One Body Village - Một Thân Hình

Daddy Thong, OBV children and the Volunteers frolicking on the beach Dear Daddy and the volunteers,   After the trip, Mom N. told us to write a reflection. Actually we were afraid of doing this not because we didn’t have any feelings but we had too much feelings that we didn’t know how to write. Daddy and Mom, please don’t laugh at us when reading this.   Daddy, you are very busy with your business but you didn’t forget your promise with us six months ago. You said you would take us to the beach on holiday. This time you came home with the volunteers and brought us lots of love and happiness. We couldn’t say anything but thank you all.

Here we are at the central market in Phomn Penh. Father Martino is taking M., D., and G., to Singapore the following day on January 20th to have paperwork done in order to facilitate their potential future studies in the USA. It would be their first time in Cambodia, first time on a plane, first time in a big, beautiful city like Singapore. Life wasn't always so grand and spectacular for these girls.

Buying sex with a 12-year-old girl in Cambodia takes less time and effort than paying for a telephone bill. For $1 USD, a shady motorbike will take you on a 20 minute ride up the haphazard highway north of Phnom Penh to the dark and grim village of Svay Pak. Also known as Kilometre 11 or K11 (11 kilometers from Phnom Penh), Svay Pak is internationally famous for its tainted collection of shanties, brothels, and karaoke bars that exploit young Vietnamese and Cambodian women, and children as young as five. 

An imaginary black cloud hovered over my head as I gathered the sights and sounds of suffering and despair of the past few days. However, where there is bad, there must be good. Amidst all this anguish and misfortune, there are angels who shine a rays of hope for all of us. I can't forget about Father Tuan of Can Tho who dedicates his life and medical skills to those whom society has casted aside as not worthy. 

We visited a rural village further inland from the docks. If the church is this small and unkempt, then you know that the people are poor Cambodia is deceiving. Hidden in the shadows of its vibrant city streets, modern architecture, eclectic culture, and majestic mosques is the discrimination and enslavement of Vietnamese people. Worse, the diseased tradition of trafficking Vietnamese women and children. Pitted from generations of hate and antagonism towards the Vietnamese government for exerting control and influence as early as the 13th century, the Cambodian government and its people directly disfavors the Vietnamese.