Photo of the Day
After a series of clues and challenges our interns found themselves on Cambodian soil on Mystery Trip 2010. For many of them, it was their first time to be in Asia. It didn’t take long for the team to fall in love with the beautiful people. Everyday our team would go to the orphanage and this little girl would great our team with her playful spirit ready to play.
Photo Credit: Lindsey Eryn Clark
Photo of the Day
Februray 2011, our team traveled to South Africa on the Mystery Trip. We had the opportunity to throw an event that gathered hundreds of village children to one central field. During the event we played games, had a talent show, and passed out soccer balls. After a full day of playing with our team, these little boys headed back to their home.
Photo of the Day
Our team saw this sweet women walking down a little dirt Cambodian road to meet our team.
Photo Credit: Dodge & Bel Pangburn
Photo of the Day
In June 2011 our team headed across the world to Cambodia, it was in this nation that our hearts were tugged. The people of Cambodia are hungry for a truth to cling to. In a little village outside of Kampong Thom, Matt Arbo, found a little girl who captured his heart. This little girl stuck by Arbo’s side the whole time we were in her village. As the carnivals were going on, you could see Matt and this precious little girl dancing together.
Photo Credit: Lindsey Eryn Clark
Photo of the Day
Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Photo credit: Lindsey Eryn Clark
The Story of Champei: A Child Slave
I’m 15 years old and the oldest of 5. I have four younger brothers and sisters, I do not know where they are, but I know they are somewhere in the world. When I was 6 years old my mother died, several months later my father remarried. My stepmother did not like me very much, she used to beat me and tell me that I was “no good”. She had a “special” stick that she would beat me with til I was black and blue with bruises and bleeding. After my beatings, she would force me to do all the house work. Eventually, my father and his new wife started having more babies.
My family was poor, so my step-mother convinced my father that he should hire me out to families who needed field hands. The families worked me hard- and some of them beat me.
I had dreams that one day I would grow up and marry a rich man so I wouldn’t have to work so hard. When I was 10 years old a man moved to our village. The man approached my parents, asking if he could buy me, he was in need of a servant. Without much hesitation, my parents said yes. I suppose they thought it’d be one less mouth to feed if the man took me away.
At first, the man was kind to me. He seemed charming. However, his “charm” didn’t last long, it wore off within a few hours of me being in his home. My first day at his home I was demanded to do all the house work, cook, and work in the fields. As night approached, the man grew angry and started drinking. I’ll never forget that night, it was the night that everything changed. Once I was done with my chores for the day, I went out back to bathe and wash the dirt off my body. My body ached from working so hard all day. In the stillness of the night, I could hear the white man coming home. I heard clashing coming from inside the house, curiosity overtook me as I peeked through the cracks of the wood to see the commotion inside. Anger was written all over his face. The stench of alcohol coming from his body was so strong that it was unbareable. I moved away from the house to return to my bathe, it was then that I felt his his rough hand grasp my neck. He dragged me inside the house as he yelled meaningless things at me. As I tried to calm him down, I felt the back of his hand collide with my cheek. Frightened, I attempted to crawl away, however, my attempts were useless as he trapped me and began beating me. That night, he had his way with me- I cried, pleading for him to stop because he was hurting me. But my cries went unheard. That night, I went to the shabby mat that was my bed, and as tears welled up in my eyes, I felt ashamed of who I was. With my head down and holding back my tears I thought to myself “How did this happen?” On the eve of my 11th birthday I had become a slave.This is just one story of one girl.
However, today, there are 27 million others who are living a story similar to Champei’s.
Let me break it down for you: The number of humans enslaved in the world today is double the 12 million Africans that were estimated to be enslaved in the 400 year history of transatlantic slave trade.But here is the truth: At one point, all of us were enslaved, however, Christ came and rescued us.
As children of God, we have been called to freedom and have been rescued from the things that have enslaved us. We were called to walk in freedom and to be imitators of Christ. Christ rescued us through His great love, allowing us to experience freedom. So here is my thought: What if we were rescued, so that we could rescue others?
The Lord beckon’s his people to “live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2.12). It is time for us as children of God to be so enraptured by the love of God, that we cannot help, but be a part of a beautiful movement to rescue the world. There is power in love, Christ was an example of this. Songwriter, Paul Klein, once wrote, “We will be the answer to Redemption’s call… Love conquers it all, cross all boundaries, and breaks down the walls.”
So I leave you with this-
Will you be the answer to Redemption’s call? Will you let the love of God move through you to rescue others?
Join us February 2012 as we become the answer to the call and work with children who have been rescued out of child slavery. For more information please visit: www.gointernational.tv/trips/haiti
Written by: Lindsey Eryn Clark
Photo of the Day
12 Days of Christmas
December 14, 2011 by joshdagenette
Filed under Blog
Christmas.
It’s the season of giving, yet it seems that most the time, people end up more stressed than filled with good cheer. What if this season, we took the focus off ourselves (and filling up the space underneath the Christmas tree) and took time to bring good cheer and make a difference in the world around us?
Today starts the 12 days of Christmas, Go Style.
Over the next twelve days, we will be releasing 12 ways that you can spread good cheer and make a difference in your local community and globally.
Day 1: Go Volunteer at a homeless shelter.
Get outside of your comfort zone, go volunteer at your local homeless shelter. Be a listening ear to those who just need a friend this season.
“He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” Proverbs 19:17
Day 2: Cards with purpose
We all have dreams and adventures that we want to go in life. Today, encourage one or two of your friends to pursue their dreams. Reassure them that the dreams they have deep down in their hearts are God given dreams. Give them a Top 100 book so that they have a place to right down all the dreams that they have. It’s been said that if you write down you’re dreams, you’ll be more likely to accomplish. So go out into your world and inspire people.Click here to get your Top 100 book now! 1 Thessalonians 5.11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.
Isaiah 52.7
Day 5: Buy a gift certificate of $5-$25 in value from a grocery store and give it to someone in need.
If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks. Deut. 15:7
Day 6: Join the 120 Campaign
Individuals across the country are partnering with Go to build a farm for an orphanage in Cambodia by purchasing 1 parcel of land for $100. The farm that is built will have the ability to support and sustain an orphanage of 80 children.Today, be a part of creating lasting change in the lives of Cambodian orphans by purchasing a parcel for land this Christmas for $100.“Learn to do right!
Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”
Isaiah 1.17BUY A PARCEL
Day 7: Gather your old clothes and donate them to a charity organization.
No matter who you are, you probably have clothes that you don’t use anymore. Instead of letting them sit in your closet, donate them to charity. Get your friends and family involved too.Those who are kind to the poor lend to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done. [Psalm 19.17]Day 8: 10 for 10 Campaign
The easiest way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loudly for all to hear. The world is full of lonely people. Go to a local nursing home today and spread some Christmas cheer. Pass out cookies, flowers, candy, or sing carols to the residents. Strike up a conversation and reminisce with the residents about their favorite Christmas memories.
Day 12: Change for Change
Take the day, next week, or even next month to collect loose change for global initiatives. Go around your community and ask those around you to donate their spare change to support global orphan projects.
for the rights of all the down-and-outers.
Speak out for justice!
Stand up for the poor and destitute!”
Photo of the Day
God thunders across the waters,
Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness—
God, across the flood waters.
God gives his people peace.
The 120 Campaign
Buy a Parcel of Land. Build a Farm to sustain an Orphanage of 80.
The Issue.
163 million orphans will wake up this morning, many of them with no food to eat.
In the next 120 seconds- 24 children will die because of hunger related issues.
9 million children will die before their 5th birthday.
The Facts.
On average, sponsoring an orphan for a month costs $45.
The cost to sponsor an orphan for a year is approximately $540.
If a child was sponsored from birth to the age of 18 the cost would be $9,720.
Sponsoring 80 orphans from birth to 18 would cost $777,600.
The Farm.
Today, join individuals from across the nation and partner with Go International to build a 120 parcel farm in Cambodia to support and sustain an orphanage. This $12,000 farm will not only sustain 80 orphans, but it will also allow these orphans to have three meals a day.
Get Involved.
One parcel of land is $100.
Be one of 120 individuals across the nation to purchase a parcel of land and together we can build a farm and create lasting change in the lives of Cambodian orphans.
BUY A PARCEL »
Upon buying a parcel of land you will receive a certificate that states you have purchased
