I wanted to change the world. So at age 15, I journeyed across the globe to Cambodia, intent upon my desire to help the impoverished country. I didn’t know much about Cambodia, its people or its trials....

I walked into the crowded Cambodian bus station, awaiting my ride back to Phnom Penh. I had been in Kampot only a few days, but the green countryside was revitalizing, and I was ready to dive back into...