Reunions: After a 2.5 year absenteeism, I returned to World Hope’s assessment center to visit. The first thing I hear is:
“e LEE sah Bet!”
Yes, I’m sure the women I worked with at World Hope’s assessment center are amused by the way I say their names too. In fact, I was remembering names and called one staff “Soku-on.” She said, “You forget, my name is Sok-euon.” Oh those crazy Khmer vowels! But hey, all is fair in love, war, and interethnic communications…
The center has moved since I was last there and the new space is beautiful and flood-water free. I got to see at least 6 of the housemothers, and after explaining that no, I am still not married (ha!), we had lovely conversations in broken Khmer. While the rest of the team was leading crafts with the girls, Sitach (See-ta(k)) pulled out the CD player. Next thing I knew, I’m listening to the song that the girls wrote (with a little bit of structuring from Jennie and myself) almost three years ago. Though incredibly long, it’s quite beautiful. Each girl wrote and sang about her unique interests, gifts and people important to her; these verses were recorded individually. Then the chorus, sung and recorded as a group, was about how all of them were made by a God who makes good things–speaking to each girl’s inherent value neither destroyed by sex nor dependent on sex for validation. If you’re interested, flag me down sometime and I can play you the song with a half-way accurate translation (don’t worry, this mediocre translation service is free of charge). 
Anyway, hearing this song in this place with these women ….yeah, I lost it. Good tears, though. Good tears.
We (as a group there for one day) didn’t learn much about the girls currently living there, other than their names, from the staff. That’s intentional. These girls are not exhibits, and their stories are only shared voluntarily. However, we did see various levels of trauma–physical and emotional. Two girls cried frequently (and seemingly sporadically) during our time there. Another young woman, perhaps 16 or so, was 8 months pregnant. The team and Cambodian staff led beading crafts with the girls. As crafts are an area of personal deficit, I played frisbee with one of the girls. ”Leeng tiet! Leeng tiet!” (Play more! Play more!). With the other girl, I got out the harp Jennie and I had left behind. Though it was out of tune (they lost the tuner in the move), the girl had fun plucking the strings. Both of these girls were the ones that cried frequently. It seems that music and physical activity can be a relief from that. As a side note, the staff are really not at all using the instruments we left there. However, I hear that Kanha (one of the housemothers who was not there) still plays the keyboard. Hopefully the harp too once i send a new tuner in the mail! Oh yeah, and the staff also requested another copy of the chicken dance. hahaha. good times.
Connections: One strange connection I’m hearing about moreso than before is that between trauma and cognitive functioning. In the US, we often discuss how folks with cognitive disabilities are at an extremely high risk for abuse of multiple kinds, including sexual abuse, as a disability can leave someone compromised, not to mention the reliance on others for various kinds of care. It seems the relationship is reciprocal. At Destiny Rescue in Kampong Cham, Robert (the current Cambodia operations guy) mentioned that they have about 5 girls who have significant cognitive issues as a result of the trauma (though it might be hard to pinpoint which came first). At Bloom, a vocational training program we visited yesterday, we heard a story about another girl who was mute for many years following her initial year of trauma (age 5-6, currently age 18). It seems that there is a connection between disability and child sexual exploitation of which I hadn’t been very aware prior to this week.
And briefly, I am so thankful to hear that Srey Touch is still at Destiny Rescue. If you’re curious, ask me about her. I just don’t have time right here. Perhaps a separate, brief entry will come later.
Questions: Yeah, when and in what capacity (and really to what region) do I come back?
I’m starting to feel overwhelmed at the number of “barang” (foreigners) in Phnom Penh. It seems, though many NGOs (my khmer friends call us “whiteys”) have done wonderful things, there presence has increased even moreso in the last couple of years. I guess, though I feel quite open to living over here again, I’m starting to wonder if I’m just open to living in Southeast Asia as a region, rather than specifically Phnom Penh. Yeah, I’ve got some time before this transition thankfully.
As I type this, my itunes switched from Bach’s cello suites performed by Yo-Yo Ma to Yo Gabba Gabba. Google it. This reminds me I’m also open to staying in the states and working with organizations like Adam’s Camp or Wildwood school for kids with autism and developmental disabilities. One of the Adam’s Camp kiddos this past summer LOVED this music–thus its presence in my media library.
Oh, life. Nothing is simple or linear. And that’s okay.
