The safe Houses and Safe Haven Village

The safehouses are quite wonderful. One of the houses we visited had 5 children. Three children rescued from the streets and two biological children of the mother chosen to head the safehouse.  What is wonderful about this program is that the mother actually adopts the children . They are a true family. The mother, her name has slipped my mind, has created a beautiful home, so neat and tidy complete with little pink curtains on the window.  The children’s drawings are hung with care on the wall. They have  a little place where she teaches them some lessons. You can tell they take great pride in their home .  When we got there we were served water and cookies.  Amazing when you see how little they have, that they share it so easily.  What a gift to be part of all this!  What a difference these houses are making.  This difference is most noteable in the 3^rd safehouse that we saw.  Now we were told these safehouses were right on the border.  We had no idea that meant like 20 feet away.  I took a picture of the tree that marks the border between Cambodia and Thailand.  The importance of this location is, of course, that it is a prime area for sex trafficking. 

       We were told before we came that one of the functions of  the safe house,  in addition to reporting on the activities of sex traffickers, is to educate children in the home and the community about how to recognize traffickers and their tricks. In essence how to keep themselves safe .  It was easy to see how these safehouses would be able to do that in this community.  When we showed up so did about 4o children. They were eager to hear what we had to say, and to play with us. It really felt like a close knit community

We painted the children's faces. They loved it

It really is a safe haven. The complex is gated to keep the children safe. 

 The school at Safe Haven. Flag was lowered for those who died in Phnom Phen

We also visited Safe Haven Village.  This is different than the safhouses.  It is like an orphanage.  But, the children are not all orphans. Chomna has adopted them all.  There are about 40 children here. Talk about amazing.  All of the children here were thought to be at risk and brought to safe haven either by Safe Haven staff or by the police after they rescued the children after out of a brothel or some other situation to dangerous to leave the child in. The children are all fed three good meals a day, attend school and are taught a trade.  They are starting up a chicken coup. They have 50,000 dollars already for this development.  They still need 7000 dollars to pay for the electricity.  Their goal is to make safe haven completely self sufficent. They are also building a complex to house new pastors while they are undergo training workshops. There is a also a welding shop and a woodworking shop in the complex and they grow their own rice. Talk about self sufficient.