Freedom's Promise

2011-03-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

Join us for a wonderful evening of coffee, dessert, live acoustic music and Cambodian photographic art! 100% of the proceeds will benefit our Cambodia prevention projects. Hope to see you at the Frothy Monkey this Thursday from 7-9 pm!

Mark Oleis Design Sponsors FP Coffe Cupping Fundraiser

2011-03-21T21:03:00.001-07:00

FP thanks Mark Oleis Design for sponsoring our Coffee Cupping & Dessert Pairing coming up this Thursday, March 24th. Mark has been cutting my hair the past year and I've been so pleased! He just gave me another great cut in preparation for our big event. Check out Mark Oleis Design if you are in the market for excellent hair care!

Hello Coffee Lovers and Abolitionists!

2010-12-08T19:42:00.000-08:00

If you are looking to buy coffee for a holiday party or think coffee would be a great Christmas gift, this is a wonderful opportunity to provide a gift that gives back.

Freedom’s Promise has teamed up with the Abba Java Coffee Company to sell fair trade coffee. Abba Java, based out of Franklin, Tennessee, imports organic and fair trade coffee beans from around the world and roasts it locally, to provide the freshest and best tasting coffee available. Abba Java is also dedicated to supporting charities that benefit orphans around the world.

Order coffee today and help support fair trade coffee efforts and Freedom’s Promise human trafficking education and prevention programs!

Products:
Amani – Columbian Decaf Med. Roast - $14
Amazing Gracie – Rwanda Med. Roast - $14
Ayo – Ethiopian Med. Roast - $14
Beyond Jordan – Columbian Med. Roast - $14

Abba Java Online Store – purchase directly through Abba Java by selecting Freedom’s Promise during the check out process and they send us a check for part of the purchase price.

Freedom’s Promise Group Sales – take orders from friends, family, small group, youth group, etc. and place orders with me by e-mail at amber@freedomspromise.org. This way FP earns a higher amount on each bag. E-mail me with questions.

If you are a supporter of Freedom’s Promise and don’t live in the Nashville area – this is a great way to help support our efforts!

Thank you, Amber Barron
615-887-9539

Somali gang members indicted in sex-trafficking ring that included Nashville

2010-11-09T08:44:00.001-08:00

Federal investigators on Monday indicted 29 suspected Somali gang members they say forced underage girls into prostitution here and in Minnesota in a large sex trafficking operation.

The indictment targets three groups that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has identified as Somali gangs: the Somali Outlaws, the Somali Mafia and the Lady Outlaws.

According to the indictment, members of those gangs traveled from the St. Paul area to Nashville, where they prostituted girls as young as 13 years old.

“Trafficking children for sex is, to put it mildly, intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Jerry Martin at a Monday morning press conference.

According to the indictment, the sex trafficking began in Minnesota as far back as 2005, with the gang taking a 13-year-old from state to state to perform sex acts. One of their key points of operation was a Village Hills Drive apartment in South Nashville. Other locations included Seattle and Columbus, Ohio.

Prosecutors said that the gang members had family ties to Nashville, which boasts a significant Somali population, particularly in South Nashville.

Charges include conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children, perjury, obstruction of justice and credit card fraud, Martin said. At least 24 of the 29 indicted have already been arrested, he said.

The Candy Shop Trailer

2010-10-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Candy Shop is a thirty minute film that Whitestone will release in November. The film is a Fairytale/Parable about the child sex trafficking epidemic that has overrun the city of Atlanta. Up to 500 under-aged girls a month are trafficked for sex in Atlanta. It’s the number one city in the country for child sex trafficking...10th in the world. http://vimeo.com/15468391

Nashville has not reached the level of trafficking that Atlanta has but this is a rising epidemic in the U.S. and needs our attention. We'll keep you posted on the release of this film in the Nashville area and other similar projects that help raise awareness of this very serious issue!

Wine Tasting Fundraiser - October 14, 2010

2010-09-14T15:14:00.001-07:00

For more information or to order tickets online go to freedomspromis e.org. Tell all your friends and help us make this event a huge success. Proceeds will benefit our Cambodia programs.

Blue Tent Project

2010-09-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Our partner Kone Kmeng supports many projects like this Blue Tent Village. They identify groups in need and then evaluate how they can help. In this case, a community was displaced from Phnom Penh and relocated by the government an hour outside the city. They are now too far to commute to the city for jobs, are settled in a flood plane and have made homes out of scraps and blue tarps. They have no access to health care or schools. Kone Kmeng came in and built a small school and are working to relocate them to higher ground. They also work to ensure the community has access to clean water, food and when possible medical care. Freedom's Promise was able to help provide health education, dental supplies and lite first aid when we visited this past June. We look forward to going back to help this community build a sustainable and healthy future.

If you are interested in helping us reach out to projects like this, please contact us for more information at amber@freedomspromise.org.

DNA Foundation

2010-08-17T07:13:00.000-07:00

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher launched a non-profit to fight against child sex slavery. Check out their site!

DNA - The Demi and Ashton Foundation – aims to eliminate child sex slavery worldwide. Believing that freedom is a fundamental human right, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher founded DNA to help raise awareness about this horrific problem, change cultural stereotypes and rehabilitate the innocent victims.

Prayer Need from our Partner Kone Kmeng

2010-08-12T05:45:00.000-07:00

Subject: Children's prayer meeting

Dear brothers and sisters,
Kone Kmeng is a local Christian organization that works to empower churches to respond to children at risk in Cambodia. On the 12th September 2010, Kone Kmeng in collaboration with the churches in Svay Rieng province will conduct a one-day children’s prayer meeting on “To stop all form of child abuse”. We expect to have 150 children, 30 churches attending the event. We also invite the provincial government to give speech and listen to what children say.

Brothers and sisters, it is a very important event that we want to see God uses this opportunity to make the people heard the cry of children. Please starts praying for us from this moment.

Bless you!
Phany

Returning

2010-07-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Coming home is always bitter sweet. A friend of mine said to me the other day "You don't realize how spectacular your trip is until you return." Agreed! To be there in the moment you focus so much on what you're doing that it is difficult to take in the magnitude of the moment. We will be getting together this month to reminisce and to talk about further ventures. If you are interested in joining us on a trip in the future please email us at Zeb@freedomspromise.org

Relax, Tour and Home 6/14

2010-06-16T04:27:00.000-07:00

We have come to the end of our trip. And what a successful trip it was! Again, I have to say a warm thanks to those of you who who served on this trip. Without all of you it wouldn't have been what it was. And it was beautiful.

The rest of our trip we will relax in Siem Reap, do a little shopping, see Angkor Wat, and head to Korea but because of our flight itinerary we have a 13 hour lay over. Asiana airlines has been kind enough to give us a city tour of Seoul. One more culture in one of the longest 36 hour days of our lives. After that it's across the great pacific towards home. We should be there, respectively, between 9 and 11 pm on the 17th.

See you soon!

Good Work 6/13

2010-06-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

Well , today was the last day of clinics and what a day it was. We met up with our good friend and Philippino missionary Perlito. He took us to our first village which was no more than 10 minutes from our hotel in down town Poi Pet. It seems strange that we can be only moments from a seemingly civilized city and feel like we've entered the deepest backwoods of Cambodia. A bumpy trash laden dirt road led us to our first destination. Perlito, in the last year has set up a small school for the children there. No more than a lean-to the kids eagerly greeted us with warm smiles and "hellooo"s. Holly and Perlitos wife, Rose, took care of teaching and playing with the children while we set up stations to diagnose the villagers. As the heat of the morning rose so did the amount of patients. As word spread of who we were people came from all directions seeking help. Some were beyond the ability of our staff and medicine but all were seen and most were given the aid they so desperately needed.

After lunch the afternoon had more of the same. Perlito took us to, amazingly enough, the other side of the same village which borders Thailand. Our buss's couldn't get into the village so we had to haul all of our gear over a rusted razor wire fence. One small slip and lockjaw! The impending rain caused us to set up under what some would call a wall-less barn. It seemed to be a central meeting place for those living in the area. We saw even more patients than we did that morning. All in all after 2 towns and 4 clinics we saw over 6oo men women and children. WOW!!

The only sad part about that is we only saw 2 villages out of countless. The need here is so great. But we are here. And as long as there is a disproportionate impoverished, uneducated servant class we will be here. I am honored to be a part of Freedoms Promise and the people who give of their time, money, and sweat. Thank you all who gave and who served and who prayed.

Sunday Drive 6/12

2010-06-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

Today we attended a Christian-Cambodian church service. I often wonder if the way americans "do"church is the way every country should. It seems they not only have to be taught about a new God but how to "correctly" worship Him i.e. building, piano, pulpit, pastor. Just a thought.
After church we quickly packed up and headed to our next destination. Poi Pet. A gambling border town where Cambodians can't gamble but can build casinos and Thai's Can't build casinos but can gamble. Whatever.
After a 4 hour drive we settled in our hotel before heading out for a traditional gamblers buffet. Cambodian/Thai style. Rest was definitely the next thing on the menu. More to come!

Play! 6/11

2010-06-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

I wanted to first apologize about the lateness of these posts. Internet is sparse at best in the places we've been. I'm getting them out ASAP. Again sorry for the delay.

The trip for the second year in a row has been beyond our expectations. In a good way! Our thought was that we would see 50-70 people at each village who would need some sort of aid. After setting up 2 of the 3 clinics for this trip we are well over 500! You do the math!

Today we hit the road early on our way to Santuk Mountain. Santuk is known for its 809 stone steps that lead to an ancient Buddhist temple inhabited by monks and monkeys. Talk about hot aerobics! The temperature was well over 90 and the humidity level was, well, wet. I have to say it's well worth the climb. Gorgeous views and feeding wild monkeys was just awesome.

After our climb down we rested for lunch in the shade of a large hut lined with hammocks and played with the young beggar children. Some of the girls from our team taught them some new games to pass the time. I wish I had pictures to share. Super cute! Later we went to a local church that we sponser to play with more children in the surrounding village. They invited us to their weekly prayer meeting and then the pastor fed us that evening at his house. All 22 of us!! Food, friends and frivolity! What else do you need?

Kampongthom Fever 6/10

2010-06-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

Well, yours truly got a little adventurous eating and caught Pol Pots Revenge! Thankfully I'm with a bunch of nurses with really good drugs. After being down for only 24 hours I'm feeling much better. Being that I was laid up for the 10th this is what a few of the girls had to say:

It is a very stretching thing to "prepare" for a clinic outreach in Cambodia. Medicine...check, needles...check, first aid...check. But really, every time one emerges from the van into the sea of beautiful Cambodian faces, you have just stepped into a 3rd world ER where flexibility is a must and love is the care point. The Lord was yet again so faithful to bring provision and discernment in all cases. Patients were seen and treated by 1 of 3 nurses and then given meds by the pharmacist. Some of the patients even got physical therapy. Then they each got to pray with a Cambodian pastor and receive info on FP and Jesus Christ. It was amazing! It was supernatural! Simultaneously our dentist was a total rock star pulling teeth and treating patients. What a phenomenal day!

A huge highlight for me was a man named Lim. In October, he was a patient of mine who had his leg blown off by a land mine in 1980. He asked me to pray and tell my church to pray for a wheel chair so he could work for his family and get to church. God provided and this year, first thing, he got his wheel chair! Praise God! He was so excited! He gave our team a box of boiled chrickets as a thank you! God. Is. Good.

__________

"Laughter has no language barriers."

The children's energy can outlast any adult. They played every imaginable game with a beach ball, including soccer. One round object filled with air works for many activities. The kids can run and play all day long out in the hot, humid, muggy air without being affected. We on the other hand, were worn out at the end of the day. We have had a wonderful time with the Cambodian children coloring, blowing bubbles, jumping rope adn making witness bracelets. They love to chase the bubbles around and pop them. Bubbles even brought smiles to children's faces while they were getting treated by our nurses.

The children in the villages are very loving to each other, as if they were all part of the same family. It seems that those with less are more giving. When one child has a container of bubbles they share it with all the other kids before they expect to use it again for themselves. They also love to hear stories from the Bible and look at pictures from the books, our translator can mezmorize them with the stories. We have 1 day off tomorrow but are anxious to get back to the kids and share the Good News of the Lord with them.

Into The Wild 6/9

2010-06-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

Today We head north to Kampongthom. A small town built as a stopping point on the way to Siem Reap. Before leaving we stopped by one of our partners Village to meet his parents and give a health clinic and VBS for the children living there. The group is really starting to gel. As we get to know eachother and our specific rolls things start running smoothy.

On the way to Kampongthom you really see the country side and village life. From water buffalo to children selling fruit and fried spiders road side. It is a different way of life here. Slower and completely foreign.

We'll spend the night and get an early start tomorrow. More to come!

Life 6/8

2010-06-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

Seeing the S21 Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields is never an easy thing to do. Common emotions that run through a person are anger, sadness, shock, confusion and emotional exhaustion. Not only does this tour show you death but it makes you think seriously about life.

Comments From the Group:

"Seeing the Killing Fields really help put in perspective the plight of Cambodia."

" Our tour guides Aunt was killed while she was pregnant. Her father died too. Both were executed by the by the Khmer Rouge."

" The trials are going on right now. They aren't punishing many of the Khmer Rouge officers. They just want to know why they did what they did. Where is the justice?"

"I have nothing to say yet. One day is not long enough to process everything I saw."

Meeting the natives 6/7

2010-06-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we arrived successfully and had our first taste of village life. The Blue Tent Village is a collection of tarp covered shacks on the edge of a flood plain. Once a year over half the residence are without a home. Kone Kmeng, a local organization we support, has been raising funds to relocated these impoverished villagers. While we were there we taught them about general health and over 50 children received a bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and vitamins.

Here's what one of our team members had to say:

Reflections! My world was changed today by the eye opening experiences I had. I had heard about it and seen it in movies but never thought about how real the situations were until I experienced them for myself. I have absolutely nothing else to complain about in life. They have no land to grow any crops for food or profit. They have no way to make money because many of them used to be limo drivers in the city. They were forcefully moved 1 hour outside of the city so there is no way for them to get back to town for work. In Cambodia only the very wealthy have cars and the somewhat wealthy have mopeds. These people have nothing!

However, through all of these troubles we had about 60-70 kids show up for VBS. They had been waiting for us all day and when we got out of the vans, we were overwhelmed by the cheers from the children. These children already knew who God was and who Jesus was much to my surprise. The majority of the Cambodia population is Buddhist. We passed temples along the way to the village.

I can't go to deep into the three wounded children we saw. One with worms coming out of his nose and ear, another with a cut above the ear and another with a severe gash on his foot. The agony he was going though brought me to tears. He couldn't have been more than 2 yrs old. God, I pray that you help me remember everything I experienced today and to remember how much I want to come back and help some more. In your Holy Son's name, Amen. - Holley

On our way!

2010-06-06T02:43:00.000-07:00

NASHVILLE to DALLAS:

Three am comes early! Especially when the trip ahead is so close that sleep is a difficult thing to obtain. Asa, our one year old, has done great completeing the first leg of our journey. But I guess an hour and a half to Texas is nothing compared to crossing the Pacific. Before we reach our destination we will have spent close to 24 hours in the air. I would say God help us but having a one year old along the way I say God help the other passengers!

The rest of the flight should be smooth. We have a short flight to Los Angeles, a long flight to Seoul, and another short flight to Phnom Pen. I'm looking forward to an awesome trip!

LOS ANGELES to SEOUL:

It's 4:43 am Sunday morn. . . er . . .No, it's 6:48pm Sunday night! When it's all said and done we will have shot ahead into the future a whole twelve hours! Asa has been excellent. I couldn't have asked for a better child. He slept most of the way and was the life of the party the rest of the time. The rest of the gang are in high spirits and ready to get on the ground. We will be arriving in Phnom Penh at 11pm tonight. I'll be a little to exhausted to blog again tonight so I'll start fresh tomorrow. Stay tuned to see what adventures await!

Team Departs for Cambodia

2010-06-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

We embark tomorrow morning on our second immersion trip for Freedom's Promise. This will be another medical team but this time we are taking a dentist. We will also provide health/dental education and VBS. Please stay tuned for daily updates on the trip!

Garage Sale to Raise Funds for Cambodia Trip

2010-05-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

Claire Tyner is traveling with our group to Cambodia June 5 and is still raising funds for the trip. Help her out by stopping by a yard sale this Saturday in support of the trip. Donations are also welcome and can be made at www.freedomspromise.org.

Saturday, May 29, 2010
7:30 am - 3:30 pm
751 Roycroft Place
Nashville, TN

2010-05-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

Freedom’s Promise needs your help!

We are very excited to be supporting our partner Kone Kmeng who is launching a new program called Restoration of the Children in Cambodia Project. Our primary focus is to prevent trafficking and through programs like this we can begin to make a difference in this area. We are still trying to fund our budget for 2010 but donations have been slow to come in – so we need your help to keep this very worthy program up and operating. Please take a look at the information below and if you can help provide for these children please send funds to Freedom’s Promise, 5109 Green Leaf Dr. M5, Nashville, TN 37211 or donate through Paypal.

Kone Kmeng
The vision of Kone Kmeng is to equip churches in Cambodia to respond to children at risk in their communities. They believe God places a high value on children and families and that the church is the most important agency in transforming communities, including the lives of children at risk. They believe that supporting the children's families is essential in order to ensure their long-term well-being.

Their focus is to use a holistic approach to the prevention of trafficking through education of children by accessing schools and supplementing poor availability of schooling, through educating children and communities about risks and through poverty reduction by providing small loans and skills training. This enhances credibility of the church and inspires communities to ask why Christians are involved in helping them.

 The Need
Based on World Bank report Cambodia Poverty Assessment 2006, poor health and limited education are both the cause and effect of poverty. The cycle of poverty and low education lead to greater risks for being malnourished, abused, trafficked and exploited for labour and/or sex. The report showed that 20,000 children did not attend school. A primary factor underlying high dropout and low completion rate is the necessity of child labor in poor households. There are 2 million children aged 10 to 17 years old in the work force. 45% of Cambodians are living below the poverty line. GNI per capita was $500 per year in 2006. In the community at the border areas, parents often feel that they have no choice but to find work across the border. This may involve older children as well. Younger children are left behind and no one is responsible to make sure they go to  school. Their education is poor which reduces their future opportunity for work.

  Restoration of Vulnerable Children Project
Restoration of Vulnerable Children consists of 3 components. They are:
a. Supplemental Khmer education for 50 poor children
This program will help students catch up if they fall behind on their lessons because they are not able to go to school. It also helps students keep up with their lessons so they don’t fall behind and drop out of school. This program provides an opportunity for children to learn about God through weekly Bible teaching.
 b. English language program for 60 children
English language is needed to apply for work in Cambodia. The poor children are not able to pay for English classes. Restoration of Vulnerable Children Project provides daily English lesson for 60 children.
  c. Sewing training for 15 young girls
The girls want to learn tailoring. It is a skill, which can be used in their local villages so that they don’t have to move to work in the cities or other counties. In this project, girls ages 14 to 20 are taught how to draft their own patterns, cut and sew clothes and handicraft items.  

Thank you for supporting Freedom's Promise and helping us make a difference in the lives of children in Cambodia. If you have any questions please contact Amber at amber@freedomspromise.org.

Praying for Partners

2010-02-25T21:04:00.000-08:00

This email was sent to us from one of our partners in Cambodia:

Pray for children at the border area of northern of Cambodia

Dear brothers and sisters,
Thanks for your faithfulness to keep us in your prayer. As many of you have heard about Banteay Meanchey province, share the border with Thailand. Many people from the province move to work at the border or in Thailand. Children are also put to work at their young ages. In 2007, we helped a local church to start a project, Save the Children Project. So far, there are 100 children helped to be in school through different programs. Many families in the whole community have been aware of risks when they move to work across the border through our community outreach program.
Even though, the great poverty keeps some families wanting to send their children to work across the border. There are 3 children, 12 - 14 years old from our project ask us to pray for them. Their families want to send them to work in Thailand.
These 3 girls don't want to go work there but they want to pursue their education. They believe that the education can help them to have a better future.

Thanks in advance for praying for these children.

Pang Sophany
Director
Kone Kmeng

Carolines Eyes

2009-11-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

Caroline was one of the nurses that went with us on our last trip to Cambodia. Her bright eyes and warm heart were a welcomed addition on the journey.

Here's what she had to say:

Ah! Cambodia! Wow! When I think about the beautiful country that has ravaged our hearts....so many thoughts come! In the physical realm I picture the angel babies begging for money amidst the decadency of the deceived temples. I picture the greenest color I will ever see on earth in the rice fields throughout the land. I see the most beautiful faces I have ever known. I see broken young women screaming through their silent eyes for freedom from the chains that bind their precious bodies and heart. I see a people of tradition. A people with a history of destruction and pain. A country hemmed in the physical realm by the 8 headed serpant. But in the spiritual realm...I see and know that there is ONE who has come to loose and destroy the chains that bind, one who has conquered the serpant...the deceiver...One who has come and says "come, you who have no money, come and eat".....one who loves fervently, gives freely, restores, heals. I see His surgeons hands suturing the open wounds of the past...with His own scarred hand, He is compressing the hemmhorrage....and in time a NEW blood will pump through the heart and life of the country. Freedoms' Promise is truly only found in HIS redeemption. And I thank Him that the promise is for me, you, and Cambodia. Like Abraham, we are in a phase where we "hope against hope"....but that is faith......I am trusting in the promise when the revelation is yet to fully come! I LOVE CAMBODIA!

Day 8: Thailand Defeated

2009-10-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

Today we enjoyed Cambodian children singing and praying at church. I want to take every one of them home with me! They’ve got to be the cutest things on the planet. We also gave a donated sewing machine to a woman who was in desperate need. She owns a small village sewing business but her machine broke several months ago. She was very excited to receive a replacement and we hope to have her join our Fair Trade program soon, making our purses.

Afterwards we made our way to Siem Reap, which stands for “Thailand defeated.” That’s your history lesson for today. The work is done and now the group gets to decompress and relax before heading home. We are staying at a beautiful hotel and will be touring the amazing Angor What Temples. Tonight we had a great buffet dinner and a traditional Khmer dance show. Now to the night market for some last minute shopping and off to dream land. It’s been a full week. - ZEB

Day 7: Old Friends and New

2009-10-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

We saw patients at the church just outside Kampong Thom today. There were another 50 or so we can add to the tally. Many of the patients I remember from other visits. It was good to see some familiar Cambodian faces. The team of volunteers have really done some amazing work here! Especially one in particular, Mandy, who came late, worked ridiculously hard with everyone else and is leaving early. She’s my new hero. I hope she gets some down time when she gets back home. Time for dinner and some good rest. Tomorrow we attend a Cambodian Church service and then travel on to Siem Reap.

Day 6: Playing Catch Up

2009-10-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

Today was a 3-hour cab ride to Kampong Thom to catch up with the group who has been there for two days. When I finally reached the team they were surrounded by ill villagers and their families, 200 in all. The interesting thing was that we planned this medical trip months ago with the intent to serve about 30 people a day for 3 days. What we hadn’t planned on was being the first responders to the recent flooding in that area. There were literally hundreds needing medical attention. On the teams first day in the villages surrounding Kampong Thom, they saw almost 300 men, women and children - providing medical aid with the help of some translators we hired in Phnom Penh. They worked for 8 hours with a 20 minute lunch break. Troopers! I’m glad I can now be a part of this amazing opportunity. Tomorrow we will probably see another 100 or so. I’m excited! - ZEB

Day 5: Alone & Desperate

2009-10-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

I sent the group off to the next town yesterday. There is a peace being alone here as a foreigner. A solitude that comes with no one knowing you or even how to speak to you. Even in a city with 2 million people human interaction is on my terms.

Today I went to the markets to purchase some of the goods we sell back in the States. This shopping experience was a little different than times past though. The vendor that I’ve been building a relationship with the last few times had moved and I couldn’t find him. So I opted to buy from this older couple. When I told them how many I needed they said we would have to walk to their home which was about 2 blocks away.

Now I have been out to the villages many times but I’ve never seen how the impoverished live in the city. I was shocked to see their living conditions. Apartments with no doors, trash and mold from floor to ceiling in the hallways and the hint of urine in the dank stale air. This couple lived in this one room with 3 children under the age of 6 and 3 other adults. They cleared off the one chair they owned and offered it to me. A dirty stained computer chair that was missing an arm. No doubt found in the trash. I reluctantly sat down and looked at the children playing. Something was familiar about them. They almost looked American! The older woman saw me studying them. “They are half like you” she said. Her daughter used to work in the bars downtown as a “friendly hostess.”

Men come here and use these women for pennies. The women are left to raise bastard children while the fathers return to their wives and children back home. The poverty these little children called home made our worst conditions look comfortable. If it weren’t for their smiles I would have melted in tears right there. There is no picture, video or story that can accurately portray how desperate these people are. I thought I understood. I thought I had witnessed. . . ZEB

Day 4: It Takes a Village

2009-10-18T22:01:00.000-07:00

Today we got up early and headed out into the country to see how almost 80% of the population in Cambodia lives. After a 20 minute drive from the city we turned onto a dirt road that went seemingly nowhere. After about 4 miles of rice fields we came upon a village. And when I say village, I mean village! Thatched roof huts, no running water, no electricity. You are literally in the jungle. The children greeted us warmly. Laughing shyly just out of arms reach. The volunteers brought sticker, which were a big hit. We also had the opportunity to visit a woman who started her own silk looming business. After teaching herself she taught 5 other women to do the same. We were able to purchase some of their wares and all I can say is beautiful. Today was a day of community. - ZEB

Day 3: 3 Million Funerals

2009-10-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of gray. This was the day we set aside to visit S21 prison ( a preserved monument to the atrocities committed be the Khmer Rouge) and the killing fields. I’ve told the volunteers to do some journaling about today and plan to post them later.

S21 prison was a high school that was turned into a torture prison. Approximately 20,000 men, women , and children were tortured and killed in this prison between 1975 and 1978. There is an eerie feeling of pain and sorrow when visiting this place. It began to rain while we were there. As the sky filled with ominous looking clouds you couldn't help but think the heavens were crying for the people of Cambodia.

Next, we traveled just outside the city to one of the many mass graves that litter the county side. There stands a 14-story monument full of sculls excavated from the area. There were so many bodies buried there that only half of the graves have been uncovered to this day. There is just no more room for more bones! We walked the pitted ground where the bodies were once piled. Bones and clothing are still seen coming up out of the ground. It was like seeing millions of funerals all at once. It was a dark day. - ZEB

Day 2: Living on the Other Side

2009-10-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

This morning we made it down to Java for breakfast. Their banana pancakes and French press coffee are to die for! I think the girls enjoyed some shopping at the Russian Market today as well. I say that only by looking at the size and quantity of bags they were carrying. Girls sure do know how to shop!

The trip is going, well, about the way we thought it would. You make a plan and then plan for nothing to go as planned. We’ve had success showing the 1st timers around but business has been difficult. The 12 hour time difference and hammering down a schedule for meetings is keeping things at a snails pace. Something’s gonna have to give! I wouldn’t doubt it if Amber, Asa and I head over here for an extended stay. I think we could get so much more accomplished.

Today the team spent the morning visiting Daughters, an organization rescuing girls from a life in the brothels by teaching them marketable skills. FP is trying to market their goods as a part of our Fair Trade program. Then the medical team went to Hope Clinic to spend a few hours volunteering/treating patients.

For dinner we plan to hit one of my favorite restaurants, the River House. Mmmm . . . I’m gonna go get ready for dinner! - ZEB

First FP Immersion Trip is underway...

2009-10-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

Zeb is leading our first group immersion trip to Cambodia! I'm staying behind this time with Asa but we hope to all three be going in June when we take our next group trip. This team in 9 strong and in June we plan to take 30 people. The team left on Oct. 10 and has had a successful trip! The following are blog posts from Zeb through out the week...

Day One: The Flight- A Pain in the . . . Back?

"You never realize the important role your back plays with, well, just about everything you do until you injure it. In my case sitting was the most uncomfortable position. That being said I am not looking forward to 13 hours on a plane. But thanks to Clair, my massage therapist and new best friend, and a late night emergency session I feel ready for the task. If all else fails, muscle relaxers!

This trip is a new land mark for Freedoms Promise. We embark on the first official Cambodia trip that includes volunteers! Given the variety of expertise of our volunteers, we will be focusing mainly on medical clinics in the more rural areas of Cambodia. Achieving our goals starts with action. Today FP starts on the new journey of jumping in with both feet. Regardless of our backs! - ZEB

Understanding Cambodia

2009-05-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

When I look back at the time I spent in Cambodia last fall, I find myself continually attempting to find some sort of peace and understanding from the harsh facts that presented themselves. I naively went into this trip thinking "how can I help Cambodia? How can I make a difference?" I was hit with a brutal reality when we spent time touring Tuol Sleng (one of the mass graves from the 1970s genocide), S-21 Prison (one of the torture prisons), and the village of a local Cambodian that is still reeling from the bombings. After these experiences, and then days of watching amazing people, who are my age, telling me their horror stories about their parents' deaths and the luck by which they survived, I felt emotionally exhausted. How in the world did I miss it? How, when I continually try to view the world as a slate in which to learn by did I miss the Cambodian genocide? 40% of their entire population was wiped out...an entire generation...

The devastation would have caused America to crumble..I'm sure of it. Here we have a country that should be up and coming technologically and economically, still living as a third world country. An entire generation of educated people were wiped out by the Khmer Rouge and our American schools do not even bother to add the evidence into our history text books. So, I took my emotional exhaustion and sadness and started asking questions. During the remainder of our trip I spent time talking with the locals and hearing their stories. I was amazed at how they would smile their big beautiful smiles while telling me their own tragic stories and I realized that here they are...trying to PROTECT ME from their horror. All they asked was for a few minutes to practice their English, explain their reality, and assure me (with their smiles) that they are ok...they just want us to come back and love their country.

I cannot wait to return!! Of all the places I have traveled and done mission work, Cambodia has somehow reached into my heart, into a place deeper than I knew even existed. I cannot wait to follow my husband and the Barrons back to Cambodia this fall. The difference will be, my approach...I will not be traveling over there to see how I can help this country, but instead will begin the journey by keeping my heart and mind open to learning from the people. Then, I will take this privilege of knowledge and return once again to America with the hopes of helping us love and understand Cambodia in a way that historical textbooks never would have accomplished.

Tiffany Atkinson

Starving Artist Venture - Justice Cause

2009-04-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Freedom's Promise has a booth at the Anchor today till 5:00. Come check out our fair trade goods from Cambodia. We have scarves, jewelry & purses. The Anchor is at 629 3rd Ave. South just down from 3rd & Lindsley. Hope to see you this afternoon!

Our Team is back - Trip a success!

2009-04-08T09:30:00.001-07:00

The guys arrived home safely and after debriefing I'm excited to report the trip was a huge success! I've asked each of the guys to submit a blog about their experience - so look for that in the coming weeks.

One of our primary goals as we implement programs in Cambodia is that they be nationally managed. We feel that for the long term sustainability of the program, Cambodians will know best about the needs of their country and how best to help their people. Our job is to equip them and provide resources. While in Kampong Thom, Zeb spent time with the nationals who will be running the Legacy of Hope Training Center. He did a brilliant job of leading them through a brain storming session, which for them is a foreign concept. In general, Cambodians don't demonstrate initiative or think for themselves.

Zeb emphasized that Freedom's Promise would only provide funds for the school once we were convinced the nationals had done their research and knew what classes were needed and vital, had identified qualified teachers, and had a competent administrator for the school. The nationals wanted to know how long we would stay committed to the school and after some questioning Zeb found out many schools open for a couple of years and then close due to mis-management. He was able to assure them that we plan to be committed as long as there is a need for the school and that's why it's important to take our time and start the school correctly. Zeb left them encouraged and with a better idea of what their next steps should be in researching class needs, teachers and administrators.

We will stay in contact over the next months with them by e-mail and will conduct project work on the Legacy of Hope Training Center during our October immersion trip. This is a bit of a glimpse into the last trip and I look forward to sharing more in the weeks to come. - Amber

Cambodia Immersion Trip

2009-03-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

October 10-20, 2009

Aprox. Cost: $2500
This cost will vary some depending on the number of people and possible increases in plane tickets.

Payment Dates:
May 1 - $400 – Deposit for trip
July 1 - $1,400 – Remainder of Ticket
Sept. 1 - $700

Trip Objectives:
This is a working immersion trip geared towards raising awareness of Cambodia, the people and the impacts of human trafficking as well as contributing to Freedom’s Promise prevention projects.

The trip will begin in Phnom Penh where you will tour the royal palace, the S21 prison and the Killing Fields to better understand Cambodian’s recent genocide by the Khmer Rouge that killed 3 million people and enslaved the rest on rice farms. This atrocity plays a large role in the market of trafficking humans. Tiffany Atkinson, a nurse and FP board member, will lead a team of medical professionals to volunteer at the Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE, a 24-hour high-quality clinic providing free medical care for the poor and needy in Cambodia.

From Phnom Penh we will travel to Kampong Thom where the medical team will be diagnosing and treating common illnesses and educating Cambodians on proper food handling and nutrition. Freedom’s Promise will be setting up the Legacy of Hope Training Center and needs volunteers with computer, English and sewing skills who could help train our teachers. There may also be the opportunity for small construction and painting projects.
From Kampong Thom we will travel to Siem Reap, relax and see the amazing Angor Wat Temples. You will learn more about the rich history of Cambodia, how they lived long ago and how it shapes who they are today.

This is a broad overview of the trip at this point. We currently have a team in Cambodia and based on the results of their trip our FP project work for the October trip may change. If you are interested in receiving more information on this trip to Cambodia, October 10-20, 2009 please e-mail me at amber@freedomspromise.org so I can add you to our e-mail list and keep you updated on trip details.

Thank you,
Amber Barron, president

FP Team in Cambodia

2009-03-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

FP sent a small team to Cambodia for a quick week long trip. They arrived safely and just finished their first full day! They won't be blogging but I'll post any updates I get this week and will post once they are home and debrief.

My husband Zeb is leading the trip and is accompanied by Jeb Atkinson and Tim Munsell. Our goal is to further the programs we identified in September and prepare for a group immersion trip we are planning for October, 2009. We are very excited about our progress in Cambodia and look forward to updating you on these programs.

Watch for a post on the Oct. 2009 trip coming later today and e-mail me if you are interested in going! More to come...

Not For Sale Audio Book - free download

2009-02-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

This month only a free download of the new audio version of Not For Sale is available at Christian Audio. This is one of the books on my recommended reading list if you are interested in the issues of human trafficking! They are also offering a free Bible Study companion for free. Great opportunity - this month only - check it out!!

Upcoming Concerts to Benefit Trafficking Victims

2009-02-10T08:40:00.001-08:00

Free For Life Ministries
Where: Tin Roof
When: Feb. 11th
Time: 7-11 PM
Artists: The Harters, The Lowry Sisters, Telephant, Jesica Brandhorst & Sleep Til May
Cost: $5 cover - $10 recommended donation

All proceeds go to Free For Life Ministries. This event is an opportunity for you to be part of local community healing as well as raising awareness about children forced into the sex slavery locally and internationally. Don't hesitate to be an active part in empowering Free For Life Ministries to continue their fight against human trafficking.

Home Foundation - Natalie Grant
Where: Belcourt Theatre
When: Feb. 17th
Time: 7 PM
Artists: Natalie Grant, Brandon Heath, Tenth Avenue North & Philip LaRue
Cost: Advance - $20 general; $10 students - Day of Concert - $25 general; $12.50 student - www.belcourt.org to order tickets.

All proceeds will benefit the HOMES project to support shelters for domestic victims of sexual trafficking.

Our Main Focus - Prevention!

2009-02-04T10:50:00.000-08:00

After spending a month in Cambodia this past September, we have realized our primary focus as an organization is the prevention of Human Trafficking. After much research into the aid work being done in Cambodia, we determined that prevention of human trafficking receives very little attention, while the rescue and rehabilitation of young girls and women is the primary focus. Rescue and rehabilitation is vitally important for those caught up in trafficking but what about all the young girls who are still innocent of this evil! We wanted to find the gap in this battle and stand strong.

So, we looked into the root causes of trafficking to determine how we could impact Cambodian’s long term. The main causes we identified are extreme poverty leading to forced migration, lack of education, and corrupt government. These issues will take time to address and we may not see serious results for several years but we feel that prevention of human trafficking is essential to the long term well-being of Cambodians.

We are starting with three programs to begin addressing these issue. A fair trade project to increase economy in Cambodia by identifying a U.S. market for Cambodian made goods; a training center in Kampong Thom, an extremely poor province to provide English, computer and sewing classes; and education of children about their rights and the issues of human trafficking. In the future we hope to add programs relating to ethics and leadership, small business support, health and sanitation.

Stay tuned for more information on our new programs!

Trafficking article tied to Kampong Thom where FP is working

2009-01-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

Traffickers prey on Cambodian men
By Jon Gorvett International Herald Tribune
Thursday, January 15, 2009

"They killed one crewman for something very simple," said Thung Yeap. "He just wanted to go home. He kept asking. So in the end, the captain shot him dead."

Thung Yeap is one of the lucky survivors of a journey that starts in some of Cambodia's poorest villages and sometimes ends, fatally, in the waters of the South China Sea.

According to local law enforcers and international agencies, hundreds like Thung Yeap, mostly Cambodian farmers, have fallen victim in recent years to traffickers who turn them over to crews on Thai fishing boats, where they work without pay and often at gunpoint.

"It is an issue that needs urgent attention," said Lim Tith, national project coordinator for the United Nations' Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking, or Uniap, in Phnom Penh. "It really is a kind of descent into hell."

Kept at sea sometimes for years, these men, who have typically paid to be smuggled into Thailand with the promise of good factory jobs, are often treated brutally, subjected to beatings and even death for any attempted escape.

Until recently their plight fell under the radar of regional law enforcement agencies. Far from shore, the abuse they suffer evades detection, and legal jurisdiction is murky. The victims themselves have often hesitated to seek help, fearing they could be prosecuted as illegal immigrants.

Only in the past year have Thailand and Cambodia expanded trafficking laws written to protect women and children who were sold or tricked into prostitution or other forms of forced labor to explicitly include men. The hope is that men who find themselves in another country as a result of trafficking will be more likely to approach the authorities and be given assistance, because they will be recognized as victims rather than illegal migrants.

Cambodia and Malaysia also recently signed a memorandum of understanding on combating trafficking, as many of the Thai fishing boats operate in Malaysian waters.

Thung Yeap was able to return home to Popok village in Kampong Thom Province last month because he escaped when his fishing boat made a rare stop in port in Sarawak, in the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo. The Malaysian authorities detained him as an illegal immigrant before sending him back to Cambodia.

He and Dorn Chenda, who is from Steung Saen village in Kampong Thom, ended up in the same detention center in Sarawak, and Uniap worked with the Cambodian human rights group Licadho to have them repatriated to Cambodia.

Kampong Thom is one of the country's poorest districts, blighted until just 10 years ago by fighting between Cambodian government troops and Khmer Rouge guerrillas.

"People live hand to mouth round here," said Prak Phanna, village headman of Anlong Kranh, a village near Popok. "We used to make some money cutting and burning trees for charcoal, but the government made this illegal recently, so we have nothing. I'd say most people maybe make $20 to $30 a month around here. So, when the young men can't make ends meet, they go to Thailand."

Chorn Theong Ly, also from Anlong Kranh, was among them.

"One day a middleman came to our village," he recalled. "He said he would take us to Thailand, where we could have an easy life, working in factories. He said we'd earn 4,000 baht a month there," an amount equal to $115. "So, we each paid him 3,000 to smuggle us across the border."

What followed was a nightmare.

"When we got to Thailand we were taken to a house in Samut Prakan" - a seaside province south of Bangkok - "and locked up there. We began to realize then that something was wrong. At 4 a.m. they came for us, the traffickers, and took us straight to the boats. It was then we realized we had been sold to a fishing captain. And by then it was too late to act."

Forced to work under the supervision of an armed Thai crew, the Cambodians - some of whom had never been afloat before - suffered terribly.

"We were all seasick, and I remember vomiting blood," said Chorn Theong Ly. "The captain beat me, too, using an octopus tentacle as a whip. I was beaten almost unconscious. I also saw other crew members killed, twice - one shot, the other beaten to death, when he refused to work."

The promised wages never arrived.

"After four months at sea," said Dorn Chenda. "I started demanding my wages. They told me they had sent them to my wife back in Cambodia. But it turned out they'd never paid her a penny."

The boats typically operate out of ports like the one in Samut Prakan.

"That is one place where there are many houses where the traffickers can lock up the new arrivals," said Manfred Hornung, monitoring consultant with Licadho. "They are brought there illegally, so have no papers, and are totally at the mercy of the traffickers."

The Thai police say they are aware of the practice but say that enforcement is difficult.

"When some do escape, they usually don't want to talk to the police," said Lieutenant Colonel Thakoon Nimsombun of the Thai Justice Ministry's Department of Special Investigations Anti-Trafficking Center, often referred to as DSI. "When they go back to Cambodia, they just disappear, and it's difficult to find them again."

Lisa Rende Taylor, chief technical adviser at the Bangkok office of Uniap, said that until the anti-trafficking laws were extended to cover men, there was little incentive for victims to cooperate.

"In one case, when a boat had put out to sea and run out of gas, many of the trafficked crew had died, with the bodies thrown overboard," she said. "When the boat was finally brought back to port, there was a big question as to what law to prosecute them under. The crew were classed as illegal immigrants, so how could they testify without being arrested?"

Another problem, said Police Colonel Akarapol Punyopashtambha of the DSI, "When the crimes are committed, they are out at sea, and there are a lot of jurisdictional problems there. They may be at sea for years, too, so it's hard to get to them."

Meanwhile, in Kampong Thom, the survivors of this ordeal at sea are now trying to come to terms with their experience.

"We were always thinking of escaping," recalled Thung Yeap. "There was no way, though. We were powerless. The sea itself was our prison."

Second Avenue Trade Party!!!

2008-11-14T15:48:00.000-08:00

Support Freedom's Promise at the Second Avenue Trade Party this Monday at Marathon Village!

Recommended Books & Films!

2008-11-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

One of my goals for this blog it to be informative about the issues of modern day slavery and human trafficking. I've been reading and watching some very informative media and wanted to share with all of you. Please take a look at the books and films I've recommended below if you are interested in learning more about these issues. I'm also excited to share more information about our partnership with Global Support and 2nd Ave. Trade Co.

BOOKS:
Disposable People - New Slavery in the Global Economy by Kevin Bales
I've been reading this book and have been so impressed with the amount of research, information and insight into the issues of modern day slavery. If this issue intrigues you, please check out this book! Kevin travels all over the world to look at and address the different aspects of modern day slavery and what it means to us. There is a great section on human trafficking and sex slavery that will help you better understand the scope of the problem.

The Good News About Injustice by Gary Haugen
The International Justice Mission has been fighting human trafficking in Cambodia for some time. They are leading the way on undercover work, busts, legal representation of victims and lobbying for better laws and upholding these laws. CEO Gary Haugen wrote this informative book about the work they are doing in Cambodia. He gives great insight into why he personally fights for justice.

Not For Sale by David Batstone
David Batstone is a university professor who found trafficking happening at his favorite restaurant. In the process of researching the issue he involved his students in field research, started the Not For Sale campaign and wrote this book. In it he travels the world addressing the issues of trafficking and shares first hand stories that give you a better understanding of who is involved and the impact on victims.

FILMS:
Trade
Starring Kevin Kline, Trade uncovers a trafficking ring operating out of Mexico. When 13-year-old Adriana is kidnapped by sex traffickers in Mexico City, her 17-year-old brother, Jorge, sets off on a desperate mission to save her. Trapped by an underground network of international thugs who earn millions exploiting their human cargo, Adriana's only friend throughout her ordeal is Veronica, a young Polish woman captured by the same criminal gang. As Jorge dodges overwhelming obstacles to track the girl's abductors, he meets Ray, a Texas cop whose own family loss leads him to become an ally. From the barrios of Mexico City and the treacherous Rio Grande border, to a secret Internet sex slave auction and a tense confrontation at a stash house in suburban New Jersey, Ray and Jorge forge a close bond as they frantically pursue Adriana's kidnappers before she is sold and disappears into a brutal underworld from which few victims ever return.

Stop the Traffick
Great YouTube video by Stop the Traffick showing the issues of human trafficking in Cambodia. There is an interview with Somaly Mam, the woman who first inspired me to take another look at this issue.

Call+Response
A first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million slaves through the expression of music by Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists: Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu and Imogen Heap as well as luminaries on the issue: Cornel West, Madeleine Albright, Daryl Hannah, Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Nicholas Kristof, and many other prominent political and cultural figures who offer first hand account of this 21st century trade. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined. This film already released in Nashville, but please check out the site and the trailer and I'll keep you posted when it's out on video!

PARTNERS:
Global Support Mission & 2nd Ave. Trade Company
Freedom's Promise is proud to partner with Global Support Mission and 2nd Ave. Trade Co. to bring fair trade goods from Cambodia to America. We live in an exciting time where Americans are waking up to the issues of slavery in the world and asking how the products they buy are made, who's making them and in what conditions are they being made. This alone impacts those working in slavery around the world. By buying from 2nd Ave. Trade Co. you also help those at risk of being trafficked into slavery and those who have been rescued from a life of bondage. Freedom's Promise is working with Daughters, a non-profit inviting women to leave the brothels and learn marketable skills; women in Kampong Thom who earn a fair wage through their sewing businesses enabling them to stay in their village, feed their families and prosper.

When you buy from 2nd Ave. Trade you give these women hope, you fuel their economy and you diminish the risk to them and their children of being trafficked into a life of bondage. Currently the Cambodian goods are only available through house parties but we hope in the coming months they will become available for order from the online store. On Monday, November 17th 2nd Ave. Trade Co. is having a Christmas Party for early Christmas shopping. Be sure to come see our Cambodian products and the other products available from around the world.

Back in the Saddle!

2008-11-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

We've been back since Sept. 24th and for those who don't know we found out I was pregnant two days before we left for Cambodia. So I've taken some time to adjust and enjoy being pregnant but now that my energy is back it's time to get back to work!

The main focus for the next year is to raise funds to support our new projects in Cambodia. In October we had 2 events at Maggie Moo's in Nashville as celebrity scoopers. FP received a percentage of ice cream sales as our volunteers scooped ice cream for customers. It was fun and we look forward to doing it again when the weather warms up. We also connected with Kid Electric Concerts and look forward to an event with them in June.

One of our main projects in Cambodia is to market goods made by women to promote fair trade and lower the risks of trafficking. We brought back goods to test in the market with 2nd Ave. Trade Co. and most have sold. The scarves and purses have been a huge hit and we have received our first order. The profits from wholesale of goods to 2nd Ave. Trade Co. will provide salaries and administrative support for FP so that donations go directly towards projects.

We are working on a new web site with updated content and look forward to sharing that with you soon! We're very excited about the success of our trip to Cambodia and look forward to seeing how these projects grow over the next year. Be sure to check back here for the latest news on FP! - A

Hope Again!

2008-09-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today we finished up the last of our meetings in Cambodia and after our last blog I feel there is hope again. This morning we met with Sebastian of Friends an organization that has been working with street children in Cambodia since 1994. To some he may have appeared jaded but we really appreciated his blunt honesty about his impressions of Cambodia. We need as much information as possible in order to work effectively and Sebastian helped us with a clearer picture of the issues. For instance he said trafficking isn't much of a problem here anymore. Don't gasp! ;) He helped us with a better understanding of the issues of migration due to poverty and how that puts people more at risk of trafficking.

So that means we are on the right track working on prevention. The more we can do to assure better education, less corruption in the government and sustainable businesses for fa miles - then the more we prevent migration which leads to trafficking and sexual exploitation. I'm excited to get home and give this some more thought and research! We've been given so much to think about and while we have good action items in programs to support - we've also gathered so much more information that needs to be processed for future projects.

This afternoon we met with Ruth from Daughters. She is reaching out to women in the brothel slums and offering them skill training and job placement. Wow! She has come a long way since we met her in March!! Last time there were a few girls working on fondant icing and some sewing a cotton baby sling. This time one woman has her own jewelry business, the icing business is going well, their screen printing shop is open and they are putting out t-shirt orders to the UK, plus they have an entire line of home goods like table cloths, coasters, place Matt's, pot holders and table linens with lace. I was blown away and I'm so excited about the samples we're bringing back for Global Support. Ruth has a market for some goods but not for others and I'm excited to help with that. We also look forward to helping these women start small businesses when they are ready.

So, it was a successful last day for us. Tomorrow we pack up and head to the airport. This will be my last blog from Cambodia but will send out another blog when we're safely home to update you on the new programs we are supporting in Cambodia and how you can get involved! Thank you all for following the blogs and for those who posted encouraging comments. We look forward to seeing you state-side very soon!
Take care, Amber

How do you eat an elephant?

2008-09-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Well we are back in Phnom Penh and have begun our final round of meetings. Yesterday we meet with the young woman who served as our tour guide earlier in the trip. She took us to the Royal Palace, S21 detention center and killing fields. I learned so much more my second time through with our friend 'K' guiding us. Side note because I don't know if I mentioned this in an earlier blog but we went to S21 and saw the pictures of all those who were tortured and killed then we went to the killing fields where they were buried in mass graves. Last time I was here it was the dry season but this time because of the rain we actually walked on the bones of the men, women and children we just saw mug shots of. It brought the horrors of the Khmer Rouge to another level when there are so many bones that even after the excavation of many mass graves and 30 years have passed the bones still rise to the surface. It's like they won't let us forget what happened to them.

So, we were very impressed with 'K' who I won't name in full because after I share our conversation it wouldn't be safe for her. Zeb and I are so overwhelmed by the corruption that is still going on in Cambodia. Now I knew some of this before we came - like the issue of bribes but I didn't know that several Khmer Rouge leaders are still in power in the government and several Vietnamese are in high government positions. How can Cambodia heal from the Khmer Rouge if those who caused the genocide are still in power.

We have also learned that the elections, despite the report of our own US Ambassador to the contrary, are not fair! In order to vote you have to be on the list in your province. So how do you get on the list? Well, even educated Cambodians like 'K' don't know. There is no process. The local province leaders put people on the list that they know will vote for the current administration. So those who don't like the status quo and would vote differently aren't allowed to vote. Many of the village people can't read or write and are intimidated by politics and what they term city issues. There is also much intimidation by the government if you speak out against them. 'K' has to be very careful who she shares her opinions with because she fears jail time if the wrong people hear her. Makes it pretty difficult to spread the truth and fight against corruption when the government is shutting people up.

So we don't have fair elections and we don't have freedom of speech! Those are two big issues and we haven't even broached all the government is not doing to protect the women in this country. They have a saying that Men are like gold and Women are like cloth. So if the men do something immoral or wrong then they can be cleaned and shinned like new gold but if a woman is raped or perceived to have loose morals she is a white cloth that has been made dirty and it can never be clean again. There is also a traditional code in Cambodia that dictates a woman must always respect and remain subservient to her husband. So there is no government intervention against domestic abuse, rape or trafficking. Now they have passed some laws but they are ambiguous and not enforced at all since you have police, judges and government officials involved in all levels of corruption.

So, we sat back and sighed in complete bafflement as to how we can make a difference! I mean our prevention programs now even seem like a band aid compared to these core issues. But as we encouraged 'K' that one person can make a difference we have to listen to our own encouragement! As Zeb loves to ask me and has started asking our Cambodian friends, "How do you eat an elephant?...One bite at a time!" So we will finish out our meetings over the next few days and we will finish determining which projects to support and then we will come home and start raising funds. But we will also continue to seek after solutions to these core issues of government corruption and how we can help the Cambodians begin to fight for their freedom at a grass root level.

Over the next few days we'll meet with Friends, a restaurant that benefits street children; Daughters, an aftercare program for women who willingly leave the brothels and we hope LICHADO (prob. misspelled), an organization that does great reporting in Cambodia on human rights violations. They've done some tremendous research and we hope to get a meeting with them so we can get more big picture details. Thank you all for following the blog - I should be able to post every day until we leave.
Take care, A

Life in the Country

2008-09-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

We have taken a bus back to Kampong Thom to stay in the province (country) for 5 days. I was a little concerned because it has been extremely hot in Cambodia and in Kampong Thom there is no AC. But serious rain storms have come through each day and night and the temperature has been almost cold. The cold showers that were refreshing last time had me gritting my teeth and hurrying!

While we are here Zeb is teaching music classes to Rose’s students and working with the worship leaders. I am teaching Rose’s English classes to the middle school kids. I really enjoy teaching and these kids are hungry to learn because knowing English means more job opportunities. Yesterday Perlito and I visited about how Freedom’s Promise could be helpful in Kampong Thom. We came up with some great ideas to consider!

Just up the street from their home is a small red light district. A woman in their church, Sreykhorn has a heart for these women and has tried to help but unless they can provide another job option, these women have little choice but to go back to the brothels. So we discussed developing a sewing class to teach these and other women from the community how to sew, then FP could provide small business opportunities making the goods we bring back to sell at 2nd Avenue Trade Companies online fair-trade store.

We also discussed computer, English and music classes. All these options give the young generation options and opportunity to find jobs, which drops their risk of being trafficked. In the computer classes they would teach basic Microsoft programs, Photoshop and QuickBooks. There is a huge need for accountants here. There are women here that not only would love to start their own small businesses but would also like to reach out and help other women who are struggling. I love that we could help them make that dream a reality!

So, we are here until Sunday afternoon when we head back to Phnom Penh. From there we travel to Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Poi pet to see projects. Then we have 5 days left in Phnom Penh to finish our buying, meet with a few other projects and then catch a plane home. I’m very pleased with the results of our trip so far and we’ve just gotten into the serious meat of our work here. It is so wonderful to spend more time with those I began building relationships with last March. Zeb has really hit it off with Phany of Kone Kmeng and his wife Leata is so sweet and kind. They have been so good to us! It’s also been fun to see Zeb get to know Perlito, Rose and Roshan Joy. This couple and their 3-yr-old daughter that looks like Jasmine from Aladdin stole my heart in March and it’s such a joy to spend more time with them!

So, all is well in our neck of the world! Take care and more later, Amber

Finding Hope

2008-09-07T03:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went with Kone Kmeng to visit their project about an hour from Phnom Penh in Kandal Province. What we found was a group of 30 families who have recently found some hope but still live on the brink of destruction. These families have settled along a dam built by the Khmer Rouge to block the water source. These families form a village but are strung out about a mile down this skinny road. When we came the road was flooded so instead of wading through deep mud and water we took long boats through the lake. Let's just say balance was necessary so these long skinny boats didn't tip over. A Cambodian boy pushed us through with a bamboo pole.

Kone Kmeng provided a loan to this village to purchase fishing nets so they could fish in the lake to support themselves. The villagers paid back this loan and with the proceeds bought a pump in order to pump in water during the dry season so they can plant rice. This has been a great success story but as we asked questions and learned more about the village we realized their hope and prosperity is very tenuous! Their homes, which are falling down are built on a government road. So they don't own the land and could be kicked off at any time. A near by garment factory is dumping toxins in the lake causing the fish population to die off. The well that Kone Kmeng put in for them now shows Arsenic is present so the well has been closed for drinking. This is a natural occurring substance in wells here. Kone Kmeng is doing more research to find out how to prevent this from happening. So the villagers are back to drinking lake water, which aside from the normal bacteria is also polluted from the factory. They harvest fish, snails and plants from the lake as well. There is much sickness and no medical care.

Yet they are happy and have hope. Because of the Kone Kmeng classes the children now have hope in a future. Kone Kmeng has provided bicycles so the children can get to school easier. They have classes on hygiene, health care and child rights. They are teaching them how to protect themselves from trafficking and abuse. It's exciting what progress Kone Kmeng has made but Zeb and I were concerned as we listened because to us their future still seems so tenuous unless some things change.

As we brainstormed with Phany the director of Kone Kmeng we outlined some long term steps. First is the need to buy land. There is land near buy that is reasonably priced. Second help them build the frame structure for their homes. It will be important for the families to contribute to the purchase of the land and building their homes so they take ownership and pride in caring for their new property. Third help the families with small business start ups. For the men that could mean supplies and tools for farming. For the women it could mean a sewing machine and materials. FP is already working on marketing Cambodian goods and these village women could be some of our first business partners. They also need long term clean water solutions.

What's great about helping with these first steps is they just need an opportunity. Once they start a business and learn about saving and budgeting they can then build nicer houses, send their children to school and go to the doctor when they are sick. This was our first project tour with Kone Kmeng and we saw so much possibility. We look forward to exploring these possibilities further.

Leaving Chiang Mai

2008-09-04T23:51:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone: we are at the airport in Chiang Mai getting ready for our flight back to Cambodia. This morning we visited Asia's Hope Orphan homes. Tiffany said she has toured several orphan homes in the states and overseas and Asia's Hope is the nicest she has seen. Each child had their own bed, closet and shelves. Tiffany said most homes don't give the children personal space, nor are they so clean. We also toured two schools the children attend. They were beautiful schools with art projects and murals coloring the walls. It was very impressive! Today we part with Jeb and Tiffany. They are headed down to Krabi, Thailand before flying home.

Tomorrow Zeb and I will meet up with Laura & Phany of Kone Kmeng to tour their Kandal Province project. I hope to find internet so we can post about the project. I'm attaching a few pics. Later, A

Sorry for the blog delay!

2008-09-02T02:28:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lag the past few days! We had really bad Internet in Kampong Thom and little opportunity to get online. Kampong Thom was amazing! For those who come to Cambodia and only visit the cities and tourist spots - you really miss out on the real Cambodia. We stayed with Perlito and Rose, a Philippine missionary couple. They gave up their bedrooms to us and served us so graciously! They are an amazing couple and their daughter Roshan Joy looks like a little Jasmine from Aladdin and is so much fun! Their home is a traditional Khmer home made of wood with one large family room, 3 bedrooms a kitchen and bath. This is a very open home with lot's of opportunity for the wildlife to come inside. We were thankful for the geckos and lizards because they ate the mosquito's but I was not so excited to see a spider the size of a my fist and have Rose tell me, "Oh...that's small" Let's just say it looked like a very, very large brown recluse that moved lightning fast and most of you know how I feel about spiders! ;)

We were in Kampong Thom over the weekend so Zeb preached on Sunday morning and Tiffany taught a hygiene/health care class. Tiffany and I also attended a women's bible study and prayer time. The women are so open and loving and want more than anything to care for their children. They don't know how to keep their children healthy and they too suffer from a variety of illnesses. It's very apparent that a medical team is much needed and Tiffany is going home with lot's of ideas. Zeb and I are going back to Kampong Thom for 6 days and I'll be excited to spend more time with the women asking about their lives and learning about what their hopes are for Cambodia and their children.

Since Sept. 1 was Zeb's 33 birthday we hiked up Santuk Mountain (809 steps to the top) and looked at a large temple complex. There were Monkey's which they won't kill because they think they are relatives spirits. From here we went to see Bat Su Ming's farm (Zeb and I will spend more time with her later - she want's to start an Agricultural University for Cambodians) Finally we ended our day at the lake in a grass hut over the water. Many church members brought food and we all ate picnic style and the gave us gifts of thanks and sang happy birthday Cambodian style to Zeb. It was a good day!

We drove 3 hours to Phnom Penh, went out for Zeb's birthday dinner and then crashed at Asia's Hope guest house. I met Dave Atkins of Asia's Hope at the Viva Network conference this past July and he offered us the use of their house. Today was a busy day touring the royal palace, national museum, s21 prison and killing fields. It was an emotional day and really helped Jeb, Tiffany and Zeb understand the horror of the Khmer Rouge genocide and how that is impacting Cambodian's today! We are taking a quick break to e-mail and then we're meeting Phany with Kone Kmeng for dinner. More on them later! Hope you all are doing well. More later, Amber

Leaving Siem Reap

2008-08-29T20:57:00.001-07:00

Well, we're about to head to Kampong Thom. There are internet shops so I'll try to blog at least once while we're there. Yesterday we went by boat to So Tay's village. He travels in by moto everyday for work. His family has owned land in this village which sits between Baray Lake and the forest for many generations. This land actually sits between the airport, which was the base for the resistance and the Khmer Rouge based in the jungles. He told us about that time (he was 6 yrs old) when the bombs would fly overhead and often drop on the village. His father built a fall out shelter for the family to hide in. Many in his village died of the bombs or land mines which were all around the village. We met his wife and two youngest children who live in a very small hut made of tin and grass. He's saving to build a nicer wooden home. We took a break at his parents house where a young boy climbed a tree to cut down coconut's. So Tay chopped the coconut open with a macheti and we drank with straws. Think native gateraide. Very refreshing and energy boosting!

After the village we traveled to a silk farm. It's absolutely incredible how they make silk - and how many worms it takes just to make one scarf! Never complain about the price for silk again!! These women don't make near enough for the incredibly hard work it takes to generate one scarf, or purse, or blouse. Very cool experience. I'll try to upload pictures soon. We also spent an hour helping students practice their English at the community center next door. Zeb and Tiffany were a big hit. We played hangman on a white board to practice words in English. Tiffany had prices for those who guessed the words right.

Today we walked through the squatters village behind the B&B. Jeb, Tiffany and Zeb were able to ask questions and learn more about why the Cambodian's are traveling from the province and settling on government land. It amazed me how much the village has changed since I was last here. Many of the land owners are putting fences around their land, forcing these people to tear down their homes. The fences are also cutting into the water well lines and creating structural damage. It was just 5 months ago that I was here and everything Jesse Wolfe, director of JWOC talked about is happening. Land owners are building and the governement will soon start building roads and all these people will be kicked out. It's really sad but the reality here.

Sorry to cut short but the driver is waiting to take us to Kampong Thom. More later, A

Zeb is the master bargainer

2008-08-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the old market in Siem Reap. Picture a flee market and you'll be close. Much has changed since I was last here. They still have the scarves and purses but they've incorporated new styles! We tried to take a tour of the market first to get a sense of who had the most and best. But, these ladies know if you leave their stall you likely won't be back. One was very persistent and a good business woman. I told her I was not a tourist and wanted to buy many at whole sale price. Well, Zeb found his element haggling with these women and they loved him!! They love to bargain and really liked Zeb's crazy methods. We made really good progress buying goods to bring back for our wine tasting fund raiser and Global Support Mission. We'll do more shopping when we get to Phnom Penh. It was a successful day at the market!

Today we are off on a village tour and to see how a silk farm works. A guide is taking us to his village where he'll show us village life and introduce us to his family. I'm really excited to see the silk farm and better understand how you get from the farm to the amazing silk products we found at the market. More tonight, A

We made it!!

2008-08-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

We arrived safely in Siem Reap late last night! It was a very long and tiring journey. We enjoyed a day in Seoul, Korea because of a 14 hour layover. We took a bus into the city, toured the royal palace and spent time shopping and eating along a really cool old market area. The streets are old stone and the shops vary in size. Some are large with a big selection of goods and others are a nook that could fit one or two shoppers. There were cheap tourist goods but what most caught my eye were all the tea shops! Beautiful ceramic tea pots and cups - all kinds of tea blends. The shops smelled amazing! There were also paper shops that smelled of moth balls and shops with brushes and paper for calligraphy. Also my favorite were the authentic clothing shops with beautiful linen shirts and pants in the Asian style! It was a fun day. Zeb experienced Korean beer and we tried bean curd (not my favorite)3 kinds of fried fish and a very nice bean sprout potato pancake. Sounds weird but it was like a hash brown with bean sprouts and green onion. The restaurant was in a back alley with shops all around and the Asian styled gardens.

Seoul is much like America. It is a thriving metropolis with great infrastructure and high fashion. They are a wealthy people who travel and vacation around the world! You still see their culture everywhere in the older generation that dresses more traditional, in some of the older parts of the city with traditional Asian roof lines and the street musicians.

Well, now we're in Siem Reap. It's amazing what 7 hours of uninterrupted horizontal sleep will do for you! We've had breakfast and Zeb is working with Sela to learn traditional Khmer phrases and numbers while I blog. We're about to meet with Alex of Journey's Within to discuss buying whole sale goods to bring back and sell at Global Support Mission's fair trade store, 2nd Ave. Trade. Then before lunch we'll take coloring books and crayons to the community center next door for the children's class. This afternoon we're off to the markets to find whole salers and identify what products we want to bring back. It's very hot and humid but so far we've had sunshine today! Hope you all are well! More later, Amber

Cambodia Bound

2008-08-25T22:25:00.001-07:00

We're about to board our international flight to Seoul, Korea where we have a 14 hour layover and then travel on to Siem Reap, Cambodia! Travel is already tiring but we're making new friends. It's so fun to meet new folk along the way. We've just met Jackie from Minneapolis who is going back to China for her third year of teaching English. We won't have access to e-mail until Thursday...so stay tuned and we'll be in touch, Amber

Children's Prayer Movement Back Pack Drive

2008-05-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

Over 1,000 Cambodian children will be gathering for the Children's Prayer Movement this year. This movement mobilizes churches to empower children as future spiritual leaders. At the conference each child will be given a backpack full of school materials, hygiene supplies, and vitamin supplements.

A donation of $6.00 buys a completed backpack at market price in Cambodia.

Each Back Pack includes the following:
• 1 Tooth Brush
• 1 Toothbrush
• 1 Tube of Toothpaste
• 30 day supply of vitamins
• 4 Pens (2 blues, 2 reds)
• 2 Pencils
• 4 Notebooks
• 1 Eraser
• 1 Ruler
• 1 Compass
• 1 Writing Board
• 1 Marker

Donations will be taken through July 6th.

Checks can be mailed to:
Freedoms Promise
230 Franklin Rd. Bldg. 801
Franklin, TN 37064

Or pay online using PayPal through www.freedomspromise.org

Reflecting on Cambodia

2008-05-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well we are back from Cambodia! Lindsey and I had a very successful trip and accomplished far more than we set out to.

We first arrived in the capital, Phnom Penh, where we met with representatives from the International Justice Mission, Agape International, Daughters, Chab Dai and Kone Kmeng. Each of these organizations is involved at some level in fighting human trafficking in Cambodia. We had incredible meetings with these folks and learned first hand the issues they fight against daily as they rescue and rehabilitate victims of trafficking.

We also toured the S21 prison and killing fields, learning about the Khmer Rouge genocide of the 70s. For me to tell you that the entire educated class in Cambodia was slaughtered and a peasant class of slave labor created; may stir your emotion for Cambodians and cause you to think, how awful. That’s all it stirred up in me at first. But contemplate what would happen if the educated class in America were to be wiped out. No doctors, teachers, scientists, business men/women, no legitimate police, judges, etc. Our entire system as we know it would shut down. That is what Cambodians face right now and what has created the three issues that I believe are causing trafficking in Cambodia: poverty, lack of education and corrupt government.

From there we went to Kampong Thom where we lived with and experienced rural Cambodians. We took coloring books and crayons to a village school, attended a wedding, a local church service and toured an agricultural center. A woman, Bat Su Ming has an incredible Ag center that she hopes to turn into an Ag University for rural Cambodians to come learn about best practices in farming. Her uncle studied agriculture in France and Brazil; then came back to Cambodia to apply what he learned. We would love to help build this Ag University and provide scholarships to students!

We left Kampong Thom for Siem Reap and finished our trip visiting the famous temples, teaching English to young Cambodian boys and girls, and walking through a squatter’s village. This village is the result of the poor rural Cambodians coming into the city for work and being unable to rent or buy land. Instead they squat, building a home out of what materials they can find, over ditches between the roads and government land.

So what did our trip accomplish? Well, we made friends and partners of organizations on the front line and identified ways to immediately start aiding their work. We better understand the plight of Cambodians and the root causes of trafficking. We met a beautiful, capable and intelligent people group that need to be given opportunities to thrive. We identified women and children at risk for trafficking and are in the process of finding ways to prevent their exploitation and abuse. If you kept up on the blogs posted while we were in Cambodia then you are aware in more detail about our experiences in the brothel districts. If you did not, please go to our blog site at www.freedomspromise/blogspot.com.

We are currently planning our next trip to Cambodia scheduled for August. Lindsey and I will be going back for 5 weeks to continue the work we started in March. We will continue to build partnerships with organizations on the ground in Cambodia, study current models of micro finance loans, conduct photography and art workshops with trafficking victims, and facilitate an immersion trip to Kampong Thom. If you would like to sow into this trip, we would love to accept your help! Our need is $7,000.

Donations can be made via Paypal on our site, www.freedomspromise.org or by mailing a check to Freedom's Promise at 230 Franklin Rd., Bldg. 801, Franklin, TN 37064.

Daughters

2008-03-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

So far, in our time here in Phnom Penh, we have found many models of safe homes for young women and children from the sex slave trade industry… but none quite like this one. After a long tuk tuk drive to the slums, we arrived at this peaceful place run by Ruth Elliott from the Daughters organization. Very quiet in nature, this humble women led us through her place of refuge. There are several things we found interesting about her after care program.

Ruth is very intentional of not only providing a place of hope, but also a place to learn skills as well. Her idea is to start several micro businesses with the young women allowing them to have something creative to do as well as providing an alternative income for their family (since most of them were sold into the brothels by their families for money). So far, their after care program consists of a school, a gourmet cake making business, a seamstress business and a soon to be silk screen company. The benefits of having these learned trades are outstanding. Eventually, they hope every girl can be re-integrated into society, able to make a living on her own and minister to other girls caught up in human trafficking.

A big difference in the Daughters model is that there are no forced escapes or sting operations. Daughters is known for their good relationships with the brothel owners. Although this can be quiet controversial I see how giving the girls a choice to leave actually follows biblical principals. Think for a second about the truth of God if you are familiar with Him. Did He force you to believe in Him? Of course not, or everyone would. Did he force you to love Him? No, although that would probably be His first choice. God is a gentleman and will not force someone to love him, even though He’s done everything in the world for them. So many times I’m sure he sees the mess we are in and shows us the love that is available. He offers all hope and freedom if we desire to take it. But just like most of these women, we fear what we do not know. We stay in the slavery of pain and suffering, because we just cannot bear the let down once again. Do we not know that the result must be far better than what we are enduring?? Don’t the girls realize there is something more to life? No. Most of them don’t. Not until people like Ruth step in and tell each one that they are worthy of living a good life.

You see, the root of lies goes deep within the hearts of most girls. From a very young age they are told that if they leave or are “rescued” that they will surely be taken to prison. For what they are doing is wrong. They are also taught to run away and come back if ever taken away. So, in a matter of speaking, these young girls are brainwashed and numbed to a place of no return. In this case, Daughters gives them the choice to gain their respect. If they force them to leave, they might not be trusted. But if they choose to leave, there is a better chance they will stay and desire to change.

I wish you could have seen the life that has been renewed in these girls’ faces. Their eyes were filled with joy, and the air filled with laughter as they lived a life of freedom and purpose. Most of them have left their chains behind, but still have to visit the darkness of that place every night. We are so encouraged to see Daughters bringing hope to a world of destitution by living among the need. We hope to be able to partner with their efforts somehow in the future. As you can see there are many ways in which one person can be a tremendous help and make a powerful impact in this industry. Help us make Human Trafficking and Sex Slaves quickly something of the past and provide freedom for the innocent now!

SVAY PAK - Brothel town

2008-03-10T03:32:00.000-07:00

After leaving The Rahab House, we took an eerie stroll around the dusty streets of Svay Pak. Quietly, Don (of Agape) informed us of the many families involved in this sex slave trade industry. There are many problems to be dealt with on many levels. We will try and explain a few so you can be more familiar with this industry. First of all, we’ve found that children in this country have little or no value placed on them. This would resolve why so many of them are sold into this slavery at such a young age. Many of the homes we walked past were empty shells housing brothels. Not only do they grow up in sight and sound of brothels, but they are also exposed to porn played at night on local shop televisions run on car batteries.

The narrow dirty streets were so symbolic of the foundation being laid for the rest of their lives. Some research is already showing that many of these innocent young boys are going to grow up to be the perpetrators and pimps. And nearly 100% of the girls in this particular brothel area will undeniably be involved in the sex industry … and at an appallingly young age.

Creepy men with empty stares glared at us through the windows. Sensual women with daunting walks breezed past with wrong intention. Little girls with brave ambition, but helpless eyes flirt with little boys. Little boys with a smirky grin and a hidden agenda push limits with little regret. All of which have seen things your eyes will never know… they have been exposed to a world of guilt, sham and desires that have come as a result of unfortunate circumstances. There are many preventative measures… we are working on some now. Our hope is that this journey we have taken will provide you with real evidence of this hell on earth… and that you might wish to join us in our efforts of saving young girls from despair, and introducing them to a world of hope and freedom… one person at a time.

THE RAHAB HOUSE

2008-03-08T03:14:00.000-08:00

Amber and I first heard of this developing project a few days ago while chatting with Don and Bridget of Agape International. Immediately our interest peaked. About two years ago, you might recall, Dateline did a piece on human trafficking called “Children for Sale”. Unbeknownst to us, we’d be visiting the very same brothel as the one shut down through their sting operation. What Agape has done is go into this brothel area and create a safe place for children at risk to come by turning a building full of hate, lust, and evil into a home of hope, freedom and love. This very much resonated with our soul and what Freedom’s promise is all about.

During the short, but very intense, tour… we saw and heard things that have been burned into our minds forever. Our intent by voicing these things is not to arouse feelings of anger and bitterness, but to allow a love deep within to surface for these young children and victims involved. Ok, take a deep breath… here we go.

As you walk through the metal gate of this building you can almost feel the battle that took place just a few short years ago… one that continues all over the region... and many parts of the world. This unjust behavior will continue until we bind ourselves together, step out on faith… and do something about it! Where the chairs and tables now rest peacefully with the intent on educating, the swapping of young girls and children for money was so common. As we walked along the dark narrow hallway, evidence of fear and hopelessness was all around. “I love you” was found written in red on one of the doors… presumably being a cry for acceptance and true unconditional love. Inside were painted crosses with sad faces on them and poems written posing the question, “God, why has this happened to me?” and “If you are real please save me”.

My heart began pounding harder with each story they told of how the girls were locked in the rooms during sex so that they could not escape. Can you even imagine a fear of this magnitude? Does hell exist on earth?? I’m sure these children thought at the time that it does… and most thought they may never escape. Only the older children were allowed to leave these rooms, for the pimps presumed the small children might run off if released. This is slavery my friends. This is inhumane. No one…EVER… should have to go through what these precious innocent children are dealing with every single day in this neighborhood and many many others just like it. As if this wasn’t bad enough, viper snakes, rats, and many other rodents were found in this building before the cleaning process began. The living conditions and mal nutrition is horrifying to think of on top of the pain and fear of giving ones body over forcefully time and time again at such a very young age. Seeing this made it real, but I could never imagine myself or loved ones ever having to go through something like that. I am certain the despair and pain will torture them the rest of their days. Even more so if we do nothing to help.

Just when we thought we were finished with the unspeakably heinous images, we were led upstairs to our final but most horrifying place. At the top of the stairs was a bright pink room. Much like one we’d see in the Western world, with pink flowers and such. Yet, instead of it being a safe comfortable room for a child to play and learn… it was being used for a place in which children would have all of their innocence stolen from them for the first time being introduced to a new world of pain, fear and sorrow. This my friends, was called the “virgin room”. Later we found out that virgin children are becoming a high commodity and are being sold for up to $4,000 these days. Unfortunately, in some cultures businessmen find it lucky to sleep with a virgin… even if it costs the child everything. There are actually some cases in which the mothers will sow the child back up, only to be sold again for a high price. Oh, the inhumaneness of it all breaks my heart and brings tears to my eyes. If only those tears could bring just a drop of peace to a victimized child’s life… but they are scared forever.

Right now, Amber and I are working with this organization as well as many others to find ways in which we can be most beneficial… and fast. Time is of the essence here, this gruesome door of hopelessness is opening daily for children being forced to enter in this world of endless pain and suffering.

Fortunately, in the midst of this animalistic behavior, we can do something about this. There are several NGO’s like Agape in which we can partner with and support. Financially, there are many needs to be met and physically there are hands on things that we can do. Start thinking about what this may look like to you. Don and Bridget are doing a great job of providing care for the young children and women who have been rescued as well as providing this place of refuge (soon to be church) right in the center of this intense brothel area called Svay Pak.

Pics from Cambodia

2008-03-06T15:34:00.001-08:00

Freedom's Promise donates first $100 to local trafficking victims

2007-12-03T15:41:00.000-08:00

Freedom’s Promise was able to donate its first $100 to trafficking victims in the Nashville area! Two young women were recently rescued by World Relief. Their cases are currently under investigation so we are limited in what information we can share. While they came from two different situations of exploitation, in both cases family members were the exploiter or allowed the exploitation to occur.

Both girls are doing well though rehabilitation is never an easy road. They are reconnecting to a new community that includes those from their own culture, which is very important. They are learning English; one has secured a great job, opened a bank account, is going to high school and studying to take the driver’s test.

When Freedom’s Promise became aware of these two women their basic needs were met by World Relief staff. However, they were both passing monumental birthdays into adulthood and World Relief was throwing them a surprise birthday party. Twenty people came to celebrate with them ensuring they had a local family to love and care for them. Freedom’s Promise was able to provide the funds so World Relief could purchase gifts, a big cake, streamers and balloons - everything needed to ensure they felt special and loved on their birthday.

-Amber Barron, executive director

Trafficking 101: How Trafficking Occurs

2007-11-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

Trafficking 101: How Trafficking Occurs

In the last Trafficking 101 blog we learned more about why trafficking occurs. We also learned that human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to enslave a person. So what does this look like? How is a young girl taken from the innocence and happiness of childhood to the terror and humiliation of sexual bondage?

Today on BBC News there was a disturbing article about Israel’s fight against trafficking. While I know trafficking exists world wide, I was stunned to find that last year the United Nations named Israel as one of the main destinations in the world for trafficked women. From the beginning of the 1990s to the early years of 2000, an estimated 3,000 women a year were trafficked to Israel with false promises of jobs.

Case: Marina – Marina had a difficult life in the Ukraine, so at the age of 33 she answered and ad to study abroad and came to Israel in 1999. She was taken to an apartment in Ashkelon where other women explained to her that she was now a prostitute. Marina became hysterical, at which point she was beaten and then raped. Marina was sold and then locked in a windowless basement for a month, drinking water from a toilet and going without food. She managed to escape and now rarely leaves her two-bedroom home in northern Israel because she fears the government, who will deport her and the criminal gangs, who will force her back into prostitution.

Marina is a good example of fraud. She came willingly and legally to Israel to study abroad but once here was forced into sexual slavery. This happens quit often. Women and girls are given promises of good jobs such as cleaning houses, being a nanny, or modeling. Some women will even willingly travel to answer ads for strippers and once they arrive in the country their passports and visas are confiscated and they are taken to a brothel where they immediately begin work as a sex slave.

Case: Vietnamese girl, aged 10 - This young girl was rescued by the police from the house of a pedophile where she was being abused along with other girls. She came from a family of traffickers; her aunt had sold her to a brothel six months before with the agreement of her parents who lived off her earnings. She lived in the brothel and was allowed to visit her family once a month. The aunt had also sold her own child and most other children in the family were sex workers. One cousin was returned from the brothel because she was too young. The girl's father was very violent and beat the girl regularly along with her younger brothers. He also beats his wife and after one such beating, the mother took her youngest child, age 2, down to the river to drown her.

Case: 12-yr-old Vietnamese girl - She was 12 years old when she was trafficked from Vietnam to Phnom Penh, Cambodia where she was sold into a brothel, servicing up to eight men a day. Her family sold her into the brothel in order to pay for their debts. In Asia, even young children are expected to help support their family. At first the young girl was upset about being rescued from the brothel because she felt she had let her family down. She had no formal schooling, was unable to read and write and spoke Vietnamese and Khmer. The only future she saw was being in the brothel. It took her a while to get used to living in a foster home. Today, she goes to public school and proudly wears her new school uniform along with the rest of the girls. She is currently in the first grade. The staff members at the foster home are helping her build self-confidence and self-esteem by encouraging her to take up activities such as horseback riding, sewing, and hairdressing. Life is sometimes still a struggle for this little girl. She still suffers from high anxiety, sleeplessness and fear, but experienced counselors have been assisting her in overcoming past trauma, and helping her to arrive at the beginning stages of the healing process. Sadly, it is not possible for her to go back to her home in Vietnam because her family is highly likely to resell her. Security is also a major issue but all steps have been taken to provide 24-hour security in order to protect her. The foster home staff members hope that she will bond and feel secure with her housemother as she heals, and that she will grow both educationally and emotionally into a happy and healthy young woman.

These cases illustrate two huge issues with trafficking: family honor and trafficking by family members. In Asian culture, family honor runs deep and children, especially learn growing up that everyone helps provide for the family. If a family has four children but can only afford two they may sell two of them to traffickers. If a family becomes indebted due to medical bills, natural disaster, or job loss they may sell their children to the brothels for income. As you can see from the 12-year-old girl’s story; these children feel like they are dishonoring, or letting their parents down by not providing. One goal of Freedom’s Promise is to change some of these cultural standards. We want to teach families to value their children and make a better life for them. We want to teach these children that being degraded and used does not benefit their family, culture or country like getting an education and being a healthy, stable part of society.

So we’ve covered force and fraud, but what about coercion. Many of you wonder why these women stay in these situations. You wonder why don’t they escape or try to get help. Coercion is the practice of compelling a person to behave in an involuntary way by use of threats, intimidation or some other form of pressure or force. Typically, coercion involves the actual infliction of physical or psychological harm in order to enhance the credibility of a threat.

Traffickers beat, rape, and verbally abuse these girls from the moment they arrive. If these tactics don’t work to gain control; drugs and threats against family will usually make them cooperative. David Perry a local writer, recently produced “Tears of God”, a play that provides a helpful understanding of the trafficking process from the point of fraud through rescue. The next time “Tears of God plays in Nashville I would highly recommend you go!

For more information on what is happening in Israel to crack down on trafficking, read the article. Israel has made some strides to fight against trafficking but as one of the main destinations for trafficked women – they have a long ways to go!

In the next Trafficking 101 blog, I will identify what anti-trafficking laws are in place and how affective they are currently. This may be broken up into several segments as we look at this issue within the United States and the hotspots for trafficking in other countries.

- Amber Barron, executive director
amber@freedomspromise.org

Trafficking 101: Why Trafficking Occurs

2007-11-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

Every day I like to read the BBC international news page followed by the Asia-Pacific page followed by CNN. Occasionally, I would print off an interesting article. Ever since starting Freedom’s Promise, I have been paying closer attention to issues relating to trafficking and sex crimes. It is horrifying how large my stack of articles has become in a few short months. I have known on some level that sex crimes were prevalent in our society but I was truly unaware of the depth of this problem in all societies.

Today in the news you have Interpol searching for the Canadian man who has made videos of himself molesting Thai and Cambodian boys. Sex tourism is prevalent in Asia; Bishops molesting young boys; women all over the world are being raped; young children are being molested or raped; in Sierra Lion and other war torn countries women of all ages are being brutally raped and tortured; in parts of the jungle in Brazil a trip to purchase cocaine also provides the opportunity to have sex with infants.

This is a serious sickness that has permeated societies across the globe. How can we stand and fight against a sickness that has always existed on some level and appears to be growing worse by the minute! That’s a hard question and I don’t have an answer. But, I suppose it starts with each of us doing what we can to stand firm for those who don’t have a voice; who can’t fight for themselves. The first thing I can do is blog about trafficking in an attempt to raise awareness.

So, this is the beginning of trafficking 101. First we will learn about what trafficking is and then in later posts I’ll update you on recent articles, new legislation, the work of other anti-trafficking NGO’s and other relevant information. (Disclaimer: I do not claim that all of the information presented in the Trafficking 101 blogs is original content. My goal is to help educate as many people as possible about trafficking so at times I will pull information from other sources. When possible I will site my sources.)

Trafficking 101:
Human trafficking is one of the largest criminal industries in the world, second only to drug dealing. Unfortunately, it is also the fastest growing. It is a worldwide phenomenon, paradoxically hidden in the shadows and out in the open for all to see. Poverty, ignorance, superstition, social customs, greed, government corruption, and human cruelty combine to put families, particularly women and children, at risk. Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to enslave a person.

Human Trafficking is a crime that generally requires 3 elements: (World Hope International)
1. an act of recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or abduction of a person;
2. by means of the use or threat of violence, force, fraud, coercion, deception, abuse of power, or debt bondage;
3. for the purpose of exploitation for:
- A Commercial Sex Act
- Involuntary Servitude
- Peonage (American English: in a historical and legal sense, peon generally only had the meaning of someone working in an unfree labor system (known as peonage). The word often implied debt bondage and/or indentured servitude. –Wikipedia)
- Debt Bondage
- Slavery

So, we have identified how trafficking is defined by law. Now let’s take a look at how the United Nations defines consent of victims, smuggling of migrants, and the difference between trafficking and smuggling.

Consent of Victims
The Trafficking in Persons Protocol establishes that consent of the victim is irrelevant where the use of means, as in the definition of trafficking in persons, is established. In doing so, the Protocol recognizes that a victim's exercise of free will is often limited by means of force, deception or the abuse of power. It respects the ability of adult persons to make self-determined decisions about their lives, specifically regarding labour and migration choices. However, the Trafficking in Persons Protocol excludes a consent-based defense in cases where the use of improper means of obtaining consent is established. A child cannot consent: even if none of the means are established, the Protocol excludes any possibility of consent from a victim under the age of 18. In other words, even if a child is not threatened, no force is used against him or her, or he or she is not coerced, abducted or deceived, the child cannot give consent to the act of trafficking for the purpose of exploitation.

Smuggling of migrants
The United Nations Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, otherwise known as the Migrants Protocol, was adopted in order to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants, promote cooperation among states, and protect the rights of smuggled migrants.
The Migrants Protocol defines “smuggling” as the
• procurement of illegal entry
• into a State of which the person is not a national or permanent resident
• for direct financial or other material gain.

So what are the differences between trafficking and smuggling?

There are three important differences:

Consent
The smuggling of migrants, while often undertaken in dangerous or degrading conditions, involves migrants who have consented to the smuggling. Trafficking victims, on the other hand, have either never consented or, if they initially consented, that consent has been rendered meaningless by the coercive, deceptive or abusive actions of the traffickers.

Exploitation
Smuggling ends with the migrants' arrival at their destination, whereas trafficking involves the ongoing exploitation of the victim in some manner to generate illicit profits for the traffickers. From a practical standpoint, victims of trafficking also tend to be affected more severely and to be in greater need of protection from revictimization and other forms of further abuse than are smuggled migrants.

Transnationality
Smuggling is always transnational, whereas trafficking may not be. Trafficking can occur regardless of whether victims are taken to another State or only moved from one place to another within the same State.
[The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (i.e. Trafficking in Persons Protocol)]

That gives a pretty good overview of how trafficking is defined. In the next Trafficking 101 blog I will identify the different ways trafficking occurs in practical terms and share a few survivor stories.

- Amber Barron, Executive Director
amber@freedomspromise.org