After receiving many drawings, little gifts and teary good-byes from some of our New Hope School students, Josh and I have arrived in Sihanoukville with Jason and Kellie Holbech. Jason and Kellie are a married couple from Ireland, who are founders of a new non-profit organization called The Mission World Wide. The focus of The Mission World Wide, is to rescue children from the awful sex trade. Sihanoukville is a small town, yet it is the tourist hot spot of Cambodia, thanks to its many sandy beaches. Being such a tourist attraction, the town of Sihanoukville is an infamous area for prostitution and child trafficking, drawing in many foreigners to partake of this almost-secret industry.
Although there will be times of leisure in our 2 week stay in Sihanoukville, it is also very much a business trip. We will be meeting with NGOs who are already working to help children, so that we can make connections and receive advice.
Today was only our 2nd day in Sihanoukville. We checked out the market, lounged at the beach, swam in the water and chatted with the children on the beach. The children on the beach sell bracelets, necklaces, scarves, fruit salad, etc. The older girls along with the older women do services like manicures, pedicures,massages and hair removal (threading and waxing). Although, I frequently disappoint the children by declining their pleas for me to buy from them, I have enjoyed talking with them and I hope to get to know as many of them as I can on a first name basis. Talking with the children is a great opportunity to show them love and talk to them about Jesus, rather than just shooing them away.
My heart's desire is for God to do whatever He wants with our stay in Sihanoukville. I want to be led by His love and saturated with His presence. I expect that during this visit, we will gain a little more insight into the reality of prostitution, receive valuable counsel from NGOs and continue the relationships with Jason and Kellie have already established with them, and hang out with some awesome kids. I also pray that this will be a time of great rest and refreshing for me and Josh, and that the Holy Spirit will fire us up and revive us as much as we can take. I remember the time, when I knew nothing and yet scoffed at the idea of ministers taking vacation. I am definitely seeing a different perspective now! Holy Spirit, come rock us!
Josh first met with Holbechs at the Holy Given missions school in Mozambique, Africa. Josh and Jason also went to Russia together to help staff the first Holy Given Russia school.
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