 Transforming the Lives of Children in Cambodia |
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by Melissa Hinnen |
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Thery's family was living in extreme poverty and could no longer care properly for their young daughter. They found a home for Thery at Cambodia Light Children's Orphanage and the affiliated Methodist school. Teachers recognized that she was a gifted dancer and nurtured her passion. Today she is 19 years old and attending the Royal University of Fine Arts. She continues to live at the orphanage and teaches dance to the children. The children's dance performances help raise funds to support the orphanage. Opportunities for education are vital in Cambodia, a nation that is struggling to recover from years of war and genocide. Educated people were targeted in the 1970s by the Khmer Rouge and were either killed or fled the country. It is rare to see people who are over the age of 55. "Fifty percent of the people living in Cambodia are children," reports Romeo Del Rosario, a Global Ministries missionary from the Philippines who leads the Cambodia Mission Initiative. "If the church is to make an impact in Cambodia, we must start with education." Clara Biswas is a Global Ministries missionary from Bangladesh who works with the Cambodia Street Children's Ministry. Working with orphanages allows her to reach out to the most vulnerable children. From that base, the ministry invites the surrounding community to participate. For example, at Cambodia Light, 80 students live in the institution, but 120 students attend the school. "We are not just providing them with a place to live. We are offering them a future through education. We are protecting them from being trafficked. We are helping them know that each one is a beloved child of God. We are raising a generation of confident leaders in Cambodia." The street children's ministry also supports the local economy. All of the material is purchased from within Cambodia. Students from the university are hired to work at the schools supplementing their income while they attend college. Working with the children also gives them practical work experience for when they graduate. The community-focused model of these ministries grows in ways that reinforces and strengthens the work that is happening. For example, Mrs. Sry offers vocational training to young people who are interested in dressmaking and tailoring. She grew up in the Kien Khleang Orphanage. As an adult, she married and moved away. After having her daughter, she and her husband separated and Mrs. Sry returned to the orphanage with her daughter. Her daughter attends the nearby public school, and Mrs. Sry supports them by giving back to the community that raised her. Biswas steps out in faith, trusting that the necessary funds will be available to continue the ministries, but she says that when churches and conferences make multi-year pledges, "it helps us with strategic planning to dream in new ways for the long-term." She is thankful for the prayers and support of United Methodists who make the ministry possible. "It truly does transform lives," she says.
Date posted: Dec 20, 2011 |
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