Cambodia has so far been the leader in counterfeit products that I’ve seen. It’s likely that this is due to the poverty level matched with mankind’s desire to be a part of the new and cool trends. Let’s take a look at some examples…
Souny = Sony
Nihe = Nike
Sanzyo = Sanyo
Keweseki = Kawasaki
Timberlanb = Timberland
And the list goes on. Most of the textile reproductions are mom & pop operations and are likely not worth the trouble of the attention of major retailers in regards to legal correction. The market for each producer is so small and disconnected from the mainstream market that it probably never even reaches the attention of authentic manufacturers. Some of these counterfeit producers do work at legitimate manufacturers, thus giving them knowledge of design and popularity. Unfortunately, as my team has seen firsthand, most of the factory workers in the area are overworked with little pay. The average pay for a factory worker is about $75US per month (according to our host). Electronics on the other hand probably do deserve some legal attention, but even then, they’re almost certainly not being exported. Most of these developing nations export very little on their own accord, excepting perhaps textiles and food commodities like rice.
The point in all this is not to inform you all about the inappropriateness of some of the manufacturers abroad, but rather, to make a correlation. Not only is Cambodia saturated with knock-off products, but with knock-off gods as well. Christianity accounts for an estimated 3% of religious practices in Cambodia. And considering that 80% of the population is under the age of 30 (due to the killing efforts of tyrant Pol Pot), the growing number of young people have only a couple of options for religious leadership. They can look to the older populous, who are mostly farmers subscribing to whatever beliefs their family adhered to for generations, or they can take it upon themselves to find what they believe in. God’s word tells us that everyone on the planet has been given the sense to know that there is a god (Romans 1:20) who is divine in nature and eternally powerful. It is up to His followers to spread the knowledge of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). This is why we (World Racers) are here.
In the book of Deuteronomy, God gives His commandments to Moses, thus to mankind. He says we are to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our might. The LORD our God is one, and there is no other god. Deuteronomy 5:7 says “You shall have no other gods before me.” Deut 32:39 says, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me;”
The sad fact is that in Cambodia, and truly, in all the countries we visit, there are false gods being worshipped by a large number of people. Just up the street from the very place where we teach English and host nightly Bible studies, there is a sizeable Buddhist monastery with various religious accoutrements. Two large statues of cobras with 5 heads mark the roadside entrance, and the compound itself welcomes you with life-size elephant statues. Once you enter, Buddhist monks roam around in their bright orange robes and shaved heads, grinning at the sight of white people. Various statues of figures, natural and unnatural, dot the grounds. The temples are filled with vibrant paintings of historical mythical people floating on clouds and in trees. Hinduism influence is no stranger to these people either. Incense burn at the foot of a giant gold colored statue of a man sitting in a robe. These temples are a frequent site in Cambodia.
In most of the yards of houses and businesses, there sits a figurine of sorts; a small house erected on a pedestal with a cup for incense. They’re usually about the size of a large birdhouse, adorned in golden paint. We’re told that property owners believe that these statues are representative of the land that their dwelling sits on, and by burning incense, they can keep their gods pleased, thus having favor bestowed upon them and their house and their land.
Just the other day, our neighbor (who also has one of these in his front yard) cut down two large trees, one in his front yard, one in his back. Aside from selling the wood for additional income (he has no job) it is believed that sometimes mean spirits live in bigger older trees, and if you cut it down, you solve the problem of pesky spirits bothering you and your household. It’s a shame to see such beautiful old shade trees cut down because someone thinks a mean spirit is hanging out in their branches.
So please pray with our team that the false gods of Cambodia be removed so that our neighbors may be heirs in the Kingdom just as we are. Our limited time of 3 weeks and some days under strict evangelism guidelines that yield to ‘cultural sensitivity’ often isn’t adequate for altering lifestyles and bringing light, but our host who lives here can do just that. Pray for his boldness and perseverance, and blessings upon his own life and family. His name is Ra. He is doing a great work in his community, teaching many youths the principles of Christianity, as well as English.
