups and organizations are pulling together to make a difference for trafficked and exploited children. Maybe your group has a story to tell. Let me know. Email me at raphahouse@pacbell.net. I may just feature it in an upcoming post.<br /><br />In the meantime, little Elizabeth is enjoying her childhood. And some girls at Rapha House are recovering lost moments from theirs thanks to folks like Grandpa Bill and Grandma Sharon—people who are making a difference.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-62154076782649682692010-02-17T15:55:00.001-08:002010-02-17T15:56:47.634-08:00Happy Birthday, Aiden!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S3yCFfdnkDI/AAAAAAAAAJw/eE_yn9MwhPM/s1600-h/aiden02.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S3yCFfdnkDI/AAAAAAAAAJw/eE_yn9MwhPM/s200/aiden02.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439365480813400114" /></a><br />Aiden Palmer just celebrated her eleventh birthday. It wasn't your typical party for an eleven-year-old. But, then, Aiden is not your typical eleven-year-old.<br /><br />The invitations to her party read: "My WISH is for a brighter life, not for me but for the victims of human trafficking." And her guests were instructed not to bring any gifts but only donations to benefit Rapha House.<br /><br />Leading up to her party Aiden wore a different Rapha House tee shirt to school every day for a week. She called it "Impact Week" and wanted to tell as many people as possible about Rapha House and human trafficking. (Once she even wore her Rapha House tee shirt to the doctor's office and had a chance to talk her doctor about human trafficking.)<br /><br />On the day of her party, Aiden wore another Rapha House tee shirt as she greeted her guests. During the party, they laughed and ate some cake that displayed a Rapha House logo. Then the girls watched a short homemade video about life in Cambodia.<br /><br />My daughter Karen Johnson shared a little about Rapha House with the moms who attended. Altogether about $450 was raised at Aiden's birthday party to benefit the girls at Rapha House.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-21515075064692224392010-01-17T19:59:00.001-08:002010-01-17T20:02:21.849-08:00He Saved My Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S1PdFATaeVI/AAAAAAAAAJo/9Cb2WSvEiN0/s1600-h/Saved.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S1PdFATaeVI/AAAAAAAAAJo/9Cb2WSvEiN0/s200/Saved.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427925053962090834" /></a>[Thanks to Pam Epperson for relating this story.]<br /><br />Recently, a team from Illinois returned from Cambodia and reported about their experiences. They had the chance to visit our second safehouse where trafficked girls get a new start on life.<br /><br />One member of the team brought taped questions that his junior high Sunday school class wanted to ask the girls. It was a labor-intensive exercise. He would play a portion of the tape then our translator would translate it for the girls. Then the girls would answer, and their responses were taped and translated, so the kids in the Sunday school class could understand what they had to say. The group whiled away an afternoon with this project.<br /><br />For the most part, the questions were pretty general: What's your favorite sport? How do you say "hamburger" in Khmer? The girl who caught this particular question easily fielded it by saying, "Hahmbooguh." Uproarious laughter broke out in the room. But the mood shifted when Nepa was asked a question.<br /><br />Maybe you've read about sixteen-year-old Nepa in one of our recent mailings. At the time of this group's visit, she was about to give birth to her baby—the child of one of her rapists. The question was What is your favorite thing that you've learned about God so far? The translator primed Nepa with some possible answers, but Nepa rejected her help. As she began formulating her response, she went to a nearby cabinet and tore off a small piece of cardboard to write down her thoughts so she wouldn't forget them when it came time to speak. Her favorite thing that she has learned about God: "That he saved my life."<br /><br />Her gratitude was deep and unaffected. Pure and simple. Maybe these girls have something important to teach us. He saved my life.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Update on Derek Anthony Sath<br /></span>As of our last report, little Derek Anthony Sath was hospitalized and is recovering after undergoing treatment for a head wound. We found his mother, and she signed the legal papers of abandonment, making it possible for us to place him in a good home upon his release. A loving family and home are awaiting him.Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-3390226301975199872010-01-08T07:34:00.000-08:002010-01-08T07:36:52.311-08:00The Boy With No Name<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S0dQ8lqfLxI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/TpzRYsVim5I/s1600-h/DAS.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/S0dQ8lqfLxI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/TpzRYsVim5I/s200/DAS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424393278023741202" /></a><br />Sometimes our work with trafficked girls in Cambodia takes unexpected turns. Currently, Stephanie Freed is on assignment in country. She took a film crew to Women's Island, a former detention center where women and children were exiled and executed during Pol Pot's regime.<br /><br />"While there, she saw a little boy sitting naked in the dirt yard nearby a shanty house. She relates the story:<br />As I approached him, he turned his head, and to my horror, I saw a huge protrusion from the side of his little baby head. I thought he had a horrible birth defect—it honestly looks like another small head… Then I realized it was oozing and there were flies in it.…<br /> <br />"His father abandoned his mother. His mother is prostituting in Phnom Penh, and nobody knows if she will ever come back. His grandmother is a drunk and supposedly beat his head…So he survives by crawling around from shack to shack looking for food. He looks to be about one and cannot walk, but the neighbors who began to gather said he was probably closer to two years old. I asked his name. Everyone agreed that he had NO NAME! So here is a baby who is malnourished and pulling himself naked through the dirt with an open fly infested wound with no caregiver in the world and NO NAME!"<br /><br />From there, Stephanie took the boy to the children's hospital in Phnom Penh where he will receive proper medical treatment. The goal is to get him placed in a good children's home. Pray for little Derek Anthony Sath—the little boy without a name now has one. The three workers accompanying Stephanie gave him each one of theirs. Perhaps this unexpected turn will lead to a whole new start for the boy with a new name.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. (Psalm 10:14)</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-42555879895338692152009-12-13T20:45:00.000-08:002009-12-13T20:46:55.456-08:00The Silver Cross Necklace<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SyXDKdCrgUI/AAAAAAAAAJI/UFVogXbRpH4/s1600-h/necklace2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SyXDKdCrgUI/AAAAAAAAAJI/UFVogXbRpH4/s200/necklace2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414948711344865602" /></a><br />The other day, I received one of those Christmas letters from a friend in which he wrote about a family holiday tradition that goes back for years. That got me thinking.<br /> <br />Ever since I can remember, Christmas has been filled with gifts. I have old home movies of my brothers and me as children. On Christmas morning, we stumbled into our living room rubbing sleep from our eyes to be met with a lavish spread of toys. Gifts have always been a part of my Christmastime. That's just the way it has been since forever.<br /> <br />A few weeks ago, my wife and I were shopping at Kohl's when I came across a display of sterling silver necklaces on sale. I mentioned to her that these would be perfect for a couple staff members and girls at Rapha House. I wanted to express my appreciation to them for helping me initiate a new program there. So we bought the necklaces and sent them back with our Cambodian director who had been visiting the States.<br /> <br />When I called to see what the girls thought of their gifts, I wasn't prepared for one girl's reply. The translator told us that she was truly moved by the gift and said it was the first time in her life that she had received a gift. Imagine that. Her mother and father were too poor to buy her anything. And up to now no one had given her a gift. My wife and I chose a silver cross necklace for her.<br /> <br />This girl's comments made me think. I take far too much for granted. Gifts at Christmastime have always been a part of my life. But for one girl at Rapha House Christmas will always hold the memory of being the first time that she received a gift. I'm glad it was a cross, for the cross is the best gift of all.<br /> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-26768326398358160082009-11-07T21:41:00.001-08:002009-11-07T21:47:10.807-08:00Conversation With Rat Killer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SvZaTUQkrSI/AAAAAAAAAJA/rVMwFzdK180/s1600-h/Rat-Killer-sm.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SvZaTUQkrSI/AAAAAAAAAJA/rVMwFzdK180/s200/Rat-Killer-sm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401604090979724578" /></a><br />Technology is a wonderful thing.<br /> <br />The other night, I had a video chat with one of our staffers in Cambodia. I spoke with her and some of our girls in our program for over an hour. And it didn’t cost me a single penny! Pretty cool.<br /> <br />What was even better was the conversation that I had with one of our girls. We call her “Rat Killer.” I’ll spare you the details. But suffice it to say that rice field vermin had better run for cover when she’s around. She means business.<br /> <br />Despite her ominous sounding name, “Rat Killer” is a real sweetie. She has an upbeat personality and a ready smile. “Kerry, I want to tell you something,” she began through the translator. “I want to thank you for letting me live here and giving me a chance for a better life.” I acknowledged her comment.<br /> <br />Then she went on. “Kerry, I am going to work hard and become a success. I am going to save my money and pay you back.” I assured her that wasn’t necessary. But she wasn’t through. “I want you to tell all the people at your church and in the USA that even though they have never seen me, that I love them and appreciate what they have done.” I said that I would pass her words along.<br /> <br />So there you have it. “Rat Killer” loves and appreciates you. You had better pay attention!<br /> <br />Seriously, think about it. Somewhere on the other side of the world, there’s a girl who loves you and prays for you. And she’s not alone. Somewhere on the other side of the world, there’s a girl who has found hope because of you. And she’s not alone. And somewhere, maybe not that far away, there’s another girl who waits in the darkness to step into the light. And she’s not alone. Help us bring them the light.<br /> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. (Matthew 4:16)</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-64667003796210583352009-09-28T08:34:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:38:01.688-07:00One Little Girl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SsDYNcEIQtI/AAAAAAAAAI4/6qYq_A21kAA/s1600-h/kid.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SsDYNcEIQtI/AAAAAAAAAI4/6qYq_A21kAA/s200/kid.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386542879718523602" /></a><br />There’s a new girl at Rapha House. She’s little pixie. She’s probably the age of a kindergartener, if that. With wispy brown hair, a toothless grin, and big Cambodian eyes, she has a certain spark about her.<br /> <br />My translator and I were sitting on the six-person rocking swing talking to some of the older girls while this little girl snuggled up next to the translator. She wasn’t interested in conversation. She just wanted to cuddle. But when it came time to snap a photo of one of the older girls and me, this little girl insisted on doing it. Quite frankly, it’s a pretty good photo.<br /> <br />I walked away to visit with our director before readying to leave. And as we were heading towards the gates, this little girl comes barreling across the parking lot towards me. I scooped her up in my arms and tossed her in the air. She let out a squeal and began laughing.<br /> <br />These are what moments in childhood are supposed to be about—cuddling on rocking swings and the exhilaration of being playfully tossed in the air by a grownup.<br /> <br />However, up to now, the grownups in this little girl’s life have been anything but safe or playful. According to our director, this little girl comes to us as a serious rape case. I think of her tiny body and injured spirit, and my heart breaks a little more once again.<br /> <br />J<span style="font-style:italic;">esus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14) </span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-11970285224244220342009-09-23T05:44:00.000-07:002009-09-23T05:46:37.827-07:00One Red Light District in Phnom PenhJust down the street from the hotel where I'm staying is a major red light district in Phnom Penh. They call it "The Building." It gets is name from a dilapidated three- or four-story landmark building with a triangular plaza adjacent to it. Every night, girls are paraded around the plaza by their handlers, so the johns can take their pick.<br /><br />My translator tells me that it's easy to find 15-year-olds, 14-year-olds, and younger girls working at "The Building." Behind it is an alley filled with ratty stalls, where these girls pass long nights servicing a steady stream of customers.<br /><br />Just four days ago, I came home from the campgrounds where we held a camp out for families from our church. Some friends invited me into their RV to enjoy some homemade tacos. There on the couch was a young girl from our church who was waiting to go outside to hang out with her friends and make s'mores around the campfire. She's 14-years-old.<br /><br />The juxtaposition of these two scenes is stark. Not every teenager in the world should have the chance to go camping. But every child should be able to spend a carefree night somewhere other than in a defiling haunt like "The Building."Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-49650714894508167152009-09-19T12:11:00.000-07:002009-09-19T12:15:48.378-07:00The Real Heroes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SrUtPDfgRRI/AAAAAAAAAIs/jcvjC67iw-k/s1600-h/cuffs.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SrUtPDfgRRI/AAAAAAAAAIs/jcvjC67iw-k/s200/cuffs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383258666250028306" /></a><br />When it comes to combating human trafficking, who are the real heroes in this fight? I’ve given a lot of thought to this. So far, I’ve come up with three.<br /> <br />To answer the hero question, you must first ask another question: What’s the real goal here? Is it simply to bring justice to victims? I’m all for justice. But that’s not the real goal in this fight.<br /> <br />To make this fight only about or even chiefly about justice misses an important point. Justice does a lot for victims, but it doesn’t teach them how to live free. Justice may help victims realize that they’re worth fighting for, but it does not sufficiently heal their deepest psychological wounds.<br /> <br />So who are the real heroes in this fight? Again, we have to ask: What is the real goal in this battle? Justice for victims <span style="font-weight:bold;">and</span> lasting freedom for survivors is the only real goal worth seeking.<br /> <br />Does this mean, then, that the caregivers who provide shelter or the counselors who promote healing or the vocational trainers who inspire hope are the real heroes? Yes, as much as law enforcement, prosecutors, the courts, and jailers. But, as I’ve said, there are only three real heroes in this fight.…Well, actually four.<br /> <br />People who pray for this cause are heroes. People who serve this cause are heroes. And people who give to this cause are heroes. Those are the only three heroes that I’ve come up with. And yes, every survivor is a hero but particularly those who tell their stories in order to shine more light on this ugly darkness.<br /> <br />Act heroically. Do good.<br /> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it. (1 John 3:18, Contemporary English Version)</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-1624312778857053572009-09-08T20:33:00.001-07:002009-09-08T20:35:13.251-07:00The Rambo Solution & Human Trafficking 101<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SqciLK4CeiI/AAAAAAAAAIk/uGkl-oV7X7U/s1600-h/bicep.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SqciLK4CeiI/AAAAAAAAAIk/uGkl-oV7X7U/s200/bicep.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379305855210650146" /></a><br />OK, I have to admit it. There's something terribly appealing about the Rambo solution to human trafficking. Kick in some doors. Rough up some pimps. Send those disgusting johns scurrying off like roaches fleeing the light. Scoop up all the innocent kids. Roll credits. Play some high-energy music followed with a mellow set. Fade to black. Bam! Now, that's the way it's done, folks. Go home and eat some ice cream.<br /><br />Whew, thank goodness for Rambo. The world is now a safer place.<br /><br />Is it? Rambo solutions make for good theater but poor solutions to human trafficking, especially if you care about the kids.<br /> <br />What happens to them after the credits roll? Where will they go? Back to the parents who sold them? Who's going to pay for the medical bills for the damage done to their small bodies? And who's going to counsel their damaged souls?<br /><br />Who's going to rock them to sleep after the night terrors? Who's going to enroll them in school and help them overcome illiteracy? Who's going to prepare them for life in the real world? And who's going to be there when they take their first steps into lasting freedom?<br /><br />Not Rambo. We are.<br /><br />Here's the first lesson of Human Trafficking 101. It's not about kicking in doors. It's about helping kids find lasting freedom. You have to begin with that end in mind.<br /> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, "When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?"<br />The king will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me." (Matthew 25:37-40 CEV)</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-26359061075313865232009-08-23T18:58:00.001-07:002009-08-23T18:59:52.319-07:00The Myth of the Rescued Child<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SpH0Atu5g4I/AAAAAAAAAIc/tN20Jmcc_Lk/s1600-h/Girl3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SpH0Atu5g4I/AAAAAAAAAIc/tN20Jmcc_Lk/s200/Girl3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373344123543192450" /></a><br /><br /> There's a myth that perpetually circulates in human trafficking circles. And it's just as prevalent as those pesky urban legends. It's the "Myth of the Rescued Child."<br /> <br />Humanitarians and agencies often innocently purvey this myth whenever they recount their statistics of the number of children that they've rescued. Recently, I read a newspaper article of one humanitarian who has rescued thousands of children. Again I thought of the "Myth of the Rescued Child."<br /> <br />Don't get me wrong. I applaud every humanitarian in the fight. I am happy for every child who is rescued from a brothel. But I wonder what happens next. What happens once all the publicity fades? Now that's the real story.<br /> <br />If a child is returned to a dangerous or highly dysfunctional family, if a child is shown to some revolving door that leads back to bondage, or if a child is placed in some sub-standard shelter and warehoused for a few weeks or months without adequate preparation to remain free, then can we honestly chalk this up as a win?<br /> <br />I think that the only worthy goal in this fight against human trafficking is helping children to remain free long-term. To do this we must provide rescued children with quality shelters, programs that prepare them for independent living, and re-entry strategies that helps them to find sufficient economic opportunity in order to stand on their own. Now that's something to get excited out.<br /> <br />Guiding trafficked and exploited children to long-term freedom is what we do at Rapha House. It doesn't capture as many headlines. But I think it's worth it. And I think most rescued children would agree.<br /> <br />I<span style="font-style:italic;">n my anguish I cried to the LORD,<br /> and he answered by setting me free.<br />—Psalm 118:5</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5504105920190234015.post-30993756045474403252009-07-05T21:02:00.001-07:002009-07-05T21:05:37.307-07:00Bumblebee Stew and Passion<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SlF3ewgAKMI/AAAAAAAAAIU/uBvz6-j5who/s1600-h/BBStew.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9UVrJt-A03A/SlF3ewgAKMI/AAAAAAAAAIU/uBvz6-j5who/s320/BBStew.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355192802219141314" /></a><br />My bumblebee stew was getting cold while a colleague and I talked and dreamed dreams about expanding our vocational training center at Rapha House. Bumblebee stew is a concoction of corn, stewed tomatoes, onions and black beans over white rice. The restaurant <span style="font-style:italic;">J. Gumbo</span> serves this Cajun dish at its location in Louisville, Kentucky, where we were attending the North American Christian Convention.<br /><br />While we were exchanging ideas, my colleague mentioned something that struck me. He said that when he takes people on short term mission trips anywhere he expects them to develop a <span style="font-style:italic;">personal engagement plan.</span> He then went on to explain what this is.<br /><br />A <span style="font-style:italic;">personal engagement plan</span> answers the question: <span style="font-style:italic;">"What am I going to do about this?"</span> People travel to foreign lands in order to experience ministry in these places firsthand, whether this means church plants, caring for AIDS orphans or helping survivors of human trafficking. But too often they return and their focus begins to blur as the experience fades. A <span style="font-style:italic;">personal engagement plan</span> keeps people focused and helps them to continue to take ongoing meaningful action.<br /><br />Call it what you will. But without a personal engagement plan, passion for any cause begins to cool like bumblebee stew.<br /><br />Commitment to the fight against human trafficking must not cool. Over one million children will be trafficked throughout the world this year. So, <span style="font-style:italic;">what are you going to do about this? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; <br /> maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.<br />Rescue the weak and needy; <br /> deliver them from the hand of the wicked.<br />—Psalm 82:3,4</span>Kerry Deckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00396103318277190512noreply@blogger.com