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#buildabetterworldwithlego
I financially give support monthly to an organization called Rapha International that helps young children who are being exploited and trafficked in Cambodia and elsewhere in the world.
Although much of this world has been impacted by the virus, there are still many who are in desparate need of help due to other challenging and unfortunate circumstances. Thankfully there are those who still are working hard to build a better world like those at Rapha International who not only are rescuing children out of bondage but giving them the hope of a new and free life.
If you can help support @raphaintl then please do (go to rapha.org for more info) but I want to encourage all of you builders out there to take this time to build something real or digital that brings light and attention to a cause you believe in and use the hashtag #buildabetterworldwithlego
Let's build a better world together.
-Steven
#lego #legoinstagram #legostagram #legophoto #legophotography #digitallego #bricklinkstudio #c4d #octane #raphahouse #raphainternational #endtrafficking
#Nerdvember. Day 12
#Bombshell #wonderwoman. Headband by @raphahouse . #settostunning #dc #superheroines #superhero
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One afternoon Chris and I went to the village of Svay Pak, at one time the epicenter of child trafficking in Cambodia. The dusty streets of this village are most notorious for brothels filled with VERY young girls. It was an article about what was happening in these brothels that drew me (and subsequently Twin Oaks) into this battle over 3 years ago. Much has changed there in the past few years, and much remains the same. We spoke to a woman who runs a remarkable ministry in the middle of this village and she told us when they moved to Cambodia the streets of Svay Pak were literally filled with young make-up wearing children dressed in short skirts and high heels. After several raids the traffickers have become more hidden and deliver the children to the customers rather than the customers coming to them. But the evil still continues.
However right in the middle of this darkness there is a light shining more brightly every day. This ministry has purchased one of the worst brothels and transformed it into a community center where they have a pre-school, a clinic, and their own Kids Club where children are learning about Jesus and experiencing the love of God. In a building where a few years ago 6 year old girls were being sold for $20, a church now meets that is busting at the seams. Across the street they turned another brothel in to "The Lord's Gym" where we saw a dozen Cambodian teenage boys kickboxing. Through this outreach 4 traffickers and 10 brothel owners have found the grace of Jesus and have left their sinful trade behind.
The darkness is still present. Right next door to the community center is a restaurant where old men still come to purchase young girls. Brothels still exist throughout the small village. But steadily the darkness is giving way to the light. And the gates of hell are giving way to the power of God's kingdom. It was possibly the most inspiring moment in our trip.
Aliya and David in the Muslim section gathering more info on the sponsored kids and getting new photos. There are tons of Kids Club children in this area and as Aliya was interviewing the kids a shirtless man approached David and me and began gesturing towards a 10 year old boy (in the brown shirt) and speaking with obvious concern on his face. Though he spoke in Khmer I knew what he was saying. David translated: "Can you please find a sponsor for this boy? Both of his parents are dead and he has no family. He lives with whoever will keep him but he has no way to support himself. He is a smart boy and catches on to things fast. He would do well in school. Can you sponsor him?"
I knew what Chris would say so I told David to get the boy's info and tell the man that we would put him at the top of the list. That night I posted the boy's story and photo on Facebook. The next morning I'd already had a lady respond to say that she would love to sponsor this child. Facebook is a powerful thing when used for good. Thank you Lord.
Pastor Sath comparing rice prices at various vendors so he can get the most rice with Twin Oaks money to feed the most flooding victims in the community.
These two Kids Club kids were on their way to school when they saw us at the market buying rice and stopped to say "Hi".
A tradition in Buddhist countries in SE Asia is the morning "begging" by the monks. They go from home to home and store to store with their begging bowls asking for food. They can only eat till noon and then must fast for the rest of the day. When someone gives them food, like this young girl did, the monk will pray over them.
This is a shirt design I did for Christ In Youth. They are partnering with Rapha House this summer at their Move Conferences.
This is a design I did for Christ In Youth to sell at their summer Move conferences (www.ciy.com/move). Rapha House is an orgnization that helps restore girls from the sex slave trade in western asia.
The font is Gotham.
We found this boy outside of Phnom Penh. No mother, no home, no food, no birthday, no name, no clothing...and a massive head wound that flies were laying eggs inside of. He had been this way for months. Stephanie Freed with Rapha House (www.raphahouse.org) and her assistant Theara gained legal possession of him and brought him to a hospital in town. They assisted in finding him a home with an incredible family in Phnom Penh. These days he's got a name, a family and he's smiling smiling...a lot.
A team from Arkansas joined us for our second week in Cambodia. It was joy to watch as they discovered the wonders of Kids Club and Rapha House.
Currently 13 kids live with the Sath family to have a safe and healthy home. They also help out with chores around the house including cooking.
These boys are part of Aliya's team that he has trained to carve necklaces and bracelets from coconut shells. The proceeds of the sale of these items gives them a little spending money.
Their parents have no employment, no legitimate land and no way of providing for their children. Savvy traffickers enter into situations like this to turn a quick profit - offering parents a sum of money for their child. Luckily, the staff of Rapha House (www.raphahouse.org) was able to step in and remove these children before their parents sold them.
The kids on the right are a small portion of the "sponsored" kids with their nice backpacks filled with school supplies and uniforms. The kids on the left are the kids not yet sponsored and their bags with a few pencils and comic books. My heart breaks for them. They were happy to get their goodies but I could see some of them looking longingly at the other kids and wishing they could go to school as well. In a little over a year we've managed to find sponsors for 148 children. There were twice that many today who are waiting. Please pray that they'll all be sponsored soon.
Chris spent part of one afternoon making jewelry with this sweet little girl. The next day one of the social workers told us this tiny 14 year old works in a factory to try to raise enough money to go to school. Immediately she moved to the top of the list of kids needing sponsors. When Chris told her she would find her a sponsor her face lit up and she began hugging her repeatedly and kissed her. She was so excited. We posted her story on Facebook and the next day Chris was able to tell her she was now sponsored and could go to school. More hugging and kissing ensued.
David is an amazing social worker/teacher. It seemed he knew where every one of the 400-500 kids lived and knows all of their names. He is only really responisble for 30 kids but it seems he visits all of the kids' homes.
These girls are part of another part of Rapha House's prevention arm called Freedom Stylists. We have a total of nine girls living and training at the Freedom Salon in the Phnom Penh area, and a handful more are training and living in the community. The Freedom Stylists sponsorship program partners stylists in America with these at-risk girls in PP through Freedom Fridays where they donate the tips from their appts each Friday. For more info go to the Rapha House Freedom Stylists Facebook page. And please tell your stylist about this program.
Some of the girls at the salon get to meet an American Freedom Stylist (3rd from left) for the first time.