This summer my wife, Simone, had the opportunity to take engagement picures Jenni & Dave. Jenni used to work Hope For The Nations. Today I came across this article in the local paper and I thought that I would share it with you. Hope for the Nations is looking for people to help and make a difference in Cambodia.

It‘s not every day an opportunity like this comes along.

Ralph Bromley, president of Hope for the Nations, is looking for people who want to transform an entire city and help the lives of thousands of people.

The city of Poipet, Cambodia, has a population of 130,000. It is a city rife with gambling and is a major hub for human trafficking.

Located on the Cambodia-Thailand border, it has no government departments and no organized infrastructure, so Bromley is putting out the call for anyone who wants to help develop a master plan for the city.

Developing a master plan, creating departments – such as a works department – to run the city and creating a sense of pride and ownership in the community is part of a long-term strategy to battle human trafficking.

The city was incorporated in March, and the city‘s first mayor and the federal government asked HFTN for help.

“It was just a lame-duck, dirty border town that was a major trafficking city,” Bromley said. “It was like the wild west – you just show up and set up shop.”

Bromley hopes Kelowna residents can change all that by helping to create a city where traffickers are not welcome and youth are looked after instead of exploited. The work HFTN is doing is part of the United Nation‘s Millennium development goals.

Bromley said the City of Kelowna has recognized HFTN as a humanitarian agency and “endorses our work in Cambodia. Basically, the city backs us.”

Mayor Sharon Shepherd stated in a letter to HFTN, “Council passed a resolution acknowledging the support of the City of Kelowna for the United Nation‘s Millennium development goals, and, in principle, the commitment of your local organization, Hope for the Nations, in your pursuit of informal education, housing for children, water projects and anti-trafficking activities in the City of Poipet.”

Shepard said it is “expected that council will consider a more formalized relationship” with Poipet in 2010.

Bromley is looking for people willing to volunteer their time to help develop education, health care, water, city planning and youth activities in the Poipet.

Bromley said developing such departments and programs will “go a long way” in discouraging human traffickers from operating in the city.

“The invitation of the (Poipet) mayor was, ’You come and point us in the right direction and we will do all the work,‘” said Bromley, adding officials are keen to do the work.

To help or for more information, check www.hopeforthenations.com or call 250-712-2007.

HFTN has been active in Poipet for some time and has already established centres to help children.

If you are able to help them out in anyway please contact them.

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