More than a decade has passed, but Sorya (not her real name) still remembers the day that a few vehicles pulled up to her Cambodian village, packed her and her five siblings up and drove them away from everything they knew.

It was the last time she saw her parents, a couple steeped in such poverty that they were driven to sell their children to survive. Sorya was barely six years old.

Trafficked to Thailand as an illegal immigrant, she was passed through several hands and forced to endure unspeakable exploitation and abuse for years.

“I was alone, in pain and afraid,” she told Salt&Light. “I had never received love and care. I didn’t know how to speak out. I was trapped and didn’t get a chance to go to school. I had low self-esteem and was always frightened.”

The healing warmth of a family

Fortunately, Sorya was rescued by the Thai police and sent to Hagar Cambodia.

Hagar Cambodia is part of Hagar International, a non-profit that serves victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking. 

The Christian organisation also has offices in Singapore, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Solomon Islands.

According to Hagar Cambodia, Sorya arrived emaciated and with many open wounds on her body – evidence that she had been put through severe physical violence.

Staff members nursed her back to health, providing her with food, shelter and medical treatment, as well as trauma-informed counselling and care.

They also placed her with a foster family, who loved her as their own and gave her the safe environment that she needed to continue her journey of healing.

“My foster parents cared for me and loved me. They spoke to me nicely and thought of my needs all the time,” said Sorya, who is now 20.

Sorya’s foster parents loved her like their own.

Her foster mother taught her to clean and cook while her foster father, who is a pastor, involved her in church life and community work.

“They taught me to be honest, to help others who are in need, to be kind to everyone and to be courageous. They cared for me all day and night and took me to the hospital when I fell sick. I felt warmth through their love. I cannot explain all their love to me,” she said.

Passing it on 

Through the love of her foster parents and staff members at Hagar Cambodia, Sorya came to know Jesus and decided to put her faith in Him. 

“I lived a lonely life before I came to know God, but now my life has changed for the better. I’ve experienced many miracles from God in my life. He has given me what I truly need,” she said.

While complete healing is still a work in progress, she has learnt to forgive her biological parents.

“One Bible verse that always encouraged me when I feel angry or struggle to forgive someone is Ephesians 4:32, ‘Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you’.

“This verse often helps me take away my anger,” she said.

Following in her foster father’s footsteps, she hopes to become a pastor and minister to others, in particular young children and youths, so that they too can find hope in Jesus, even in the darkest of situations.

Sorya (in white) teaching in the children’s church service. Now in Bible school, she hopes to minister to young children and youths.

She enrolled in Phnom Penh Bible School after graduating from high school and is now in her second year. Hagar Singapore is sponsoring her studies.

“Studying the Bible is not easy for me, but as I commit myself to God and studying His Word, I find myself changing a lot, especially in my thinking, attitudes and behaviour,” she said.

“I’m now teaching children in Sunday School and encouraging them not to give up even when life is hard.”

Urgent help needed in face of “harsh realities” 

Hagar Cambodia’s foster care programme is currently supporting more than 280 children like Sorya who have been victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking. 

However, due to a shortage of funds this year, the programme – along with others run by Hagar – is in jeopardy due to falling donations and rising needs.

In an email to Hagar supporters on August 15, Michael Chiam, executive director of Hagar Singapore, reached out for “urgent help” and said that he has had to confront some “harsh realities” over the past few weeks.

“More than halfway through 2023, we have received just 30% of funds needed to meet the critical needs of our beneficiaries in Cambodia, Vietnam and Afghanistan,” he wrote, adding that donations from regular donors have dropped due to the rising cost of living.

The number of victims have also risen “drastically” since the start of the year, he added.

Apart from meeting victims’ physical needs, Hagar staff also counsels those who come through their doors.

“Poverty is worsening amongst vulnerable communities in Cambodia and Vietnam with the widespread increase in cost of living. Jobless, parents are forced to send their children to the streets to find work or money. Desperate and hungry, they accept any offer that promises a way out,” he wrote.

“And in Afghanistan, while conflict may have largely subsided following the Taliban’s takeover two years ago, rising prices, a collapsing economy, and ever-increasing restrictions on the rights of women and girls continue to cause misery for the most vulnerable Afghans.”

He added that Hagar urgently needs to raise $400,000 by September 10 and listed the key programmes and services that are in dire need of funding:

Cambodia (funding shortfall: $200,000)

• Emergency foster care for trafficked children under 18
• Shelter for women trafficking survivors
• Comprehensive trauma recovery and economic empowerment
• Online child sexual exploitation prevention

Afghanistan (funding shortfall: $150,000)

• Shelter for at-risk girls under 18, many of whom have severe mental health conditions
• Child-friendly spaces and education for displaced and destitute children
• Income-generating projects and tailoring cooperatives for women
• Boys shelter for victims of trafficking and gender-based violence

Vietnam (funding shortfall: $50,000)

• Animal bank livelihood projects for women living in mountainous areas
• Projects that prevent violence against girls
• Comprehensive trauma recovery and economic empowerment
• School programmes in minority ethnic communities targeting young girls and teenagers

Speaking to Salt&Light, Michael said: “Sorya was eight years old when I met her for the first time. Then, she was broken and afraid. Today, she’s a young lady after God’s heart.

“Sorya’s restoration is a daily reminder to me of God’s mercy and grace. We may not be able to change the world but surely we can by all means save some, and give them reason to put their hope in God.”

Bring hope to women and children like Sorya

If you would like to help, you may make your contribution to Hagar Singapore Ltd through the following channels:

1. PayNow to UEN: 200401226H
2. Internet banking: 003-909037-4 (DBS current account)
3. Online credit card donation via Hagar’s website.

Do remember to indicate “2023 Emergency” in the applicable reference field.

If you’d like to find out more about Hagar’s work, visit their website here.

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