American Rehabilitation Ministries has been recognized by the Kingdom of Cambodia as an official Non-Government Organization (NGO) at a signing ceremony led by Ouch Borith, former ambassador to the United States and current Cambodian Secretary of State. A.R.M. is now legally certified to build Rapha House, a home for abandoned and abused girls who have been or are at risk of being trafficked into slavery and the sex trade.

"Rapha" is the Hebrew word for "healing," and in cooperation with other anti-human trafficking NGO’s, will provide a safe shelter for girls in trouble. The girls will be taught the Bible, computer skills, sewing, and how to read and write English and Khmer.

A.R.M.’s goal is to return the girls to their own communities to potentially teach Bible study groups and help establish churches. Rapha House will serve as an educational center and secure harbor until the girls develop enough personal and professional skills to enter the work force and feel confident enough to return to their families or friends.

Rapha House has been operating without government recognition since 2001. Rapha’s girls currently live in a rented house with a Cambodian staff consisting of around-the-clock dorm mothers and security guards. Other workers include a supervisor, a business manager, language and sewing teachers, and a nurse/counselor.

Rapha House also provides educational training for "at risk" girls in the surrounding communities and dispatches teams of workers to remote villages to conduct town meetings and distribute pamphlets concerning the craftiness and evil deceit of sex predators. As a result, Rapha House has received support from the Chief of Police, the City Fathers and the local citizenry.

Rapha House is not for everyone. Some girls prefer to work in the lucrative sex trade and even attempt to recruit Rapha House girls on their way home from school or in the open market. Organized crime is everywhere and prostitution is big business.

In a recent interview, Joe Garman said, "Some of the girls who will be coming to Rapha House have experienced extreme verbal abuse. The majority of them are younger than 18 and lack proper hygiene. They will suffer from an array of mental disorders, depression, alcohol and drug addiction, fear of being kidnapped again, low self-esteem, rebellious and suicidal tendencies, sexually transmitted diseases, skepticism and suspicion. Treating their emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual needs will be a lengthy process and monumental task; but rescuing, rehabilitating, and redeeming these victims of prostitution is the work of God."

Jesus showed compassion for the oppressed – and by the grace of God, we will follow in His footsteps. Our daily prayer is that He will protect us and raise us up as a "City of Refuge" for children and women caught up in Asia’s sex trade and that our ministry will be well pleasing to Him.

We have already purchased a 10,000-square meter tract of land (about a football field long, and a football field wide) in Cambodia. Under the Lord’s leading, we will build Rapha House as part of a Christian campus with ample room for fruit trees, gardens, and recreational activities. Rapha House will accommodate 48 girls.

For those seeking escape from the brothel, they will find a caring and loving staff at Rapha House, who believe Christ when He said, "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." (Matthew 25:35, 36, 40 – NASB).

"Out of 20 NGO applications, only four were granted. This is the first time in over a year that Cambodia has authorized new NGO’s and the first time since the 2004 national election when the new government took control. I am confident this is a sure sign from God that this is an open door He wants us, the Church, to walk through. Those in Matthew 25 will not be rewarded by what they did, but by what they valued most and were willing to surrender to God."

Joe R. Garman,
A.R.M. President