Our Iris Cambodia location is committed to tackling the illegal practice of human trafficking through prevention, protection, prosecution, and the rehabilitation of victims.
We know prevention starts in the home. Parents are the primary decision-makers in the family unit and have the ability to instantly change the course of their children’s lives in a single moment. Our team invests heavily in long-term relationships with the families in their communities. This work is often viewed as being ‘slow’ and ‘unglamorous’, where in fact we know that transparent and trustworthy relationships are critical to prevention.
In addition to vital day programs for children, our Iris Cambodia location operates an Infant Crisis Center supported by our Milk Program. They also started a Vocational Training Program for teenage boys to offer skills training through partnerships with local businesses. We’re excited to share testimonies of hope from this past season from each of these programs!
Milk Program Baby Sponsorship Testimony
One day we received a phone call from one of the families that we work with that lives on the streets. They said, "there is a woman here with a newborn baby and told us that someone needs to take the baby or the baby's mother is going to throw it in the trash." Our team immediately went to meet with the mother and baby, we went not judging but seeing this woman with the true love of Jesus exactly where she was at. We ended up receiving this beautiful baby into our infant crisis center. The first couple of months proved to be very difficult as he was diagnosed with "failure to thrive", syphilis, and we believe was detoxing drugs. But after 8 months of amazing, loving care from our nannies, and missionaries alike, he is now 100% healed and "thriving"; so full of life and joy. Now that he has fully recovered our social work team has worked to reintegrate him with a loving Cambodian family. He has now found his forever home.
Sponsor a Milk Program Baby Here
Vocational Training Program: Strong Roots
We have recently started a Vocational Training Program, Strong Roots, for young men that offers skills training through partnerships with local businesses. We also come alongside them in their journey of learning about Jesus. It’s had challenges, especially since the program is currently geared towards teenage boys, but we have a story of celebration we want to share. One of our boys that is learning how to cut hair came to us about a year ago. He didn’t have a steady home, and oftentimes was running with the wrong crowds. Through their outreach program in his area, our team in Phnom Penh built a relationship with him and offered the opportunity for him to come to Strong Roots to learn. It’s been beautiful to be a witness to how he has grown in so many ways. He now has meat on his bones, is driven to learn and be committed, and just recently got his own set of barber tools!
Sponsor a Vocational Training Student Here
VocationTraining Program
Growing Strong Roots
Children’s Programs
Due to Covid-19 and restrictions upon gatherings, we have not been able to have our normal center programs but we have still been visiting our communities, meeting with families, instructing about health and safety during Covid-19, as well as passing out hand sanitizer, masks, and food supplies.
This has been a hard time globally and here in Cambodia, many have not been able to work or are just starting back in their businesses. Our families live day to day and without work, they face many difficulties. We are so thankful that with the Stop for the One partnership and funding we have been able to help them and alleviate some of the stresses they are facing as well as being about to encourage them about the love of the Father and how he is protecting and caring for us.
