We’re getting ready to leave for our next Cambodia Team Trip! We’re so excited to return to Phnom Penh with familiar and new faces! Here’s a guest post from Emily, one of our return travelers this year.
My name is Emily. Last summer, I went on my first overseas trip: a life-changing, eye-opening trip with the organization Saving Moses. I’m a 16 year old girl who wasn’t completely ready for what I was about to see and experience.
One of the moms stood out to me in particular. She was around my age, 17, and had a two year-old rambunctious little boy. But you could tell that she was proud of him and the gleam in her eyes made it indisputable. She was married at the age of fourteen to a man ten years older than she was.
As a girl her age, I couldn’t imagine being in a situation like being married at fourteen or having a child at 15. She was a night worker, a prostitute, who had to go to such extremes to simply feed her child.
When we asked the young woman if she had plans for herself, she said it was to start a shop. And as for her son, she wanted him to go to school.
She has plans, and I have plans.
Saving Moses is so incredible. They take care of the babies of sex workers while their moms work during the most vulnerable hours of the night. I’m so blessed to have worked with them and show the mothers and babies true love. These babies are the future of Cambodia, and I believe they’re going to make a difference.On my last day in the NightCare center, I had a hard time letting go and leaving. This time the tears weren’t held back and I couldn’t help but wonder what this next year, or even five years is going to bring them. I was worried, scared and nervous all at one time. Until one of my peers broke the silence and said “It’s all going to be ok, Gods got their back.”
All of my worries and fears were released in that one moment, and I knew then and there that they were safe. I never could have prepared myself enough for what I saw in Cambodia, but being a part of something as special as this has changed my view on the world and made me realize how important genuine love is.
I learned and you too can learn; how important it is to love others to the best of your ability no matter the circumstance, no matter the profession, and no matter the country.
