My heart was heavy that day. The things I saw will forever be engrained in my mind. I read a sign next to a tree labeled “the beating tree” where soldiers would grab babies by the ankles and crash their skulls against the base of the trunk. I saw pits dug up where piles of dead bodies once laid. Massive collections of bones and skulls. I saw blood stained floors, and gallows where bodies once swung from side to side. I stared into the faces of thousands that were murdered, tortured, and left for dead. They had no hope. And now all that remains is the remnants of their bones and their photo in a frame.
The Khmer Regime was one of the worst human tragedies of the 20th century. Nearly 2 million Cambodians died from diseases due to lack of medicines, medical services, execution, starvation, or exhaustion. Tens of thousands were made widows and orphans and those who lived through the Regime were severely traumatized by their experiences. Several thousand Cambodians fled their country and became refugees. A large portion of the Cambodian population have mental problems because of their family members being lost, killed, or their spirits damaged. These factors are one the major causes of the poverty that plagues Cambodia today.
The Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia on April 17th 1975, and ruled the country until 1979. The government led their people to believe America was planning to do a sneak attack and gave them 3 days to escape the country. Some people did escape and fled to Vietnam or surrounding countries. Others weren’t so lucky. In their attempt to leave they were arrested or put to the plow were they worked long hours with no pay and no food. The government would overwork and abuse their prisoners and deprive them of food which resulted in starvation. Others were sent to Tuol Sleng (S21) a local school turned into a Khmer Rouge Prison camp, and a chamber of torture. The prisoners were confined to a 3×6 cell and were changed to a bed. They had a box by their bed for fecal matter and were usually beaten and tortured in the confinement of their cells. Torturing mechanisms consisted of water boarding, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding they had their fingers cut off and had alcohol poured over the opened wounds, their throats were slit, they dangled them from the gallows into barrels of water, they were beaten, and starved.
Khmer Rouge was in full power. They set up policies that disregarded human life, and produced repression and massacres on a massive scale. It was a detention center, a sea of blood, and a grave yard of bones. Pol Pot and his malicious military personnel were in heavy pursuit to wipe out this nation and start fresh.
By early 1973 about 85% of Cambodian Territory was in the hands of the Khmer Rouge. S21 had about 14,000 prisoners while in operation. Only about 12 survived. (one of which I met) People were sent to the “killing fields” to do agricultural work. They were forced to do 12 hours of work a day in the hot Cambodian sun without water, food, or rest. Most of the them died along the way or during work from heat exhaustion.
The Goal of the Khmer Rouge movement was to transform Cambodia into a rural classless society in which there were NO rich people, NO poor people, and NO exploitation. They abolished money, free markets, normal schools, private property, foreign clothing styles, religious practices and Khmer culture. Pagodas, Mosques, Churches, and Universities were shut down or turned into prisons. There was no transportation, and no entertainment. People were not allowed to gather publically or hold discussions. They could be arrested or executed. People were even forbidden to show affection to one another.
In December 1978 clashes broke out between Vietnam and Cambodia. The Vietnamese fought their way into Cambodia and with the help of the United Nations the Khmer Rouge leaders were forced out of the country into Thai territory. The Khmer Rouge continued to exist until 1999. Since then the leaders have been arrested or died, but their legacy remains.
My heart was heavy the day were toured the S21 prison and the killing fields. To think were walking on the same ground, seeing the same sights, and learning about the nightmare they lived put my stomach in knots. Learning about the orchestration of the Cambodian genocide made me even question God at one point. With tears in my eyes I asked him “God how is this okay?” “If you love us so much, how could you allow this to happen to Cambodia?” “How could this of happened to millions of innocent people?” “Why are people STILL suffering for what took place years ago?”
It’s the same reason we STILL suffer for what took place over 2,000 years ago in a garden. “SIN” came into the world. There is no innocent person. We are ALL born into a life of sin. From birth we were destined for death. BUT through Christ, we have eternal life. (Romans 3:10)There is NO ONE who is righteous, not one. The Bible says the heart is deceitful and wicked above ALL things. (Jeremiah 17:9) and ALL fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve rebelled against God in Eden and mankind has been in rebellion ever since.(you can read more about the fall of mankind in Genesis 3)
The effects of sin permeates everything around us, and the suffering we see (then and present day) is a DIRECT result of sin. God did not leave us alone here to suffer, to wander aimlessly through life full of sorrow. We serve a loving, merciful, God who has a PERFECT plan to use suffering to accomplish HIS purpose. He uses pain and suffering to draw us closer to HIM, so we will cling to HIM. He tells us in his word we WILL have troubles. (John 16:33) Trials and tribulation are not unforeseen by him, they aren’t unusual and don’t take him by surprise. But it’s evidence we’re humans and we live in a fallen world. How we respond to suffering is determined by the genuineness of our faith. Those who TRULY have faith from God “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) will NOT be crushed by suffering. We should not shake our fists or question suffering but instead “count it as pure joy” ( James 1: 2) because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. “Blessed is the man who endures trial because having been approved, he WILL receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
God uses suffering to take our eyes off this world and focus on the NEXT. The Bible continually exhorts us to NOT get caught up in the things in this world but look forward to the one to come. This world and ALL that is in it, WILL pass away. But the kingdom of God is Eternal. Jesus said “My Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36) The suffering we endure that seems so terrible are not to be compared with the Glory that will be revealed to us later.” (Romans 8:18)
Could God prevent suffering? Of course! But he ASSURES us that ALL things work together for HIS purposes. (Romans 8:28) So Even suffering is apart of ALL things he is using to accomplish his good purposes. Thankfully we know the end of the story. Although we have sin and rebellion against God, he has NOT left us alone in a fallen world. He used evil of the world (liars, cheaters, murders, genocides, suicides etc.) to bring his son to the Cross so that we have the opportunity to obtain Eternal life with him. He uses tragedies and fallen people to accomplish HIS will and to prove HIS sovereignty over evil, suffering and rebellious people. And for THAT he deserves all the Honor and the Glory.
