Its funny how a lie or misrepresentation can change one person or thousands of people’s lives. One person can be responsible for a rumor or a lie that effects one person to a whole country. In history we have seen this too many times.
This past weekend I watched a Barbie movie with my host family. I have found that girls in Asia love these movies 🙂 Anyways it was about fairies: the butterfly fairies and the crystal fairies. Mariposa, a butterfly fairy, helps bridge a gap between these two fairies kingdoms. After years of lies and folklore there was a riff between the two. Mariposa finds old books that tell the truth about the two kinds of fairies and is sent as an ambassador to demystify myths and lies. She isnt greetly warmly except by one very openminded fairy, the princess. The king is very close minded and believes all the horrible things. It takes a selfless act by Mariposa to save the princess to prove that the butterfly fairies arent all bad. One person can cause hatred and one person can open minds!
Yes I know I’m analyzing a BARBIE MOVIE bare with me.
Now how does this relate to the Killing Fields in Cambodia? I visited the Choeng Ek Memorial Center a.k.a The Killing Fields on Sunday.This is one of many killing fields where thousdands of people were murdered.
For those of you who dont know, there was a genocide in Cambodia in the 1970s. It interesting how when you hear genocide everyone always thinks the Holocaust and Rwanda. But 3 million people died in Cambodia, thats alot of people who’s story hasnt ‘really been told.
The government was overthrown by the Khmer Rouge, lead by Pol Pot. This man was a teacher turned political leader and murderer, sorry harsh words. He built an army of uneducated village people. He fed them lies that the people in the city put them in their poverty and that those people had no worth. The slogans of the Khmer Rouge are sickening, yet people believed them and were brain washed to think they were the truth. Slogans like “better to kill an innocent by mistake than to spare an enemy by mistake,”or “To kill you is no gain and to lose you is no loss.” This regime brutually murdered innocent people. They tortured people into confessing crimes they never committed and then killed them for those crimes. Woman and children were brutally killed as well. Referring to the killing of children, a leader in the Khmer Rouge said “Ïts better to take out the roots….there is no gain to keep them and they might take revenge on you.”
WHO SAYS STUFF LIKE THIS?!!!
WHO BELIEVES THIS?!?!
WHO CAN FOLLOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS?!?!!
I walked through the fields praying to God “why did this happen??”
How can these things happen?
How can one person effect so many with fear and brainwashing?
Then I realize there is always the light.
The otherside of darkness.
Just as one person can cause so much pain, one person can bring joy, peace and reconciliation.
Jesus did that for us. He was one person and died for all. The Holy Spirit, his spirit lives in us.
The light of the world is inside of us and we have the ability to counteract darkness.
I often am a cynic and look at the bad but lately I’m learning in moments like these watching Barbie movies in Cambodia and seeing horrible killing fields I see the power in my heritage, Jesus gives us so much power we just have to claim it and shine the light.
“This little light of mine I’m going to let it shine.”
One light, one person can make a difference.
Believe it! You are that one person. Believe the Truth that Jesus preached and it will guide in a path that always leads to light.
Seriously! Shine your light!
I encourage you at home to pray for everyone who has been effected by hate crimes, genocide, and are victims of rumors and lies that have caused horrific pain.
Blessings,
Jennie
