Hello, my name is Sokim and I was born on 16th July 1992. My childhood was very difficult as I was sold by my family when I was 5 years old. Until I was 12 years old I was treated so badly by the two families I was forced to work for, as I was sold again to a second family when I was 10. At the age of 12, I was set free and taken to a Christian organisation in Phnom Penh where I was looked after by a house mother along with other children. At the age of 18 I became pregnant with my daughter Chiera and I was abandoned once again. Life was difficult as I was studying at school as well as raising my daughter, with no family to help me. When my daughter was 2 years old my counsellor introduced me to Elim’s Early Learning Centre where Chiera became the first child to receive a full scholarship to be cared for enabling me to continue with my study and part time work. I immediately became part of the family of Phnom Penh Elim church attending the prayer meeting and church services every week, and getting to know friends as well as growing in my Christian walk.
In May 2013 Esther met with me and shared about what Be Free Cambodia would be, and offered me a job as manager, I prayed about it and responded the next day that I would love to take up this position. I loved getting the rooms in Be Free ready for the girls who would become our first trainees. When I was in Hagar I learnt how to make cards and I was excited about teaching this skill to the trainees. Because of my life and the hard situations I experienced I knew I could love the girls and teach them about how much Jesus loves them too.
Working in Be Free is challenging and sometimes heartbreaking. I feel sad when a trainee doesn’t finish the 12 month program, usually from family pressure to earn more money working in the sex industry. My heart is broken when a girl leaves because I want them to have a better life from graduating and getting a job that she wants to do with a good salary.
But being in Be Free is also rewarding and we celebrate each trainee who completes the program, graduates and starts a new job where they are able to provide for their child. We thank God that they have good relationship with us and are part of the family of Elim Cambodia.
In 2015 I was honored to be invited to the UK as guest speaker at the Be Free Gala Dinner, my story was shown and Paul Hudson, IMD of Elim Missions interviewed me. At the start I was so nervous as there was over 200 people present but God gave me the words to say and took away my nerves. I loved being in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; it was so cold one day that I even saw a little bit of snow for the first time in my life! I loved the food, especially mushrooms and the Chinese noodles. I thank God for this experience and I have many wonderful memories of the people I met and the places I was able to visit. In churches I was able to share about Be Free, about how God is transforming the women we are blessed to teach and make a difference in their lives.
For five years I was a single mum to Chiera and although life was not always easy God has always been so good and faithful to us both. I started to pray to God for a husband for me and a daddy for Chiera. One night I had a dream and a face was in the dream, a man that I had known when I was in the Hagar organisation. When we were younger Somnang loved me but then circumstances changed and we lost contact with each other. Following the dream I was able to get in touch with Somnang and invited him to church. We began to get to know each other again, Somnang met Chiera and the three of us started to spend time together. We got engaged in May 2016 and were married on 8th October 2016. God blessed our wedding day with monsoon rain meaning the evening reception had to be moved into the church. Somnang and I smiled through it all saying that God was pouring his shower of blessing on our married life together.
We are now the proud parents of Chiera, aged 8 and Daniel who is 16 months. Chiera loves being a big sister and having a Daddy who loves her so much. God has given me the family I have longed for, for such a long time.
When I was young I never knew love, and now when I am in Be Free I don’t want the girls to feel the same. I want the girls to know they are loved and are a daughter of the King. I always prayed to God to help my life. Sometimes we have a bad life with difficult experiences but we need to trust God, he always encourages us, always loves us and always blesses us. I tell the girls that God loves us all so much, he never left me, at times I may have felt lonely but now I trust God and know he always had a plan for me, I know I have more than enough from God, he always knows what I need.
When I work with the girls they share about their bad life and I encourage them that they need to be strong, I understand how they are feeling and I share with them from my own experience.
I am so thankful for the role I have in Be Free. From seeing the transformations in the girls’ lives from when they first start the program until the graduation ceremony, they smile, know Jesus and have a good job. Some of the girls are part of the worship team, I am also in the worship team and it makes me happy to see them come to church and have a good relationship with God.
On behalf of all the Be Free team I want to express my deepest thanks to the churches and individuals who support Be Free and make it possible for women in Cambodia who have had a difficult life to join Be Free and have their life changed. Keep praying for Be Free Cambodia, for the staff, trainees, and organisations we partner with. I am so thankful for all the teams and individuals who have visited over the past 6 years, working with girls, transforming our centre with our new rooms, teaching new skills and loving everyone in Be Free.
My dream for the future is for Be Free Cambodia to have a small salon and cafe where trainees can learn how to do beauty and make coffee. When teams come the trainees can pamper them and practice their skills; and then when they are trained can work in a beauty salon or coffee shop; enjoying working in a place using skills they have learnt.
I am so thankful to God that I have a good life now and know Chamnap, Nita, Sarak, Sophea, David, Esther and all my big family in Elim Cambodia. God is faithful and loves me so much!
I will close with my favorite verse that always gives me comfort and encouragement.
Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”