Rahab’s House

Now a community center, this former brothel for child sex trafficking in Svay Pak, Phnom Penh, set chained and locked for 5 years after being raided by International Justice Mission (IJM) and emptied of its child sex slaves. In August of 2007, Agape International Missions (AIM) leased the building and re-opened it as a community center the following month. Food, medical care, dental care and education are freely given to the surrounding villagers. The story below tells of the hope returned to the villagers through Rahab’s House.

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.”