I found this very touching story of a Cambodian woman who died of Aids. It's very sad that so many continue to suffer as she did. But her life story is an inspiration for people and organizations like World Hope International to strive even harder to give abused women and children hope for survival and a chance at a better life.
When I watched the video, I couldn't help recalling my sister's story many years ago. The city where she lived while she was still working in a bank was once known for its many red district areas. She passed many apartments with grilled windows as she walked home every night.
One night, a child, maybe not even a teenager, called out to her from the second floor of one of those grilled apartment windows. The child said,"Please help me." My sister must have been so scared that very moment because she told me the story when she came home for a visit weeks later still sounding scared. I remember asking her what she did and she answered that she rushed home scared. Stories of police corruption and violence were really common then, some were even said to be the "protectors" or handlers of these children and women. No, she wasn't able to do a thing about it. At that time and place, her own life would have been in danger. I'm sure she never forgot that night.
I can only be thankful now that the place has improved so much. People can walk home more safely at night and less children roam around so much at very late hours. The place is far from what it once looked and used to be, especially at nights. It took political will and a god-fearing leader to get this done over the years. But there is still so much work to be done. Many from everywhere in the world still suffer from the same fate as the Cambodian woman.
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