When we speak of AIM’s efforts to prevent the sexual trafficking of girls and women our words most often focus in one of two areas. One—Equipping the local Cambodian church as God’s agent to take a stand against the traffickers and abusers. Two—The use of community centers, such as Rahab’s House, to bring transformation to trafficking hotspots like Svay Pak. In the next couple of months we’ll be sharing some stories of God’s work in these areas, but today we’d like to share about another means of prevention.

That means of prevention…the heroic efforts of girls from Agape Restoration Center (ARC), our aftercare center for sexually trafficked and abused girls. Theirs might be the most courageous and sacrificial of all efforts. Their efforts take place as they stand before their abusers and perfect strangers in a courtroom to testify in detail about the abuse they have suffered. The following article from the LA Times is but one example of their efforts both in Cambodia and the US.

DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE (PDF)

SEE AND READ THE SCANNED ARTICLE BELOW

CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL SIZE IMAGE

There is another means of prevention we can all take part in…awareness. We will be forever grateful for each of you and your encouragement and support. Still we’d like to ask even more. We ask that you would passionately and often share stories about what is happening here in Cambodia. You can find many additional stories on the AIM website www.aim4asia.org, under “News.”

“Indifference to evil is more insidious than evil itself; it is more universal, more contagious, more dangerous. A silent justification, it makes possible an evil erupting as an exception becoming the rule and in turn accepted.” Abraham Joshua Heschel

Thank you again for the blessing and encouragement you are to thousands in Cambodia.

In Jesus’ love,

The AIM Team

CLICK HERE OR ON IMAGE TO VIEW FULL SIZE IMAGE

This summer a team from Ratanak spent two weeks putting on a VBS/Kids Club at Rahab’s House in Svay Pak. The work was hot and difficult, but God used their talents, gifts and servant’s hearts to accomplish amazing things. Following are excerpts from their report of their experience. Read and enjoy. But before you do, we at AIM want to thank you for your ongoing support. May God bless you as much as you’ve blessed us.

The AIM Team

From the Team Leader

Beauty in Brokenness

What started out as a VBS for 55 kids grew to 165 kids by the end of our two weeks– so many faces, so many smiles, so many longing to be acknowledged, so many to feed, so many desiring to be held or touched, so many names to remember. Where does one begin without feeling overwhelmed? When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36) To be like Jesus in this environment meant to sow His seeds of love and compassion and to see the one child in the midst of the multitude as we interacted with them through the bible lessons, the songs, the games, the crafts and the lunches we provided. Other times it was walking hand in hand with our little tour guides leading the way, singing in Khmer ‘Thank you, thank you Jesus’ as we meandered our way through the alley ways to the surrounding wooden shacks in the neighbourhood that represent home for so many. The kids would stop and proudly introduce us to their families or advise us who to give the food packets to. In the visible reality, it is hard to see what kind of impact these small gestures have on a community that is suspicious of outsiders and yet the words of Mother Teresa has serve to encourage me: Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. It is the intensity of love we put into our gestures that makes them something beautiful for God. Intense love does not measure, it just gives.

Christ’s intense love continues to be poured out as our partners at AIM are in the midst of preparing to open a school for the kids at Rahab’s House within the next month. In the meantime, a weekly church service that begun over the past month has seen a steady flow of participation from the local residents and just last week 150 adults attended the service. Through all these ministry efforts in Svay Pak, we have heard that some families are no longer willing to send their daughters when a pimp comes to get them. This is a small ray of light that is shinning in the midst of the darkness. This is the invisible reality in which God is building His kingdom in the most unusual place and the gates of hell will not prevail. Only He can take a former brothel and transform it into a place of worship where His name is exalted! Only He can take a place that was once a place of death and destruction and transform it into a place of life and hope. Only He can chip away and breakdown the ancient walls and gates that have imprisoned this community, so that the King of Glory can enter in, in all His fullness.

From one of the Team Members

A God of Love

In preparing to run a ‘Kid’s Camp’ in Svay Pak with my 5 other team members, I had expected to see abject poverty, unspeakable suffering and thus be thoroughly broken and saddened during my stay in Cambodia. Moreover, I had expected that I would return to Canada with a flaming indignation due to the unjust economic disparity between the two nations of Cambodia and Canada. However, despite knowing of the sex-trafficking of young children in Svay Pak, and despite witnessing the appalling conditions in which these families lived, God showed me that He is wholeheartedly at the forefront of bringing His love, His hope and His healing to hurting people in this community through the ministry of Agape International Missions. By demolishing a brothel in Svay Pak and transforming it into a place of refuge called “Rahab’s House, AIM’s outreach efforts remind me of the radical love that Christ is calling us to demonstrate to those who live in darkness. It is a call to go to the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah’s like Svay Pak so that the light of Christ can truly penetrate the darkness that oppresses a people in need of hope. Rahab’s House is a symbol that God’s love knows no bounds and His love covers over a multitude of sins. After all, it is only God who can take a place meant for evil and human destruction and transform it into a place of new life, where His name is worshipped and glorified and where those who are lost will encounter the One who longs to call them His own. It is only God who knew of the inexperience and inadequacies of our team in leading a VBS in a foreign language, and He demonstrated His love for us by providing two amazing young pastors-in-training from AIM: Ratanak and Joseph, to partner with us in serving the kids in Svay Pak. Their heart for the children in this community and their passion and zeal for Jesus inspired us, as we observed their devotion to prayer and the Word of God. We were blessed by their genuine love for Christ as evident by their boldness in inviting families to come to the weekly church service and we witnessed God’s favor upon them through some of the local restaurant vendors who generously gave them free lunches because they were teaching their children at Rahab’s House.

A God of Hope

During our time in Svay Pak, the Lord gave me a profound affinity for 7 boys who attended the VBS. I had first met these boys on our initial visit to Svay Pak and they were labeled as “unruly” because of the rough ways in which they interacted with other kids. But as God’s love for them slowly blossomed
inside of me, the Lord began to prompt me to reach out to them and not shun them. As I interacted with them, I noticed over time that their rough play—slapping me aggressively on my arms and back, soon dissipated and eventually stopped. Amazingly, they went from being trouble makers to becoming the ones who would help our team clean up after lunch. They became our tour guides as we would meander through the alley ways of Svay Pak and advised us who to give the food packets to in the community. They became our little translators whenever we needed to buy any items from the local vendors. In all these ways and more, it was evident that God’s hand was at work transforming their behavior and attitude as they sought to express their love to us in the simplest of ways.

But the story doesn’t end there, as God continued to open my eyes to the potential He saw in some of these young boys. Near the end of our first week at Rahab’s House, some of our team went for a prayer walk around Svay Pak and a group of children who attended the day camp joined us. As I put my arms around two boys, Howe and Jahn, (who were part of the group of 7 that God had given me a special connection with) another boy named Lahp, whom I didn’t have a relationship with slipped in and took the place of Jahn. I grumbled in my spirit about my disappointment but I instantly heard God say to me: “No, Genie, I have placed these two boys here and this is exactly as I had planned it. I want you to pray specifically for Howe and Lahp.” At that moment, I felt compelled to pray that God would raise up Howe and Lahp to become the leaders within Svay Pak who would be instrumental in bringing about transformation and redemption in that place. I prayed for protection over them and also felt prompted to pray that when temptation came, Howe and Lahp would be able to withstand the pressures and choose to follow after Christ Jesus. Moreover, I had an image of them being respected by the people in Svay Pak and that through them, those who would normally endeavor to bring harm, would instead submit to their authority and leadership and not defy their stand for righteous living.

A day later, the Lord unexpectedly gave me two signs confirming His choice of Howe and Lahp. First, during the morning when the VBS was taking place, one of my teammates pointed out that Howe was sitting at the very front and listening so attentively to the Bible lesson. I thanked God for showing me that He was planting His seeds of truth within Howe. Then at the end of the day, Lahp grabbed my hand and gestured for me to bring my camera. I assumed that he was going to show me his house. Well, did he ever show me a house! He showed me the house of God as he led me to a Catholic church nearby where behind a barred door stood a life-sized statue of Jesus. He first insisted that I take a picture of Jesus, followed by a photo of a cross on the steeple. I then motioned Lahp to pose so I could take a photo of him, however when Laph reviewed this last photo, he gestured for me to retake it as Jesus wasn’t in it!!! At that point I realize that God had already given him a special knowledge and love for Him!

Through these encounters, the Lord was not only confirming to me that He was intimately involved in the lives of these children but He also was revealing to me that He is a God of hope. Jesus was showing me that in the most hopeless places, places where poverty reigns and oppression seems so pervasive, He had not forgotten those whom He created and whom He valued. His Spirit was hovering around these young souls. He had given me a glimpse of His goodness in these boys along with the beauty and the hidden potential that was possible in them. He had shown me that His love is the best apologetic for melting hearts that have endured much hardship and alienation. In these pockets of light in Svay Pak, He reminded me that there is no place too dark in which His light cannot shine. After all, He can and is building His kingdom in the most unexpected places and the gates of hell will not prevail because He is a God of love, intimacy and hope!

KGO Radio

On Sunday, August 31st, Don and Bridget Brewster will be guests on the Brent Walters radio show, God Talk, from 6:45 am to 8:15 am. Listen on KGO radio, AM 810 or live from the web at

http://www.kgoam810.com/showdj.asp?DJID=44494

now we have hope Photo Exhibit and Auction

There is still opportunity to visit the photo exhibit “Now We Have Hope”. There are 40 beautiful photographs taken by the girls of Agape Restoration Center depicting scenes from the hard, everyday life of the Cambodian people to the lush palace gardens. If you’re in the Sacramento area, we hope you will stop by. The exhibit is displayed at Patris Studio at S12, 1200 S Street, Sacramento, and the closing auction is set for Saturday, September 6th. Bring a friend and introduce them to AIM. Remaining hours are:

Saturday, August 30th: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Sunday, August 31st: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Saturday, September 6th: Closing Auction-7:00 pm

]]> http://aim4asia.org/uncategorized/exciting-opportunities/feed/ http://aim4asia.org/uncategorized/meins-hope/ http://aim4asia.org/uncategorized/meins-hope/#comments Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:24:42 +0000 admin http://aim4asia.org/?p=172
Mein on the day of her rescue from a Siem Reap brothel.

Mein is the oldest child in her family and she felt the burden of her family’s survival was hers to bear. She lived with her family in a Vietnamese community named Svay Pak just outside the capitol city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Svay Pak was and still is infamous for the sexual trafficking of girls, some as a young as five years old. Her family was living in abject poverty. “I saw the terrible situation of my family and I could not stand it; we were so poor…Everyday creditors would knock on our door and ask my mother to pay back the loans she had taken out to support our family, but we had no money to pay them back. My father was an alcoholic. He beat my mother and neglected my my younger brothers. He drank our family into debt. I could not stand to watch my mother cry. I decided to sell myself to the brothel. It was a hard decision. I was fourteen at the time.

She was held captive in a small wooden house across the street from the brothel in Svay Pak. ” When I first went to the brothel I felt scared. The brothel owner waited until she could find a foreign man who would pay a high price to have sex with me, since I was a virgin. When they found a foreigner to pay the high price they settled me in the small pink room [the virgin room] located on the second floor.” This was room reserved for the rape and torture of young innocents. After her virginity and innocence were brutally stolen from her, her value became less and less with each purchase of her body. Her body was used as brutally as the buyer pleased. As this violence was heaped upon her, Mein would wonder how could such unthinkable, unspeakable things could be happening to her. She was raped and sexually tortured from 5 PM to 5 AM for six months. From 5AM to 5PM she was locked in the wooden structure across the street.

After she had been there six months a raid led by the International Justice Mission (IJM) was conducted on the brothel to rescue the children held there. Believing the lies of the brothel owner regarding the anti-trafficking police, she hid and was not rescued. She believed it was too dangerous and risky to stay in Svay Pak, so she migrated from brothel to brothel over the next six years. She felt such great despair; she was made to feel like an animal, lowly with no value. But felt she had no other recourse. She was hopeless. “I felt bored with life. I felt I didn’t want to do this anymore. But what else could I do? I didn’t have a skill and my family still depended on the money I sent to them.”

In 2006 everything changed when IJM discovered Mein in a Siem Reap brothel and she was sent to Agape Restoration Center (ARC). Through the power of Jesus unconditional love flowing through the ARC staff and programs she began to have hope and dreams for a new future. “At that time my life changed from bad to good. In the past I never had an education. Now I go to classes. I am specializing in tailoring. It is my dream to open a tailoring shop—not a big shop but by my home—so I can make money for my family.”

During Mein’s stay at ARC the organization start to rent the very same Svay Pak brothel Mein was first trafficked. It was closed down after that raid Mein hid from in 2003. ARC has converted into a community center offering free classes, activities, and healthcare for children and adults in Svay Pak. The vision is to transform the community through Christ-like acts of love. The center is called Rahab’s House. Today Mein and other girls from ARC volunteer at Rahab’s House teaching classes and sharing Jesus’ love to dozens of at risk children. “For my first time to Rahab’s House, when the van stopped, I felt so scared to get out. But when I got out it was good. I saw that everything had changed. Before when I was here I was a sex-worker. Now when I go to teach the children, I feel like I am staff. I am proud of this.”

Mein studied very hard on her language and math skills to become functionally literate. She prayed and worked through her counseling sessions to finally realize her value and worth in Christ. She is attending a tailoring school in Phnom Penh. She has been safely re-integrated to her family, and both she and her family are supported by ARC as she completes tailoring school. As soon as she has completed tailoring school, ARC will help her set up her tailor shop so she can help provide for herself and the family she so dearly loves.

There’s a beautiful brightness in her smile. Not because her past has been erased, but because she realizes that her true value, her value as a child of God is not diminished by what has been done to her. “I want all girls to know the way that I worked in the past. I want them to know the brothel is not a good choice. When I worked there people looked down on me, I do not want this to happen to them. I will tell them: Choose a good way. I thank God for my new life!”

Mein at reintegration with one of her creations

We are pleased to announce Now We Have Hope, an exhibition of 40 photographs taken by the girls of Agape Restoration Center. In their photographs, you will see the country of Cambodia through their eyes. In the titles they have given their photographs you will hear the expression of their hearts. It is through the expression of one of the girls we have titled the exhibit. In an interview, when asked what her life was like before coming to ARC, one girl replied, “We had no hope, but now we have hope.”
The exhibit will premier on Saturday, August 9th, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm as part of Sacramento’s 2nd Saturday Artwalk and be displayed at Patris Studio and Art Gallery, 1200 S Street, Sacramento. The exhibit will be open each weekend through September 6th, Saturdays from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Sundays from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. On September 6th at 7:00 pm, we will hold a closing auction of the photographs. We hope you will plan to join us for this exciting event; invite your family, friends, and perhaps someone that is unfamiliar with the horrific problem of child sex slavery. Click Here to download a copy of the exhibit brochure which includes a preview of the photos. If you would like copies of the brochure to distribute, please contact Renee Burkhalter at reneeb@aim4asia.org .
On October 18th, we will have another exciting event at William Jessup University, HopeWalks. This is an opportunity for families and individuals to respond to the call to help orphans and vulnerable children by participating in an educational event and fund raising walk. AIM will be one of three recipients of the funds raised at this event, and we will be sending more information on this event soon. You can find more information about HopeWalks at www.hopewalks.org For now, please mark your calendars.
May God’s grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Your AIM Staff

“When you’re worried and you can’t sleep,
Count your blessings instead of sheep.
And you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings!”

Bing Crosby sang those lyrics in the movie classic “White Christmas.” I’m not sure how theologically sound they are, but as a young child they brought comfort and joy to my heart. Now you might be saying to yourself, “That’s great, but what’s up with Christmas carols in June?”… Blessings!

At times here in Cambodia we can become myopic.Surrounded by needs we fail to step back and count the blessings. This month we were forced to do just that, but by an unlikely source…the Cambodian government. You see AIM works under Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the Cambodian government. These MoU’s are the government’s way of officially sanctioning AIM’s work in Cambodia. Anyways, our original MoU’s expire in a month and as part of the renewal process we needed to prepare a list of AIM’s accomplishments of the last 33 months.

In putting the list together the truth of Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine”, became evident. Below we share the list with you as a celebration of God’s goodness and faithfulness, and as a way of thanking you for letting God work through your faithful support of His work in Cambodia. You should know that as you read the numbers, the blessing is that each digit represents a step forward in the elimination of child sex trafficking and the advancement of God’s kingdom.

1 New church facility built.
1 Community center opened, Rahab’s House in Svay Pak. Each week free education, humanitarian aid and healthcare are provided to families living in abject poverty.
1 Village road built.
2 Aftercare centers (ARC) opened caring for girls rescued from sex trafficking and abuse.
3 Village wells drilled.
4 Village ponds dug.
12 Cambodian nationals enrolled in AIM’s 4 year discipleship program.
23 Homes destroyed by natural disasters were rebuilt
55 Provincial teachers provided monthly financial support.
55 Orphans provided swimming lessons.
65 Girls provided holistic care in ARC’s 2 centers.
65 Percent of Cambodia received trafficking awareness and Christ’s teachings through AIM’s daily radio broadcast.
67 Cambodian nationals provided fulltime staff positions.
100 Desks and chairs provided for a village school.
211 Orphans given English lessons.
425 Individuals provided dental care.
705 Churches now planted. Over the last 6 months more than 1,000 people each month have put their faith in Jesus and have been baptized.
1,657 Individuals have attended AIM leadership Training Seminars.
2,730 Orphans have been provided food.
4,001 Families given clothing.
4,951 Families given blankets.
13,681 Families provided healthcare.
15,286 Families given books.
34,931 Families given mosquito nets.
35,193 Families given rice.

Thank you for your encouragement, prayers, and financial support. You are literally God’s blessing to thousands…including us. Philippians 1:3-5.

The AIM Team

http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/080529losangeles.htm

We would like to again, thank each of you for your faithful prayers. The girls are now back at Agape Restoration Center in Cambodia and adjusting quite well, much faster than we anticipated. Your partnership in prayer is making a difference to our heroines and all of our princesses.

God bless,

Your AIM Staff

The painful, emotional journey to face their abuser, to speak of their horrific experiences in pursuit of this justice, began for the girls in February with interviews by the U.S. prosecuting attorneys at Agape Restoration Center in Cambodia. Then, a 24 hour trek across the pacific to begin trial preparations at the end of April. Preparation for testimony meant reliving painful details of their rape and torture, and preparation for cross-examination was harsh and emotionally exhausting. D-day became a reality and a week-long process of testimony and cross examination was launched. As each girl took the stand and faced the evil giant, she was armed with God’s TRUTH:

The TRUTH of knowing God’s love and hope personally.

The TRUTH of receiving love from God’s family. One of many acts of love came from a young teenager in Rocklin. During February, March and April, she took several babysitting jobs, saved the money and bought beautiful, soft stuffed animals for the girls, which each of them carried with them for comfort on the witness stand.

The TRUTH of the knowing her identity and purpose. Each girl bravely carried an ID badge with her name, photo and the title “Hero” on one side and on the other side was written the word “TRUTH” and the scripture, “A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.” (Proverbs 14:25)

The TRUTH of the strength of God’s Word. The Bible tells us that David faced the evil giant Goliath in the name of the Lord and defeated him with one small stone. As a reminder this strength was available to them, each girl carried in her pocket a small stone with the word “Truth” painted on it.

Questioning and response began, and for some it went as long as five hours. The direct examination was very difficult. Cross examination was brutal and even lewd at times, forcing the girls to relive the ugliness of their abuse. Finally, after a very long week, it was over, and the girls emerged true heroines. Their courage was amazing. They never gave up; they never gave in, and they spoke the truth.

So, where does that leave us now?…with questions, prayers, thanksgiving and hope. We are asking questions such as, “Why were these girls called upon and put through such great trauma?” In 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act which seeks to ensure just and effective punishment of traffickers was initiated and passed by Congress and quickly signed into law by President Bush. In 2003, President Bush also signed a National Security Presidential Directive on trafficking in persons requiring all relevant Executive Branch agencies to create a strategic plan to advance America’s fight against trafficking in persons, and congress did its part to curtail the role Americans may have by allowing for the prosecution of a United States citizen for pedophilic acts committed in foreign countries. This is particularly important in countries such as Cambodia where the justice system is corrupt and criminals can easily buy their way free and clear of prosecution and/or jail.

This is the first case to be tried in U.S. Federal court under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act where the crime was committed in Cambodia, and a first for us at AIM. It was a difficult learning process for everyone involved. Our experience brought to light the reality that the extent of protection the U.S. justice system provides for the rights of a defendant minimizes the protection of the rights that can be given to a child witness, especially to a child from a developing country with the corresponding language and cultural barriers. (Perhaps someday we will broaden our pursuit of justice to include advocacy for the rights of child-witnesses.)

Prayers – We are praying the girls’ experiences will in the end empower them to overcome the trauma from their abuse and the trauma of reliving it through their testimony, ultimately bringing each girl to the place of forgiveness for her abuser, the place where true freedom can be found. We are praying for justice to be done in this case. As of this writing, the trial is not over, and the jury has not yet begun deliberations. We are praying for the defendant. We admit our frailty in finding it difficult to pray for this man. We know God cares about his soul, and we pray that some way, some how, the power of the love of God will penetrate his heart and mind and he will find God’s amazing love and mercy.

Thanksgiving – We thank the Lord for all of you, our partners. You are essential to this ministry. Your prayers have been a great source of encouragement and strength every step of this journey. We also thank you for your grace and patience. The preparation for the trial and lengthy stay in the states is why you haven’t heard from us in awhile. We are also thankful for the loving care and attention of the prosecuting attorneys, the I.C.E. agent, and witness assistants. They gave great attention to our care and physical protection during our stay. We are also grateful the girls’ schedule allowed time for devotions and school, and we were blessed to visit some Cambodian churches during our stay and are grateful for the love and generosity they showered on us.

Hope – Hope in Christ for the future. Hope that God’s justice will be established. Isaiah 42:4 states, “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.” Hope for the future of every girl God entrusts to our care. Hope for the future of our heroines who courageously faced an evil giant with truth.

A few days after their testimony was complete, the girls were blessed with the thrill and joy of Disneyland. Much fun and laughter was had by all in the magical kingdom, and we found ourselves with five beautiful princesses…princesses not only through the magic of Disney, but princesses through the TRUTH that they are children of the King.

Our love to you all,

Your Staff at AIM

Rahab’s House
Svay Pak, Cambodia

March 2008

In October 2007, we wrote to you about the village of Svay Pak, located just 11 kilometers outside of Phnom Penh. Svay Pak looks like an average village in this developing country, but hidden beneath the surface is hideous evil…the sexual trafficking of girls. Many good people are working on many good things, like enforcement of anti-trafficking laws, economic development, and education. And while these good things are necessary, they are not enough. To defeat evil requires the transformational love of Jesus Christ. With that in mind, the leadership of AIM, under God’s direction, has opened a community center in Svay Pak. The community center is housed in a former brothel right in the heart of the village.

The center is called Rahab’s House (see Joshua 2:6, 22-25; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25). The plan includes opening an elementary school focused on academics, life skills, and the moral teachings of Jesus; opened to all the children in Svay Pak too poor to attend government schools. In addition, the facility will house a church open 24/7 that will include such ministries as adult literacy, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and simply a safe place to come and be loved.

Today Rahab’s House is open 2 days a week in an effort to build relationships with families in the community. One day each week there is a free healthcare clinic for adults and children. The clinic is staffed by a nurse volunteer from Great Britain, Ruth. Ruth’s heart for the children of Cambodia comes straight from God. She has made a 2 year commitment to Rahab’s House which includes training up a Cambodian national to take over her position prior to her returning home. On both days there is a Kid’s Club open in the afternoon to all the kids in the village.

Nurse Ruth Helping at Rahab’s House

Kid’s Club is completely staffed by Cambodian nationals. Each day the program consists of a small snack, Khmer literacy and English lessons, a life skills lesson (i.e. wash hands, brushing teeth), a Bible story, songs and an arts and crafts project. Anywhere from 30 to 70 village kids show up everyday.

There are so many miracles involved in Rahab’s House; the low rent, the lease agreement, the acquisition of water and electricity, which took months. The miracle of getting children to come the first day. However, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the greatest miracle of all is the voluntters who work at the Kid’s Club. They are the girls from Agape Restoration Center (ARC), along with ARC staff members. It’s amazing to see girls rescued from sexual slavery reaching out with the love of Christ to help protect girls from the horrors they’ve experienced. A few short month’s ago, these girls were so traumatized that they were unable to receive love, but through God’s grace, and the love and hard work of the ARC staff today they not only receive love, they share it with others.

It’s inspiring to see the faith of the ARC girls overcome their fears and enter a former brothel, the kind of place where they suffered greatly. And for one of the girls, she is entering the very same building she was held as slave, the building where she was raped of her virginity.

It has been humbling and an honor to see the girls from ARC share God’s love and reach out to the children of Svay Pak. With Kid’s Club only happening two times a week, we have to rotate through the ARC girls, and they get very excited for their turn to go to happen again. Here are some quotes from the girls:

“I love going to Rahab’s House! But I am so tired, they ask so many questions!”

“Sister, it is the truth I want to go to Svay Pak every week! I am really happy to join in the activities with the children there. I know it is hard work and I get so tired, but if the staff will allow me, I will go every week! I really like spending my time with the children. So for next week can I go or not, Sister?”

“I want to teach them all I know and how to sing songs of Jesus.”

“I was so tired that first time I went to Svay Pak. I walked around to give the promotion paper. It was a hard day. When we reach their house, most of them closed the door and went inside. They ignored us. But the second time there were many children to join us in activities and making jewelry. Next time I go I want to teach them some Khmer language and a Bible verse. John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.’ Then I want to sing them a song.”

Volunteers Working the Kid’s Club at Rahab’s House

Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen!”

Agape International Missions
PO Box 2037
Rocklin, CA 95677
www.aim4asia.org

Before I begin to tell you we’ve arrived safely in Phnom Penh, please allow me to digress about our July 2007 trip to Cambodia.

Before leaving we neglected to check our seat assignments. As we boarded our plane in San Francisco for the first leg of our journey to PP ( a 13 ½ to 14 hour flight), we noticed in horror we were smack dab in the middle of those dreaded seats in middle of the fuselage…window aisle…middle row of four….aisle window seats. We were those 2 in the middle of The Four…oh no this is not good. Some of you who know me well, (this will be too much information for some of you) but if I feel I cannot easily access bathroom facilities, I feel the urge to go every 5 minutes. This was bad.

I turned to my poor husband Don and said, “Oh fix this, I cannot sit here like this in the middle, you know how I am!” He looked around. “It looks like it’s fully booked. There are no empty seats, and you know how many would just love to trade their window- aisle for this!”…OHMYGOSH…OHMYGOSH…….”Do something, Joe!” (His dad’s name is Don also, so as not to confuse the two, he goes by his middle name Joseph or Joe when we are back East. Back in the day in upstate New York…..Donny Joe). I flumped down in the seat, rather heavily, behaving like the chubby four year old I was back in the ’50’s. I could feel my face flushing, my throat was closing.” I cannot possibly sit for the whole, entire flight jammed in like this…I always have to go to the bathroom…I cannot, I will not!!” Quietly my husband leaned over and whispered, “Stop behaving like that right now.” He never spoke to me that way!! Apparently I was getting louder and more obnoxious, compared to the calm, cool and collected I thought my behavior was. I pulled the provided blanket over my head and remained like that for the first two hours of the flight. I was 54, not 4….what a sight.

After about 2 hours and 2 minutes, I pulled the blanket slightly down to glance over at Joe, whose eyes were closed, his head turned way from me, and his chest was gently rising and falling in a light slumber. Are you kidding me?! He wasn’t sitting there, looking my way, hopeful, adoring, and relieved when I emerged from my tantrum?! He fell asleep whilst I was having a Three Mile Island Nuclear to the Core Melt Down?! OH…I’ll fix his wagon later I thought……nice, huh? I didn’t though. God fixed me.

So, this last time we were home, we had a false early return back thinking we had to bring 5 of our girls to testify at their perpetrator’s trial in Los Angeles in January. I had to call the airlines and spent an hour changing our return date. An hour lost on the phone in translations and a myriad of other logistics. A week later, the trial was postponed until April. Had to change the flight again, another hour lost. Then, we were informed Dateline was doing a follow up article to the first one they did about Svay Pak 5 years ago, and they might be interested in filming our community center located there. (Please refer to our past newsletters on our website www.aim4asia.org if you are having trouble following me). So I had to call once again to change our seats, another hour lost. We had to leave in 5 days. There were no two seats together in that vast economy area. Great. Well, it’s for the kids. Pull up your boot straps, girl.

The Saturday before we left Don went to go to our weekly prayer group’s hour of prayer. I have a very difficult time with good byes; this came on so suddenly, I just couldn’t go. I’d be crying like Niagara Falls. Don went with my apologies. I prayed at home, did laundry, and some work. He came home and said the group was praying for us and Adrianna was praying fervently hard for our seats. “Aw, that’s so sweet!” I said as the last seat debacle was running on a loop in my head.

We checked into SFO at 1PM Monday January 21, 2008. As we knew all along, no 2 seats together. That’s ok; we’re on the same flight. I’ll stop by and say hi every 15 minutes as I’m …well, you know. We’re sitting together as the pre board announcements are being called and we hear, “Donald Brewster…Bridget Brewster, please come to the front desk.”…OH NO… probably overbooked and just one of us can go…….quickly we go up and THERE is the miracle…..TWO SEATS TOGETHER IN THE EVERGREEN CLASS. The Evergreen class you have to sign up for, pay a little more for, but you have a bigger seat and much more room between you and the other person!! We struck gold!! God gave us the Miracle of the Seats!!! We both burst into tears. Our God cares about even the littlest of things in our lives. He knew (for Don’s sake) we needed those two big seats together and He got them for us. (Thank you, also prayer warriors, esp. Adrianna!). He cares about everyone’s everyday needs, frustrations and concerns. He is listening!

It gives us and even greater encouragement for the months ahead. We are currently operating with a month and a half of expense money in the bank. There are a number of girls needing a place of refuge. So, we’re making room available at the house we rent next door. We are planning on God to provide the Miracle of Provision. We are praying and moving forward in confident expectation that He WILL provide the funds for our expansion to protect and restore young girls ravaged by evil for the pleasure and profit of others. We know He cares much, much more about young girls satan tried to destroy. He gave us SEATS! Why not sanctuary and healing for traumatized girls, continued provision for the 39 we have and for His Word to be spread throughout the country?

We know Jesus Christ through His church will crush the sex slave industry in Cambodia and around the world.

Psalm 55: 22-23

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.

But you, O God will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days.

But as for me, I trust in you.

God bless you and thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement.

Not signing my name to this….The AIM team…..just guess who was behaving so abominably….