Friday, August 27, 2010
By Stan Jeter
CBN News Senior Producer
In Cambodia, 90 percent of prostitutes are sold into the sex industry by their parents. Many of the girls say they feel obligated to stay because their families depend on them for support.
British missionary Ruth Elliott is determined to provide a way out for the victims of sex trafficking. For six years, Elliott has been working to set the girl's free through her "Daughters of Cambodia" ministry.
"They live in the pit of hell. It's the truth," she said, explaining the victims' situation. "And they experience horrendous trauma when they come out."
Elliott said she feels God called her for this difficult work when she was only 14 years old.
"The Lord began to speak to me," she recalled. "He wanted me to go into the places that were worst and to facilitate healing the broken-hearted and setting the captives free."
Training for Life
Elliott arrived in Cambodia in 2004 and focused her efforts on rescuing sex workers.
"This involves going directly into the brothels and inviting sex workers who are in the sex industry in Cambodia to change their lives, if they are interested in doing that," she explained.
Elliott started Daughters of Cambodia, a day-center near the brothels, to help the girls transition out of the sex trade. The first thing they learn is a new way to earn an income.
"We had to start small businesses, which are fair trade businesses, in order for the girls to exit the sex industry," she said. "For without another job, it is just impossible for them to leave the sex industry."
At the Daughters of Cambodia center, the girls not only learn new work skills, they also learn valuable lessons for establishing a healthy family and a home.
"Things like domestic violence prevention, conflict resolution skills, budgeting skills, this kind of thing," Elliott explained. "[Also] drug prevention."
The Daughters of Cambodia market their clothing, fashion accessories, and home furnishings locally and overseas. Up to 60 girls at a time participate in the program, earning money for rent, food and other needs.
Doing Good Among Evil
But it takes time and a lot of help to overcome the trauma of working in the sex trade.
That's why Elliott, who's also a psychologist, trains counselors to work with the girls. Along with others in the red light district, she even introduces them to Jesus.
"We do build relationship with the brothel owners and they are welcome in our church program," she said. "We want brothel owners to come. We want pimps to come. We want everyone in the sex industry to come to our church because we believe in the power of Jesus to change everyone's life."
And that message is having its effect, especially among the girls.
"They respond very quickly to the gospel because they have never in their lives experienced love -- unconditional love and acceptance," Elliott said. "And many of them become Christians as a result of this."
Still, working in this environment is never easy. What Elliott does can be dangerous.
"But I have to say we have never, ever, not even one day, had any problems, any brothel owners turn up at our door demanding a girl back or threatening us in any way," she proclaimed. "We have never had a single threat against us. And I can't explain that to you except I believe the grace of God is on us."
Elliot's goal is to graduate her girls to successfully live on their own. She hopes to someday replicate the Daughters of Cambodia center in other countries with similar needs.
British missionary Ruth Elliott is determined to provide a way out for the victims of sex trafficking. For six years, Elliott has been working to set the girl's free through her "Daughters of Cambodia" ministry.
"They live in the pit of hell. It's the truth," she said, explaining the victims' situation. "And they experience horrendous trauma when they come out."
Elliott said she feels God called her for this difficult work when she was only 14 years old.
"The Lord began to speak to me," she recalled. "He wanted me to go into the places that were worst and to facilitate healing the broken-hearted and setting the captives free."
Training for Life
Elliott arrived in Cambodia in 2004 and focused her efforts on rescuing sex workers.
"This involves going directly into the brothels and inviting sex workers who are in the sex industry in Cambodia to change their lives, if they are interested in doing that," she explained.
Elliott started Daughters of Cambodia, a day-center near the brothels, to help the girls transition out of the sex trade. The first thing they learn is a new way to earn an income.
"We had to start small businesses, which are fair trade businesses, in order for the girls to exit the sex industry," she said. "For without another job, it is just impossible for them to leave the sex industry."
At the Daughters of Cambodia center, the girls not only learn new work skills, they also learn valuable lessons for establishing a healthy family and a home.
"Things like domestic violence prevention, conflict resolution skills, budgeting skills, this kind of thing," Elliott explained. "[Also] drug prevention."
The Daughters of Cambodia market their clothing, fashion accessories, and home furnishings locally and overseas. Up to 60 girls at a time participate in the program, earning money for rent, food and other needs.
Doing Good Among Evil
But it takes time and a lot of help to overcome the trauma of working in the sex trade.
That's why Elliott, who's also a psychologist, trains counselors to work with the girls. Along with others in the red light district, she even introduces them to Jesus.
"We do build relationship with the brothel owners and they are welcome in our church program," she said. "We want brothel owners to come. We want pimps to come. We want everyone in the sex industry to come to our church because we believe in the power of Jesus to change everyone's life."
And that message is having its effect, especially among the girls.
"They respond very quickly to the gospel because they have never in their lives experienced love -- unconditional love and acceptance," Elliott said. "And many of them become Christians as a result of this."
Still, working in this environment is never easy. What Elliott does can be dangerous.
"But I have to say we have never, ever, not even one day, had any problems, any brothel owners turn up at our door demanding a girl back or threatening us in any way," she proclaimed. "We have never had a single threat against us. And I can't explain that to you except I believe the grace of God is on us."
Elliot's goal is to graduate her girls to successfully live on their own. She hopes to someday replicate the Daughters of Cambodia center in other countries with similar needs.
11 comments:
She is a religious and fanatic person. I dont like those kind of "God spoke to me" idiots.
Yes it is true.
Only happen under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime.
Do the girl escape from a tiger and fall into the crocodile of proselytizer!
Thanks God that someone listen to the call of heaven and act on it. How many of those who criticize her for doing this wonderful humanitarian in the most difficult circumstances dare to even do this work for one day, let a lot doing it for years and rescue hundreds if not thousands of those poor girls.
May God bless her and the girls. May they know hope and true love from God and their fellow human being.
am
Cambodia is truly a country of prostitutes, country for fuck and child sex, Khmer should be proud of their children's pussy
Most of Cambodian prostitutes are Yuons girls, please, Yuons if you live in Cambodia, try to earn you life like Cambodians, why don't you go to live in Thailand if you really want to sale your body because westerners come to Thailand to have sex with Thai children and you could fake to be Thai girl.
So thats the catch. You must believe in order to participate.
God is good blessed be his holy name!
As a father pity his children, so the LORD pity them that fear him!
Come on you heathens; would you rather have oppression or deliverance?
We look to human source for help in times of needs, how much greater to look to our Creator God, who gives life to all flesh?
Thank God He sent someone to rescue our Khmer people.
Only through the power of Jesus Christ will there ever be hope for Cambodia.
Jesus is a game changer in a person's life, family, society, and nation.
I know that those who girls who genuinely turn their life over to Christ will never be the same for the power of God will be with time through good times and bad times.
I'm glad you guys is posting this video clip.
I don't know how you guys get all your resources about Cambodia to share, but you are doing a good job.
Thank you! U are done a wonderful job!
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