Dear Friends and Family,
“Revenge of the Rats” It could summarize last month, or serve as a great grade “B” horror movie title? Maybe I’ll just put it this way, as the movie line goes, “It was kind of like bungee jumping off a bridge without the bungee”! I’m sure all of you who are married will agree. You see, on Jan 17th, Sou and I were married 38 years ago, in a place about 500 miles north of us, in Vientiane , Laos . The only problem was that it wasn’t until the 27th of January, while we were in our house about 9:30 at night, sitting on the sofa at the end of a long day, when I realized it. As soon as I began to mention the event Sou’s eyes popped wide open, and we both just looked at each other in absolute unbelief, then burst out in laughter. It isn’t like we didn’t know what day it was, I keep a daily journal. How I could have dated that daily entry and not remembered one of the greatest days of my life is beyond my comprehension. The only good thing about it was that I am the one who remembered! I’m going to blame it on either busyness or stress.
You see on Jan 17th we were in the middle of fighting off rice field fires. The problem we had is that our rice had been harvested and piled, but not threshed. Since our land is scattered into dozens of paddies over a wide area, we had 50-60 rice stacks to protect, and the whole area was going up if flames. The call came in about 4:00pm, and we put out prayer requests to our church/homes. Those nearby sent volunteers and spent the next couple of days hauling rice. Some fought back flames while others threshed, and some of the rice stacks were moved straw and all. We managed to save 80% of it, but did loose about 40 tons. The fire? It was started by some kids trying to drive out the paddy rats so they could catch them to sell on the market. Nothing tastier that roast rat, right? The problem is the kids had not planned on pre-roasting them. Some burning rats scattered in all directions ala Samson and the flaming foxes burning the wheat fields of the Philistines. Rats! It would have to be rats. I hate rats! http://www.missionreports.com/rice_field_fire/index.htm Next year we will have a combine to harvest the rice so this situation should be avoided. PTL!
Human trafficking is sure getting press coverage, CNN etc., and the donation dollars. It is the current “hot ticket” for N.G.O. contributions, kind of like HIV/AIDS was a few years ago. I doubt if any organization in Cambodia has done more to prevent human trafficking than Warm Blankets/F.C.O.P. but, like most effective programs, if you really want to get the job done, you don’t go around making a lot of noise about it. Our women’s dorm, in its final stages of construction, is a classic example. It will house 480 high risk young women in a safe environment, while offering them training in their faith, medical care, vocational alternatives, a nutritious diet, and English as a second language. Lots of stuff to do at the “Training Center”, http://www.missionreports.com/around_cambodia/index.htm Many of these young, 18-25 year old, un-educated women, from the rural provinces, are easy prey for the slick talking pimps trying to lure them into quick money, but often their stories, and the reality of their lives, is much more complex than it appears on the surface. I, with every cell in my body, believe that the church is about redemption, love, acceptance, forgiveness, and restoration, not arrest and prosecution. “Spud, (the greatest rat slaying dog in history) I think I need my soapbox! I don’t care how much dust is on it! Pull it out here, and knock off the whining!”
About a year ago, a foreigner living in Cambodia took a dive with a ‘massage girl’. He came to me for help, and I arranged for him to get back to a good church for restoration. He is back with his family and that aspect seems to have a happy ending. All that is good! But, at the time he left Cambodia , his greatest concern was for the young woman he’d fallen for. To his credit, he wanted her to receive Christ. She had grown up in a rural Cambodian village, about 10 years ago her family was on the verge of loosing everything, and their greatest asset was their beautiful 18 year old daughter. She volunteered to be sold into prostitution, for around $1200, to raise money to save the family home. She became the main source of income for them, sending a large portion of her monthly earnings back home. It amounted to nearly $100 per month, which was twice what the average factory girl was making. She told her ‘foreign friend’ that she hated the work and wanted a different life. So, as a last act of kindness, he paid for her release. She had little formal education, so we took her into our office and gave her a job as a cleaner for $40 per month plus room, board, training in English and the future offer to train her for a career in the service sector as a waitress. She didn't stay long. She said she felt some of the staff judging her. She was uncomfortable, so she moved back with her former co-workers. She still came to morning staff devotions, and we took her to church. Some of the women on staff looked after her. She came to Christ in one of our morning devotions, about two months later she was baptized in the Holy Spirit. She studied English with our staff and hoped for a better job, but with her lack of education, there were no offers that could compete with her former income.
Pressure from home was intense. She had become their source of income. The reason she went into the “Massage” business was to save her family, and we could not replace anything close to that level of salary. She went back to her old profession. She still shows up at church occasionally, and has even brought some of her co-workers. I am not trying to justify her choice but, in a way, she is laying down her life for her family. And Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friends". With the new vogue for “Rescue Raiders” as the darlings of the N.G.O. community, there are several ‘legal specialists’ in Cambodia , getting lucrative funding, that would love to raid her brothel and "rescue" her, AGAIN. The point they miss is that unless they can replace the level of her present income, as an un-educated young woman, she will go back to her old job because of love for her family. In fact, Jesus told the legalists of his day that, “The thieves and prostitutes will make the kingdom of God before you". My unsubstantiated guess is that about 90% of the prostitution in Cambodia is similarly driven. There are some great organizations like “White Lotus”, “Destiny Rescue” and others that do a great job helping these women, but as for the, brothel raiders? I have little use for them. WWJD?
The problem isn't in inadequate law. There are laws in force to prevent sexual trafficking. The problem is in an impoverished, corrupt system, where the very people that are supposed to be protecting these young women are profiting from their slavery. These are the people most of the “Raiders” are working with. The enforcement of law is a function of government, not the church. And prosecuting a few pimps, and minor players, is not going to bring this nation to Christ, or even seriously alter the sex trade. This country needs regeneration in Christ, and that doesn’t come through raiding brothels. My question remains: “How many brothel doors did Jesus kick down?” And don’t tell me that with several Roman legions in the area there weren’t plenty to raid. I know of no country in the world that gives human/sexual trafficking legal sanction. Therefore, what is needed in not a new law, but enforcement of existing law, which means good governance. That comes through character transformation in revival, and just law enforcement, not in the church becoming “Vigilantes for Jesus”. “Spud, drag that box back to the closet. Quit growling!”
We’ve had great teams here, right through the holiday season, clear to the end of January. The boost in self esteem they give the orphans, the work they do, the example of “Servant leadership” they set,
is worth so much in terms of the human development, I have no adequate words to express my gratitude. Josh Ferguson, Kris Warner and Emily Plater have been running ‘flat out’ for a solid month. http://www.missionreports.com/construction%5Fpailin I’ll have to show you pictures of the Northwest Dental Tea m a nd Household of Faith Community Church next month as they are being processed. The optometry team kept busy even with their leader, Tabea Schaller, gone back to Switzerland for most of the month. She’s back! http://www.missionreports.com/glasses%5Fdelivery%5F08
Nine of our young leaders went to a KWAM leadership development training program in the Philippines led by Dr. Daniel Brown. It seems to have been life changing, as several of those “called”, with great potential, who were wavering on decisions for full time ministry, have now ‘jumped over the cliff’. Thanks Daniel! http://www.missionreports.com/kwam
And that brings me to February. Our big leadership convention is the last week and our theme is: “By mighty signs and wonders I have fully preached the gospel”! Last year we had more than 3600 leaders show up. We have some real problems with the permit this year since the laws were changed last summer. Our allotment is for 400 people. Let me get my fingers crossed. OK, I’m ready. “We always support the law!” Have a great month! We will!
Blessings to all of you!
The Cambodian FCOP Team,
Pa Thom (Me, Ted)
Still do’in all the work,
The Cambodian Staff
Ma Sou,
Emily Plater
Josh Ferguson
Kris Warner
Tabea Shaller
