At the beginning of this short article, it's best to declare that based on a research I did with Pastor Sam, the leader of the project to put up a school and a bible school in Battambang--in all of Cambodia, and it's history as a nation--this will be the first time, ever--that a former brothel is turned into a school and a bible school.
This fact alone makes this story not a simple one, but one that has all the ingredients of a movie with epic proportions.
This is a photo of the brothel back when it was still operating...
Yes, today I'm writing about a bible school in Cambodia that's used to be a brothel. This brothel was owned by a military man who seemed to have some good connections--that's the reason why he was able to establish and operate a brothel without so much hitches. Everyone actually suspects that he has protection from the highest echelons of the government.
Let's move on with the story. While talking with Pastor Sam Raguingan, I learned that most of his ministry work was spent in Cambodia. He has spent years there helping and blessing the Cambodians so he has good insights regarding the problems of the people and how to help them solve those problems.
The truth is, almost right after graduation, he started serving the Cambodian people under LOHI. Today, he is the country director for the organization, and has been doing mighty things for the Lord ever since he started work there.
Legacy of Hope International, is an organization which aims to help educate, elevate and empower children and youth who are at risk to child trafficking and all types of abuse and maltreatment.
LOHI's course of action is prevention. It desires to offer anyone a platform where she can impact this world and become an advocate for those who have no voice.
The location of the former brothel, a place where lust is condoned, is near the provincial capitol of Battambang. It's clientele includes the ordinary male population around the area: married guys, students, young guys looking for fun, laborers, farmers, taxi drivers, and even foreign tourists.
Here's the most devastating part of this story--the main workers of the brothel were teenagers, actually most are even younger than their teenage years. They were forced to become prostitutes in their tender age and many were sold by their own parents. Extreme poverty and lack of education, I surmise, are the basic reasons why parents resort to this detestable act.
I was shocked to know the poor young girls were forced to have as many as 20 clients every night. Think about it, a 13 year old girl forced, EVERY NIGHT, to have sex with at least 20 men. Yes, every night.
What a terrible way to live! And the prostitution house flourished for more than 10 years. Imagine the anguish, the torment, and the self deprecatory feelings the girls have coped with every second of their dismal existence.
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| Photo Credit: Mira Sorvino for CNN |
This red house is just a small teeny-weeny part of the problem in Cambodia. In other parts of the country there are more stories like this one. That is why, Pastor Sam and his team have launched this project to help address this big human trafficking problem that Cambodia has had for many years.
His team believes that education is the key to addressing the problem of prostitution and poverty. Let me tell you my personal view--this problem is also an uphill battle because just looking at the circumstances, this particular brothel we are talking about is located near the provincial capitol and yet it has operated for more than 10 years.
This, to me, is a proof that it was not supported by ordinary Joes or Janes in Battambang. Rather, it was supported by powerful people.
Well, that, and there's a more sinister background to the situation--when I probed about the human trafficking problem in Cambodia, I found out, the brothel thrived for a long time because prostitution is somehow an accepted norm in Cambodia's society.
However, the intention of this article is not to judge the country, it is actually out of humanity's natural inclination to look after its own kind, especially those with less ideal conditions, that it is written.
That's the reason behind the education campaign of Pastor Sam and LOHI, the reason behind the school, and even the bible school. Pastor Sam's team believes that to build and change a nation, it must start with education.
LOHI wants to help the marginalized portions of the Cambodian society so the future school's system right from the start is to cater to the poor if not the poorest of the poor in the place. That's why the school fee is just 25USD per 6 months.
The ultimate goal of the this wonderful project is to educate the people. Give them vocational and language skills so they can have a better shot at success in life and to give them a solid foundational education that can help them have a better view of life--to grow educated eyes--so they can see that they don't have to embrace prostitution, or be indifferent about it, and that there's no need for poverty to reign over their lives.
This education will, most importantly, help them realize that selling one's daughters into prostitution is one of the worst decisions, if not the worst decision parents can do in their lifetime.
Furthermore, the Bible School is to have an avenue where Cambodians can be trained to reach out to their fellow Cambodians. Equip them to tell their countrymen about the gospel and the amazing love of the Lord for them.
