This week while we have been here in the wonderful country of Cambodia we have visited many places and met many people. Our purpose here is to observe, learn and try to process all that we have seen in order to make a plan for future teams to come back.
One of the organizations we visited works to rehabilitate women who have been trafficked. We heard an amazing story about one woman that I want to share with you.
A woman was sold into trafficking by her family because they were lead to believe that she was going to go into a better city and work for a family as a house keeper or cook. Her family was tricked and she was sold into prostitution.
Once her family found out what really happened they began to look for her. After many years of being trafficked, she was arrested for having a fake passport. Once she was taken into custody, she began a long journey of trying to prove her real identity. Because she had been trafficked across many different city borders no one knew where she had really come from and she had no proof. She was put in jail.
During her time in jail her family and several organizations were looking for her. She was finally found and then began the long process of her family trying to prove her identity {there is no such thing as a social security card or birth certificate here for the poor, her family had to go to their village and have the elders in the village say they knew her and she lived there, they guaranteed their word with their thumb prints}. While she waited in jail for her family to gather the resources necessary to prove who she is she learned how to make purses.
When she was finally released from jail she joined the above organization for a time of restoration and healing. While she lived in the home she was able to teach her trade to other women. Those women made these purses!
They are made from really hard strips of plastic. They are extremely well made and will probably last your entire life time and maybe even your child's, they are so sturdy!
I bought the ones above and would like to offer them to you. I would like to sell them to you and then send the money back to the women.
Each woman in the shelter is given a salary comparable to the wage she would make in a brothel or karaoke bar {also like a brothel}. She is paid because she produces wonderful goods like the purses above. I also bought aprons, cards and wallets. They are all handmade by these amazing women.
Will you join me in helping these women? Will you buy one of these purses and help these women achieve a better life?
If you are interested in one of the purses just comment here or email me at mckennah1972@gmail.com. I am open to any price but of course will sell it to the person with the highest "bid".
How amazing is it to be a part of changing a woman's life?
I will purchase a few of them. What a wonderful cause. Bonnie Davis
ReplyDeleteblpdavis@gmail.com