02.07.2016

Learning a new language at 60- What was I thinking?

Sell everything and move to Cambodia. No prob. Say goodbye to family, church and friends. Not easy! Take on the issue of sex trafficking in a rural Khmer village the former epicenter of all child trafficking in the world. Okay, it’s getting harder now. Learn a completely new
language at 60? OH.MY.WORD. words photo

When I contemplated the exotic notion of the mission field at 60, dreams of grandeur settled in. Notions of lengthy, complex theological discussions were my goals with my new Cambodian friends. I would wax eloquent with perfect intonations and excellent grammar. Oy.

Honestly, most days my conversations go like this:

Me: I go work Svay Pak.

Tuk tuk driver: blank stare

Me: Money? much how?

Tuk tuk driver: blank stare and grin

Me: Comprendo? (Oops! wrong language- Parlez-vous Francais? The only thing I remember from 4 years of high school French)

Tuk driver driver: Smile (another dumb farang trying to speak Khmer)

I have noticed in my new brain-stretching endeavor there have been 4 stages:

1. Denial- when our Khmer tutor (God bless the monk patience of Mon Sinet) gave us our first list of 10 vocab words Pete and I looked at each other and said there is no way, Jose! What? How?

2. Reluctant acceptance- After a few months in, it became crucially apparent I needed to know some Khmer just to exist here: How much is that? Where is the toilet? Have Diet Coke? Coffee sweet milk please? I dug into those vocabs list and practice conversations despite every time I tried them they either had no idea what I was saying (Who is the toilet? Why is the toilet? How is the toilet? Okay, Debbie get it right, Where is the toilet? ) or they couldn’t believe actual Khmer was coming out of an old white lady like me.

3. I will do this!- And so I began to practice and study with a vengeance. I tried all my new words and phrases on my precious teachers and they lovingly just smiled and corrected me over and over. Occasionally I would get it all right and they would applaud. I even started dropping in words, phrases and sentences I had learned and they answered back! Sweet success!!

4. Determination- one of my new teachers in training is a 50 year sweet lady who was born and raised during the reign of terror with the Khmer Rouge. She painfully remembers no books, no schools, no glasses, no teachers, no pastors, again I say no teachers. To have or be any of these brought a death sentence. After coming to Christ, she began to look flower photo earnestly for God’s plan for her life. Speaking no English and having never taught before, she applied for a teaching training position at our school. Her heart for Christ and passion for kids won her that job. But how would she work with a bunch of American white folks who speak English and she spoke none? She started English classes at 50! She is a daily inspiration to me!
Every day we BOTH muddle through the limited language of the other, yet God allows us to communicate profoundly by loving nods, hugs, sign language and tokens of newfound friendship. Not able to afford real flowers, she spent hours and weeks making me a gift of paper flowers. The beauty is real, the friendship is profound.

Fourteen months in, on our last language test, our tutor proudly pronounced we were no longer language beginners, but now intermediates! Rejoice, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, the gift of tongues has returned. LOL. I pray for the day I can have a long two-way conversation with my teacher and share the awesome things God has done in both our lives.

Preahyesaouv sraleanh anak! (Jesus love you)

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12.08.2015

Lesson’s from Grandma’s Kitchen

When I was a little boy, pre-school age, I used to love to be in the kitchen with my grandma. We called her “Ouie” but that is another story filled with fun, but not now. Right now I want to focus on the joy I used to have to be with her in the kitchen. As I think back, I loved being there with her because when she was in the kitchen it usually meant great treats in the works. I can actually remember during one of her visits to our home making the decision to not go out and play with the neighborhood kids because Ouie was making her way to the kitchen with a bag that looked like it contained chocolate chips. I was at least going to investigate before what she was up to before heading outside. Sure enough, I caught a glimpse of the ingredients coming out of the grocery bag and I quickly forgot the call of the outdoors.

Interesting to me is to think back on what drew me to my grandmothers side. At that early age, I was not thinking, “wow, this lady loves me. She has my best interests in mind all the time.” No, that would have been a level of critical thinking that I just did not have yet. But, I did think, “wow, this lady loves me. She makes great stuff that I like.” At this stage of my life it was all about me. I did not understand the depth of commitment that compelled Ouie to go to such lengths to demonstrate her love for me. I just knew she gave me good stuff in a measure that exceeded what my Mom or Dad might let me have.

One day, I remember it oh so well, she was melting some chocolate chips on the stove. I was at my place sitting on the counter closer to the stove than she had told me to sit and when she lifted the pan from the burnt orange burner on the stove she said, “now don’t touch that, it is HOT!”

Guess what I did next? I can look at my hand all these years later and still remember well the lightening quick pain that shot through my entire body as my hand came away from that burner with the crescent shape of the rings clearly marked on my little hand. I have never come close to making that choice again. I learned “first hand” that stove burners are HOT.

As I ponder this event from my early life I wonder what kept me from being obedient to Ouie who I knew loved me? Why had I so quickly disobeyed her direct guidance? Sure, easy to chalk it up to childishness but is that all there is to it? I think there is more.

You see, I did not understand love at that time. Not understanding it did not keep me from experiencing it but it did keep me from understanding how it works. Where it comes from and how it directs my path. At that stage of life, I thought love was about getting something. If someone, in this case Ouie, loved me she gave me stuff. End of love story.

But love is so much deeper than that. Love is about a commitment that. If I had been a deep thinking 5 year old, I would have thought, “now why does this woman who loves me want to keep me from touching something so inviting? What could be her reason for keeping me from something that looks like fun?” Not me, not at 5 years old. Ouie told me that because she knew the outcome before the event. She warned me of the eventuality of touching that hot burner and she cared enough to say “NO.”

God is the same way. Before I understood love, God was loving me. Before I knew the pain of disobedience God was loving me. Before I knew to ask for forgiveness, I was forgiven. Scripture tells us in Romans 5:8, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (ESV).

That brings me back to Ouie. She is the first example of love that I remember in my life. God placed her in my life for me to learn about love. When I touched that hot burner, I learned about love. The very person who advised me not to touch it was quickly holding me tightly in her arms and working to comfort and care for me. She did not cast me aside for disobedience. She did not quickly pull out a ruler to spank me (though that did happen on a number of other occasions). She knew my pain and that a lesson was being learned but right then, at that moment, what I needed most was love. And I got it from my Lord through Ouie.

This is a blog about life and work in the field of ending sex-trafficking. Specifically, this is a blog about our work where we are presently engaged in Cambodia. So how does that life event fit this cause?

This is a country with very few “Ouies”. An entire generation of children have been raised up with parents, relatives neighbors and other adults who not only fail to love they failed to protect. They often have been the inflictors of pain. The young people here have not had the learning experience of love to even conceptually understand it much less believe there is a God who loves and LOVES THEM.

Let me be careful to avoid misleading. It is not knowing that activates love but it is knowing that activates understanding. The fact is God loves me and you even if I don’t know it. But understanding that has changed my life decisions. I had many “Ouies” in my life. They helped me move from knowledge to understanding to action. That is what witnessing does.

Here, in the world of sex-trafficking, young people don’t see any “Ouies”.

That is why we are here. That is why missionaries are sent. Sometimes we spend a lot of time even on the mission field focusing on the rules of faith when we need to focus on the purpose of faith. We need to help people here and wherever we are – wherever you are – understand that, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16 ESV).

We are in Cambodia, we are in this cause to show the love of Christ to a generation that has few examples. We are here to help them to be transformed by knowledge to activate understanding so that it becomes action. So that a new generation will grow up with “Ouies”.

If you support our work here, we are so very grateful. If you don’t yet support our work, please consider a monthly gift to keep us engaged in this work. We have been called to this I am certain. Are you perhaps among those called to send us?

Perhaps your church would find a co-mission by partnering with us with monthly support or even your business might want to be aligned with the work of the Gospel to end sex-trafficking of young people. Click a link and find out how you can be a part of sending us.

Thank you to all my “Ouies”

09.17.2015

An Unexpected Blessing

Not always, but sometimes, God has given me the grace to see His mighty hand moving even as it is moving. Such is the case now as I face, with Him, the first real medical challenge of being on the mission field.

About two weeks ago I was diagnosed with a medical condition that is compromising the quality of my life, ability to be active and if it becomes extreme my life itself. This condition has likely been coming on slowly over more than a year of time. Many early signs were quite minor and I remember saying more times in the last year, “I am just not 25 years old anymore”. I was sure I was beginning to feel my age. I accepted it. Didn’t take the stairs when an elevator was available for multiple floor climbs – simple things that seemed quite manageable in America.

Then we arrived in Cambodia.

I have had few experiences in my life where I have seen God so alive as I do here in the work to Rescue|Restore|Reintegrate|Prevent child sex trafficking. There are billboards across the U.S. proclaiming “GOD IS NOT DEAD HE IS ALIVE” but most everyday here I see people billboards. Young people who are coming alive in Christ and seeing hope in their future. Preparing themselves for a life of serving their Savior.

To digress a little let me describe two “people billboards” I see. One young Khmer man moved to Korea for 2 years to earn enough money to come back to his home city to build a small school and pay teachers to teach children. A second young man who refuses to take a really good full time job with his employer and accepts part-time instead because he wants to lead a small church on the riverside in a village over-run with traffickers. I could go on and on. In a country alive with sin, God is showing Himself bigger, stronger, more AWESOME as He raises up these “people billboards”.

Now, back to my smaller point. When we arrived in Cambodia we faced an environmental stress like we had never known. One of my doctors said to me, “in America, you live in a air conditioned home, drive in an air conditioned car, eat and shop in air conditioned places. That is not the life in Cambodia.” I made some adjustments to my routine but the course of events that fell into place aggravated my symptoms beyond ignoring them or viewing them as the result of getting older.

A droopy eye, some facial and muscle weakness, and at times significant fatigue pressed us for some medical answers. Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with MG, Myasthenia gravis. The search began. What is causing this condition. I had just completed my routine physical with the best numbers I had had in years. To make a long story short, we entered an accelerated diagnostic program at an international hospital nearby in Bangkok. Diagnosis complete. I have an enlarged thymus gland. It needs to come out.

Here is the unexpected blessing. In obeying God in his guidance to come to Cambodia, a condition that was slowly progressing in the US as my thymus enlarged, emerged earlier. Perhaps at a more treatable stage. The conditions of heat, some standard meds used to treat such things as Montezuma revenge etc all intensified my symptoms resulting in me seeking medical attention sooner than I would have in a more comfortable environment. But, in the more comfortable environment my thymus gland would continue to grow. It is not the environment that caused the growth, it is the environment that caused me to notice the symptoms and that there was something wrong.

So, I have received an unexpected blessing in coming to Cambodia. The underlying condition was not able to continue unnoticed. Scripture always brings enormous insight and comfort. I am so thankful for pastors who have encouraged memorizing passages. They come to mind when needed and are such a blessing. This has come to my mind over and over in these last few weeks:

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:6 ESV)”

Our path has been made straight. Not in human eyes because we have crossed the ocean back and forth to get to this spot. But, those changes experienced here result in earlier diagnosis. We will return to the states 22 September and prepare for surgery tentatively the following week. We are hopeful that a simplified removal will occur but that requires the thymus be just a bit smaller than the diagnostic images show. If the simplified process is used, my recovery will be significantly shortened and our return to Cambodia can be more swift – weeks perhaps instead of a few months with the more invasive method.

But, the prospects are good. With removal, my MG is most likely to be medically manageable with monitoring much like a diabetic. It should not affect our ability to see the life billboards and encourage more to come a live in our work in ending sex-trafficking.

You, this group of blog followers, are our supporters. Many financially, most with prayer support. We know it. We are grateful. And we wanted you to know what is happening to these two Incurable Fanatics.

Blessings to you all. Stay tuned for more great stories of God at work to spread His name and grace to all who will hear.

09.14.2015

Lessons from Grandma’s Kitchen

When I was a little boy, pre-school age, I used to love to be in the kitchen with my grandma. We called her “Ouie” but that is another story filled with fun, but not now. Right now I want to focus on the joy I used to have to be with her in the kitchen. As I think back, I loved being there with her because when she was in the kitchen it usually meant great treats in the works. I can actually remember during one of her visits to our home making the decision to not go out and play with the neighborhood kids because Ouie was making her way to the kitchen with a bag that looked like it contained chocolate chips. I was at least going to investigate what she was up to before heading outside. Sure enough, I caught a glimpse of the ingredients coming out of the grocery bag and I quickly forgot the call of the outdoors.

Interesting to me is to think back on what drew me to my grandmother’s side. At that early age, I was not thinking, “wow, this lady loves me. She has my best interests in mind all the time.” No, that would have been a level of critical thinking that I just did not have yet. But, I did think, “Wow, this lady loves me. She makes great stuff that I like.” At this stage of my life it was all about me. I did not understand the depth of commitment that compelled Ouie to go to such lengths to demonstrate her love for me. I just knew she gave me good stuff in a measure that exceeded what my Mom or Dad might let me have when she wasn’t around to spoil us.

Real love is so much deeper than that. Love is about a commitment that, if I had been a deep thinking 5 year old, I would have thought, “Now why does this woman who loves me want to keep me from touching something so inviting? What could be her reason for keeping me from something that looks like fun?” Not me, not at 5 years old. Ouie told me that because she knew the outcome before the event. She warned me of the eventuality of touching that hot burner and she cared enough to say “NO.” Seems like a biblical example of love to me now.

This is a country with very few “Ouies”. An entire generation of children has been raised up with parents, relatives, neighbors and other adults who not only fail to protect, they often have been the inflictors of pain. They have not had the learning experience of love to even conceptually understand it much less believe there is a God who loves.

Here, in the world of sex-trafficking, young people don’t see any “Ouies”.

We are in Cambodia; we are in this cause to show the love of Christ to a generation that has few examples. We are here to help them to be transformed by knowledge to activate understanding so that it becomes action. So that a new generation will grow up with “Ouies”.

Thank you to all my “Ouies”. Your lights shine bright in my life.

06.30.2015

Cambodia/ America. Different?

What a contrast of cultures. Last week Debbie and I returned from 3 great weeks with family and friends in the US. We found ourselves totally engaged with our parents, children, grandchildren and long-time friends. There were so many wonderful things going on that I cannot describe them all here but suffice it to say, we enjoyed the gift of rest and renewal. We are now back in Cambodia and fully engaged in the tasks the Lord has set our hearts to here. The contrasts are enormous but there is one thing that is obviously the same. Here, as in America, people struggle with believing God has a design and a plan and it is for the eternal good of His creation – us, all of us.

This is a blog about our mission work here to rescue, restore, reintegrate victims of sex trafficking and prevention of new cases. This entire atrocity stems from people not understanding God’s design for mankind including children. Reject God’s design and anything can be made to look acceptable. As we closed our final time in America the Supreme Court presented their ruling on the issue of legal marriage. Reject God’s design and anything can be made to look acceptable.

It is not a Cambodian perspective that results in child trafficking or an American perspective that results in legalizing same sex marriage. This is a rejection of God’s design problem and it is the reason the church exists to tell the world of God’s design. It is the reason Debbie and I are in Cambodia.

Set aside the issues of child sex trafficking and same sex marriage, some will say I am judgmental when I express that certain behaviors are wrong. These things are issues only because the underlying issue of God’s design is not widely accepted. Some might say that I am seeking to force my values on others. No, that is not the case. I am not establishing a behavior as right or wrong I am merely speaking of God’s design. Actually, the most loving thing I can do (or that someone can do for me) is to show me the error of my behavior that I would know to repent and seek God’s forgiveness. It is like pointing to the life raft when a ship is sinking. To know where the life raft is and point someone to another way is not very loving.

An honest look at the Bible reveals that the Old Testament is filled with predictions of the future. Those predictions, particularly those about the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Messiah (over 350 specific predictions) all came true. Note, ALL. That is a pretty clear statement of the reliability of the rest of what the Bible says including the design of God for the life of man. Any belief system takes a measure of faith. The Christian belief system offers proof. Verified truth.

svay pak fire 1 — Enormous neighborhood fire in Svay Pak

Last week we had a fire in Svay Pak, our focal community for our work in Cambodia. The national and in some cases international media took up the story. Thirteen homes completely destroyed. Families homeless and possession-less. What did not get widespread coverage was that this was not an accidental fire. A sex trafficker, mad at a former victim, dowsed a young woman in fuel and set her on fire. That fire caused the rest. The trafficker was after the 4 year old daughter of the victim for purposes I can only care not to imagine.

Was this wrong? By what standard would it be or not be? Is it wrong today but maybe OK in a few years? Was this man wrong in 2015 but perhaps he could be right in 2040? Does right and wrong really change or do we just become more comfortable with wrong as it becomes widespread?

Since it is a generally accepted thought that no one is perfect, how can we accept the wisdom of man over the wisdom of God that is constant? I think we dare not make that trade, yet we do every day when we choose differently than God designs. The trafficker sees nothing wrong with trafficking women and children. Really, he thinks everyone else is judgmental.

The problems in the world are not governments, courts, leaders or even perpetrators. The problems of the world exist because mankind does not want to accept the authority and design of God for all creation.

Cultures and contexts change. Behaviors change. The minds of man change. The wisdom of God does not. There is no cultural contrast for God’s wisdom. It is the same throughout creation. Only man’s points of contention with God vary by culture.

svay pak fire 2 — Initial emergency supplies to fire victims

You will be glad to know that we are engaged with helping to rebuild all 13 homes not for the people but with the people who lost all their worldly possessions in Svay Pak. Re-establishing themselves and seeing the Gospel lived out in community is how people come to know God is at work and God does have a design. That is why our primary work in Cambodia, our primary work in America, our primary work anywhere is to make the Truth of the Bible known to sex traffickers, gays and lesbians, families, marriages, church goers, judges, rulers and leaders as well as victims of fires, floods and tornados. When individuals understand the Truth and do not reject it, then we will see the end of man inflicted atrocities.

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Will you please consider supporting the effort we are engaged in to deliver the Gospel Truth of the Bible into this area? Please pray for our area of influence. We will pray for yours as well.

04.26.2015

A daughters worth?

When within a culture there is not an understanding that man, each person, is created in the image of God and therefore is of great worth, then subduing others for personal pleasure is not understood as wrong. The Gospel teaches the value of life, each life. The Gospels sets captives free. The Gospel changes hearts of offenders.

We are engaged in ending what is described in this video, please take the short 3 minutes and 46 seconds of time to watch it. In many parts of the world, especially here, is legitimate business.

May we see it end in our lifetime! Your support assists us in the battle to end it. If you are a donor, we thank you deeply. If you have not yet engaged, your financial gift would be well used in the battle. Donations

04.20.2015

From Darkness a Great Light

How do you write about dramatic events without sounding dramatic? I confess to many sleepless hours pondering what to write in this post. I do not want to be dramatic for affect, I do not want to exaggerate circumstances in any form, and I do not want to inflate the significance of what is being accomplished for this cause worldwide right here with this dedicated team that we have the honor to work with daily. However, dear friends, after being here just over 90 days I am still completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of the impact of the crime inflicted upon the people of Cambodia by their very own families and leaders. I am also utterly amazed at the energy and enthusiasm of the current young generation to turn the course of their nation for Christ.

When a nation walks away from the design of God for even a few brief years (Pol Pot era of late 70’s here) the impact is dramatic. No exaggeration is necessary. Pol Pot turned on his own people and these people turned on each other or turned their backs as others inflicted enormous suffering on the most vulnerable of their own – young children. Child sex-slavery was not a deeply hidden away business. It was a storefront, boldly and openly offered LEGITIMIZED business. It was an acceptable way to make a living. In addition, men and women alike, many parents themselves, made their living off the sale of the children for sex to deviant perpetrators who walked the streets without threat of harm. You may say, Pete, there you go being dramatic. I can only say that this is why writing this post has been so hard. It sounds dramatic not because of any emphasis of my own, it sounds dramatic because it is!

And it is still happening today. Not so open, not on the storefront basis, no, it is now underground but still very much available. We have in our recovery house now a 4 year old victim. This is real.

I commend to you a book called “Terrify No More” by Gary Haugen. The story of rescuing modern day slaves. In the first few chapters, he writes of a rescue of young children from brothels in Svay Pak, Cambodia. I have been told that the rescue route to the “safe place” was along a road I now travel every day and passes not much more than a football field from where Debbie and I now live.

Much of the book is about the work started here to rescue children. However, rescue is only the first step. Rescue must be followed by restoration and that by reintegration. Debbie and I now work in Svay Pak engaged in restoration and reintegration as well as prevention.

Walking the streets of Svay Pak can be mind numbing as many of the residents, young and old, are lifetime residents of this community. Oh, the things the eyes of the older ones have seen and their hearts remember. This is what man without God will stoop to and this is why we are here. Sure, we comfort and work to give good educations and establish honorable jobs, but most importantly, we work to be speakers of God’s Truth to a community that needs the hope that can only be found in Christ. The teachers of the Truth were largely wiped out and those that remain need help in the enormous task of being the voice of the Lord in dark places.

This week in our quiet time together, Debbie and I read carefully this verse from Psalm 118:5-6, “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. 6The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

We have come in response to the call of distress. We have come to be part of the answer that will set these people free, and, it is the Lord who is doing the wonderful work of setting the captives free.

Can I also tell you that out of the darkness there is rising hope. I see it in the eyes of the girls in the training centers as they make t-shirts for church VBS programs and bracelets for awareness events, as young teachers learn how to teach the next generation the skills to live differently than the past, as they see their country become something well above the dark place that it has been. So much more needs to be done but so much is being accomplished. Hope is becoming reality for some, soon we pray it will be so for multitudes.

If you are a supporter of ours, we are so thankful for your engagement with us. If you have not yet engaged in support of this work, please consider supporting our work here. The impact is worldwide.

03.20.2015

Ants Take Over the World

Ants, ants, ants
We have a love-hate relationship in Cambodia right now.

Love the Khmer people, the amazing varieties of fruits and vegetables, the work God has called us to here.

But,

Hate, hate, hate the ants. They’re everywhere! Pete and I have been on a zealous crusade to stop these little buggers from invading our kitchen! One morning I was up before Pete and in order to surprise him this loving wife prepared his instant Nescafe plus sweetener for him ready to add the hot water when he awoke. By that time (15 minutes later) hundreds of ants were in the bottom of the cup enjoying that sugar treat- gross, huh?!

We have scoured the internet to apply any and all remedies from old-wives tales to chemicals.
First, we purchased ant cabinets. (A what you say? Never heard of them?) These nifty glass cabinets are on wheels and it is where we store our food stuffs. Each wheel is sitting in a dish of baby powder which ants hate thus the deterrent to climb up the cabinets. Actually, this has worked! But only on our food stuffs. Maybe we should live in our cabinets J

We clean, clean and clean, close everything tightly, even put the closed trash bag in the cool oven, but drop any minuscule portion of food and or leave anything in the sink and they are on in like an organized attacking army. They get from an outside door 6 floors up to the kitchen door handle (10 feet) in land speed record time.

Now our Cambodian insect friends are not the awful big biting kind that would gross me out, but the super small, sneak in the night, can hardly see them variety but they are there.

Scientists relate that there are over 90 different species of ants here in Cambodia. We think the ANT Operation Headquarters in in our neighborhood.

Great (big sigh).

Thought you would enjoy knowing some of our methods to try and eliminate these guys. Any wise suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

First, ant spray daily, everywhere. But you would like to eat in your kitchen and you have to put everything away in order not to be eating chemicals.

Next we’ve tried ant chalk- make a continual line with chalkboard chalk and they would not cross the line. This works okay, they just take a detour around and up.

Saccharine (like Equal) they supposedly hate and kills them- Not! Guess the US warning labels on this stuff is true? How does one pour a lot of these expensive packets all over the kitchen cabinet?

Vinegar, rosemary, bleach, lemon juice, detergent? Tried all and it works for a while, but they just wait us out until we slip up one minute and BAM! They’re back!

God has a lot to say about ants. The New Living translation says it this way in Proverbs 6:6,
“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!”

Hmmmm….consider their ways? Teach Debbie a lesson?

After all, ants are hardworking, tenacious and focused. They really are amazing creatures!

When you look at how the ants go about their business, they are very structured and deliberate and never give up. May I apply these characteristics to my…

Daily walk with the Lord
Marriage and family
Praying for my Jerusalem, Samaria and uttermost parts of the world
Witnessing to those around me in Cambodia
Pouring Biblical truths and life skills into my Khmer teachers
Standing against the sexual trafficking of children!

02.20.2015

What does 3rd world mean?

Cambodia is a 3rd world country and the United States is not. Why? What is the meaning of this term that is tossed out when referring to many mission locations?

Actually there is not one term, but three. During the Cold War the United States and its non-Communist allies were deemed the First World, the Communist bloc was defined as the Second World, and nonaligned nations, which were predominantly poor, were designated the Third World.

Today, 3rd world usually refers to areas of the most impoverished countries and regions of the world, serving as a blanket term for characterizing the political and economic life of Latin America, Africa and Asia – Cambodia where we now live. One might also use this term to describe extreme destitution in otherwise affluent countries.

The TEFL Academy which certifies and trains teachers all over the world outlines 20 characteristics that generally apply to most Third World countries.

1. Low life expectancy is encountered in these countries due to the lack of money allocated to health services, and because people have less access to quality medical care.
2. Low standards of education.
3. Poor health care. Over 11 million children die each year from illnesses such as malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia.
4. Unemployment.
5. Poor nutrition. 824 million people go hungry or have a very limited food supply while an additional 500 million suffer from serious malnutrition.
6. A lack of clean drinking water. In excess of one billion people do not have proper access to clean drinking water, 400 million of which are children.
7. Overpopulation.
8. Poverty. About one in four people have no means to live on, and millions of people live on less than $1 a day.
9. Economic dependence on more developed countries.
10. Their economies are devoted to producing primary goods for the developed world whilst providing markets for finished goods manufactured in the developed world.
11. The ruling elites of most of these countries are extremely wealthy.
12. Corruption is endemic in a lot of these countries.
13. Control of major economic activities such as mining and cultivation is often retained by foreign firms.
14. The price of their goods is often determined by the developed countries.
15. Trade with developed countries is practically the only source of income.
16. Human rights are less protected.
17. A total lack or inadequate national electricity grid- 1.6 billion people live without electricity in these countries.
18. Although some of these countries, such as Venezuela and Nigeria, are rich in natural resources: very little benefit is felt by the ordinary people.
19. These countries are often ruled by dictatorial regimes, or corrupt ‘democratically elected’ governments.
20. HIV/AIDS is a serious problem in some of these countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Much of this list describes our precious Cambodia and the environment where we work. Understanding the living conditions of the people is essential in showing them to Christ. Pray for the Khmer people and those caught up in the ravages of sex trafficking. Only Christ can be their hope! These too are God’s precious people and He is setting them free!

In some ways, these third world folks understand the love of Christ that first world folks just can’t. We are privileged to be working with them and seeing God work through them to show the world how to set captives free.

Note: TEFL is an acronym for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. TEFL academies are all around the world.

02.05.2015

Home

The most frequently asked question to this new Cambodian missionary is, “Where is home?” I can honestly say I just don’t know how to answer that question anymore.

Is it the shop house where we are now staying temporarily while local missionaries are on furlough? Is it our new apartment in Tuol Kork into which we move March 1st? Is it Jefferson City, Missouri where we raised our last 3 kids and our most recent US address? Is it Oklahoma City where we raised our 7 children and lived 13 years? Is it Grand Rapids or Lansing, Michigan or Cincinnati, Ohio, or Doylestown, Pa? (Yes, we’ve lived in all these places) Is it Columbus, Ohio where Pete and I grew up, went to school and married?

None of these seem to be the right answer. While I have loved all these locales, I believe there is something new in my heart – a longing for a real home which makes all these others seem like wonderful temporary stops on the way to home in with Christ.

We must live vigorously in each “home” God calls us to for the advancement of this Kingdom; yet the older I get there is that unsettling reality that knows there’s more.

Scripture tells us this is true…

Philippians 3:30, For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…”

2 Corinthians 5: 1, For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.”

Hebrews 11:16, instead, they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.

I thought maybe it was just me. After all, here at 59 and 60 years old Pete and I have made an around the world cross-cultural change uprooting everything that was comfortable and “normal” in order to assist others in the elimination of sex trafficking. Wouldn’t that make just about anybody feel a little out of sorts?

But, as I have pondered and prayed through this angst, God has delivered sweet revelation though His Word by His Spirit. My home isn’t supposed to be here: it’s ultimately supposed to be with Him someday in Heaven. My longing is natural and right.

So, where’s your home?

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