This is our first real glimpse of Phnom Penh. Yesterday doesn't count because what we saw of the city was under the cover of darkness. We have no idea where we're going. You can't just walk into any restaurant here; the food can't always be trusted. And since we know virtually none of the language, we need to make sure we find a place where they speak or understand at least some English. We circle the block and make our way back to our teamhouse for directions. There, we meet Ping, a local boy of thirteen, wearing a preppy blue shirt and some matching plaid shorts, who offers to be our guide. He takes us to Jars of Clay, a restaurant affiliated with Judah's organization. There, we partake in the best food I've had thus far in our journey.
Water of Life is the name of the orphanage we visit first. We meet Nita, who loves getting her picture taken. She cuddles up to me as we look at the pictures I've taken of her.
I want to take her home with me.
We leave the orphanage in a tuk-tuk and it drops us off about ten blocks from the restaurant where we plan on eating. The first block, we meet several kids carrying baskets, selling some merchandise.
"You buy? Only three for one dollah," one boy offers, looking at me. I tell him no, thank you. He asks again. And again. We start walking away, and he follows us. The whole time, he is talking.
"You buy, three for one dollah. You buy. One dollah, for three."
No matter how many times I tell him no, and no matter how far from his store we walk, he keeps following me and asking me to buy from him. Well, as long as he is here, I decide to strike up a conversation with him.
"What's your name?"
"Ching."
"How old are you, Ching?"
"Ten."
"You speak pretty good English."
"Yes, because I go to school."
"Oh yeah? What grade are you in?"
"3."
He is cute. I could take this one home with me too. He finally breaks me down.
"Okayyy, what are you selling?" I finally ask. He knew when he first saw me the sucker that I am. I find a bracelet that I like in his basket and realize at the same time that my smallest bill is a $10. He doesn't have change. I apologize and start walking again. He follows us all ten blocks to the restaurant. I snap a picture him from behind - if he knew I'd taken the photo, he would expect me to pay him for it.
We eat lunch at a place called Sugar and Spice cafe. It is a restaurant that helps girls and boys get out of prostitution. All the workers there are young people that have been rescued out of prostitution. We make a group decision to go back there and interview some of the girls.
Part II: The Building
We set out for a place called "The Building". Even the title sounds ominous. The place itself is even more ominous than it sounds. The Building is a place full of children and young women who sell their bodies for money, that all the locals seem to know about. We get in our tuk-tuk and tell the driver, "The Building," and he knows exactly where to go. This is the building:
We climb the first set of stairs and start making our way down a long, dark hallway. It smells of dog and piss. I can't see my hand in front of my face. At times I get the feeling that there is someone standing against the wall as I pass, watching me. I keep walking and try to stay with the group. A group of old ladies sitting on the floor are gambling and giving us the stink-eye.
Judah talks to a lot of the people we pass in the halls, asking if there are any girls here that sell their bodies that are willing to be interviewed. An old woman lets us in her house and is willing to talk to us, but doesn't admit any knowledge about the prostitution that goes on here.
We search around some more, and talk to a few people, but the general consensus is that because of Chinese New Year, everyone is away, visiting their families. We get back in the tuk-tuk and head back home.
There is a lot of traffic. While we're stopped behind a line of cars, a girl that couldn't be older than seven or eight approaches our tuk-tuk from the sidewalk. She looks at Judah and offers "yum-yum". Yum-yum is what they call oral sex. Words can't express the sadness that I am filled with when I look into her eyes. She is so young, so innocent. She doesn't know that what she is doing is bad. Her parents tell her that this is what she needs to do to help support the family. If I met those parents, I would probably murder them.
We return to Water of Life, where the boys stay. All the girls and boys are there for worship. Accompanied by the piano, everyone sings Christian songs and takes turns reading from the Bible. Nita, a little tiny girl with big brown eyes, cuddles with me on my lap.
Then I find out Nita has TB. Crap. I probably have it now.
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