Chan* is a woman in her early 40s living in the slum area in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. She and her husband make their living by collecting recyclable materials from the local dumpsite. While it’s an unfavorable job with many health risks, it allows those living in poverty a means to provide for their families, especially education for their children. Informal waste pickers account for up to 30% of all trash collection in Cambodia and are the backbone of the recycling industry.

The risk of heatstroke, exposure to viruses and bacteria, and even accidents caused by reckless bulldozers and trucks at the dumpsite are just some of the challenges Chan faces daily. However, one of her biggest problems is her husband’s alcoholism and drug addiction. She admits that her hopeless situation has made her drink alcohol as a consolation.

“We always quarreled and destroyed everything in our home. The money we earned from collecting recyclables was spent on getting drunk and replacing all the things we’d broken,” Chan reminisces. “All these acts made my family poorer and poorer. I did not send my kid to school and there was no money to send the family to the hospital when they got sick.”

This was before Chan was introduced to Haggai leader Bua* and the organization where Bua is a program manager. Her organization** focuses on attending to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the people. Through this, Bua and her team see the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and Gospel at work.

Chan says, “I started to attend the meetings about parenting skills, children’s rights, nutrition, and basic health care. In one of the sessions, they talked about Jesus: why He was born and how He died and rose from the dead. I was touched by the Holy Spirit and then I became a Christian at that time and started to focus on my family, especially the children. God helped me stop drinking alcohol and asked my husband to do the same. I wanted us to go to church together and build a good family life like any other believer family.

“After that my husband stopped drinking alcohol and using drugs for five months and now, he has a job as a company security guard. I thank God with all my heart, I’m very happy He saved my family. My daughter has been vaccinated for good health and is now going to school. This means I have time to collect recyclables without worrying about my children. It’s great to have God in my life and to have [Bua’s organization] as a partner who works closely with the poor like me.”

Written by Carolyn Grant

*Names changed to protect identity

**Name of organization hidden for security.