I love Cambodia.
I honestly didn’t expect to get very emotionally invested in any of these countries – a month passes by so quickly. But here… I feel comfortable. I know the story of this country. I feel different here.
The moments that I’ll remember most vividly carry an incredible contrast with them: Cambodia’s horrific recent history, and the immediately beautiful connections we made with its people.
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I was able to spend a lot of time reading about the politics and history of Cambodia’s last 60 years (in Joel Brinkley’s Cambodia’s Curse). I’m so glad I did, because when I entered the country I saw evidence of what I read everywhere.
The most important events to know are those of 1975-1979. A communist force called the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia, emptying its cities and turning its peoples’ lives into chaos and horror. Over those four years, about 3 million people – 25% of the population – were killed in genocide. Now, 48% of Cambodians have PTSD, which, untreated, is being passed on to its children.
The country has never fully recovered.
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There are over 70,000 live land mines scattered throughout Cambodia, left over from the years of war and conflict. Year after year, civilians tragically happen upon these mines.
Walking along the roads of Angkor Wat, I often passed little groups of musicians on raised platforms. When tourists approached, they would begin to play. Upon closer inspection, you’d find that the singer was missing an arm. The drummer was missing a foot. Land mine victims are left with no support from the government. They are left performing to tourists for donations, who mostly walk by, anxious to snap pictures of the next ancient temple.
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You’ll often see beggars when walking the Phnom Penh streets, especially in touristy areas. Ali & I had lunch this month with a lady who works against human trafficking here – she told us a way children are trafficked that I’d never heard before.
Women beggars will often buy children from traffickers. A woman sitting with a sleeping baby in her arms will make more money from compassionate passers-by than one without. The children will also be sedated, so that they sit or lay still for the whole day with the beggars who own them. The lady we spoke to once helped rescue a little boy who’d been continually drugged for over 2 years.
As one of those wealthy passers-by… what are you supposed to do, when you see a woman with a child begging on the street?
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We went to Dairy Queen on the riverfront one night to celebrate Kim’s birthday. As Ali walked through the door, 4 little kids trailed in after her, entreating her to buy some bracelets or wallets they were selling. They looked to be about 6 to 9 years old.
We knew that any money they made would go to some adult they work for, who sends them out on the streets every night. So instead, Ali bought them ice cream cones, learned their names, and let them braid her hair. We spent about an hour talking and playing with them in that Dairy Queen.
A week later I was walking down the street on my way back to our debrief hostel. I stepped aside to let 4 little kids trot pass me, carrying bracelets to sell – and as I looked down, I recognized those 4 little heads. I tapped one of them and said, “Hey!”
The girl named Lita looked up. In wide-eyed recognition she pointed at me and yelled with delight. Her friends turned around, began yelling as well, and we shared a giant group hug on the sidewalk. I knelt with them for just a few minutes, but they skipped off with big grins, shouting “see you tomorrow!”s over their shoulders.
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This month, we had the pleasure at working at a school run by missionaries. They run a nearby orphanage as well, and the school tutors those kids in subjects like English, music, bible study etc. Those kids were our main ministry.
This little man runs the show when he’s on the soccer field. One day we took all the kids to a nearby indoor field and played all morning. Super fast and super bold, this kid was always in the thick of it. However, because he’s so small, whenever he kicks the ball the momentum lands him on his back.
Basically, I spent the whole morning watching him hit the ball and fall over. A few seconds later he’d pop up and dash after the action.
I’d die laughing every time.
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B-Squad had our month 6 debrief this past week. We were all excited to reunite after a month apart, sharing hugs and stories in the lobby of our hostel. When I first saw my friend Jaime heading up the stairs, I threw my arms around her. A moment later one of the hostel employees I’d never met – a Cambodian girl named Nita – ran up to us.
“For me too!” she cried, spreading her arms wide for a hug.
Jaime and I happily obliged. She told us it made her heart so happy when she saw us greet our friends smiling and hugging. She loved it. She loved that we loved each other. Needless to say, we all got several hugs a day for the rest of debrief.
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These are just a few moments from this month – but they capture the feel of this place. There’s still fear and oppression here, but there is also a lot of hope.
I’ve loved my time here. I feel invested in this country’s story. I’m going to be back here someday.
