Cambodia: Surreal yet so real.

After many years of hearing about Cambodia, I am finally hearing the sounds of Cambodia first hand. The air is filled with honking horns, karaoke, laughter and “you want tuk tuk?”. A tuk tuk is a carriage that is pulled by a motorcycle; the drivers are always looking for customers. My interest in Cambodia got off the runway about 12 years ago when I read a book that told the story of the thousands of Cambodians that came to faith in Christ in the early 1970’s. Most of those Christians either were executed or died of starvation during the Pol Pot era. Oddly enough, I was listening to a Ravi Zacharias message today as I was shaving to a view of Central Market (huge market in the center of Phnom Penh). Ravi was sharing about how revival impacted Cambodia through a quality of leadership that was willing to lay down their lives for the gospel. He went on to say that after he left Phnom Penh in 1974, the Khmer Rouge seized the city and forced its residents into the fields for a cruel mass experiment in destroying everything that opposed the regime's intention of creating a unified socialist state. Two Cambodian pastors that Ravi preached with (Chiarrc and Sunson), were given the opportunity to be flown out the country with their families by helicopter. They stayed behind saying “it would worth it if only one Khmer Rouge came to faith in Christ over our deaths”. Hours after the helicopter left, both were dead; Chiarrc was executed in front of the French Embassy. Driving by the French Embassy on a tuk tuk carries a bit more weight for me when I realize the blood that was spilled in this nation. It is somewhat easy to forget the atrocities when driving through the city that is chockablock full of tourists, non-government organizations and rapid development. I was surprised at the relatively advanced state of infrastructure; traffic lights counts down to green, main roads are pot-hole free, wonderful restaurants and guesthouses abound. Extreme poverty lives beside massive building projects, women with babies begging that the streets will provide enough for them to survive. My time here has been surreal, but yet so real … as I realize that I am standing on ground that has been crying out for deliverance, justice and hope for decades.

Marie Ens from Place of Rescue told me “God loves this little country. So much has been taken from her, I just want to give back”. It has been an honor and a delight to see many organizations “giving back” as an answer to the cries.

This week has truly been ordered of the Lord. For those who have been praying; thanks. Most of my time was focused on building on the relationships with the organizations that we already have including;

- Place of Rescue with Marie Ens

- Hagar

- Prison Fellowship

- Servants – Big Brothers and Big Sisters

- Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia

All these groups are bringing deliverance, justice and hope to the beautiful people of Cambodia.

I shall give updates about home my time went with these groups….. Stay tuned.

Highlights: Spending a day at Place of Rescue, meeting the children, house parents and those suffering from HIV/Aids.

Lowlights: Waiting for hours to get a chance to connect with the outside world through the internet. We are going into the River Festival and more than 2 million extra people have flocked into the city.

Check in out: I was able to spend a few minutes with Brian Maconaghy from Ratanak Foundation who was just leaving as I was arriving. I would invite you to read accounts of his time in Cambodia at www.ratanak.ca.