My Thoughts On Marriage

     There is a natural, and God-given instinct for every individual to desire and crave love and acceptance.  For this reason, it is natural for us to seek out friendships and relationships.  All around the world, people are marrying every moment of everyday.  It is natural to want to marry; to want to have someone to talk to and to wake up to every day.  I believe this is why so many people marry; and why, when someone feels they should have a spouse and doesn’t, is frustrated and uneasy with life.

     I also believe that God has given each one of us dreams and passions.  Some say, “our calling.”  Everyone of us feels it.  This need and drive to do what we are passionate about.  There are so many people who, in their lifetime, do not follow their dreams and pursue their passions, and thus feel as though they missed out on life.  It is something WE HAVE to do.

     So what happens when 2 people come together, with a need to be loved and accepted, but also have 2 very very different dreams?  They get married, are happy for awhile….. until they notice their passions once again.  For some marriages, it is impossible for a couple to pursue both persons passions.  For some, each spouse does not see eye to eye with the dreams and passions, and thus, either the dream or the marriage is squashed….. sometimes both.

     From my perspective and experience in both my marriage, and the relationships which existed before my marriage, true happiness (aside from belief in God), comes from 2 spouses sharing dreams and passions.

     I believe that God intended for a marriage to come together, and for each spouse to BECOME ONE in everything - included passions.  I think God intended for spouses to walk through life fulfilling each other’s dreams, building each other up, encouraging each other to do whatever it is they need to do, (as long as it does not hinder their marriage or relationship with God).

     Jeremy and I have many friends who have entered into marriages already, and I pray that they can follow through in their marriages in this way.  But, we also have friends who have not married yet, but long to.  For them I pray that they would first strengthen their relationship with God, and find what the calling is for their lives.  I think it is only then that we are healthy enough to be able to enter into a marriage relationship.  I believe that if this step is skipped, the end result will be broken marriages, hearts, and/or dreams.

Human Trafficking

Within the heart of every girl is the desire to be loved.  Loved by her father, her husband.  Unfortunately, not every girl is fortunate enough to be able to experience this love, yet the desire for love does not go away.

For many girls in Cambodia, this natural feeling is destroyed once they are entered into the sex trade, often not by their own free will.  This reality is displayed all over the streets of Phnom Pehn and Siem Reap, the 2 major cities in Cambodia.  These girls are used by their owners to make money from not only the locals, but the many tourists who come through each year.

The following information defines the reality of this crime:

 “They told me they could help me to find a job, and my family was poor and needed food. The job turned out to be in a brothel. I was forced to take 20 to 30 clients a day, and was denied food or tortured if I refused or asked for a break. The money went straight back to the brothel owner, to pay off my ‘debt’ 
for room and board. They threatened to find me and kill me if I left.”

This is slavery.

Human trafficking is considered the world’s second largest, fastest growing organized crime. The International Labor Organization estimates up to 20.9 million people toiling as modern slaves around the globe, and UNICEF estimates that 1.2 million children are sold every year. The ILO estimates that 55 percent of forced labor victims are women and girls, as are 98 percent of sex trafficking victims.

The human trafficking business is a multi-billion dollar industry. Sex trafficking alone is estimated to generate $7 billion per year, but INTERPOL believes the number to be closer to $19 billion.  

The Asia Pacific region (which includes South Asia) has the largest number of victims in forced labor – 11.7 million.  Additionally, 55 percent of forced labor victims are estimated to be women and girls, as are 98 percent of sex trafficking victims. Children as young as three or four can be sold for as little as $100 and forced to serve up to 30 clients per day.     

For more information on sex trafficking, and what can be done to help, visit: 

the Somaly Mam Foundation

and,  Daughters of Cambodia

LIfe at a Cambodian Rubbish Dump

      I came across a Photojournalists experience and views of the lives of Cambodians who live in a garbage dump.
Click on the link to view these pictures that don't need words for explanation:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-11/life-at-a-cambodian-rubbish-dump/3659920

the Focus on the Future

Jeremy and I in Cambodia…. Jeremy and I living with 250 children…  Jeremy and I with no “real responsibility”, just floating along in life. 

     I am sure that is what some people think when they think of Jeremy and I.  Without being here with us, it is impossible to even imagine what our days look like.  WIthout experiencing it, it is impossible to feel what we feel, to experience what we experience.

     To be honest, it was easy to leave Canada on our year long adventure last year, seeking out where God would call us to be used.  We definitely had a lot of fun traveling, and not all of it was serving for sure, but I think that God used that time to build our marriage, and strengthen us for a potentially challenging (or not Canadian molded) future.

     Now, Jeremy and I stand here, in Cambodia, and look to God for direction once again.  It is amazing how hard decisions can be when all you want to do is be in the will of God, and not make selfish decisions.  

     We feel like God is telling not to focus on our Canadian careers, and the possibility of losing them.  We feel like He is telling us not to focus on our house, our possessions.  I know for a fact, that to leave these things, some people will think we are crazy.  

     We ask that all our friends and family would partner with us in prayer as we make decisions that have an impact on our future, but not only ours - our families and friends futures as well.

Choices

Life is a series of choices.  Some choices menial, which merely consist of deciding to buy that white chocolate blueberry scone from Starbucks…again.  But, many choices that we make daily affect our lives in a greater way than adding calories to ones diet….   Worse yet, many choices that we make affect the lives of others as well.

In Cambodia, many parental choices have led the children to Rescue.  Choices, such as gambling, which result in selling off ones own child in order to help pay off gambling debt.  Although sad and shocking to the westerner, this occurrence is more common than one might think.  I don't pretend to know even a quarter of the children's stories here, but this has happened to 3 of the children that I can think of off the top of my head.

The choice of having sex with that hooker…. cheating on one's wife… causing division and death in families as the result of HIV and AIDS.  Children from "well-off" families, turned to collecting garbage in the streets to make some money for the now single mom of 4 children.  Then, having th children watch their mother die from the infection their father had given their mother.

Choosing to have yet another drink…. then to go home and beat your wife, again, and again, and again.  Maybe the abuse has turned to murder.  Allowing your children to see what actions you have chosen to take.  Moulding the images and memories of innocent minds.

These are stories I know to be true of some of the children here…. but I am more than aware that these things happen in North America as well.  Maybe the choices made are not as drastically negative as some of these…. but the choices that are made negatively affect a loved one?  a stranger?  a friend?  This is a question we need to consider and ask ourselves.

In a moment

     It only takes a moment in time for everything in one’s life to change.  

     It only took a moment for me to say, “I will” to my best friend’s proposal, and “I do” in committing to walk by the man of my dreams in all my years to come.  It was a single moment that we decided together to change our lives by traveling and volunteering “for a year”; and, that single decision led to our return to Cambodia.  

     It was through our returning here that we have truly begun to feel our hearts bleed and burn for the children here.  We have begun to long and yearn for deeper relationships in order to have a deeper impact.  And we have started to fall in love with the Khmer culture.

     While living in Haiti, I felt like I was being prepared for Asia, and living long term in an orphanage.  Although we had plans to come to Rescue already, my own ideas of what long term plans in Asia looked like were very different from what our hearts are now telling us.  I had visions of starting our own little orphanage, with a Japanese style garden.  LOL!  Really?

     Since we first came to Rescue, Marie has really shaken our mindset on missions.  From the moment we first set out in August of 2011 until this point in time, our view of missions has changed so much.  In this moment I feel, if it’s not broken, why not use it?  In this case, Rescue is far from broken.  It is a gem, an original design made by God to impact the lives of so many children for the better.  We have been won over by the foundation of Rescue, by Marie, and most importantly, by all the children here.  It is amazing to compare their past life stories to who they are today.  Many people, myself included, couldn’t even fathom what most of these children have lived through at such a young age; yet, it is through this adversity that they have grown, or are growing, into incredibly mature and strong men and woman of God. Living with the youth, especially, has been a great witness and challenge to my own life and walk with God.

     At this time, I can not say with certainty that we know where our immediate future will lead, but I can say we are certainly ready for anything!  We await the next moment of change.

Our Cambodian Home

     On November 19^th, we returned to Cambodia, where we have committed to spending another 5 months teaching English to the children living at Place of Rescue.  In addition to English, Stacey will also be teaching keyboard to a number of students.  

     Place of Rescue is our home while we are in Cambodia, and upon returning, we felt as though we were returning home, and were welcomed accordingly by those living here.  We are more than happy to start off where we left off with in our relationships with the children and youth, and are looking forward to getting to know a number of them on a deeper, personal level.

     Each child living at Rescue is a miracle, which is so much more evident to us this time around.  It is hard to look at a face, or listen to them laugh without realizing this fact.

      Each child in the orphanage section of Rescue has literally been taken out of a hopeless situation, without parents, and often coming from heartbreaking backgrounds. These children are given a family, schooling, and teaching about God.  One 16 year old boy said to us that he was so happy when he came to Rescue at 10 years old because there was food and he was able to go to school.

      The children who are a part of the AIDS centre section of Rescue live with their existing families, who, as a whole, regularly receive AIDS medication and medical care.  Each family living in one of these 16 homes are very much a part of the rest of the Rescue community.

     We have felt so blessed to be able to return and be involved in the lives of the children living here.  Because Cambodia is a very social culture, there are many activities that occur throughout the week, bringing everyone together regularly.  It is fun to be involved in this social community, and we are eager to use these times to form deeper meaningful relationships with the children here.

     Please partner with us in prayer for the continual safety and health of al the children adn parents living here.  

Also, please pray for us, both for our time here now, and for our future decisions. Pray for continual strength, patience and creativity for inside the classroom and out. 

      Thank you, Stacey and   Jeremy Bacque

                       “O Lord, I give my life to you.  I trust in you, my God!”

                                                                                                                                                       Psalm 25: 1-2a

      

The Heart of Christmas

     It is the season of Christmas, and what better way to get into the season than incorporate Christmas into the classroom?  My students have made cards and crafts, learned Christmas songs, and played Christmas games.  

      It was in my youngest class that I began to read a Christmas story - not THE Christmas story, but one about wanting presents and toys, about Santa and what he will bring.  These are ideas that do not seem foreign to the westerner, in fact they are far from foreign.  But as I was reading, and having my translator translate, I found myself embarrassed that I would even read such a book.  I apologized to my translator and said, “The End.”

     This occurrence has caused me to think deeper about what Christmas really means to me.  I know in my heart that the birth of Jesus is the reason for Christmas, and Christmas should be about love, community and sharing; but, how deeply engrained are these false stories of Santa and toys?  I mean, we all know the songs, and exactly how Santa travels and comes down chimneys, but to the foreigner, this idea is just that.

     Coming to Cambodia for Christmas has removed a large part of many Christmas traditions for us.  But one large tradition, of coarse, is shopping for presents.  I love buying, wrapping and giving presents.  I don’t care as much about receiving presents though, so I don’t buy so I can get.  When you remove this shopping factor, and suddenly you are left without shopping, you feel as though all the prep and lead-up to Christmas is gone.  This is a problem.  Once I realized this is how I felt, I realized that shopping and presents are what really does define Christmas in western culture; and although I like to think otherwise, it has defined much of what Christmas means to me.

     By being removed from westernization this holiday season, I have learned more about myself, and feel blessed to be able to focus on the things that matter: Jesus, love, relationships, and community - all which are very close to us now and easy to access!

Christmas in Cambodia

It is December 1^st on this side of the world, and the Christmas season should be in full swing on your side of the world by now.  For those who know us, know that Christmas is a favorite for us… by far.  We love decorating, and I allow Jeremy to put his nutcrackers throughout the house :)  This year, for obvious reasons, will be a very different Christmas… no santas, reindeers, bells in the mall, Christmas parties… (and although we will be missing our friends and family this Christmas wholeheartedly), I feel as though I’ve won the lottery being able to spend it with all the children here.

I realized this week, that I have been underestimating the children, and their perception of us, and the way they watch our ways.  They see when we leave for the city, and when we stay to spend time with them on the weekends.  This should seem obvious, but it was only with their small comments here and there that I have realized this.  

The other day, one of the older boys, Thai, brought up Christmas.  He wondered if we would be leaving to spend Christmas at the beach, or in another country.  When I told him we were here to spend it with them, he was both surprised and excited.  The older children, at least, understand what a big occasion Christmas is to westerners, and I am glad we can give our passion for Christmas over to the ones we love here.

Our experience in coming back has been very different from the 1^st time we were here.  This time around, we have entered into a world we are familiar with, and a people we already know and love.  It is like we are entering into a family we left behind.  Our once room feels like our home, along with the rest of Rescue’s grounds.  And, although needing some small breaks at times, all I want to do is spend time with my family here, where last time privacy was a luxury for me.

Thank you for all the prayers coming out our way.  Although I enjoyed the children before, and for that reason we are back, I now feel an overflowing love for each of them, and sense of belonging in this one huge family.  

So, when I here “I’ll be home for Christmas….. if only in my dreams…”  I am torn, because I dream of family, snow, and tradition, but I am given an outpouring of love, and isn’t that what Christmas should really be about?  God’s love for us, and our love for others.

The Market

I went to the (food) market for the first time this morning since returning to Cambodia, and although I am used to the sights, I did think to myself, if only everyone I knew could see the things that I am seeing.

Imagine walking through narrow lanes, filled with people buying, selling, eating, driving motos.  I wait for my friend, who is buying pork, which is hanging on hooks.  She is touching each one to see which one is more tender.  Once she makes he decision, the "butcher" uses a hammer to remove the pig hoof, then an exe to cut up the pig leg.

Down a ways are the ladies selling the fish.  I like to buy fish from the market because they are still alive (until you pay)… for the most part.  Beside the alive fish lie large fish head.

Other sights include ladies sitting beside large bowls of eggs, fruit, vegetables, nuts.  Pig heads, and chicken heads wait to by bought.  Behind some vegetables is a salon, where a lady is getting a pedicure, while at the back of the shop there is a double bed holding a father and child.

I hope your imagination works for you to see what I could see.  I wish my mind could take pictures that could be seen by all.

The time has come

After over a year of traveling, we finally made it back to Canada where we have been blessed with incredible family and friends.  It had been just over 2 months that we were home, which at times had felt like a whirlwind of faces and activity, but was much needed due to our time away.  Thank you to all of you who had welcomed us home and poured out into our lives.  

We left for Cambodia early November 19^th, to arrive in Phnom Pehn late the 20^th.  It was a long and exhausting, but fairly comfortable day of travel,  and we were warmly welcomed by our Cambodian friends.

Although many events have happened in the last 5 months since we left Cambodia, once we left the Phnom Pehn airport, it felt as though we had never left.  In many ways, our room at Place of Rescue has been our last home, and we were excited to finally settle in somewhere again.

The children have already been excited to see us, some of them counting down the days until we came back.  A moment ago a group of small boys were at our window, and informed us there is a baby named “Baby Jeramiah” (which is how the kids say Jeremy).  We’ll find out if that’s true.

We are looking forward to these 5 precious months we have with the children.  It has been almost a blessing to be removed from Place of Rescue, and take a fresh look at what we can do differently, and how we can form even deeper relationships with the children.

Please pray for inspiration, strength, and patience.  We are grateful for all the prayer and financial support we have received so far, but can never have enough prayer.  Thank you to all of you who have poured into our lives.  

                                                                                    Love you all, Stacey and Jeremy

A Few European Favorites

the Return...

After spending just over a year away from our families and friends, we have eagerly returned home to Canada, our home.  Our time away had given us so many new experiences, and insight into the hidden passions that exist within our hearts.  My eyes have been opened to the many social issues that exist both outside and inside Canada, and I now have a longing and eagerness to be a part of the solution to these issues.  I am not sure just yet how this will look, or when it will occur, but my heart longs to bring change.

As for now, Jeremy and I have decided to return to Place of Rescue in Cambodia.  At this moment we do not have a ticket booked, but we are looking at leaving mid-Novemeber until around April.  Our time at Rescue had opened up a new definition of what LOVE truly means.  All the children living at Rescue have been saved out of devastating situations through God's love, and have been embraced into a large family eager to reign down love on the new addition to Rescue.
On return to Cambodia, we will once again teach English to elementary, junior high, and high school students, as well as some additional teachers.  We are also looking forward to spending our extra time with the children we have left behind and miss so much.

Please partner with us in prayer as we move forward in our immediate future, but also search for direction for our distant future as well.



Click on: Place of Rescue for more information about where we will be heading.

If you want to know more about the history of Cambodia, which continues to impact all Cambodian lives, click here: Pol Pot's genocide

Reality meets West

Under the glowing Eiffel Tower, tucked away on the steps and benches of Paris are many people living within their invisible walls of a home:

The man in a deep sleep on the steps of Louis Vuitton, bed made comfortably, suitcase at foot, and on the suitcase neatly lies his suit-jacket, careful not to wrinkle it.  By day, I wonder, if I saw this man would I know he does not have a home?  Well dressed, suitcase with wheels, walking Paris.

We pass the disheveled woman, maybe 55, with low pigtails and dark make-up, dirty white dog in her lap.  What is her story, I wonder?  Was she in broadway and still living the dream?  That is how it seems to me.

The man across the street is singing a lullaby to all, while the man in the bus stop near us is encouraging him to quiet, speaking more to himself than to anyone else.

A man fast asleep in a glass phone booth, one foot up on the door.

A mother and father tucking their 2 young boys in on their large mattresses in a dark street.  After all, they had had a long day and it was after the boys bedtime.

A father sits on his mattress on a busy street corner, 2 year old daughter in lap, fighting her sleeplessness.

As we walked the enchanted streets, it seemed more than common to pass someone lounging on their mattress in the morning sun reading a magazine, or petting their dog, with what seemed to be all their possessions lying beside.  Not boxes and bags, but suitcases and basketballs… normal possessions that we ourselves have as well.  What happened?  Who are these people and what are their stories?  

Last night in Paris, and it was hard to fall asleep.  Not because I didn’t want to leave (which, I LOVED Paris), but because after seeing these images for 3 days and 3 nights, the faces were calling out to me.

At the point of Paris, it had been over a year since Jeremy and I had first set out on our adventure around the world.  We have entered and exited so many countries… (was it 19 that we counted? Give or take 1?) …we have embraced so many people, and cultures, and sights, and religions - although we didn’t agree with or like all, but we loved all.  

Walking through each country and seeing the exposed weaknesses, we have come to learn that every country has a need.  Every person has a problem.  Everybody needs to be loved…. whether that is in Paris, Australia, Cambodia, or Canada.  This lesson was both on Jeremy and my heart as we wrapped up our final days abroad.  

While in a new city, it is easy to take in all the new things, because you are not expecting anything…. you don’t know what you will discover.  On the streets of our own city, we know the sights, we know the homelessness already, and over the years we have grown accustomed.  Paris had opened our eyes to the need in Paris, but  reminded us of that same need in Edmonton.  There are heartbreaking life stories everywhere, but we can no longer “grow accustomed” to them.  We can no longer walk past another day and think, “I should do something, I should volunteer maybe, but where is the time?”  There is always time, until one day life is over.

We have landed in Canada, and we are not sure how our future will look after this year.  What will change?  I am not sure just yet, but how can our lives be the same?  They can’t?  Mundane routine?  The thought scares me.

Solena

Solena.  She was an incredibly happy girl: always laughing, always running, a very free spirit.  She was loved and she loved.  Having been brought to Rescue with AIDS, she was well cared for and given the proper medicine she needed.  One day last week she started having seizures due to what we thought was a fever,  but the doctors though meningitis.  After almost a week in the hospital, she passed away.

If there is one thing that I have learned through the passing of my dad is that God does not always heal in the way we expect.  Heaven is the perfect healing; and, although we do not always understand on earth, God knows what he's doing.  It is through our selfishness that we want to be with the person we love, and that is what brings the pain.  We often are confused and shocked when someone passes, especially a child.  I can only think that God is sitting up in Heaven and thinking, "now is the time that I take away all her suffering", so He does.

Solena will be missed by the large family that she inherited through Rescue.  But ultimately she has been rescued from the pain of this world.  Please pray for those left behind.