Voices of Transformation

Voices of Transformation

Continuing on our wonderful journey, we were so blessed to be able to visit the New Hope Boys Home. New Hope is now home to 12 boys and young men ranging in age from 10 through to around 17. Again we learned of the heartbreaking circumstances from which most of them have been rescued, and the new paths their lives have taken since coming to the home provided by generous GIBTK donors.

Larry joyfully met New Hope Home members

Beautiful young men who, because of their gender, had been sadly sometimes considered of ‘less importance' in the context of the sexual and other abuse they had suffered, now have a safe place to sleep, food and clothing, opportunity for education and as the name at the entrance implies... ‘HOPE' for the future!

Innocent eyes attentively listened to the lectures from the guests

Adding to the joy Chris and I experienced at seeing the boys, was the fact that just 12 months ago when we last visited Cambodia, New Hope Boys Home was little more than a dream for the Leaders and Staff of GIBTK. Once more, the passion in the hearts of the GIBTK Team, coupled with the obedient hearts of donors compelled to ‘make a difference' however they can, and a huge dose of the grace of a loving God, have resulted in more precious lives being turned from a path of despair to one of endless possibility.

Words of passionate motivation came from Larry

I cannot help but be inspired by all of this and remember the often neglected truth that EVERY life, every soul, is precious and deserves whatever help can be gifted by those more fortunate.

Heartfelt music came from the boys at New Hope Home

One final mention of our next stop in our Cambodian adventure. We travelled again by road to the city of Poipet on the Cambodian/Thai border for a brief but heart-breaking visit. We saw tragic evidence of the ease with which trafficking of children can occur in this part of our broken world. Economic and social circumstances of families here left us feeling broken and helpless – imagine how it must feel for them...think on this and weep.

Poipet is a place where human trafficking often occurs

But here I met a man who works 6 x 12 hour days each week, in a job which pays good money, just so he can spend the rest of his waking hours, and his savings, helping those in need and caring for people as a part-time pastor of a small church! I am humbled and I am speechless. Lord help me.

We had the great destiny to meet face to face

And so, I will end here for now. None of this world changing work would happen without the leaders and team of GIBTK (and, it must be said, many other wonderful organisations), and the generosity of people who choose to make a difference by recognising that the opposite of ‘poverty’ is not ‘wealth' – it is simply ‘enough'.