Greetings from Southeast Asia
Greetings from Southeast Asia,
We have just completed a medical camp across four of our locations, and we are deeply grateful for the team that made it possible. Our volunteers—three nurse practitioners and one administrative support person—served tirelessly in communities where medical needs are overwhelming.
Life in the slums of Southeast Asia is marked by overcrowding, unclean water, poor sanitation, and limited infrastructure. These conditions lead to high rates of infectious disease, malnutrition, diabetes, anemia, and hypertension. Respiratory and skin infections are common due to poor air quality and substandard housing. Many residents lack proper documentation or identification, making access to medical and social services extremely difficult. Often, when a child is born in the slum, no birth certificate is issued. When a woman is trafficked, she frequently has no legal identification at all. Our staff work diligently year-round to help women and children obtain the documents they need for protection and access to care.
In just five days, our team of four saw more than 500 patients. They were truly a blessing and met a critical need. Beyond treating illness, they offered dignity, compassion, and time. No one was rushed. Each person was seen, heard, and cared for.
One personal highlight was seeing fathers bring their small children to the clinic. In the environment where we serve, we often hear heartbreaking stories of abuse against women and children. It is especially encouraging to see fathers step forward to care for their families. Moments like these remind us that hope is present, even in the hardest places.
We are so thankful for our medical team and the credibility and encouragement their service brings to our ongoing ministry.
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As is often the case, while the medical camp was underway, other urgent needs arose.
On the first day of the camp, a woman familiar with our center found a young girl sitting at a train station near one of the red-light districts where we work. She was crying and holding a tiny baby. The woman brought her to us for help.
We will call her Rita.
Rita’s story is tragic and, sadly, not uncommon. Both of her parents had passed away, and she was sent to live with her uncle. She reports that he abused her and did not want the burden of raising a girl. Eventually, he arranged a marriage to a man she did not know—most likely selling her. She became pregnant soon after and gave birth to a baby girl.
Her husband later told her they were traveling to another state so he could find work and care for them. When they arrived at a train station near our center, he told her he was going to get water. He never returned.
One of our staff members took Rita and her baby to the police station seeking assistance. The response was heartbreaking: she is eighteen and knows where she is from, they said—she can simply return home. But for Rita, “home” is a place of abuse and exploitation.
By the end of the day, the shelter homes we typically rely on were either full or unable to receive her so late. One of our staff members brought Rita and her baby into their own home for the night.
The following day, we were able to secure placement in a shelter for young homeless and abused women. The shelter has begun filing a legal report and arranging medical examinations for both Rita and her daughter. We will continue to follow up closely and advocate for their safety and future.
Please keep Rita and her baby girl in your prayers.