One Life pt. 1

Most of you've probably never heard of the One Life Revolution. I'll tell you about it. It was an exhibition that was held in Monash Uni, Mid Valley and finally in DUMC, a church in PJ. It told the stories of 3 children's lives and invited visitors to walk in the shoes of those children for 20 minutes. I only managed to visit 2 so I will tell both those stories. And I invite you to walk in their shoes even as I tell the stories. Please note the details might be very slightly different as I'm writing from memory.

Srey Mom, Cambodia

Imagine your father dying suddenly when you are 12. You don't understand it. One moment he's fine, and the next, he's dying of a disease you don't even know. Things get harder after he dies. Your mother has to work extra hard to support you, your 2 brothers and your aging grandmother.

One fine day, your mother abandons you. She leaves with your 2 brothers, leaving you with your grandmother. You don't know what to do.

You decide to go to the city to look for her. A neighbour makes exciting promises about the city. Opportunities. Money to be made. Ahh..Money. You swallow the bait and follow him. And then surprise surprise. He abandons you as well. Left on your own in a city you know nothing about at the tender age of 14.

You start to sell fruits to make a living. Not much, but some. You haven't managed to locate your mother and brothers.

Someone approaches you one day. Offers you a different life. And that magic word again; money. You follow her. You end up in a house. Several other girls are out front, dressed scantily. The owner of the house then tells you that money was paid for you, and you have to work off your debt, gaining a meagre salary in the process.

You are taken to your room. There's a dress hanging on the wall, and you are told to put it on. You start to protest, saying "There must be some mistake'" but you are beaten. Finally you give in. That's when the hell starts.

You are forced to have sex with many men a day. Cambodians, Thais, labourers, workers. They ask for a young girl. Again and again, you are brought out to be shown to 'customers'. They are rough with you, and none of them use condoms.

It starts to take a toll on you. You try to escape, but you are caught and beaten senseless.You start to feel sick. It scares you. You've heard of this disease called HIV. You've seen other girls at the house who have been diagnosed with HIV mysteriously disappear. You suspect they are turned out on the streets or worse.

Finally, you get to sick to work one day. The owner takes you to the hospital. You sense a chance of escape and you run out a door and hide in a garbage bin. You can see the house owner looking for you everywhere, but thankfully not the garbage bin in which you are hiding. Exhausted, you drop off to sleep.

You wake up screaming, when a nearby shopowner opens the bin and pours hot soup in. Your scream draws curious onlookers. They jeer at you and mock you, calling you a thief.

Finally you are reunited with your mother and brothers. Your mother operates a food stall in the city. But your happy reunion does not last long. Your sickness worsens. Spots and sores cover your body. People stop coming to your mother's food stall, afraid that they might contract the dirty and deadly disease you have. And so, your mother turns you out again.

You end up in a hospital to be tested for HIV. You are hoping you haven't got it, because you've seen the way people treat those who have HIV. But your hopes are once again dashed when the tests confirm you are HIV positive. You're still young. Perhaps 20 years of age. You are HIV postive...

How does this story end? Sree Mom eventually met a social worker from World Vision. Through this worker and World Vision, she has received help and care. She has been reunited with her family again, and they've been educated about HIV.

Now she is an active worker with World Vision working against child trafficking and prostitution in Cambodia.

To be continued in Part 2..