THE WORST DAY

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Cambodia - Yesterday was one of the worst days on my life. It began with a 60 mile drive out into rural Cambodia where I had often been. Usually I had taken this route to work with a thriving congregation of young Christians that have been a great encouragement as we have watched them grow spiritually and win their friends to Christ but today’s mission was different. I was on a mission of mercy but one that I knew I was not going to enjoy as contemplated what was waiting for me.

Dr. Shannon Deshazo had arrived the day before and was with me as we drove in silence dreading what we knew we had to do. We were on our way to pick up a beautiful little three month old girl whose mother didn’t want her and had over a period of a month begged us to help her find a place for her child. We had counseled with the mother, offered to buy the food and clothing for the child which she said she could not afford, offered to pay for the mothers medical care so she could keep the child because her doctor had told her she needed surgery which she couldn’t pay for, and we had offered to care for the child until she was physically able to cope but she was not interested in any of our gestures and only wanted to get rid of the child. Not sure who the father was and the man she thought had fathered the child left her when the child was born, she was bitter. Inquires to relatives in the neighborhood had been made but no one there was able or willing to take the child.

Many friends from abroad, Europe and American, had been writing us asking to help them adopt children but adoptions to foreigners are not possible in Cambodia now because of the huge problem with “Human Trafficking” that has gone on here for years.

As we walked down the path, Shannon carrying the baby and I her few clothes and bottles, neighbors came out with tears in their eyes to kiss her good by. You can’t imagine how we felt as we fought back the tears and got in the old jeep and headed for the orphanage.

We took our precious little one to an orphanage that had been recommended and handed over all the legal documents necessary, including a medical exam which we had facilitated. We visited with the staff, looked around the facility and assured ourselves they were capable of caring for the child. The staff ratio is 3 children per staff member and the care givers seemed kind concerned people and children seemed happy. But as we drove away we knew there had to be a better way and prayed and ask you to pray, to help us find it.

We are building an orphanage that is being funded by a church in Alabama but there are hundreds, some say thousands, of infants like this little girl. With adoptions no longer allowed and the impending famine that is purported to threaten the lives of 700,000 people, the problem is growing. Where is the qualified couple that would come and manage a house full of babies? Are you the ones? (Look at the attached picture before you say no.)

William E. "Bill" McDonough, Director
Partners In Progress
Phnom Penh, Cambodia