I spent part of the month of October in Cambodia working with Extreme Love Ministries.
Extreme Love Ministries focus on rescuing women and children from human trafficking. Their focus is prevention, rescue, recovery, aftercare, and education programs. Providing education for children and job training skills for those at risk helps to reduce the risks of exploitation. Women rescued have the opportunity to learn job skills and earn a living.
You can hear the statistics of 40 million people trapped in human trafficking, that the average age of a victim is 12, that 80 percent of the victims of female, and it causes you to momentarily cringe. It is quite another thing to be on the ground in the slums of a foreign country looking into the eyes of child who is a target. When a statistic is replaced by a real live person, it changes the way you see the world.
When you hold a rescued victim who has Down syndrome and was sold for sex, burned with cigarettes, left outside like an animal-it changes the way you see the world. When you hold a woman who has been rescued yet her soul is still be mended and she tells you no one has ever loved her except God, it changes the way you look at the world.
The Killing Fields
We started our trip learning about the culture and country. It began at the Killing Fields where thousands of Cambodians who were intellectuals and people of thought were senselessly murdered.
3 million Cambodians were murdered in a horrific genocide which made the country vulnerable to human trafficking and exploitation.
As I walked the Killing Fields and saw the remaining bones still emerging from the earth, I thought to myself, “Can these dry bones live?”
God can take this horror and turn it into something glorious? Millions of people were killed and it was only 40 years ago. I mourned as my feet touched the very earth where heads of babies were bashed against trees and then thrown in a pit like trash. Women and children were murdered so the entire legacy would be destroyed.
How evil is Satan and how he convinces men to partner with him to destroy people. I plead the blood of Jesus over the land and prayed for the soul healing of a Nation; this Nation knows the horrors of war, genocide, abuse, betrayal, and mistreatment. What the enemy meant for harm, God turn it around for good. I sang over the land quietly. I wept at the horrors of genocide.
As someone with Native American roots, I felt it in my core, the pain of being targeted for extermination. As someone with some Jewish roots, I felt it in my soul, the pain of being targeted for destruction. As someone with African roots, I felt it deep in my heart, the pain of being hated without cause and being looked down upon based on something you can not control.
I felt so many emotions as their history (Cambodia) felt like my own. I stood in the gap in so many ways in mourning, in love, and deep desire to honor every Cambodian I saw. I could see the face of God in their faces. How God loves the entire world. God sees every people group as worthy of life and life to the fullest.
Several time slots were devoted to prayer for the Nation of Cambodia. We worshiped and sang songs of deliverance over the Nation. We drove around dark areas and prayed, declaring “Our God reigns!” My tuk tuk (taxi) was filled with worship as we drove around the idols of the Temples, the Riverfront, and Red Light District.
Worship was a frequent occurrence in Cambodia. I believe true worship of God invites the very glory of God to dwell in the land. God is such a restorer of what the devil tries to do.
Outreach in the Slums
Several of our outreaches were with children. We went into the slums on a few occasions. Our first outreach with children involved sharing how God heals and speaks to us. Then we had a party in the street with balls and running-laughing and playing.
There were so many beautiful children. Our team gave them a chance to hear from God, and pray. It was promising that several children had encounters with Jesus and heard from Him.
Though they live in the slums and not so beautiful places, I saw beauty in the slums.
We prayed mother and father blessings over the kids, and prophetic impartations.
Kids Justice House of Prayer
One of my favorite outreaches was with the children at the Kids Justice House of Prayer in one of the slums. In the slum there is a building for the children to come and pray/worship. They meet twice a week to hear about God and worship. I fell in love with them. How beautiful were their hearts towards God and how intent they were to reverence God. Oh how I wish this would enter the American church.
I saw future leaders and worshipers. My teammate Lisa and I talked to the children about hearing the voice of God. The children were able to practice hearing God’s voice.
One little boy stated Jesus told him he would be a shepherd. We also spent time praying over them a mother and father blessing, and spoke into their destinies. I was so moved by the love and power of God in that little building.
Children’s Home
We had the opportunity to go to the children’s home and minister to children with Down syndrome, autism, and mental limitations that were former trafficked victims. Their stories broke my heart. I hurt for any child hurt. Yet to hear of children sold for sex because of their disability, and treated worse than an animal is painful. It is oh so painful. These are children, little children.
We brought balloons, coloring books, stickers and balls. My teammate Lize taught on the promises of God and Noah.
The children’s home was a beautiful oasis and I am so thankful Extreme Love Ministries rescued each of the beautiful children and have given them a safe place. They have continual care and do not have to face the horrors of being sold. The children sang us a song and offered sweet hugs. So beautiful they are!
Everlasting Love Women
We also spent time with children and women under the care of Extreme Love Ministries. The women rescued from trafficking have a safe place to work and they sow the most beautiful bags and garments they pray over. Each bag has name such as freedom, destiny, transformation.
I saw such beauty in the eyes of each woman. Our focus with the group was on soul healing. I taught on God’s desire to heal the soul. My teammate Caity spoke on how God speaks to us about healing our body. My teammate James stood in the gap for every man who hurt them, abused them, let them down, did not protect them, their fathers, brothers, uncles, boyfriends, husbands…it was so powerful. He wept in sorrow and they wept the deepest tears. Our team held women and wiped tears.
We prayed healing prayers and invited God to bless each lady. I brought them gold necklaces with keys. We placed them on them and I stood in the gap for their mom and prayed a mother blessing. The men prayed a fatherly blessing. God did so many incredible things in that outreach. We heard back from missionaries there it was powerful for the women.
Children in the Education Program
For the children in the education program, we talked to them about healing and how Jesus loves to heal and speak to us. Our entire team prayed over them and they heard testimonies of God’s great power to heal and speak to us. I spoke to the children about how God loves to heal the ouchies on our soul. They stated they felt sad and angry when someone hurt them. We invited Jesus to come and take away the pain and negative emotions.
Our teaching session/prayer then turned into a balloon party and we had toys for every child. It was like a birthday party for each child crossed with Christmas. It was such a joy to meet each child and have play time. We had a room filled with balloons, laughter, games, and toys. Jesus is pure joy and we certainly had a joy fest.
The Red Light District
The last outreach I will share about involved the Red Light District. We went into the disctrict and rented a karaoke room. Normally the girls are paraded in and men choose who they want. They are not to engage in physical activity (intercourse) in the karaoke bar, yet the men do behave inappropriately one of the girls told us.
We had three girls in our karaoke room. It was room 7777. I have been seeing 7777 all year and 777 and 77. It was such a reminder to me of the love of God. His love is complete and 7 is the number of completion.
We sang, we did the Macarena, and we listened to their stories. We treated them with the love and dignity of Jesus. We shared the love of God. We offered gifts they did not have to earn. They were treated like princesses and not a purchase.
They laughed, sang, and for a few they cried. Some were just held and told they were loved by female teammates. One of our male teammates became very emotional because looking in the eyes of one of the girls, he saw his daughter.
These women were not fully grown, they were young girls. In those moments, you wish you had the ability to bring them to a safe place. They were lined up in the bar to be chosen, and not chosen to be loved, chosen to be abused and used. Five (5) to ten dollar tips to be touched, kissed, and fondled. It seems unreal, yet it’s not. It’s happening all over the world. Children are being purchased all over the world. Their faces are etched on my heart and in my memory.
No photos are provided to protect their identities.
Cambodia You Are Rich in So Many Ways
Cambodia is full of beautiful people, craftsmanship, and art. I was blown away with the amazing food, the kindness of people, and the beauty of the Nation. I had some of the most incredible food in Cambodia! Missing one of our favorite spots, JOMA!
Oh how God loves Cambodia and they are part of the creative arm of God.
A Wonderful Team
I was thankful for my team who spent a year sowing into prayer for this trip and functioned as a team and in great love. The team was so full of generosity in paying for each other’s meals, hotels, and going above and beyond with gifts for the children and missionaries. I was overcome with gratitude for each teammate and their servant hearts. I could not have asked for a better team.
I left Cambodia with the desire to return. As with every mission trip I have been changed. My perspective of what is vital has changed. I plan on partnering Operation God is Love with Extreme Love for giving purposes. I want to fund a child’s education monthly. 160 dollars a month provides food, safe supervision, and quality education for a child. I can not do everything, I can do something.
Though we were exposed to poverty, hurting people, rescued victims, prostitutes, and the formerly abused-I saw Jesus. Tears would fill my eyes then God’s love overtake my heart. There was incredible joy in our parties with the children, our time with the missionaries, in our times together as a team.
God promises to give us beauty for ashes and joy for mourning! Isaiah 61 tells us there is a tremendous promise in Jesus.
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has tanointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities,the devastations of many generations.
Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations,and in their glory you shall boast.
Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.
Please consider sowing into Extreme Love Ministries. Their work is changing the Nation of Cambodia. You may donate here Extreme Love Ministries. All donations are tax deductible.
Love in Christ,
Erin Lamb
Founder of Operation God is Love
The mission is love, the mission is Jesus!
OperationGodisLove.org
God=Love 