Shacks. Filth. Rubbish. Ugly. Broken. Smelly. Dark

These are just some of the words that come to mind when I think about a village in Cambodia. When we visited, I couldn't help but ask: Why?

This village has been a prominent stop for sex traffickers and "buyers" where children as young as the age of 5 were sold. 100% of the children in this village have been sold. Looking around, you quickly realize that there is absolutely nothing remotely attractive about this place. Yet it seems to be the hub for human and child trafficking.

As we walked through this village, I couldn't help but pray and ask the Lord to open my eyes to see what He sees. As much as my heart broke for the evil that was happening to the many children of this village, I wanted to see what God sees. Maybe, just maybe, I thought seeing this place as God sees it will make it "easier" to understand. I couldn't get myself to understand what it was that foreigners saw in this ugly, filthy, smelly, broken village. But God then opened my eyes.

I saw a very beautiful garden. It was incredibly beautiful.

Ummm, really Lord? There is absolutely nothing beautiful about this place. Look at those broken houses, that pile of dirt that probably have a million bacteria yet children play near it. What's so beautiful about this place, I asked.

His response was: You only see the outside. I see the inside and beauty is what I see.

As I continued to pray, the Lord began to change my heart and really show me what He saw when He looked at this village. I began to see the beauty in the midst of this mess. I saw beauty in the eyes of the children, parents, vendors - the village as a whole. Somehow, even though everything about this village screamed "rubbish, dirt, brokenness, darkness, etc." there was a distinct beauty. A beautiful garden of hope, love, and peace.

*Photos by Kristen.