In the summer of 2013, Dillon Traber, a Blizzard player and coach, and Corinne Webb, a Blizzard soccer mom, travelled to Cambodia with 6 others from Foothills Alliance to host a Sports Camp, teach English, and visit an orphanage. The highlight of the trip for everyone was a chance to work with Vietnamese children whose families have no official status in Cambodia. Their only source of income is from recycling and selling their daughters into brothels.
Working with Kim B., from New Hope School, in Siem Reap, Dillon shared his passion for soccer and love for the children. The children readily embraced the opportunities presented and Kim was so thankful that we had come.In Kim’s final address to us she described the impact of our visit. “These children will remember this long after you go. They will talk about you and ask about you. And, they will stay in school because they will want to talk to you in English the next time you come. Right now, the fate of these girls is to be sold to the brothels but through our work with International Justice, our school, and the support of people like you who come to love the children, not to use them for sexual favors, we are making progress. It will take a long time, but change will come.”
The team was so thankful to leave behind a set of Blizzard jerseys, and some balls, as a reminder that Canada cares for Cambodians!