We arrived safely in Phnom Penh, Cambodia early on Thursday (October 11th). There is something about this city that deeply saddens me and gives me so much hope at the same time. Today we had the opportunity to spend the whole day touring and learning about the history of Cambodia. It was heart breaking and intense, yet I am so thankful for the opportunity to learn and experience this country. The purpose behind the tour was to expose us to the major aspects of the Cambodian culture and to have a better understanding of what the people here have been through.
The first place we went was Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This was all new to me. The building was a high school until the 1970’s when the Khmer Rouge converted it into a torture prison. Over 10,000 men, women, and children were imprisoned and tortured in this place. Of these 10,000, only seven survived. We also went to the Killing Fields (Cheung Eik). This is the mass burial ground where the tortured prisoners were buried. During the reign of the Khmer Rouge, almost one third of the population of Cambodia was killed during this time. Cambodians over 30 years of age have memories of this time. As I looked at the pictures of the people who were killed, walked through the killing fields, and as I sat in the van on the way to our next stop on the tour…I felt the lump in my throat getting bigger and the tears building up. I can’t swallow the evil in this world. My mind can’t wrap around how something like this could happen.
As I walked with Danny through the streets this evening, we talked about our love for Cambodia. There is something so intriguing about this place. The people are so sweet, the children look at us like celebrities and yell “hello” and high-five us. The streets are full of fruit stands, markets, people talking, mo-peds zooming, trash, beggars, children playing…it’s bittersweet. Our team will be staying here at the YWAM base (Youth With a Mission). We will be here for four weeks working with New Life Church. It is a large church that has many different ministries. We will be able to take part in many different opportunities. The one I am most looking forward to is teaching English to the Cambodians. Our team is really looking forward to serving here in Cambodia, and learning a lot while we are here.
I am excited to keep you updated on Cambodia…here are some pictures from my first few days here:
