From 1975-1979, the nation of Cambodia was under the control of the uber-communist Khmer Rouge Regime. During this time about 3 million people were slaughtered in a national genocide. The KR destroyed the national culture, burned down the marketplace, abolished the monetary system, and eliminated schools and hospitals. They wanted to transform Cambodia into a nation that knew and understood nothing.
Today we visited two sites where innocent people were tortured and killed. To walk through a huge field with 130 mass graves and see actual skulls and remnants of bones was heart-wrenching to say the least. We went to one place called S-21 which was a place designed for detention, interrogation, torture, and killing. This place is responsible for over 20,000 deaths during the KR Regime.
I walked down the halls and into tiny rooms where victims were tortured. A rusted bed and chains along with a photograph of the condition of the corpse found on the bed filled the room. You could still see blood stains on the tile. As I made my way around my heart was breaking. I was angry. I wondered if anyone ever made it out of this place alive.
And then we saw him. This old man standing outside of another building. His name is Chum Mey and we started talking to him and quickly found out that he is one of only seven people who ever made it out of there alive. Seven out of 20,000. We stood there somberly and listened as he shared his story.
He was captured by the Khmer Rouge and brought to S-21 where he “lived” for four months. When he arrived he was stripped down, beaten, blindfolded and led into a tiny brick cell. He walked us to his actual old cell, sat on the ground where he once slept, and detailed everything he’d endured. He was beaten twice a day every day to where he couldn’t sleep laying down anymore. When he tried to sleep standing up, he was beat some more. He received two handfuls of rice porridge per day. His toes were pulled out by some sort of screwdrivers, and he was electrocuted countless times. Because of the things he endured he was left blind and deaf in his left eye and ear. After telling him we were Christians, we asked him if we could pray for him. Not only did he say yes, but he wanted all 14 of us to pray. We thanked God for saving his life and we asked Him to heal our new friend’s eye and ear. After we finished he said that he could see and hear a little bit better than before. Although he’s a Buddhist, he told us he believes Jesus will heal him. After saying goodbye to him, I realized what a great and rare privilege I had just received to hear his story.
God is redeeming this man’s life. I believe He is after his heart. Would you please pray for Chum, that he would encounter the love of Jesus Christ.
