Imprint Helping Kien Svay Kids

 

image-7-e1409319344829-225x300The girls in our Imprint Program have spent many months learning how to sew, and this month they were able to put their seamstress skills to use for a different cause (aside from the amazing Imprint Collection, of course!) 

They recently set to work sewing school uniforms for the children of Kien Svay Kids, a ministry of CGI that serves the school children in an impoverished province in Cambodia. The uniforms are complete and will be distributed to Kien Svay Kids in September when they return to school.

It’s beautiful to see one of CGI’s programs helping another!

Khmer Rouge Revisited

littleboywalkingCambodia is a beautiful country with a complex and very dark history. Recent history, actually.

In the 1970’s, the country suffered an all-out genocide at the hands of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. These leaders wanted to create an “agricultural utopia” and forced people to work in rural collectives, killing anyone who appeared to be educated or counter to their vision. It’s estimated that over a million innocent Cambodians were executed during this brief period. The effect on the country and the lives of its inhabitants is profound.

Last week, two former Khmer Rouge leaders, now in their eighties, were convicted of their crimes against humanity in a UN-backed tribunal.They were both sentenced to life in prison. Despite the painfully drawn-out and overdue trial, many survivors of the Khmer Rouge era see this as a victory and step toward justice.

This devastating era is one of the many puzzle pieces that helps us to understand the reality of modern-day Cambodia. Thank you for joining with us in our effort to bring the abundant love and compassion of Jesus to these people.

 

By Caroline Mosey

Empowered to Dream

DSC_0087An excerpt from Culinary Training Center Chef Ryana DeArmond in Cambodia:

One afternoon in between lunch and dinner the CTC girls are all huddled up, deep in discussion. Then one leaves the huddle and goes outside for a minute. She returns to inform the group, “It works.” Another leaves the group and goes upstairs, comes back and reports the same thing. By this point they have figured out I am watching.
 
“Chef, how much does the Wi-Fi cost?”
 they ask.

Our Internet for the restaurant costs the same amount that some of them make a month. Knowing this, I don’t want to tell them. I defer by asking “Why?”
 
“We want to have Wi-Fi at our home.” It is rare for Cambodians to have Internet in their homes. There are tons of Internet cafes where you pay $0.25 an hour. “We saw a sign we can get unlimited Internet for $12 a month.”
 
My first thought was great, then you won’t need to be on the Internet at work. Then it hit me, how much their lives have changed since I met them 2 years ago. They have gone from taking their weekly stipends to buy rice for the family or pay for their younger brother to go to school, to now having a sort of income that internet is a consideration.

“Why were you all going outside and upstairs?” I ask.

“We wanted to see how far away we can be and the Wi-Fi still work.”

They continue to say they think two of them could share since their homes are so close together. Then the light bulb turns on. One student explains they can charge other people in the area to used their Wi-Fi. If they can find 6 people to pay $2 then they get Internet for free. The other girls start naming people they can ask to be in their Wi-Fi club.
 
I have no idea if they will follow through with this plan, yet this displays they have been empowered to have ideas, dreams, and goals.

Once that is unleashed the possibilities are endless of where they can go and what they can do.

By Ryana DeArmond

Want to support Chef Ryana financially? Click here!

 

Impact Gala

The invitations are out for this year’s Impact Gala and we couldn’t be more excited! (If you didn’t receive an invitation in your inbox, click here to be included on CGI’s email distribution list and don’t worry–you can always register via our website as well!)

This year’s theme is “A Tale of Two Kingdoms,” which represents the Kingdom of God breaking into the Kingdom of Cambodia. Each year we are seeing more and more evidence of this, as many of the women in our programs are hearing the Gospel and choosing to follow Jesus. It’s our joy to be able to share his hope in Cambodia, and also provide the tools and training needed to create a better life for them and their families. But to do this, we need your help. The gala is a GREAT event that not only brings together the people that share a heart for our mission, but also raises needed funds that allow us to continue and improve our programs.

We’re seeing young girls coming out of dangerous situations that have learned to sew and support themselves in the Imprint Project. Lunch is being provided now at the byTavi workshop. School uniforms are being made for the children in our Kien Svay Kids program, and the kids are showing improvement in their studies. A second restaurant has opened up in Battambang. Leadership training and retreats are being offered for our Cambodian staff. We are SO encouraged and we hope you are, too! And yet, there’s always more we dream of doing.

We hope you’ll attend this year’s gala on September 6th. The evening will be filled with inspiring stories, interactive experiences, great food, music, friendship and encouragement. We’d love for you to come and extend the invitation to others as well. See you there!

Register Now

GALA