50 Years Ago, 8,000 Miles Apart — Two Stories Began
This year, I turn 50.
And as I’ve sat with that milestone, I’ve become aware of another timeline unfolding alongside my own.
In the mid-1970s, while I was entering the world in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, nearly 8,000 miles away Cambodia was being pulled into one of the darkest chapters in modern history, the Cambodian Genocide.
In just a few years, an estimated 1.7 to 2 million people lost their lives. Families were torn apart. Generations were lost. And among those numbers were children, babies just like me, whose lives never had the chance to unfold.
Fifty years later, we are not simply looking at history. We are living in its aftermath.
A country still carrying both collective trauma and deeply personal stories of loss, survival, and rebuilding. Alongside that, ongoing challenges remain, including poverty and vulnerability to human trafficking, especially among women and children.
The Invitation to Go
I have been invited to travel to Cambodia at the end of July.
And in this particular year, marking 50 years of my own life, it feels especially meaningful.
But more than that, it feels weighty and deeply sacred.
Connected to a story far beyond my own.
So I hold this invitation with honor and humility.
I will be going with Mission 25, an organization working to bring education, community development, discipleship, clean water, and human trafficking prevention across all 25 provinces through partnership with local churches.
During this trip, I will be traveling through Phnom Penh, Pursat, and Battambang.
I will have the honor of:
Speaking and facilitating small groups at three women’s conferences
Visiting schools and local communities
Spending time with Carrying Companions, a ministry serving children and adults with disabilities and their families
Traveling alongside my mom, who will be supporting the education initiatives connected to this work
We will also visit the Killing Fields, a place that bears witness to what has been and what must not be forgotten.
A Verse I’m Carrying
I’ve been sitting with the passage from 1 Peter 2:9.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;”
Here Peter reminds us:
that we are chosen,
that we are royal,
that we belong to God.
And that we are called out of darkness, which means there have been real places of darkness in our stories.
That is true for Cambodia.
And it is true for each one of us.
This trip, in many ways, is about learning to recognize both, with compassion and humility.
As I prepare to go, there is a hope growing in my heart.
That the women and people of Cambodia would feel loved and cherished.
That they would know their stories are not forgotten, and not finished.
That they encounter divine hope for healing, and for the restoration of what has been lost.
Fifty years later, the story is still unfolding.
And I go, not to change the story, but to honor it, to listen well, and to hold space for what is still becoming.
If you feel led, I’ve shared a few ways below to partner in this journey.
With love and gratitude,
Esperansita
An Invitation to Partner
As I step into this opportunity, I’m prayerfully seeking both prayer and financial partners.
Would you consider partnering with me?
In Prayer:
For the women who will gather, that there would be safety, trust, and openness as stories are shared
For Spirit-led spaces marked by compassion, dignity, and care
For wisdom and discernment as I share, listen, and facilitate
For protection over health and for God’s provision in every detail, for the team, the trip, and all that is needed along the way
For lasting impact, that seeds of hope, healing, and restoration would take root
Financial Support:
The total cost of the trip is $3,800
$1,950 due by May 12
$1,850 due by July 21
All donations are tax-deductible.
👉 https://m252026.gvtls.com/
Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and partnership.
Together, we can strengthen and uplift the women and people of Cambodia.
With love and gratitude,
Esperansita
