Today's journal is written by my best and long -time friend. Bruce Binkley. He serves as a board member and his title is vice president. He has been part of GIBTK from the beginning. A bigger heart and man of faith I have rarely met. Enjoy!
It has been over 2 years since I've been able to visit the girls at Marlene's and Vera's Homes in Cambodia. Scheduling conflicts due to holidays and other life situations seem to get in the way of my plans at times.
As we traveled by planes and vans to visit I had time to reflect on what began a little over 7 years ago when I had the opportunity to visit Cambodia for the first time with GIBTK. The thing I remember most about that trip was going to the border city of Poi Pet to discover if there were any opportunities to help the children in that area.
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| Border crossing known as a funnel for human trafficking into Thailand |
There were a lot of small children living in the very poor area that we visited but I wasn't seeing many older kids. So I asked the question that changed the course of my life, "where are all of the older children?" The answer that I still vividly recall was, "the older children in the village are disappearing!" Those words rocked my world and still do today. Disappearing meant they were being "trafficked" across the border into Thailand.
At that moment I noticed a young teenage girl standing in the street and I knew in my heart she was going to "disappear" if we didn't rescue her first. I remember walking down that muddy street crying and asking God, "what are we supposed to do?" The answer I heard was to "give the children and their families another option!"
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| May 2012 getting to know the kids |
The plan began that day by getting permission from a few of the parents of these children to allow us to move their daughters into a safe house in the city of Battambang, away from the dangers of the border village.
We also knew from our work in Vietnam that poverty is the enemy that must be defeated and education is the key to breaking the generational cycle of poverty. GIBTK agreed to fund their daughters education that included English school and University.
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| First girls to come to Marlenes home |
A safe place to live and education were our commitments from the beginning of Marlene's and Vera's Homes. They remain important today along with medical, dental and emotional health needs. But the most important thing provided is an opportunity to develop their relationship with God. We all know that without His help and guidance none of this would have been possible.
In July of 2012 seven young ladies and their parents chose "another option" and moved their daughters into what is now named Marlene's Home. We soon needed more space for at risk girls and opened Vera's Home. Currently we have 25 young ladies living in the two homes and we are in the process of bringing in 6 more. All are provided the opportunity to get an education that will allow them to pursue their dreams and break the cycle of poverty in their families.
This visit was a very real picture of what we had hoped for 7 years ago. The young ladies living in the Homes are taking advantage of the other option. Of the 7 original residents 4 have finished High School and 3 have graduated from University with another needing only 1 more semester to complete her course of study. Four others are in their first year of University.
Anou, our first University graduate, has a job at an International school teaching English to 1st graders. Leakhena, our second to graduate University, now works for GIBTK as the Director of Marlene's and Vera's Homes. Channa our third graduate is working in a local bank. Two of the original seven have married and one is expecting her first child next year.
To me this is confirmation that we are without a doubt providing an opportunity for these ladies to change the culture and future of their lives.
What has captured and touched my heart is the sincere gratitude and love they express in their welcoming words, hugs, songs, dances and cards, the hope that I see when I look into their eyes and the beautiful smiles on their faces. But the thing that overwhelms my heart is their spiritual maturity and huge love for God!. When they sing, dance and pray heaven is touched in a big way.
Choosing "another option" has given these girls and young ladies an opportunity to dream big dreams for their future. They now have hope for their future and are seeing their dreams become reality.
I would like to thank everyone involved with GIBTK for your support in helping us give young ladies and their families "another option". The plan is working!
What we are doing together at Marlene's and Vera's Homes is no small thing!
With gratitude.
Bruce Binkley
GIBTK Board Member
