Rapha House Freedom Center

Trafficking Statistics

2011-06-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Recently, I stumbled across a website that questions some of the common statistics used by anti-trafficking organizations. And that got me thinking.

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?"

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.

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.

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.

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. And I've decided the most important number when it comes to trafficking statistics is the number 1. 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.

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.

Jewelry Program at Rapha House

2011-06-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Our “NEW LIFE by design” 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

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!

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.

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.

Spread the word. Tell your mother, sisters, daughters, and friends. Tell your Sunday school class, women’s group, or sorority. Host a “NEW LIFE by design” party and invite guests to bring their old jewelry. Tell those who attend about child trafficking and Rapha House.

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.

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.

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.

For more information email Opal Singleton at Osingleton@RaphaHouse.org.

To you it’s old jewelry, to her it’s a chance to for a NEW LIFE by design.

Celebrate With Us!

2011-03-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

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.

Thank you for partnering with us to show the Rapha girls that they are greatly loved.

8-year-old Burn Victim Gets Surgery

2011-02-21T16:48:00.001-08:00

By Stephanie Freed

Please pray for little eight year old Sokpong. She is the little sister of one of our Rapha girls.

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.

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.

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.

Feliz Navidad Cambodian Style

2010-12-29T11:52:00.000-08:00

Now that's something that I never expected to hear—the song Feliz Navidad sung in Khmer (Cambodian).

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 Feliz Navidad. Amazing.

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.

It's nearing the end of the year, and we're asking you to consider making more small miracles like this to come true.

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.

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.

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!

1 square meter = $7
5 square meters = $35
10 square meters = $70
100 square meters = $100

We need to raise enough money to purchase all 10,000 square meters. And with your help, we can!

We offer you two secure ways to give using our website or our Mogiv page.

Feliz Navidad. Prospero año y felicidad!

Two Monkeys

2010-11-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

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.”

Insiders know what he’s talking about. Let me explain.

“Monkey” is the nickname of the girl that’s featured in our prison visit video. Perhaps you saw it at http://www.vimeo.com/15407704.

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.

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.

Currently, we are looking for a foster family in Cambodia to raise this precious little girl. Pray that we’ll be successful.

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.

Flood Disaster

2010-10-15T10:23:00.001-07:00

Special Message from Stephanie Freed, Executive Director

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Check It Out!

2010-09-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Our latest video

Prison Visit

Help spread the word about Rapha House. Share this video with others!

Sopheap: A Re-entry Success Story

2010-09-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

I first met Sopheap many years ago on my first visit to Rapha House. She was living there with her siblings.

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.

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.

Sopheap was our very first micro-credit project. She faithfully repaid her loan and owns a small clothing shop in the marketplace.

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.

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 two days, she had sold everything that she bought!

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.

Want to get in on the action? Make a donation to Rapha House and mark it "Sopheap."

Religious Freedom at Rapha House

2010-09-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

Freedom is important to us because freedom is important to God.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. (Galatians 5:1)

The Five Faces of Jonti

2010-07-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

Five faces of the trafficked girl Jonti are represented in this artwork. It is a story of life and death.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Jonti now rests beyond the reach of any perpetrator.

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See the original artwork at our gallery in Joplin, Missouri. Visit www.freedomforgirls.org for times.

You may purchase Rapha House a 16" x 21" signed limited edition aluminum print, mounted for hanging for $200.

Religion At Rapha House

2010-05-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

People often say that all religions are essentially the same. But think how that sounds to the ears of a girl at Rapha House.

Take the eastern doctrine of karma, for instance—the inexorable law of cause and effect. So what does karma say to a Rapha girl? You got what you deserved. It was because of some sin from this or a past life that caused your abuse. The explanation is karma. So ultimately you're to blame for your own suffering.

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?

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.

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.

What Difference Can I Make?

2010-04-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

Happy Birthday, Aiden!

2010-02-17T15:55:00.001-08:00

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

He Saved My Life

2010-01-17T19:59:00.001-08:00

[Thanks to Pam Epperson for relating this story.]

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.

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.

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.

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."

Her gratitude was deep and unaffected. Pure and simple. Maybe these girls have something important to teach us. He saved my life.

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)

Update on Derek Anthony Sath
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.

The Boy With No Name

2010-01-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

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.

"While there, she saw a little boy sitting naked in the dirt yard nearby a shanty house. She relates the story:
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.…

"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!"

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.

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)

The Silver Cross Necklace

2009-12-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Conversation With Rat Killer

2009-11-07T21:41:00.001-08:00

Technology is a wonderful thing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

So there you have it. “Rat Killer” loves and appreciates you. You had better pay attention!

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.

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)

One Little Girl

2009-09-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Jesus 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)

One Red Light District in Phnom Penh

2009-09-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

Just 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.

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.

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.

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."

The Real Heroes

2009-09-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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.

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 and lasting freedom for survivors is the only real goal worth seeking.

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.

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.

Act heroically. Do good.

Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it. (1 John 3:18, Contemporary English Version)

The Rambo Solution & Human Trafficking 101

2009-09-08T20:33:00.001-07:00

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.

Whew, thank goodness for Rambo. The world is now a safer place.

Is it? Rambo solutions make for good theater but poor solutions to human trafficking, especially if you care about the kids.

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?

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?

Not Rambo. We are.

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.

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?"
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)

The Myth of the Rescued Child

2009-08-23T18:58:00.001-07:00

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."

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."

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.

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?

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.

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.

In my anguish I cried to the LORD,
and he answered by setting me free.
—Psalm 118:5

Bumblebee Stew and Passion

2009-07-05T21:02:00.001-07:00

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 J. Gumbo serves this Cajun dish at its location in Louisville, Kentucky, where we were attending the North American Christian Convention.

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 personal engagement plan. He then went on to explain what this is.

A personal engagement plan answers the question: "What am I going to do about this?" 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 personal engagement plan keeps people focused and helps them to continue to take ongoing meaningful action.

Call it what you will. But without a personal engagement plan, passion for any cause begins to cool like bumblebee stew.

Commitment to the fight against human trafficking must not cool. Over one million children will be trafficked throughout the world this year. So, what are you going to do about this?

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
—Psalm 82:3,4

Success At Rapha House

2009-06-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

Our motto in our vocational training program at Rapha House is simple: We are successful when the girls that we serve are successful. This does not mean that we do everything for our girls while they sit back and wait to become successful. They know that they must learn a trade and how to present themselves to the public. They know that they must learn to be good employees or how to run a business and how to manage their money. And they know that they must work hard and have a positive attitude. They know that if they do their part, then we will do our part to help them find success.

One way that we help some of our girls is by starting them in business. Recently, we launched two more girls in their own beauty salons. We continue to monitor their progress and give them guidance. We want them to succeed. We’re excited about what the future holds for these girls. And they are, too.

At Rapha House our definition of success is clear: Success means that our girls will become spiritual and free women with reasonable economic and emotional stability. At Rapha House, we work hard to help our girls succeed. But we couldn’t do that without you. You are the key to their success. Your prayers and financial support makes all the difference. And two more young women in Cambodia now realize just how big a difference you’re making. Thank you so much!

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. (Proverbs 29:7)

Vocational Training Building Fund Update: To date, we've raised a little over $20,000 towards our $210,000 goal by November. Please help us to secure a permanent facility to train our girls. Donate securely online. Please designate your gift as "building fund."

2009-05-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

Four Girls Perish In Karaoke Bar Fire In NorthwestCambodia
Fire destroys building with girls trapped behind a chained door

Fire raged through a karaoke bar consuming the lives of four young women trapped inside. In this part of the world, karaoke bars are often fronts for brothels.

These four young women were prisoners behind a chained door preventing their escape or rescue. Now the charred ruins of this back alley nightclub starkly testify to the horror that took place there. Four lives were lost needlessly early Sunday morning, May 3, 2009.

Probably no western newspaper will pick up the story of the deaths of Hou Leak, 15; Srey Touch, 17; Srey Mao, 19; and Sambath. 22. Their passing is but a footnote to the endless parade of human suffering throughout the world. Things like this happen all the time.

We, however, shouldn’t let their story pass without further reflection. There’s the suggestion of something more sinister in this incident.

It’s not the cause of the fire that’s suspect. According to police sources, faulty electrical wiring is to blame. Nobody is suggesting that foul play contributed to the cause of the fire. But something about this case is troublesome.

The door to the girls’ room was chained. That chained door is troublesome. Certainly, the chance of the girls’ survival would have been improved had the door not been chained. And no one disputes the fact that the door was chained. Even the newspaper reports that the families might seek compensation from the club owner for his carelessness after they finish burying the remains of their daughters.

Now the club owner might plea his case by saying that he was only doing his part in keeping the girls safe by chaining the door. He might argue that the chains kept intruders out. But the chains did more than keep intruders out. They kept the girls in, and that’s why these four young women perished.

Four girls are dead because they couldn’t escape. In effect, they were prisoners. And word on the street says that’s exactly what they were. There’s a persistent rumor going around that they were part of a sex trafficking ring working out of Phnom Penh. That’s why these girls were held behind a chained door. They couldn’t escape even if they wanted to.

This tragedy is difficult for us at Rapha House. What makes this tragedy difficult for us is that we have a safehouse within a couple miles from where these girls perished. Help was that close. We would have gladly taken them in. We would have cared for them. We would have given them an opportunity for a better life. We would have done everything within our power to help them. But we didn’t know about these four girls.

It’s horrifying to think what the last moments of life was like for these four girls. We don’t want to imagine something as awful as that. But had the night passed without incident, what would life had been like for these four girls if they were part of a sex trafficking ring?

All over the world, young girls are kept behind chained doors only to greet another day of bondage. Help us to reach more girls before its too late for them.

Rapha House, P.O. Box 1569, Joplin, MO 64802-1569 • www.freedomforgirls.org .

A Way to Help Without Giving More Money

2009-03-30T15:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the whole human trafficking thing gets to be a little overwhelming. The toll this evil takes on victims is so heavy. And it’s easy to feel like “what’s the use?” We can’t all jump on planes and go off to foreign countries to help out. And even if we could, how much good can we really do in just a couple weeks? So we give to worthy causes like Rapha House. But times are tight, and… Well, we’d like to do more but can’t.

But we can. Let me explain.

Recently, we’ve launched the Victims Impact Project. You can read more about it on our blog.

This is an attempt at open-source activism benefiting victims of trafficking and abuse and their caregivers. Here’s how it works. Anyone wishing to contribute time and talent can join us in a virtual community as we develop tools, resources, programs and services that directly impact victims of trafficking and abuse and their caregivers.

There are plenty of talented persons—you might be one or know one—who can help us develop digital tools and resources in the native languages of victims. Products may include DVDs, web-based videos, podcasts, digital print resources, websites, blogs, and more. We already have four projects in development: 1) We’re creating a grief recovery curriculum to aid those who have suffered trauma and loss. (We’re creating simple animated videos that will be narrated in different languages and delivered via the web, along with support materials.) 2) We’re inviting survivors of abuse to write their own stories and submit them for possible posting on the Victims Impact Project website. (See details on our blog.) 3) We’re seeking to translate, format and distribute electronically for free our “Healing for the Wounded Heart” curriculum in as many languages as possible. And 4) we’re seeking to translate, format and distribute electronically for free our “Healing for the Wounded Heart” devotions in as many languages as possible. Our goal is to continually develop more and more projects that will directly benefit survivors of trafficking and abuse and their caregivers and deliver these programs for free. We call it open-source activism.

Take a moment to check out our blog. Pass the word along to your friends and family who might want to get involved. Request a copy of one of our free resources. And pray for our efforts.

Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)

The Power of Survivors

2009-03-08T22:29:00.001-07:00

During my life, I’ve met some truly impressive people. People with superior intellect. People with exceptional talent. And people possessing enormous power and influence. But none have had a greater impact on my life than a group of young women and little girls who have survived trafficking and sexual abuse. Why is that?

Survivors don’t necessarily possess superior intellect or remarkable talent. And certainly they don’t possess enormous power and influence. Or do they?

Survivors possess the power to mobilize us like few can. I didn’t get involved in this cause after hearing a persuasive speech by a passionate and intelligent communicator. Nobody with remarkable talent enlisted my support. It was the power of one survivor’s story that captivated me. She first caught my attention and then my heart. And it’s the remarkable power of survivors that hold me firmly in this ministry’s grasp.

Survivors possess the power to teach us. Recently, I threw out my back. And I spent days moaning and complaining to my wife about how miserable I was. She was very patient and understanding, but I’m sure that she tired of my whining. Every time I visit Rapha House, I’m impressed with how cheerful and loving these girls are, despite what they have experienced. Without words, they are teaching me important lessons about life.

Survivors inspire. For most of my life, I’ve struggled deeply with religious questions, including wondering if tragedy can defeat faith in God. I’ve seen it happen in others. Yet I’ve witnessed something odd at Rapha House: Girls who have found God through horrible tragedy. And that inspires me.

Whether they know it or not, survivors posses incredible real power, even more than what I’ve mentioned. And I am privileged to know and serve them.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." —2 Corinthians 12:9

The Bridge to Freedom

2009-02-23T08:09:00.000-08:00

In a private conversation that I had with an anti-trafficking activist, I was told about a case where the authorities conducted a raid freeing a number of trafficked children and youth. The media in that country seized upon the event as propaganda to reassure the populace that their leaders are combating trafficking. And the international community took note and applauded what happened.

What happened next wasn't anything to celebrate. Once the hoopla died down, the kids were released from the abandoned building where they were being warehoused and turned out to the streets to fend for their selves.

I did not independently verify this story. But it sounds entirely plausible. Many countries lack the infrastructure for long-term human trafficking solutions, so they offer up whatever plays well in the press and with the international community.

When it comes to combating human trafficking, raids aren't the solution. Prosecuting perpetrators isn't the solution. Building shelters isn't the solution. Educating and counseling victims isn't the solution. And providing employment opportunities for survivors so they can start a new life isn't the solution.

There is no one solution. Think about the Golden Gate Bridge. Which section of road spanning the bridge is most important—the beginning, middle or end? Which supporting tower is most important—the first or second? Which cables would you want to do without? Obviously, you need every part of the bridge, if you want to reach the other side safely.

When it comes to helping children at Rapha House, we won't settle for raids, shelters, justice, counseling, education or employment opportunities. We're escorting young lives to safety. We're helping them to reach the other side. We'll cross the bridge with them and take them all the way to freedom. Whatever it takes. We'll stop at nothing short of that.

At Rapha House, we believe in long-term solutions. And we invite you to join us in building a bridge to freedom.

"…say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!' " (Isaiah 49:9)

The Scars Remain

2008-12-28T18:37:00.000-08:00

I have to confess that upon my return from my recent trip to Cambodia I was a little depressed. It was not due to any problems that we’re facing with this ministry but rather the nature of our work. Let me explain.

I know a woman whose face was horribly burned in a car wreck. She and her husband were on their way to a Christian retreat when they were t-boned by a car. She was ejected from the vehicle, covered with gasoline, and lit afire as a human torch. By the time her rescuers got to her the damage was done.

I’ve seen photos of her when she was hospitalized. The doctors said that most people with such severe burns do not survive. She did. And though her wounds have healed, the scars remain.

She also has shown me photos of what she looked like before the accident. She was beautiful. She remarks, “It’s as if that girl died in the wreck.” And in a sense, she did.

When I think about the damage done to our girls’ lives, I get discouraged. We cannot restore their innocence. We cannot undo the physical toll abuse has taken on their bodies. We cannot return what they’ve lost. Like my friend, their wounds may heal; but their scars will remain. That bothers me.

God is teaching me something in all this. (I have to confess that I can be a slow and reluctant learner.) He is teaching me something important about His grace, these girls and myself. Even God cannot turn back the clock and have the world the way it once was. There was a time in creation when beauty was unmarred and innocence was not lost. But not anymore. That world exists no longer. We all have been wounded, some more profoundly than others. So we now live in a place where the best that He offers is the grace of redemption and healing. But even then the scars remain.

I have one last confession. I long deeply for a different world. I long for a place of complete restoration. I want to live in a world without scars. And one day, I will. I pray that each of our girls will find their way to that place, too. I want them to know unspoiled beauty—a beauty that no predator or circumstance can steal. But for now, the best that we can do is to help their wounds to heal and free their beauty within, yet the scars remain.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
—Revelation 21:4

"Songkum" and Rapha House

2008-12-15T11:05:00.001-08:00

[Editor's note: I wrote this during a recent trip to Cambodia.]

While here in Cambodia, I attended an anti-trafficking conference in Phnom Penh. On the last evening, some from our team went to a riverfront restaurant where two former Rapha girls met us for dinner. The next day, they joined us for the trip back to our shelter so they could spend a few days with their friends at Rapha before returning to Phnom Penh with us.

During the long ride to the shelter, Yan leaned forward from the backseat to ask me a question. Yan speaks a little English, and she said, "Kerry, what is the purpose for living?"

You don't have to be highly educated to ask profound questions. Yan was labor trafficked to Thailand when she was a teenager. And though I don't know all the details of her story, I do know from the bits and pieces that I've heard that she suffered terribly.

Her question caught me a little off-guard, so I decided to buy some time and bounce the question back to her. "First, I want to ask you a question, Yan," I began. "What do you think is the purpose for living?" But she did not tolerate my efforts to stall for time. "No," she replied. "I asked you first. I want you to tell me, and then I will tell you what I think."

So I collected my thoughts and answered her as best as I could. She didn't hesitate a moment to tell me that she disagreed. Then she went on to say what she thought.

The Cambodians have a word for it—songkum. And Yan explained why she thought songkum was the purpose for living. She said that even if a person is blind or is missing a limb (not an uncommon sight in this country with so many unexploded landmines)--if that person has songkum, he or she can keep on living. But without songkum, the person will give up and die. Songkum in Khmer means hope.

I then asked Yan if there ever was a time in her life that she lived without hope. And she quietly said, "Yes." Then I asked her when that changed. And she said, "When I came to Rapha House." She said that's when she began walking with Jesus.

In one respect, Yan is right. Hope is the purpose for living. For without hope, people will give up and never know God's love.

Some may think that we're in the business of helping exploited girls. And some may think our calling is to combat the evil of human trafficking. But in reality, that's not what Rapha House is all about. Rapha House is about songkum. With the help of God and people like you, we bring hope to people who had no hope. And in doing so, we help them to find a reason to live.

"I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." (Isaiah 49:23)

Lost In The Crowd

2008-10-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

[Editor's note: This is one of the devotions that has been translated into Khmer for the girls of Rapha House.]

When the Bible says that God so loved the world, it is easy to feel lost in the crowd. The world is a big place. It’s filled with lots of important and powerful people. Many of them are doing great things for God and show remarkable devotion. It’s easy to imagine that God takes note of their lives. But sometimes it’s hard to believe that He notices or cares for you.

There’s nothing special about you, except maybe all the problems you’ve had and might still be having.

The truth is that in the entire history of the world there has never been a person whom God loves more than you. He loves you not because you’re so lovable but because He’s so loving. The Bible says that God is love (1 John 4:8). And nothing you have done or could do changes that fact. God can’t help Himself. He loves you!

You are the reason Jesus left the courts of heaven. You are the reason He came to earth. You are the reason He went to the cross. You are the reason He rose from the dead. And you are the reason He is returning to earth. He went to heaven to prepare a place for you. And now He is coming back to take you where He is so you can be with Him forever.

When the Bible says that God so loved the world, we tend to make it impersonal and abstract. We tend to get lost in the crowd. Deep in our hearts, we doubt it. We wonder if God could love anyone like us that much. So we quote John 3:16 failing to see ourselves right at the center of this verse. But you are the prized object of God’s extravagant love. You always have been.

John 3:16 not only says something remarkable about God, but it says something remarkable about you. And it’s time to do more than just memorize this verse. It’s time to realize that you’re not lost in the crowd.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16

Hard Times and Trafficking

2008-10-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Think like a trafficker for a moment, not with respect to sex but with respect to money. I assume that's why they do what they do. They're in it for the money.

For them human suffering is of little consequence as long as they profit from it. So they exchange innocent children for profit.

When hard economic times comes, traffickers don't say, "Well, the economy is in the dumpers. I guess I better find a real job." Not hardly. Hard times is what probably ushered them into corruption in the first place . Now they have discovered what it feels like to have free flowing money. And free flowing money is a hard habit to break. So in tough economic times, traffickers step up their game. Their greed drives them. And that means more, not less, innocent children will suffer.

Now think like the average person for a moment. When the average woman hears about trafficking, her heart aches. She wants to gather these wounded children under her protective wings and care for them. And the average man is outraged. He wants to hop on a plane and get his hands on a trafficker and make him permanently regret hurting kids. But revenge tours aren't wise. And adoption tours usually aren't feasible. So average people must settle for supporting good works that benefit trafficked children.

When tough economic times come, average people are tempted to take the exact opposite approach of traffickers. Rather than stepping up their efforts, they consider cutting back their support. So in tough economic times, more children suffer.

We must not let this happen. Yes, these are tough times. But tough times call for uncommon courage, uncommon cooperation, and uncommon commitment, especially in the face of growing evil. Refuse to settle for being average. Remember the trafficked children.

The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. (Proverbs 11:18)

Trafficked Girls and Rolex Watches

2008-09-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

I was looking online at the prices of Rolex watches, not that I can afford one. I was just curious. I found a supplier who advertises authentic Rolex watches at discount prices, so I began poking around his site.

I discovered that I could buy a stainless steel--no gold, no diamonds, just stainless steel—Rolex watch for $4,675 (list price: $5,250). That’s a savings of $575!

I have a Fossil watch that I’ve had for years. It keeps really good time. I paid $40 for it at an outlet store. It needs a new battery. But that will only set me back about fifteen bucks.

I found my reading glasses and looked at the back of the watchcase. Guess what? It’s stainless steel, just like the Rolex!

Last night, I got the bill for the business startup for a couple Rapha girls. We’re underwriting their beauty salon startup and will be paying their rent for the first year. It’s the best that we can do to help formerly trafficked girls to have a real chance at independence. Guess what? It’s going to cost $4,393.48. That’s $281.52 less than the price of a stainless steel Rolex!

Life is a series of choices. And those choices reflect our priorities. Some people buy Rolex watches. Others invest in the freedom of trafficked girls. Thank you for your choice and putting your money to good use where it makes a real difference.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
—1 Timothy 6:17-19

When She Said “No” to a Man

2008-08-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

Fourteen-year-old Sophea learned what would happen when she said “no” to a man. She found out in a roadhouse along the road to Siem Reap. She was on her way to what she thought was a waitressing job. And she and her traveling companion—the female broker whom promised her the job—stopped to rest for the night. But there would be no rest for Sophea that night.

A man came into her room wanting sex. When she resisted, he raped her. Then another man came. Again, she resisted, but this man brutally beat her and then raped her. Sophea learned the hard way that saying “no” to men is dangerous.

The broker reassured Sophea not to worry; the men had paid for the sex. But Sophea never saw any of the money. And when she got to Siem Reap, she found that there wasn’t any waitressing job awaiting her. Instead, she was sold to a brothel where saying “no” to men could be deadly. Her customers and pimps would not tolerate it.

At Rapha House, I invited Sophea to attend a week-long training session for a select group of girls that we are preparing to serve as peer counselors. Sophea came to a couple sessions and then dropped out.

When I saw her next, she shied away from me. She didn’t know what to expect from saying “no” to another man. She wasn’t prepared for what happened next. I gave her a hug and told her that I loved her. I reassured her that I respected her “no.”

I don’t know what will happen with our peer counselor program. And I don’t know what will happen with Sophea. But I like to think that the most significant lesson she learned from this whole experience is that she can say “no” to a man and her “no” will be respected. Nothing Sophea could have learned from the training was more important than that.

Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. (Psalm 6:4)

My Shirt with Two Right Sleeves

2008-08-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

I own a dress shirt with two right sleeves. It fits me perfectly because it was custom made for me.

It’s not that I have two right arms. I don’t. But the Rapha girl who sewed the shirt for me made a mistake in the rush to finish it during my last visit and attached a right-hand sleeve to the left side of the shirt.

This shirt is one of my favorite shirts. I wore it to a funeral today that I officiated. Nobody there even noticed. Nobody said, “Say, do you know that your shirt has two right sleeves? What’s up with that?” And if they would happen to ask, I’d tell them.

One reason why I like my shirt so much is that every time I wear it, I think of the girl who made it for me. I think about how far she has come. And it fills me with joy. No store-bought shirt has ever done that for me.

But another reason I like my shirt with two right sleeves is that it reminds me that something flawed can still be something truly beautiful. Every person that I’ve ever met (myself included) is deeply flawed. Trafficked or not, we all have some real challenges within ourselves to overcome. The reason I like working with trafficked girls is that they know that, and many are facing their challenges head on. The rest of us sometimes, to our shame, are more concerned with looking good than getting the help that we need.

I have a confession to make. When I first discovered that my shirt had two right sleeves, I was tempted to get it fixed. Then I realized that would only ruin it. So I’ll continue to wear it proudly and let it remind me of a special girl and the truth about myself.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

A Woman of Honor

2008-08-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

Can a sex-trafficked girl who has lost her virginity, been forced into prostitution, and lives with a sexually transmitted disease, even if that disease is not life-threatening…can such a girl become a woman of honor?

Many in the West may have no hesitation in answering that question. We understand that what happens to sex trafficked girls is not their fault. They are victims.

However, the girls that I’m talking about don’t live in the West. They live in the East. And many in the East believe in karma—the iron law of cause and effect. So believers in karma see these girls differently. To them, sex trafficked girls are persons who are reaping the punishment for sins of a past life. To them, these girls get what they deserve.

To become a woman of honor in the East, a girl must be a virgin when she marries. It’s a cruel irony that certain forces in the East compel young girls into prostitution and then despise them for not being virgins.

So the question remains. Can girls who have been sex-trafficked become women of honor?

Besides karma, another important value in the East is face. Face is roughly equivalent to prestige or status. Status is measured largely by wealth. And business ownership is one indicator of wealth.

Recently, I received an email about one of our girls who has completed our program to return home to run a business that we helped her to start. The message reads with only one edit on my part: “Recently everybody is very happy to see the successful of [our graduate]. She is going home with the honor and everyone take her a good example.” Did you see that? She is regarded as a woman of honor and not just by her peers. Society now sees her as a woman of honor because she is a business owner.

I am thankful that the true value of persons is not determined by society but by the Cross. At the Cross, God makes a bold statement that He thinks that we are all worth dying for. But whether in the East or the West, we live within a particular society. We cannot give back sex trafficked girls the precious things that they have lost. But we can help them become women of honor. We can share in God’s work of giving them beauty for ashes.

I will give them a crown to replace their ashes, and the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow, and clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness. Then they will be called Trees of Goodness, trees planted by the Lord to show his greatness. (Isaiah 61:3 NCV)

Tangible Hope

2008-07-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

Whenever I travel to Cambodia, I always send email messages home to update my friends and family. I just returned from Rapha House a few days ago and sent a few messages home while I was away.

One of the ladies at church who read these updates said that this time my messages weren’t as despairing as before. On my past visits, I confronted the horrors of human trafficking and the devastation that it brings to children’s lives. In addition to that, this time I saw something else when I visited Rapha House. This time I witnessed tangible hope.

I was in the car when Sopheap called the leader of our aftercare program with the exciting news that she just made her first sale. Sopheap used to be a client at our shelter, and then she married and moved away. Her husband and her lived in abject poverty, so we decided to help. We set her up in her own little clothing shop. And now she has made her first sale. It wasn’t just a business transaction; it was a case of tangible hope.

I saw tangible hope when I helped unload the salon furniture for Phally’s very own beauty shop. I witnessed a beaming smile cross her face when she told me in broken English that she was going to start her own shop. And in just a few days, she will leave our care and begin to realize the goal of our ministry—independent living.

At Rapha House, we have a saying: “We’re successful when the girls that we serve are successful.” And our girls are successful when we offer them tangible hope for a better life. Your participation makes that possible.

You may never visit Cambodia and email your friends back home. But you can rest assured that every prayer, every dollar and every effort on behalf of this work is bringing tangible hope to girls who at one time were hopeless.

You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more. (Psalm 10:17,18)

Sophea’s Journey Through Hell (2)

2008-07-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

The dirty tile floors and windowless cement walls at the brothel resemble prison cells. And in many ways that is what they are for the girls confined there.

Whirring ceiling fans provide slight relief from the sweltering tropical heat and humidity. They offer a place for Sophea to fix her attention during the customers’ visits—an endless parade of men morning, noon and night. It’s not uncommon for trafficked girls to be raped seven to fifteen or even more times a day for two to five dollars per visit. Of course, the girls never see this money. Instead, they’re relentlessly reminded of their growing debt for food, clothing, lodging and whatever other charges the brothel owners choose to assign to them. It’s just another scam that the owners use to maintain dominion over their victims. Seldom do victims challenge this extortion. No one speaks out against the crimes that brought them to these places—fraud, kidnapping, rape and more. And any who dare risk fierce retaliation.

At first, Sophea protested being abused. She explained that she had never done such things before. But brutal beatings silenced her protests. To make her compliant, she was locked in a room with no food or toilet. Eventually, her captors forced drugs upon her to manage her. Such techniques are called “seasoning” and these Mengele-like men are expert practitioners of their hideous art. They know how to break the will.

Dehumanized, Sophea was reduced to a body without a soul—an object to be used and used up until she would eventually die or be discarded due to disease or undesirability. Death is often the only escape from this bondage. And Sophea recounts through her tears the time that she reached the point where she entertained killing herself.

Fortunately, she found another way out. One evening, a customer unconsciously left his cell phone on the bed when he went to the restroom. In a moment of clarity, Sophea phoned home and reached her grandmother. She said she was being held at a brothel. Her grandmother notified the authorities.

However, the brothel owners were tipped off and begin grilling each of the girls to find out who told. Sophea eventually confessed. Then the brothel owners rounded up the girls and moved them to another location. They decided that Sophea was more trouble than she was worth, so they turned her over to a drug dealer who repeatedly tried to rape her but decided to give her $2.50 to wash his hands of her find and leave her to find her own way home.

Today, sixteen-year-old Sophea lives at a safehouse and is studying cosmetology. And dreams are starting to replace her nightmares.

Editor's note: Sophea recounts her story firsthand in the film "Baht" produced by CIY and featured in their Move conferences nationwide.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. —Psalm 18:17

Sophea’s Journey Through Hell (1)

2008-06-28T21:54:00.000-07:00

As a young teen, Sophea’s first experience with sex was not with someone whom she thought she loved. A total stranger in a dirty guesthouse on the road to Siem Reap, the tourist mecca of Cambodia, raped her. When he was done, a second man raped her and brutally beat her when she tried to resist. This was fourteen-year-old Sophea’s introduction to sex.

After this ordeal, the woman who had lured Sophea from her home with the promise of a legitimate job told Sophea not to worry. She said the men paid for the experience. Sophea, however, never saw any of the money and ended up being sold to a brothel where she spent eight months in a living hell.

How did an innocent girl end up in a place like this? It all started with a single incident of domestic violence.

One day when Sophea was in the third grade, her grandfather and mother got into an argument. After being hit, Sophea’s mom ran away to the Thai border, leaving her family behind.

Sometimes it’s hard growing up in a fractured family in the most prosperous country on earth. But growing up destitute and in a broken family in one of the poorest nations on earth can drive people to make desperate decisions.

In order to help her family make ends meet, Sophea took a job as a laborer at a sugarcane farm in Thailand. The adults mistreated her, calling her lazy and blaming her for everything that went wrong. She needed whatever money she could get but wanted desperately to escape this oppressive situation. One day a man came along speaking her native tongue. He invited Sophea to come to work in Bangkok. She trusted him and went. There she spent the next year working as a laborer and receiving nothing in return. So she called her grandma and asked to come home.

Sometime later after returning home, a woman came through her hometown telling about a restaurant in Siem Reap that was hiring responsible girls to wait on tables. The pay was sixty dollars a month. Sophea left with her grandmother’s blessing. And on the way, she found herself at the guesthouse where she was raped and then was sold to the brothel.

Next installment: Sophea escapes to freedom

O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death —Psalm 9:13

The Judge's Verdict

2008-06-08T21:24:00.001-07:00

My wife and I had a retired judge and his wife over to the house the other night, along with a couple of their friends. They wanted to see a film that we have featuring one of the Rapha girls telling her story about being sex trafficked.

Following the film, they were unsettled and said, “We live such sheltered lives here in America, we had no idea that things like this were happening in the world.” And then the judge said, “It makes you wonder…” he paused for a moment of self-editing and then voiced his thoughts aloud by saying, “…why doesn’t God do something about this?”

I told him that I used to think the same way. My protests over the evil and suffering in the world were well rehearsed. Until one day, God brought me up short. In the midst of my questioning, God impressed His gentle reply upon my spirit: “Why don’t you do something about this?” There I stood before the Judge without a defense.

Think about it. How did God eradicate all the suffering caused from polio? He used a man like Jonas Salk. How did God answer the evil of Nazism? He used the Allied forces, many paying the ultimate sacrifice. This amazing, albeit mysterious, God allows us to shape the future to a large degree. He gives us the freedom to determine the type of world in which we’ll live.

I then asked the judge a simple question: “Do you want to live in a world where millions of children are trafficked?” I waited for his verdict. His answer is of small consequence here. The only thing that matters is how you'll answer that question.

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalm 82:3,4)

The Ultimate Betrayal

2008-05-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Recently, I saw a movie in which a Rapha girl recounts her story. It’s heart-rending.

I’ll write more about this film some other time. As I watched this girl’s story unfold, I was struck by the magnitude of betrayal that she endured. At every turn, the people she encountered used and abused her. The men to whom she was labor trafficked the first time as a young child mistreated her and cheated her out of her money. Then, she was trafficked again to Bangkok with the same results. She desperately wanted to help her impoverished family, so she took what she thought was a restaurant job in Siem Reap. On the way, she was raped not once but twice and brutally beaten. The restaurant job was a ruse, and she ended up trapped in a living nightmare at a brothel, where she faced unthinkable horrors, including unrelenting sexual assaults and forced drug addiction. That went on for month after month. One betrayal compounded upon another.

Today, I spoke with a young woman at church about this film. She wants to invite her parents to its preview, but she says that they’re good Christians and don’t like to see anything that makes them feel bad. They like to keep life positive and upbeat.

I understand. But nobody gave this young girl the chance to keep her life positive and upbeat. Her desires were never considered. Never heard. Never respected.

I understand that stories about the human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children are disturbing. We don’t want to consider such ugliness. But unless the church turns its face towards this reality and acts decisively and boldly, we are guilty of the ultimate betrayal. For who should take the lead in fighting evil, if not Christ’s church?

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. (Proverbs 3:27)

The Type of God He Is

2008-05-11T23:10:00.001-07:00

“So where was God when I was being abused? What type of God would let something like that happen to someone?” Those are good questions. They’re tough questions but good questions. Here’s another good question: “What type of God would let something like that happen to Himself?” Don’t be too quick to dismiss this as an attempt to avoid the hard questions. It’s one question that might actually help us gain some perspective on the others.

What hurts when we think about God is His apparent aloofness. It seems that He doesn’t care. He didn’t do anything to stop our abuse. He could have. But He didn’t. He didn’t strike our abusers dead before they hurt us. He didn’t give us enough power to fight them off and escape to safety. He didn’t protect us from them in the first place. It seems like God just stands by and watches all types of horrible things happen to people and never does anything about it. What type of God is that?

While this may be true of the gods of other religions, we find something different in Christianity. In Christianity, God took on flesh, entered our world, suffered, and died on a cross. His death was for sin—all sin. So that means, when Jesus died He suffered due to our abusers. He knows personally the type of pain that they bring. He has suffered because of them Himself. That’s what type of God He is.

What’s more is that He knows fully the anguish of our feelings of abandonment and resentment. He has taken these upon Himself, too. He has taken upon Himself our anger, hatred, and doubts. All of it. He isn’t a God who watches our experiences from afar. He knows them up close and personal. That’s what type of God He is.

Why would He do this? The prophet writes: “He was wounded and crushed because of our sins; by taking our punishment, he made us completely well” (Isaiah 53:5 CEV). Jesus wants to heal us.

God values freedom, which means evildoers are able to hurt others. But God hasn’t left us without hope. He is able to heal all our wounds, including those done by others and the self-inflicted ones. That’s the type of God He is.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. —Luke 12:6,7

Recidivism

2008-04-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

Recidivism. It's such an ugly word that describes an even uglier reality.

According to one statistic that I recently heard, sixty percent of sex-trafficked girls return to prostitution. Recidivism is so ugly not because it’s a big, fancy word but because it describes the life of a girl—a girl who was offered more but settled for less.

Why would someone do that? I suppose the experts have their answers. And I have my opinions. But what frightens me most about recidivism is that it threatens girls that I know, girls that I love.

I wish that every girl’s story would have a happy ending. But that happens only in fairy tales, not in real life. I have known girls who have chosen less. And there will be others.

Our ministry is too young to offer longitudinal reports on recidivism. But I can tell you something about my heart. I am personally going to do all within my power to help each girl to succeed. I am going to do all that I can to enlist the support of every person who will accept the challenge to join us in this fight. I will mourn the loss of every girl who chooses less and do what I can to offer her another chance. But I will not let the failure of one life rob me of the joy of sharing in the success of another. I cannot.

Even if six out of ten girls fail, I will work for the four who’ll succeed. I do this work not because it’s always rewarding. I do this not because it’s easy. Sometimes it’s hard. And sometimes it’s heartbreaking. But I do this because it is necessary; because it is right; and because it is what God wants.

Recidivism has always been a part of any important work to redeem others but so is success. I am praying and working for success. Precious lives hang in the balance.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

The Love of Money

2008-04-20T22:41:00.000-07:00

Probably one of the most frequently misquoted passages in the Bible is 1 Timothy 6:10. It says: “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” It doesn’t say that the root of evil is money but rather the “love of money.”

The United States Embassy to the Vatican says that human trafficking “rivals drug and arms trafficking as one of the most lucrative criminal enterprises in the world.” The love of money is why children are trafficked. Children pay with their freedom and innocence when adults love money.

Let’s face it. We will not rid the world of greed. There will always be those who love money over the welfare of children. But what about us?

Nowadays, there is plenty of talk of economic slowdown and recession. As a result, fear sets in. Fear intimidates good people but emboldens evildoers. So when difficult economic times come, those who love money determine that they will not be deprived of whatever their heart desires even at the expense of children. And so lovers of money act.

In times like this, we cannot afford to surrender bold action to evildoers. Good men and women must be courageous. Good men and women must be generous. We must show our faith and dare to act with boldness. Now is the time to open our hearts and our pocketbooks to demonstrate our love for God and the world’s children. “Keep your lives free from the love of money” (Hebrews 13:5).

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. —Proverbs 11:24

Gone In 26 Seconds

2008-04-06T21:16:00.000-07:00

I googled “seconds in a year” and came up with 31,556,926. Then I found a UNICEF statistic that I’ve been looking for. UNICEF reports that an estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked throughout the world each year. Each year. I’m no math whiz. But that means every 26 seconds another child is trafficked somewhere. Gone in 26 seconds. That’s about the time it took for you to read this paragraph.

Honestly, when I hear statistics like this, they overwhelm me. I can’t imagine that every year the same number of children is trafficked as there are people living in Dallas, Texas. I can’t imagine what life has become for these children. I don’t want to think about that. I don’t want to think about their hunger, abuse and despair. It sickens me.

Sometimes when I’m confronted with a monumental problem like this, I’m tempted to pull back. I figure that this is a problem for governments to fix…or the mega-charities…or maybe the foundations with deep pockets. What can I do about it? I’m just one person.

When I start feeling like this, I leaf through my photos of the girls of Rapha House. I can still hear their laughter and recount the times when their beautiful brown eyes filled with tears. I can still feel their hope and the touch of their soft hands in mine. Then I realize: I don’t have to solve this problem for every child in the world. But with your help, we can make a real difference to some of the world’s children who have been trafficked.

Let’s put this problem into perspective. For the girls at Rapha House there is no more important ministry on earth. They’ve survived a nightmare and are starting to dream dreams.

I do not know what it will take to mobilize Christ’s church or even the good people of the world to respond decisively to this wholly unnecessary evil. But I do know this: In one corner of the globe there are girls who are finding hope. And you’re playing your part. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The LORD God has told us what is right and what he demands: “See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.” (Micah 6:8)

Survivors In Their Own Words

2008-03-23T22:04:00.001-07:00

When I was in Africa, the AIDS orphans that we met donated money to buy Bibles for the girls at Rapha House. They also sent the girls handwritten letters. Some of the girls from Rapha House responded by sending their own letters to the children of Africa. This is one of those letters.

Dear all friends who live in Kenya…and in my heart:

Hello, friends! I really want to meet you. I thank you for giving me the love and support that my heart needs.

I was really happy to learn that I wasn't alone. And I hope that all of you think about me all the time. I want to tell you that I was very happy when I read your letters. It made me know how much God loves us. Now, I have warm feelings because before I didn't have a lot of friends because I was scared.

When I was young, my father beat me and my family. He always beat my mother in front of me everyday. It made me scared. I didn't want to live with them. And I always ran away to other people. But other children didn't want to play with somebody like me. I didn't have a friend.

Now I have a good life, and I have new friends. I hope one day to meet you. I want to sympathize with you that you can find a good life in the future.

God bless you. And thank you. I love you.

Jonthern

… God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing (Psalm 68:6)

A Mona Lisa Smile

2008-03-09T21:09:00.000-07:00

I wasn't expecting it, but there it was. The grainy photo taken undercover filled the screen during the slave hunter's presentation. To my knowledge, it's the only photo that we possess of one of the Rapha House girls before she was rescued and while she was still working in a brothel.

It's not prurient. It's simply a portrait of a young, sixteen-year-old girl sitting in a bar booth with flowered wallpaper behind her. Her black hair is slightly pulled back off her ears. And she wears a white button-down blouse modestly open at the collar. Her eyes glance towards the side. And her mouth wears a Mona-Lisa-like smile.

What strikes me most about this photo is the girl's faint smile. Like the Mona Lisa, it's subject to interpretation. But I know what I see.

In preparing these updates and other materials for Rapha House, I constantly pore over my photo collection of Rapha House girls. Frequently, I run across photos of this very same girl. In these photos, she has a wide and easy smile that lights up her whole face. It's beautiful.

I contrast those smiles to the one that I see in the photo from the brothel. There's no comparison. Once she was a guarded and tentative girl from a brothel, but now she has rediscovered how to smile the carefree smile of freedom. That's what we do at Rapha House. We put real smiles back on the faces of children. And that's God's work.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free (Psalm 146:7)

Trafficked Girls and Two Boys

2008-03-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

While I was in Missouri recently for the Rapha House annual board meeting, Stephanie Freed told me about an experience that she had after making a presentation at a church.

She told the audience about human trafficking and our ministry to girls who have been rescued. She related a few stories of our girls and talked about what their lives have been like. After the presentation, a father approached Stephanie with his two sons.

The boys were probably ages nine and eleven. The boys had been raising some cattle that they recently sold to the stockyard. And the money that they made was earmarked for their college education. But after hearing about our girls, these boys came up with an idea.

When their father approached Stephanie, he was choking back his tears. It's hard for a man to let emotions like this bubble to the surface when talking face-to-face with a woman. But this was not a normal situation. This man's sons on their own decided that a better use of the money that they were paid would be to give it to Rapha House. So the dad signed over to Stephanie the check from the stockyards. It was for over three thousand dollars!

I don't know if these boys will ever meet the trafficked girls that they've helped. But I like to think that one day in heaven Jesus will introduce them. But until that time, I hope that their generosity will inspire others to follow their example. I think that we all have a lot to learn from them.

…the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' (Acts 20:35)

Ng's Path to Freedom (Part 3)

2008-02-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

[See previous postings of Ng's story.]

The path Ng took to freedom was neither straight nor easy.

Someone at the old man's house where she was a slave told her that her mother had moved. Desperate, she escaped into the jungle with only the clothes on her back.

Ng met up with an older woman who took her in and fed her. The woman knew her mother; and Ng's hopes soared with thoughts of a reunion, but that dream was quickly dashed when the woman said that her mother had met another man and had moved away. The woman did not know where. Ng was just thirteen-years-old and all alone in the world.

After staying at the woman's house a few days, Ng left. She didn't want to be a burden to her, so she slept in the jungle, ate food from people's trash and begged for money. People spurned her.

Once two young men grabbed her from behind and pushed her behind a house and raped her. With a heavy sigh, she says, "After they were done, I ran to a policeman. He thought I was just a beggar and scolded me. But then he noticed that my pants were ripped and bloody." She was taken to an emergency shelter and transferred to Phnom Penh and was eventually brought to Rapha House.

When asked about what life at Rapha House has been like, Ng replies, "La ah." Good.

She arrived malnourished, and her skin was darkened from constant exposure to the sun. The staff says that she was extremely difficult and would fall into long periods of deep depression.

But then something changed in Ng. She started making friends with the other girls there. She started going to school for the first time in her life and began learning to read and write both Khmer and English. Ng has started to trust again. She even has hopes for the future.

Ng has a long road ahead of her. But now, she is safe. And since Ng has no family other than us, we're going to walk with her on the road to lasting freedom.

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. (Psalm 118:5)

The Story of Ng (Part 2)

2008-02-17T15:15:00.000-08:00

Ng’s ready and somewhat mischievous smile masks the darker truths about her life. As she tells that part of her story, her head sinks; and she nervously scrapes away the chipped polish off her fingernails.

After being sold at age six to an elderly man by her mother, Ng found no sanctuary in the old man’s house. The other servants scolded her. And the people living there slapped her around and told her that she was worthless.

Upon her arrival, Ng was immediately put to work. Her small hands took a towel and dipped it over and over again into a bucket of soapy water as she cleaned the floor on her hands and knees. The other servants, unhappy with her progress, came by and hit her over the head whenever they passed her. That first day in the old man’s house, she washed the dishes, dried and put them away, swept and mopped the floor again, helped to do the laundry, and was told to massage the old man’s feet.

Later that night, she was awakened and told to go to the old man’s room. She remembers hearing the crickets outside and yawning as she padded across the floor to his bedside. Then she tells how he grabbed her and roughly tore her clothes off.

She doesn’t look up as she continues her story. She works away at the nail polish on her hands and says, “Koat tva bhap.” He was bad to me.

This was Ng’s nightmare. And it continued for weeks that turned to months and months that turned to years. Then after six years, she made good her escape.

Next week: Ng’s path to freedom.

The Story of Ng (Part 1)

2008-02-10T21:06:00.001-08:00

What six-year-old Ng (not her real name) wanted was what most girls her age want—a safe and loving home to grow up in. What she got was something entirely different.

One day, Ng’s life turned upside-down when her stepfather ripped a gold necklace from her mother’s neck and grabbed a knife to slit her throat. Ng screamed and instinctively threw herself towards her mother to protect her. Then her stepfather ripped Ng from her mother’s body and beat her until her small body crumpled unconscious. He then took all the family’s money and jewelry and left.

You might think that having her stepfather out of her life for good was the best thing that could have happened for Ng. But life was about to get extraordinarily more complicated for this little girl.

Forced to find money in order to eat and feed her four children, Ng’s mother took all her kids and moved into the city to find a job. There she made little more than a dollar a day. So Ng’s mother decided to do what seems inconceivable for any parent who is unfamiliar with the desperation borne from abject poverty. Ng’s mother sold her to an elderly man in order for her to work as his servant. Ng was just seven-years-old.

This began a hellish nightmare that lasted six years for Ng. I’ll write more about that in my next update.

At Rapha House, tragedy plays a part in each girl’s story. But that’s not where the story of these girls ends. At Rapha House, we’re committed to bringing hope in the place of heartbreak, healing in place of pain, and freedom in place of captivity. It’s a big job that requires you and us and God. And that combination is what makes the difference for girls like Ng.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

A Tribute to a Slave Hunter

2008-02-03T18:27:00.000-08:00

Aaron Cohen is a slave hunter. For years, he has traveled the world retrieving persons sold into slavery, including girls sold into the sex trade.

If you ask Aaron Cohen how many people he has rescued, he probably would say, “Not enough.” This humble slave hunter knows that there still is a lot of work to do.

The other night, some family members, a few friends and I attended an event hosted by an organization honoring Aaron Cohen as its humanitarian of the year—a well-deserved honor. For me, one of the most poignant moments of the evening came during Aaron’s acceptance speech and his accompanying slide show. He showed one slide of a Rapha girl before she was rescued. Then the very next slide showed her receiving her diploma at our graduation event in November, which Aaron also attended. These two slides told a powerful story—one that I’ve had the privilege of witnessing in part firsthand.

Think for a moment. What if we could mobilize a whole army of slave hunters like Aaron Cohen? Tens of thousands of children would be freed. But where would they go for their wounded hearts to heal? Where would they learn how to preserve their freedom and live independently?

The photos that Aaron Cohen showed tell more than a story of one girl’s personal triumph. They are a metaphor of what it takes to win this fight against this heinous evil. In this war, we need heroes like Aaron Cohen to free people from slavery. But we need places like Rapha House where wounded hearts can heal and rescued souls learn how to live independently.

Thank you Aaron Cohen for making a difference. And thanks to each supporter of Rapha House. Because of people like Aaron and people like you, lives are being saved.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6)

How Could Someone Do Something Like That?

2008-01-20T21:18:00.000-08:00

If you met Marie, you’d be impressed with how sweet and gentle she is. What would make a parent sell a child like her to traffickers? How could someone do something like that?

Evil. Some parents are plain evil. That’s true on this side of the world as it is on the other side of the world. Evil is why some parents sell their children.

Desperation. Poverty causes people to do things that they never would consider otherwise. And for some parents, selling a child is a way out of the type of poverty that few of us have witnessed, except maybe from the comforts of our living room while watching TV. And then the remote control is always nearby when the images become too disturbing or boring. Poverty is why some parents sell their children.

And some parents sell their children in hope. Some, like any parent, want the best for their children. And when traffickers come to the village, they paint a picture of a better life. They claim to represent some wealthy patron looking for a nanny, housekeeper, or cook. Parents are told of a better life where their daughters will be safe, receive an education, live around privilege, and be able to send money home. And so they take the earnest money, sign the contract, and never see their children again.

At Rapha House, we’re committed to providing girls like Marie with real hope for a better life. And because we’re here, they find the hope that they’ve been looking for.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. (Psalm 62:5)

The Long Road to Healing

2008-01-13T23:18:00.000-08:00

Recently, I reported about Kvoe—the eleven-year-old girl who was labor trafficked to Thailand for nine months and ended up in a Thai prison. Three months later, she was brought to Rapha House. When our staff took her home, Kvoe was greeted with the horrific news that her mother had died, her house was gone, and her little sister Phea was missing. Kvoe was left all alone in the world.

Later, the Rapha staff revisited the region and found Kvoe’s little sister Phea. Like a stray animal, this nine-year-old girl had been scavenging in the village wherever she could find food and shelter.

But now the sisters have been reunited. They go to school together. They attend church together. And they play together with the other children at Rapha House.

A recent photograph shows Kvoe and Phea smiling. Their smiles say it all. In the midst of their suffering, these sisters have found hope.

We know that these girls have a long way to go. At times, they’ll be lonely. Some days they’ll miss their mother terribly. And they’ll shed more tears. Lots of tears. But Kvoe and Phea are no longer alone. They have each other. And they have the love and support of the kids and staff at Rapha. They have others to walk beside them on the long road to healing. That’s what we do at Rapha House.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

An Unpleasant Reality

2008-01-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

**WARNING**
SOME MAY FIND THIS REPORT TO BE DISTURBING

Just outside the capital city of Phnom Penh, we have a ministry partner who runs an outreach to neighborhood children—a kids’ club. Many of these children come from extremely poor families.

Poverty causes people to do desperate things. Stephanie Freed, who currently is in Cambodia with a team from the US, reports the following in a recent email:

“Just a while ago, over a Coke, Thearin [a young women who leads the club] tearfully told me about one of the girls from the club (15 years old) who was sold to a Korean man. He bought her for $500 from her mother. He took her to a hotel for a week, where he and his friends took turns raping her.”

Five hundred dollars. That’s about a year’s wage for the average person in Cambodia.

And with one desperate, greedy decision made by a mother in Phnom Penh, a teenager’s life has changed forever.

Everything about this story sickens me. Then I realize. Nobody’s helped by my disgust, indignation or outrage. So I will channel my energies more productively. I will give. I will serve. I will write. I will pray. I will speak up and speak out. I will do whatever I can to relieve the suffering of survivors of trafficking and abuse and prevent other girls from becoming victims, too.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
--Edmund Burke

Yan's Story

2007-12-30T17:30:00.001-08:00

When we were in Cambodia recently, some of the women from our team led a seminar for the older girls entitled “How To Have Healthy Relationships With Men.” Our women talked openly about their experiences with men and were transparent about mistakes made and lessons learned. They then invited any of the girls to tell their stories.

Yan volunteered to share her experience. She sat on the floor behind the translator, leaned her head against the translator’s back and through her tears told her story in a faint voice about horrible abuse and neglect. Yan’s story is the story of many of the girls who have come to Rapha House.

What made her story so unforgettable was what happened next. After recounting her abuse, Yan raised her head, straightened her back, and said with a note of confidence, “And now I want to tell you about my new life.” And for the next few minutes, she spoke of hope. She spoke of healing. And she told about the grace and love that she has found in Jesus Christ. It was an unforgettable study in contrasts.

At Rapha House, we give shelter and compassionate care to girls who have been trafficked and abused. We provide them with a place to heal. And through our programs and vocational training, we offer them hope for a better life. Some of the girls who come to us choose freely to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ. Yan has. And she will confidently tell anyone about the difference that He has made in her life. He’s one Man who has brought her nothing but good.

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

Kvoe's Christmas

2007-12-25T19:26:00.000-08:00

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.

Ratha's Gift

2007-12-19T08:32:00.000-08:00

It’s Christmastime, the season of giving.

This year, I was in Cambodia during Thanksgiving. I received from Ratha—a young lady at Rapha House—one of my best gifts early.

Ratha is the oldest girl in our program. She has been at Rapha House from its beginning. As a matter of fact, she is the reason that Rapha House exists.

Joe Garman, the founder of Rapha House, literally rescued her from the hands of the sex traffickers when they were preparing to take her away. Stephanie Freed went to work to provide for Ratha and a handful of girls like her a safe place to live. And now, Ratha has graduated from our program. But that’s not the gift I’m talking about.

After the graduation ceremony, this quiet and unassuming young woman took me aside to tell me something. She found a translator and said to me, “I want to tell you how deeply grateful I am.” Then she added, “You have loved me better than my own parents have loved me. And you have taught me to see the value that God places on me. Thank you.” And that was the gift that Ratha gave me.

After that, I was speechless and failed to correct her. Maybe I should have. But I failed to remind her of the important role that the Rapha staff plays. I failed to remind her of all the hours that Stephanie Freed and ARM personnel invest in this ministry. And I failed to say a word about the hundreds of donors who have sacrificially given to keep our ministry afloat. I didn’t say anything about all that. Probably I should have. But I didn’t. Instead, I gave her a hug, kissed her on the cheek, and told her that I love her.

As I sit writing this, I wonder where Ratha would be today without Joe Garman, Stephanie Freed, the Rapha staff and you, our supporters. And I shudder. Then I think about the hundreds of thousands of little girls that aren’t as fortunate as her. Nobody has reached them yet. And my heart breaks. So much is left to do. So many children are desperately waiting.

It’s the season for giving. Please consider Rapha House in your year-end giving. As you do, know that I’m passing on Ratha’s gift to you. You deserve it, too. Thank you for caring.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Update on Our First Graduation

2007-12-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

Words cannot fully capture the experience of our first graduation ceremony.

At the ceremony, Sokhom, one of our graduates, spoke. She spoke with poise and grace and expressed her heartfelt gratitude. Nobody told her what to write. She put her thoughts in her own words. What touched me most was the praise that she gave to our Lord Jesus Christ for the work that He has done in her life.

After Sokhom spoke, we presented each graduate with her Certificate of Achievement—an official document which would be an equivalent to a cosmetology license. Then starting with Ratha—one of our very first girls—we gave each girl a pearl pendant necklace, a gift from the members of Pathway Christian Church. As I placed the necklace around each girl’s neck, I told her how beautiful she is and how God has done a wonderful work in her life. Most cried in my arms. Some sobbed.

Nine young women took back their lives that night. They no longer are victims or survivors. That night they claimed victory—a victory made possible through Jesus and the supporters of this important ministry.

Thank you for sharing in this work of redemption. Thank you for bringing hope to these precious young women.

He will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair. (Isaiah 61:3 NLT)

We Just Got Back From Cambodia

2007-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

It's always a long trip. But it's always worthwhile to visit our safehouse and aftercare program in Cambodia.

This trip was especially eventful, since we held our first ever graduation from our aftercare program. Nine girls graduated. And it was a night to remember--a lot of tears, hugs and laughter.

I'm completely exhausted. I'll post more in a couple days.

Things Are Changing At Rapha House

2007-11-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better. --Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

We just signed the lease on our new vocational training building. Now we can house up to 30 girls in our aftercare program!

Furthermore, we've added a new course to our program that teaches our girls the wedding business. Weddings are big business in Cambodia. The median age there is 21 years. And there are plenty of young people in Cambodia getting married. So we thought it would be wise to offer our girls an opportunity to learn this business for their selves.

Additionally, we are keeping our old facility and opening a restaurant there that will be run by one of the girls who left Rapha House after she married. It’s our first micro-finance project!

Things are changing at Rapha House. And with your help, we're bringing hope where there was no hope. Thank you for caring.

Rapha's 40/40 Campaign (Week Six)

2007-11-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

40 Ways to Pray (Week Six)

Thank you for journeying with us during these forty days. And thank you for each prayer that you've offered on behalf of this issue and our girls. With God's help and your prayers, we'll continue to make a difference together.

36. Pray for an individual survivor by name.
37. Pray for an individual leader or worker who is helping to eradicate this evil.
38. Pray that prevention programs will reach and influence at-risk individuals and families.
39. Pray that captives who are still enslaved will find freedom.
40. Pray that God’s blessings be upon the staff and children of Rapha House.

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:24)

Rapha's 40/40 Campaign (Week 5)

2007-10-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

Join Rapha in prayer for anti-trafficking work and workers.

Day 29. Sovereign Lord, may the United States government help fund prevention and recovery programs throughout the world.
Day 30. Mighty Defender, lead countries throughout the world to embrace the rights of women and girls.
Day 31. Holy God, stop governments from being corrupted by profiteering from trafficking.
Day 32. Kind Shepherd, help those who were once rescued but have fallen back into dangerous habits and lifestyles find their way back into the light.
Day 33. Holy Lord, help both men and women to manage their sexuality in ways that will honor you.
Day 34. Pray that those who have devoted their lives to serving survivors will grow in their professional development and become more effective.
Day 35. Pray that God will lead you in how you might get involved in responding to this evil and those affected by it.

And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:10,11)

Rapha's 40/40 Campaign (Week Four)

2007-10-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

During our 40/40 Campaign, we're encouraging our supporters to take forty days to pray about this issue and our ministry. And we're asking that during this time you consider donating an additional $40 to the ministry of Rapha House. Thank you for caring and making a difference.

Prayer Focus
Day 22. Target a specific country or area, and pray for the defeat of the sex industry in that area.
Day 23. Gracious God, lead more Christian men to get involved in combating this evil.
Day 24. Lord Jesus, help the men of your church to seek purity and to renounce all forms of pornography and sexual exploitation of women.
Day 25. Precious Redeemer, may survivors not only experience emotional healing but come to see how you can redeem their pain and use it as a way to minister to others.
Day 26. God, help survivors lead the way to spiritual renewal in their own communities and lands.
Day 27. Merciful Lord, may survivors be able to establish healthy marriages and families of their own.
Day 28. Loving Father, may survivors see themselves with the value that you place on each of them.

Rapha's 40/40 Campaign (Week Three)

2007-10-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

Seven More Days and Seven More Ways to Pray
Day 15. God, raise up business leaders who’ll create new opportunities to eliminate the economic burdens that make people vulnerable to slavery.
Day 16. Precious Father, bring spiritual revival in places that are hotbeds for human trafficking.
Day 17. Sovereign God, bring traffickers to have a Damascus road experience that awakens them to the Lordship of Jesus.
Day 18. Lord, help other Christian and humanitarian organizations dedicated to the eradication of human trafficking, including the Salvation Army, World Vision, Justice for Children International, International Justice Mission, USIM, among others.
Day 19. Most Holy Judge, let traffickers be prosecuted and brought to justice.
Day 20. Sovereign Lord, lead governments and local law enforcement to make prosecuting this crime a priority.
Day 21. God, raise up leaders throughout the world to be the voice for those whose voices cannot be heard.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6)

Please consider giving a $40 gift to Rapha House during our 40/40 Campaign. Thank you.

Rapha 40/40 Campaign (Week Two)

2007-10-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

Forty Ways to Pray to End the Nightmare of Human Trafficking

During our 40/40 campaign, Rapha House is calling upon individuals and churches to pray about this issue of human trafficking. And we are inviting our friends and supporters to donate $40 to Rapha House sometime during these 40 days.

Day 8. Our Father, may a generation of survivors of trafficking become the new freedom fighters who’ll combat this evil and minister to victims who are still being exploited.
Day 9. Lord, we ask that Rapha House will be able to cultivate safe Christian foster care homes for young survivors within their own country.
Day 10. Gracious God, help churches and Christians to embrace this work as the work of the church.
Day 11. Sovereign Lord, may the United States government continue to influence countries to eradicate human trafficking from within their borders.
Day 12. Blessed Creator, may the US staff of Rapha House and the Rapha House Freedom Foundation be visionary in reaching and helping more victims to find healing and freedom.
Day 13. Our Protector, help the Cambodian staff of Rapha House and the Rapha House Freedom Foundation be protected from harm and to work effectively without growing weary in doing good.
Day 14. Father, supply the financial and human resources needed for this work.

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15 )

Rapha Launches Its 40/40 Campaign

2007-10-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

During our 40/40 Campaign, we’re calling on Christ’s church to respond by praying about the tragedy of human trafficking. And we’re encouraging caring individuals and churches to give forty dollars to Rapha House sometime during the forty days from September 28 to November 6.

Here are some of the 40 Ways to Pray:
1. Father, grant safety and success to the individuals and organizations that are rescuing victims of human trafficking.
2. Lord, allow Rapha House to establish more shelters to serve and care for rescued children.
3. Sovereign God, lead countries to be committed to justice for victims and the abolition of this violation of human rights.
4. Our God, guide Rapha House in creating housing, education and business opportunities that will allow survivors to live independent lives.
5. Lord Jesus, bring emotional healing to survivors.
6. God, raise up quality Christian men and women to serve in the various dimensions of this ministry.
7. Precious Lord, we ask that survivors will come to know Jesus as their Savior and Redeemer.

The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. (Psalm 103:6)

Rapha House | P.O. Box 1627 | Joplin, MO 64802

A Day at the Beach

2007-09-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

Recently, our girls had an opportunity to spend a couple days at the beach. For some, it was the first time that they had ever seen the ocean. They were excited and enjoyed a chance to spend a day playing and having fun.

Recreation plays an important part in the healing and recovery of our girls. People robbed them of their childhood. We can't give that back. But we can give them the chance to discover what play and carefree moments feel like.

At the Rapha House Freedom Foundation, we believe that our girls must do the hard work of emotional recovery and vocational training. But we also believe that they should have fun and a good time. After all, these girls deserve some happy memories to look back on.

Help Spread the Word About Rapha House

2007-09-03T22:05:00.001-07:00

Share the story of Rapha House with your church, group or organization. To request a FREE copy of our new Rapha House DVD, email us at raphahouse@pacbell.net with your mailing address, or write us at Rapha House Freedom Foundation, 6755 Victoria Ave., Riverside, CA 92506. Offer available only within the United States.

What About the Needy Children in Appalachia?

2007-08-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

In the lobby at church today, a lady asked me a question. She told me about a conversation with a friend about our work. Her friend said, “What about all the needy children in Appalachia?” And this lady at church wanted to know what to say to her friend.

From my experience, I’ve never heard a compassionate person make this argument. I’ve heard a lot of people who are trying to dodge getting involved say such things. And I’d be interested to see what they’re doing about the needy kids in Appalachia. That’s not to impugn this lady’s motives. Just curious. That’s all.

Second, why should compassion care about borders? If a Canadian child fell into the Niagara River what heartless person would say, “What about the drowning children in America?” Instead, we would applaud those who did something to rescue the child.

Finally, there’s a good reason why Third World countries are called “Third World.” They lack the social and charitable infrastructure that we take for granted here in America. And the scope of human suffering that you’ll find in these countries is shocking. Few American children survive in garbage dumps. And though human trafficking happens within our borders, it nowhere approaches the scope that you’ll find in these places.

Hundreds of thousands of trafficked children are waiting for us to act. They don’t care about this debate. They just want somebody who’ll help. Why shouldn’t that be you?

A Coffee Shop Epiphany

2007-08-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

My wife went to one of those ubiquitous coffee shops to order a grande java-chip frappuccino decaf. It looked pretty good. The bill came to $3.85. While I was standing in line, I saw a one-pound bag of Guatemalan Antigua Coffee for $10.99. And that got me thinking.

I don’t drink coffee. And I have no problem with those who do. After all, I’m married to a frappuccino-drinker. But it dawned on me in the coffee shop that for a little less than the price of two pounds of coffee, someone could sponsor for a month a girl who has that has been rescued from human trafficking. That should get us thinking.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying our coffees. They’re a harmless and tasty indulgence. But let’s not forget the children. They’re worth the investment.

Dream Makers

2007-08-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

I receive regular progress reports from the manager of our aftercare program. Usually, they’re not that interesting. Don’t get me wrong. They’re vitally important but not very interesting. They include expense reports, status reports and other business items, which are essential to monitoring our work. But what caught my eye on this report was the very last sentence. The manager sums up the girls’ progress, then concludes by writing: “They have their own dreams for their future.”

Think of it. These girls came from circumstances where dreaming only added to their sorrow. They were slaves. Their lives were not their own. They had no hope. No future. But now something precious has awakened in them. And they are dreaming dreams.

As a partner of the Rapha House Freedom Foundation, you are a dream maker. You inspire hope where there was no hope. You help bring to life things that have died. You give these girls the ability to dream. There are plenty of noble callings in life. But few are greater than being a dream maker.

From Sorrow to Joyful Dancing

2007-07-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

Recently, a Christian organization hosted a three-day concert in the city where our girls live. Thousands attended.

Nine girls from the Rapha House Christian praise team were asked to perform for the audience. It was a real honor.

This Christian dance and music team is just one of the many activities that the girls at Rapha House can participate in. They dance beautiful cultural dances and praise routines to Christian music.

After the performance, one of the Rapha girls said, “I was impressed that God gave me the opportunity to sing and dance for the people. And I praise the Lord that He loves me and could use me this way.” Another Rapha girl in the audience said, “Tears came to my eyes because I heard the people say that our dancing inspired them.”

Read what the Bible says: “You have turned my sorrow into joyful dancing. No longer am I sad and wearing sackcloth. I thank you from my heart, and I will never stop singing your praises, my LORD and my God” (Psalm 30:11,12 CEV). God has done that for these girls. And he has used you to help. Thank you for caring. Thank you for praying. Thank you for giving.

Countering the Lie of Abuse

2007-07-12T22:10:00.000-07:00

Abuse does more than violate a girl’s body. Abuse is a statement against a girl’s worth. Abuse says, “Your choices don’t matter. Your freedom is unimportant. Your desires are irrelevant. You don’t count.” Abuse injures a girl’s sense of self.

How can we repair the damage done by abuse? How can we counter this lie? Not by events, sermons or discussions. Not by raising awareness. Not with legislation. And not with concern and sympathy.

Are such things important? Yes. But such measures do not necessarily meet abused girls where they live. Only by providing abused girls with safety, justice, practical care, therapeutic support, and real opportunities for a better life do we counter the lie of abuse.

Actions make all the difference. You see abuse is an act that injures a person’s sense of self. And only when pure love acts do we counter the lie of abuse.

One passage of Scripture says it best: “Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it” (1 John 3:18 CEV). To each of our supporters, we say, “Thank you for your practical expression of love.” Together, we can counter the lie of abuse.

Making Room for Hope

2007-07-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

Sopheap lives in a poor house. Sopheap is an older girl from our shelter who recently married. She relocated to her husband’s village. He is a poor rice farmer without much hope for improving his lot in life.

After assessing the situation, we decided to make an offer to this young couple. We would provide Sopheap with a sewing machine and supplies, so she could begin her own tailoring business in the village. She learned sewing at Rapha House in our job-training program. Furthermore, we would finance a food market that she and her husband could operate in the village, giving them a means of steady income rather than the seasonal work of rice farming. Additionally, we retired an interest-charging loan that they had taken out to start their lives together. We’re providing this couple with business management training. And we’re doing all this without charging them a penny of interest on our loan to them.

When you give to the Rapha House Freedom Foundation, you make a practical difference in the lives of people wanting to escape the desperation spawned in poverty. You're making room for hope. The Apostle Paul said that he was eager to remember the poor. That’s what real Christians do.

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

2007-06-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

Some say a picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe so.
Some, when looking at this picture, probably only see three girls holding books. No big deal.

But when I look at this picture, I see something entirely different. I see hope. I see three formerly trafficked girls dressed in the uniforms of their new profession--a profession that brings them dignity, a profession that means freedom. I see three formerly trafficked girls studying English. Not everyone in their country gets that opportunity, but these girls do. Knowing even a little English opens so many more doors for them. And when I look at this picture, I don't just see three girls; I see dozens of people. I see these girls. I see the other girls coming through our shelter and waiting for their turn to learn the skills of independence that we teach in our aftercare program. And I see our donors. This photo would not be possible if it were not for our donors. And for them, the thousand words found in a single picture boil down to just one--thanks. Thanks. It's perhaps the best word that I can offer for what you do. And I know thanksgiving is felt in the hearts and spoken on the lips of each girl in this picture and so many more that you're helping. You're making a real difference.

Mini Tutorial on Human Trafficking

2007-06-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

The Road to Slavery
Often girls end up as victims of human trafficking because of their family of origin. Traffickers take advantage of parents ignorance and poverty. And so, girls end up enslaved in the sex trade.

The Road to Freedom
There are three steps to bridge the gap from slavery to freedom—rescue, shelter and aftercare.

The Problem of Relapse
Often girls who get no further than rescue and shelter relapse into the sex trade once they're on their own, for they have not been given any viable skills to live independently.

The Solution is Aftercare
With aftercare, we break unhealthy dependence on the family of origin; and we provide girls with marketable skills that help them live independently and with dignity. Aftercare means opportunity. And opportunity is the key to lasting freedom.

At Rapha House, we work with agencies and individuals who rescue girls from the sex trade. We provide safe and caring shelter to rescued girls. And with our commitment to aftercare, we work hard to help girls live successful and independent lives. We're successful when the girls that we serve are successful.

Reflections on a Few Photos

2007-05-31T10:54:00.000-07:00

Recently, I received some photos of our children attending the local activities celebrating International Children’s Day, a national holiday in Cambodia. A number of things struck me as I viewed the photos. First is how sweet and precious each face looks. I know most of these girls personally and marvel at what good kids they are. Second is how young each of these girls are. Forty of the Rapha kids are under age 18 with the youngest at our shelter being just four years old. And when I think of what these children have gone through it sickens me. But here they are in those photos celebrating children’s rights. Most of these kids lived for a time without knowing that they had rights, without knowing that they had value, and without knowing that they were loved. But freedom has changed all that for them. And you’ve helped.

Here’s a thought about how to celebrate International Children’s Day (June 1): Don’t try to save the world. Just save one child. And that will make a world of difference.

A Couple Quotes Worth Noting

2007-05-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

Walter Wink, professor emeritus at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City, writes: "The message is clear, history belongs to the intercessors, who believe the future into being." Believing the future into being—a future where girls can live free of human trafficking—requires an army of intercessors who not only think human trafficking is abhorrent but who also will work, pray and give in order to eradicate this evil.

Good people all the time nod their heads agreeing that what trafficked girls face is disgusting and should never be. But disgust over human trafficking, even agreeing that human trafficking must end, is not sufficient. Edmund Burke said it best when he wrote, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

No girl finds freedom through mere sympathy. They need intercessors to pray and act. Anything less means evil will triumph.

Three Steps to True Freedom

2007-05-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

When you think of solutions to the the problem of human trafficking, there are three steps to true freedom. First is rescue. If girls are going to find freedom from human trafficking, someone must rescue them from this nightmare. At Rapha House, we work with professionals and organizations who have dedicated themselves to this heroic work.

The second step to real freedom from human trafficking is shelter. That's what Rapha House provides for girls who are survivors of the sex trade and abuse. Currently, girls as young as age four can be found at our shelter. There they find safety and quality care. Most of the girls at Rapha House are pre-teens and teenagers.

The final step to real freedom from human trafficking is aftercare. That's where the Rapha House Freedom Foundation comes in. We take girls who are ready to leave the shelter and not only provide them with shelter and care but also vocational training and English language training. We provide our graduates with housing grants, continuing education grants, and business grants.

When you contribute to the Rapha House Freedom, you're investing in a girl's freedom. And there's no better investment than investing in true freedom.

From Africa to Cambodia Via California

2007-05-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

Some of the girls that we met while in Africa.
============
Recently, I returned from Africa, where we help children and youth who have been orphaned from AIDS. I told a group of girls whom I was teaching about our work in Cambodia. Here's a letter one of the girls wrote to the Rapha House girls.
============
Dear girls,

How are you fairing on with your life. I hope God has given all the happiness you need. As one of your sisters here in Africa I love you and I'll pray for you always.

As we were told about your stories by Pastor Kerry Decker, I felt that you were facing more challenges than me. I thought that I was the only girl with more challenges but for now you have more challenges than [me].

What I just want to tell you is that even if you are facing those challenges I love you very much. I have read that I should not leave my neighbor alone. So know that even if I am very far from your country we are still united together spiritually.

Know that God is the Father of mercies and He is a God of all comfort. If it were not for Jesus Christ dying on the cross everybody would have died hopeless.

So just take heart and know that someone somewhere loves and cares for you. Just trust in God in whatever you do and He will uplift you to higher standards.

To chase away the powerful emotions in us, we should trust in God's unfailing love in us. When we are in trouble we should take heart and cheer up cuz Jesus has taken the deeper suffering.

All the best in life and may God shower his blessings to you.

I LOVE YOU ALL.

Loving sister,
Faith Joshua

A CA PM in the OC

2007-05-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

Today, I spent most of the evening manning our human trafficking display at a small shopping center in Orange County, California. A couple things impressed me about the event. First was the gracious reception extended to us by the shopping center--The Lab (www.thelab.com), a trendy Southern California anti-mall. They were truly generous in allowing us to get the word out about our work.

The second thing that impressed me is just how many Christian organizations and individuals are working sacrificially to combat human trafficking. Most every organization there had some faith-based connection. In an age where it's sometimes popular to bash Christians, many persons of faith are working hard to give voice to sufferers who easily go unheard. Hats off to all who are lighting candles rather than cursing the darkness.

Three Simple Ways to Make a Difference

2007-05-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Here are three simple ways you can help combat human trafficking.
1) Link our blog and our website (www.freedomforgirls.org) to you webpage or My Space page.
2) Send an email blast to your friends letting them know about our blog and website.
3) Repeat the following mantra when talking to your friends: "freedomforgirls.org, freedomforgirls.org, freedomforgirls.org."
Pretty simple, isn't it? By helping us spread the word, you're making a difference to girls who have survived the nightmare of human trafficking.

A Rare Generosity

2007-05-06T19:24:00.000-07:00

It was the most remarkable act of generosity that I’ve witnessed in the ministry--without exception.

I just returned from Africa, where we work with children and youth who have been orphaned from the AIDS crisis. They live in a poverty rarely seen in America.

While I was there, I spoke about our work in Cambodia at Rapha House, and these young people were eager to hear more. So I was invited to speak before a large assembly at the camp that these children were attending.

Then on the final day of the camp, the director stood up and announced that the children kept coming to him and asking him if they could do something to help the girls at Rapha House. And so he sat a tattered box on the stage before the group. Then about 200 orphaned children lined up and began filing past dropping coins and folded bills into the box.

These children don’t receive allowances. They don’t have extra income. They are impoverished orphans. But that night a steady stream of boys and girls paraded past a collection box and gave sacrificially to help others who are suffering. Such a rare act of compassion!

Most people I know give out of their surplus. But that night, I witnessed people giving out of their poverty. It was truly unforgettable.

Sophea's Misplaced Trust

2007-04-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

By Katie Chalk

Sophea is only fifteen. She's the newest arrival at Rapha House.

Each time she tells her story it's a little different, a little closer to the truth. It’s never easy for a victim of trafficking to admit how trusting they once were, how easily they had been tricked along the way.

When she met her trafficker at the age of fourteen, she had just returned from three years in Thailand, including a year away from her family working as domestic help for a rich family in Bangkok.

With all that traveling and working, she must have thought herself very grown up. “Sometimes I went to sing karaoke in my town,” she says. “One day a woman came to sing there too, and she talked to me. She wanted to know if I was looking for a job. She knew of one in Siem Reap that paid 3000 baht a month (nearly US$100)”
“My mother said it was up to me. So I decided to go.”

Did she like the woman who promised her such a good start in life? At this question she becomes confused, looks down at her hands with their brightly painted nails.
Finally she explains that she liked her very much. The woman was well-known to her. She was the mother of Sophea's boyfriend.

“Instead of taking me to Siem Reap, we went to a guest house in Udor Meanchey (near the Thai border),” says Sophea. “Then she told me that if we wanted to get to Siem Reap I would have to sleep with the driver as payment. He came into my room, forced me and told me he’d already paid 500 baht for it. Later that night there was another man.”

Next they traveled to Battambong, where they stayed three nights. There were more men, but no money in sight. “I wanted to run away,” says Sophea, “but I had nothing, and my family was too far away now.” Afraid of everything, she did as she was told.
As they headed towards the Thai border once more, Sophea spoke up for the first time about her treatment. Her trafficker reassured her and implied that she would soon organise a wedding between Sophea and her own son. Sophea was left in the hands of brothel owners and told to wait around a month.

"Life there was unbearable," says Sophea. "The men liked young girls and I was the youngest. I had all sorts of customers, Thai and Cambodian – I hated them all. Worst were the beatings if I said no. They gave me drugs and told me afterwards that I would need to pay for them out of my salary. I was never given any money at all for what I was doing, only more drugs."

Sophea woke up from her abusive haze when she realised she had been waiting a year for her boyfriend or his mother to come to her rescue. She managed to escape long enough to make a phone call to her grandmother who called the police.

Rapha House is the first place she’s felt safe in a long time. “I feel good here,” she says. “I feel secure, nobody hurts me. I can learn to read and write properly for the first time.”

The other girls, who have been through similar ordeals, have been friendly to her, and already she’s learning to trust the people around her. The staff say that she has a strong determination to leave her past life, including her drug addiction, well behind. This is helping her to settle in quickly, make friends and plan for her future.

“The first thing I will do when I leave here is look for my mother, my brothers and my sisters,” says Sophea. “I miss them. I want to learn hairdressing and beauty because I think I could earn money with that when I go home.”

Away from the situation, she can see more clearly how she was tricked and how many people must have known along the way, including the owners of the guesthouses where she was abused. She thinks it may not have been the first time her trafficker had taken this path with a young victim.

To other Cambodian girls she gives the advice “Do not fall into such a trick, believing people you don’t really know.”

But she refuses to release her last glimmer of trust. "My fiance can't have known about this, or he would have come to get me," she says sadly.
Katie Chalk is a reporter with World Vision Cambodia which financially assists RH.

The Precious Gift of Freedom

2007-04-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

You don't know how precious freedom is until it's gone. Our girls know that feeling. One day life was ordinary and predictable. Then everything changed. They found themselves caught in a web of circumstance too strong from which to free themselves. And certain death and destruction was picking its way across that web towards them. They sensed its dark and cold presence. But as their hopes for freedom were taking their last gasps, things changed again. They were plucked from this web of death and brought to our shelter. Think of it. By supporting the Rapha House Freedom Foundation, you're investing in a girl's freedom. And there is no more precious gift than that.

But Then What?

2007-04-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

It is important to rescue girls from the nightmare of human trafficking. It is important to provide shelter for rescued girls. But then what? That's where we come in. The Rapha House Freedom Foundation provides these girls with resources to promote their emotional healing. And we provide housing, education and employment opportunities, so their dreams of lasting freedom can become a reality. It's a big job. It's an important job. That's why we need partners who'll help us. Read the posts below and consider how you might help us help these precious girls.

We're Seeking Business Partners

2007-04-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

We're seeking business partners who can see beyond the bottom line to the opportunity of working with us in bringing hope to girls who have suffered so much. We're seeking business partners who want to employ their talents and business acumen in making a real difference in the lives of others. With the right project, together we can create economic opportunity that will profit both our girls and our business partners. Interested? Contact Kerry Decker at rapha6755@pacbell.net.

About Discouragement

2007-04-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

People often ask me if I ever get discouraged with this work. After all, girls are being trafficked faster than we can rescue them. And of the tens of thousands who are trapped in this nightmare, we can reach only a handful. Then from this handful, not all that we help are going to go on to live productive lives. That’s reality. There would be plenty room for discouragement if that’s all I focus on. But when I start to think like that, I look at some of the pictures of the girls. I see their smiles. I recall their laughter. And I marvel at how far they’ve come. I would like to help every trafficked person in the world. I can’t. But I will not let the limitations of my reach keep me from touching whatever lives that I can. Together, we can make a world of difference to somebody. Anything less is to be defeated by discouragement.

It's Not Just About Cambodian Survivors

2007-04-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

We passionately care about Cambodian survivors of abuse. But we understand it's not just about Cambodian survivors. We passionately care about all survivors of abuse. One in three American women are survivors of abuse. Some of the girls that we help in Cambodia have been raped multiple times a day in brothels. Their pain is real. But it is no less traumatic being raped or molested just once. It still hurts and wounds your heart. We've written a resource to help survivors of abuse find real healing. You can go online and purchase a copy of our book "Healing for the Wounded Heart: 100 Devotions for Survivors of Abuse" at www.freedomforgirls.org/resources.php. Or send your order with payment of $21.59 (price includes shipping and handling) to: Rapha House Freedom Foundation, 6755 Victoria Ave., Riverside, CA 92506. Someone you know needs this book. Maybe you.

Two Very Different Girls

2007-04-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

The other night, I asked my wife what life was like for her at age eleven. She was in the sixth grade, as best as she recalls. She tells me about her "steady boyfriend" whom she never kissed back then and who gave her a necklace. She spent a lot of time at church and playing with friends. She has some fond memories. I'm looking at the picture of two sisters who just came to Rapha House. One is age 14 and the other age 11. The email message I received about them says, "They were terribly sexually abused and trafficked." Their faces are blank and expressionless. Theirs has been an interrupted childhood. They will not have fond memories when they look back to their childhoods. All we can give them now is a better future. I think of my wife at age eleven, then I look at the picture of the youngest sister. You could not find two more different girls on earth. But they share the same dream of finding happiness. And now we have the privilege of helping make that dream come true for two new little sisters at Rapha House.

Stop Thinking Like a Westerner

2007-04-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

Here are the facts. Asians, not Westerners, are the biggest customers in the Southeast Asian sex industry. Asians, not Westerners, are the main group who perpetrates these crimes against against children and profit from it. The bitter irony is that, to a large extent, Asians create these child prostitutes and then condemn them to life as outcasts. For a girl who is not a virgin in Asian societies is considered to be "damaged goods." So what does the future hold for our girls? Nothing, unless we can help them live self-sufficient and independent lives. These girls are not served by finger-pointing or handwringing. We must open our hearts, open our wallets and show them the practical love of Jesus. That's thinking like Christians, not Westerners.

We're In the Business of Supplying Hope

2007-04-01T18:34:00.000-07:00

During our recent visit to Cambodia, one of the girls at our halfway house confided in a team member that she felt hopeless. She understood that she cannot live at our shelter or halfway house forever. But looking ahead, she could see nothing but foreboding uncertainty. She cannot count on her family. And society will not help her. She is considered an outcast. She has no education or marketable skills and no money. This girl misunderstood our commitment to her and each girl in our aftercare program. Our foundation is successful when the girls that we serve are successful. And success means sustaining independent living with dignity. We are training our girls in job skills. We are teaching them English. We are investing in their futures. And we will supply eligible girls with grants to underwrite business opportunities and their living expenses. We believe what God does--that these girls are worth the investment.

My Recent Visit to Cambodia

2007-03-30T16:47:00.000-07:00

One thing that impressed me most on my recent visit to Cambodia is just how much the girls are depending on us for their futures. They do not have any real prospects for hope other than the opportunities that we can provide for them. Right now, we have ten girls who are participating in our reentry program and who are living at our halfway house. We need sponsors for these girls to help underwrite their program. Twenty dollars a month is all that we're asking from our sponsors. And that small investment makes such a big difference in the lives of these girls. Donate securely at www.freedomforgirls.org. Or mail your gifts to Rapha House Freedom Foundation, 6755 Victoria Ave., Riverside, CA 92506.

Speaking Engagement

2007-03-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last night, I spoke at the San Bernardino Sunset Rotary Club about Rapha House and human trafficking. I received a warm welcome. The people were truly gracious. What impressed me most is how many of them were surprised at the existence and extent of human trafficking of girls for sexual exploitation. Every year, according to the US State Department, between 240,000 to 320,000 girls are trafficked across international borders. That's about equal to the population of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And this figure does not represent those that are trafficked within their own countries.

Our Mission

2007-03-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

The mission of the Rapha House Freedom Foundation is to provide girls who are leaving Rapha House with a safe environment where they can receive the opportunity and training that they need to live successful lives.

New Girl at Rapha House

2007-03-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

There's a new girl at Rapha House. This fifteen-year-old girl was rescued from a brothel on the Thai border and brought to Rapha House. Since August 2006, she was sold for commercial sex and forced to use a lot of drugs. But now, she has found freedom at Rapha House.

About Rapha House

2007-03-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

Rapha House provides shelter and care for girls who have survived human trafficking and abuse.