Please read the staff report of the Mission Service Work Camp 2024 in Cambodia. 

Dates： July 29 to August 6, 2024
Location： Phnom Penh in Cambodia

From July 29 to August 6, we conducted a Mission Service Work Camp in a suburb of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with 14 participants―mainly university students―from Japan, the Philippine and India. 

The main purpose of the Mission Service Work Camp was to engage in construction work for a vocational training center currently under development. Furthermore, the camp also aimed to provide opportunities to visit Non Profit Organizations working to address Cambodia’s social issues, and to learn about Cambodian history, Christian education, and the role of the church in the local community. This time, we welcomed participants not only from Japan but also from other Asian countries for the first time. 

Cambodia faces many social issues, one of which is human trafficking. To help prevent people from becoming victims of trafficking, the Asia Office of the United Methodist Church’s Board of Global Ministries is constructing a Vocational Training Center in Cambodia. This center aims to provide young people— particularly those who have been unable to access or complete compulsory education—with practical skills, so that they can secure stable employment, and earn a sustainable income. 

The main work we engaged in this time included pouring concrete into the reinforced rebar formwork for the central staircase of the vocational training center building, leveling the ground within the site, and preparing the concrete fence surrounding the building for painting by removing dirt, moss, dust, and old paint layers. In addition, we cleared vegetation around the building’s entrances and exits. 

On the first day, we held a worship service and an orientation, during which the participants met the Cambodian staff face-to-face for the first time. Afterward, we visited the Cambodia Mission Office of the United Methodist Church, toured the office and learned about the mission activities in Cambodia. We also visited the office of Hagar International, an international NGO, and learned about its work in combating human trafficking. The organization’s name, “Hagar” is derived from Hagar, the mother of Ishmael in the Old Testament. 

Each evening during the camp, we had a time of “Reflection” to look back on the day. Participants shared what they had thought and felt that day. This time of reflection enriched and inspired everyone. 

From the second day, we began the main service activities (labor work). During the orientation on the previous day, we received a briefing from Mr. Patrick, a missionary and local coordinator, about the reality of human trafficking in Cambodia. As he explained, victims are told that they can get high-paying jobs overseas and decide to go abroad to work. However, the actual conditions are often very different from what they were promised. As a result, they become trapped in exploitative labor where the more they work, the more debt they accumulate—like modern-day slavery. Even after experiencing such exploitation, around 90% of victims fall into the same situation again. He explained that the vocational training center currently under construction represents a beacon of hope to prevent such tragedies from recurring. Among the local Cambodian crew members who guided us during the camp, some had experienced human trafficking in the past. 

Although the participants looked tired after the physical labor, each of them did their best in their own way. In the afternoon, we visited the Cambodia Methodist Bible School established by a Korean missionary. At the school, teachers from countries such as Indonesia and Singapore are passionately engaged in teaching theology. We learned that one of the school’s current goals is to increase the number of Cambodian theology teachers. 

On the third day, participants gradually began to communicate with the local crew through gestures and body language, working together while deepening their interactions. The main work was removing dirt from the concrete work with files as part of the preparation for building the fence. It was a physically demanding job, especially under the hot sun, but everyone showed perseverance. During the lunch break, we enjoyed local food together with the crew and their families. In Cambodia, it is common for the families of workers to live on-site during construction projects.

In the afternoon, we visited the Killing Fields to learn about Cambodia’s tragic history. Despite the heavy rain, each participant quietly reflected on the atrocities that took place at this very site, sincerely confronting the painful past.  

On the fourth day, after the morning labor work, we had lunch at Jars of Clay Café, a restaurant founded by a British missionary. Its mission is to help women who have survived human trafficking acquire vocational skills, specifically in cooking. In addition to learning about the mission and work of Jars of Clay Café, we also learned two other important initiatives supported by the Cambodia Mission Office of the United Methodist Church. One is the Susanna Wesley House Dormitory, which provides safe housing for young women from rural areas who move to Phnom Penh to attend university. The other is the Shine Project, which supports young women who were unable to complete compulsory education by offering training in cooking, hair styling, and nail care—empowering them to earn a living. 

On the fifth day, it was the final day of our labor work. We presented letters, songs, and dances to express gratitude to the local crew. For our last lunch together, we shared a meal at an eatery with the crew and their families. Despite the language barrier, participants found creative ways to communicate—using gestures, drawing pictures, and more—making the final moments together meaningful and joyful. 

After lunch, we visited a children’s center (CSCFO) located in an under-resourced area of Phnom Penh—one of the Methodist Church’s mission projects in Cambodia. Its mission is to provide a safe space for preschool and early elementary school children to gather after school. Participants interacted with the children through origami and play, and although the time was short, they truly enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with the Cambodian children. 

On the sixth day, Sunday, we visited Third Place—a mission site of the Singapore Methodist Church and joined both the church school service and the Sunday worship service. Third Place is located in an area of Phnom Penh with many factories, and women working in these factories—as well as their children—gather here for worship. The room was filled with children, and participants shared songs and dances with them. They also sang songs of praise during the Sunday worship service. After the service, Ms. Carol, a missionary sent by the Singapore Methodist Church, shared about the ministry of Third Place and her personal journey to becoming a missionary. We then enjoyed lunch with the church members. As we said our goodbyes, some of the women tearfully saw us off. Some of them had left their families in rural areas to come to the city for work. Seeing the young participants may have reminded them of their own children back home. 

In the afternoon, we visited Wat Phnom, a temple, and had some free time to shop at the Central Market, where participants purchased souvenirs and mementos for the trip. For our final evening, we enjoyed dinner at a restaurant along the Mekong River. As a conclusion of the camp, we held a closing worship service and a final reflection session, looking back on our experiences. 

This Mission Service Work Camp was the first camp to welcome participants not only from Japan but also from other Asian countries, providing a valuable opportunity to reflect on mission work and the global role of the church from a broader, more diverse perspective. We are deeply grateful to have been part of the early stages of constructing the vocational training center. As part of our ongoing international programs, we will continue to organize Mission Service Work Camps.