It would be easy to just share success stories when we come home, but
that wouldn’t give people a true picture of what life overseas is like. It puts
us in a bit of a vulnerable position, but we really desire to be as honest as
possible about our life in Cambodia and we desire that people gain a deeper
understanding of what is going on around the world, and how the work is done. While
at home, we tried to communicate this through four lessons.
THE WORK IS COMPLEX
The work is always more complex that it first appears. There are always
multiple pieces to the puzzle. Ingrained cultural beliefs, sin’s corruption, broken
families, desperation, religious perceptions, post-traumatic stress, and
materialism are just a few examples of many things that could play into a social
problem visible in Khmer society. Take human trafficking, for example. When looking at the
issue of trafficking from a Western standpoint we often seem to say, “Here is
the problem: let’s jump in and fix it.” Some may think we need to tighten the
laws, or punish the johns, or come in and rescue all the girls, or just educate
people better. If only it was that easy. The complexities of human trafficking
run deep—deep into each individual and into each community and into each
generation.
For example, while at home we told the story of one of the girls Melissa worked with this past year. Online we will call her Lily. Lily, like most
trafficked children in Cambodia, was not living in a brothel or locked away. Neither
had she been kidnapped or coerced across borders by traffickers. Nevertheless, as she started
coming to our center, right away we realized something was up. For an 11-year
old, Lily was quite aggressive. One moment Lily would be happy, the next moment she would be crying in a corner, and the next moment angry and ready to take things out on
another child. A long process of talking things out with Lily led us to the
truth. Her mother abandoned her on the streets of Phnom Penh when she was six.
An elderly woman took her in, seeking financial security by making the girl
beg in exchange for a place to stay. It was in this precarious situation that Lily was exposed and traumatized
by the world of the sex industry.
Another layer of complexity
comes in the form of the Khmer staff who are working to prevent abuse and to
bring healing to those already affected. The complexity comes in the form of
widely-shared cultural beliefs about the value of women, and particularly young
girls. The female staff working with Melissa and the little girls have had
their own share of trouble and trauma. Some of them faced abuse from family
members, in a variety of ways. Others encountered difficult circumstances and
felt that their surrounding community placed a great deal of blame on them for
things that had happened—things well beyond their control. As a result, one of
the greatest challenges has been encouraging the staff to see value in both the little girls and in themselves.
After two years of living and
working here, we realize that there are great challenges and obstacles in the
areas in which we serve. We could go on to describe the issues of corruption, neglect,
and deceit that sometimes find their way into the church. We could talk about
how foreign money and influence has often done more harm than good. We could
elaborate on the interconnected nature of such issues as poverty, homelessness,
government corruption, gender roles, a history of genocide, and so on. But
hopefully the point is being seen: wherever we are working and serving, there
are always more layers under the surface. There are myriad events and ideas and people
behind the one event or idea or person we are confronting.
So what are the implications of
this first lesson? If it is true that the work will always be complex, then it
stands to reason that a certain degree of humility will come as a necessity. Additionally,
we will always be called to observe, study, and learn. Finally, in this humble
posture of a student, we realize that ministry takes time. Sometimes it takes a
really, really long time. We’ve got to be aware of that. At the same time, we don’t
have to be afraid of it or feel the constant weight of our doubts and struggles
pulling us down. There is a way to walk in the midst of a messy, confusing, and
utterly broken world.
But more on that next time. Stay tuned.
-R&M
No comments:
Post a Comment