Locations & Times

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, he judges and makes war.”

-Revelation 19:11

“How was the trip? What was Cambodia like?”

As those questions lingered in the air, I was instantly transported back to the streets of Cambodia. How could I possibly sum up the intensity of those ten days? The sights, the sounds, the smells, how could I capture the overwhelming emotions of seeing young girls rescued from the horrors of sex trafficking?

As I thought about my response, one phrase seemed to capture it, so I said, “Cambodia felt like standing on the front lines, where light is pushing back darkness. And God has equipped and empowered some incredible people as soldiers in that fight.” 

 When I think of Jesus, the rider on the white horse from Revelation 19:11, I now see Him charging into the battle against sex trafficking, pushing back the darkness, and bringing hope and justice through an amazing organization called Agape International Mission (AIM), the group our church partnered with in Cambodia.

 One memory, in particular, stands out and continues to compel me to step back into the darkness to deliver the message of freedom.

The Shoes

During our time in Cambodia, we received word that the local police had conducted a raid, rescuing eleven girls—four of whom were believed to be underage. 

These girls were being cared for by medical teams and crisis counselors just down the hall from where we were training. Though we couldn’t speak with them, we were given the chance to catch a glimpse if we walked by an open door. One by one, we took turns walking down that hallway, eager to see even a brief sign of their newfound freedom.

When my turn came, I walked quietly, my heart pounding with every step. But when I reached the door, it was closed. My heart sank. But then, something caught my eye: a small pile of shoes.

These shoes told a story—a mix of high heels, sandals, and tennis shoes, each pair worn and weathered. Among them were shoes so tiny they must have belonged to very young children. The sight of those small shoes hit me like a punch to the gut, each one a silent testimony to innocence lost and horrors endured.

Seeing those tiny shoes stirred something deep within me. Anger and sorrow for what those girls had endured surged through me. But as I walked back to our training room, a sense of divine purpose began to wash over me. It was as if God allowed me to see the brutal reality of the world’s darkness while also revealing His unwavering faithfulness and the incredible work He was doing. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt the weight and privilege of witnessing this firsthand. 

This moment also struck a deeply personal chord for me. From a young age, I was exposed to pornography, and that evil ruled and wrecked my life for years. Seeing those shoes brought home just how much the enemy has twisted sex—something meant as a sacred gift from God for intimacy and love within marriage—into a weapon of destruction. It was as if God was saying, “I allowed you to experience this darkness so you could understand its depth. But I also wanted you to see My light piercing through.”

In the darkest places, where hope seems lost, and evil seems to have the upper hand, God’s light shines the brightest. Those worn and weathered shoes represent lives marred by unimaginable pain. Yet, they also symbolize the power of redemption. The next steps those girls took in those shoes are not just toward freedom, healing, and care, but also toward a truth they may be hearing for the first time—that God loves them and sees them as His precious princesses.

As I reflect on my time in Cambodia, I’m reminded that the spiritual battle between light and darkness isn’t just happening overseas; it’s right here, in our hearts and communities. So, when you feel overwhelmed by the darkness in your life or the world around you, remember those shoes. Remember that God is still at work, even in the most hidden and painful places. His light is breaking through, and He’s inviting each of us to join Him on the front lines—to be carriers of His light, offering hope to a world in desperate need of redemption.