Kelly Larner: Faith and freedom in Cambodia [A Cambodian adventure of a Michigan woman]

By Kelly Larner

Posted: Monday, July 16, 2012 

 

Sue Sprang ssprang@thegladwincountyrecord.com 

When talking with Kelly Larner about the future, you learn there is no doubt she’s on the right track. Driven by her Christian faith, her love of children, and her desire to be God’s instrument in bringing hope and dignity to those often forgotten by the rest of the world, Kelly has opened herself to experience and learn about the world in ways that go way beyond her academics. Kelly, a 2010 Gladwin High School graduate and a third year student at Saginaw Valley State University, recently went to Cambodia (June 18-July 1) with two companions as part of a research project on the country’s human trafficking industry and to learn about existing programs that are helping raise trafficking victims, as well as children, to a new way of living. The group’s learning will help those working with the human trafficking community to provide resources and support to those hoping to find a way out of the dark world in which they live. Kelly is the daughter of Doug and Deb Larner of Gladwin. She has three older siblings, Erin, Teresa, and Andy; a younger brother, Shawn; six nephews and a niece. 

GCR: Before we talk about your trip to Cambodia… a little background. What are you studying at college? 

KL: Pre-med. But I started out in education. 

GCR: When did you switch to pre-med and why? 

KL: This past spring. I have a passion for kids and I’d decided to be a teacher. But I learned that even though I love kids, I wasn’t excited about teaching. I had taken a biology class and realized how much I liked science. I followed God’s lead and switched to pre-med. My decision was reaffirmed in May when my dad had a heart attack and stroke. He had triple bypass surgery and the nurses at the hospital were fabulous. They were so knowledgeable and they’d answer my questions and explain procedures. 

GCR: So, how did you end up in Cambodia? 

KL: In January I went to a conference that was for 18- through 25-year olds. It was four days and there were Christian speakers and Christian artists. The theme was about freedom and we learned about human trafficking - the sex trade and the slave labor trade. There are presently 27 million slaves around the world today. They had taken pieces of white fabric, each representing 1,000 people, and placed them on 27,000 flags around the conference center. It was just a little visual of the number of people involved. We saw a film about people who had been in the slave trade, but had been rescued… and it broke my heart… to see these people chained to these trades and they had no way out. And here I am living in freedom, living free in Christ. I wanted to go and do something. I wanted to do something to help these people right now. 

GCR: How long after the conference did it take before you knew you were headed to Cambodia? 

KL: Actually, not until March. 

GCR: How did that happen? 

KL: Three of us, including the woman who runs His House on the SVSU campus and another young woman who’s my age, knew God was calling us and knew he was directing us to Cambodia. We already had a connection in Cambodia – an American – so we contacted her. In March we started fundraising and making our arrangements.

GCR: You didn’t have much time…

KL: No… but I am so grateful to everyone who helped out. And the people at my church (First United Methodist Church, Gladwin) were great!

GCR: Were your parents supportive of your trip?

KL: Definitely. They raised me to be the best I can be, to serve others, and to serve God. I also have a great group of friends and I had the people of 1st United Methodist backing me up. I knew God was with me and that I’d be safe. I had all kinds of support!

GCR: What were some of the highlights of your trip?

KL: We stayed in the city of Phnom Penh (population 2 million). People are either very rich or in poverty – and the rich let the poor know their place. Only the rich have cars – BMWs, Lexus, expensive cars. The car’s name will be in really big letters – to rub the poor people’s noses in it. Cars are a status symbol.

We spent some time at the Daughters of Cambodia, where women learn a skill besides prostitution. They women learn sewing, beginning with the basics, then move up to more complicated machines. They make clothing, jewelry, bags, and other items that are sold at an on-site store, and the money goes to the women. The center also has a prayer room, counseling, day care, a café and a spa.

GCR: Where did you get a dose of the sex trade at its worst?

KL: We spent some time at Heart Place Community near Wat Phnom (Mountain Pagoda), a Buddhist temple. The temple is a beautiful place, but around it is a sort-of park… a sidewalk with lots of trees. It’s a major hang-out for prostitutes. Many of them are involved in the sex trade, others work on their own. Lots of kids play in the area. Heart Place runs a day center. One of their programs is Kids Club – every day kids can come for a few hours and take part in all kinds of activities.

Our team of three and another team did some research in this area, talking with the women and the kids, learning about their situations and finding out their needs.

On our last Friday night we spent some time with the foreign men who use the prostitutes. That was really hard, even though we knew ahead of time that we’d be meeting with them. We had seen them making their ‘negotiations’ – which were very blatant. We thought “These are the perpetrators, the ones who use these women.” But I came to realize that these men are broken, just as I’m broken, and are in need of God, in need of Jesus. They needed a way out of the darkness.

GCR: On another note… what were some other things you experienced?

KL: Well… the food was interesting! They serve fruit when it’s in a crunchy stage and sometimes mixed it with sugar, salt, and red pepper. It was really good. I tried deep-fried tarantula, but only the leg. It tasted a lot like jerky. I also ate a cricket and it was actually pretty good.

It was interesting that the babies don’t wear diapers; they’re usually bare-bottomed. So that took some getting used to.

The people were very friendly and always smiling. They also want to have white skin, like white Americans. They wear long sleeves and long pants – even in the hot climate!

GCR: Where does your passion for helping others come from?

KL: My passion comes from Christ. He spent his time with lepers, widows, prostitutes… If the King of Kings cared for these people… isn’t that what I should do? Kids are also my passion. When I’m with kids, I’m in my element.

GCR: What would you say to other young people who might be feeling led to help others?

KL: Follow your passions, use your talents. You don’t have to go far away to do it; there are needs right here. Don’t worry if you can’t communicate; God will find a way. Follow the Lord and listen to his voice. You won’t regret it.

GCR: Any final words on what you learned in Cambodia?

KL: My love of children was reaffirmed. They bring so much joy and happiness to the world. I realized how much I take for granted. I take for granted safe drinking water, clean clothes. These children don’t have that. It reminded me of how materialistic we are in the U.S. I can make plans for the future, but most of these people cannot. They just live one day at a time.

I came to realize the brokenness in the world… that we are all broken. But God’s light still shines in the darkness. You could see it in the kids’ faces. They were always happy. I learned about loving people where they’re at.