John & Lisa's visit to Cambodia; Phom Penh

My friends from UK, John & Lisa just visited Cambodia after a stint in S'pore.

They have sponsored the education of 'Chenda' the Cambodian girl.

I am sharing with you an account of their experience in Cambodia because I cannot describe the atmosphere in Cambodia, the life of the kids and the work of Don Bosco Schools any better than they have already done so in their email.

I hope all who view this website will feel called to help these under privileged children and yound adults so that they may have a better life through education.

Yours In Christ,
Mill

John & Lisa - Their Account of Cambodia:

lisajohnbackpacking@yahoo.co.uk>To: Lisa & John <lisajohnbackpacking@yahoo.co.uk>Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 14:27:16 +0100 (BST) Subject: Hello from Phnom Penh Cambodia


Traffic here is even more crazy than Siem Reap. It comes from every direction on both sides of the road. Cars, motodups (motorcycles), tuk tuks and bicycles. You even see up to 7 people on 1 motorcycle: 4 adults and 3 children hanging off the sides! No helmets and no license needed…scary and absolutely have to see it to believe it.

Whilst here we also visited the darker side of Phnom Penh. One of the many prisons, the Former Khmer Rouge Security Prison (S21) was there the Pol Pot regime tortured over 20,000 victims over a 4 year period in an attempt to eradicate intellectuals and return Cambodia to an agricultural society.\n He killed the educators and the educated even to the extreme of anyone wearing glasses was considered to be an intellectual.

We also went to the Killing Fields (again one of many) where 17,000 men, women and children met a brutal death and then were buried in mass graves. As you enter, there is a tall white monument housing thousands of unearthed skulls and are arranged by the victims ages (photo 371). It is truly a harrowing experience.

In the distance beyond the mass graves we noticed a pond with a group of young naked children playing in the water whilst a few older children scrubbed down their cows. (photo 382) They were all laughing and having fun. Evidence that life in Cambodia has moved on although the poverty is as strong as ever.


Pond water is used for cooking, drinking, washing, cleaning – absolutely everything. This is the same water the animals use. There are many landmine victims and poverty beyond comprehension. Yet they always have a big smile to offer you.


We arrived in Phnom Penh during their Khmer New Year which similar to Thailand is an excuse for a nationwide water fight. But here not only do they drench you with buckets of water but then they douse you with talcum powder, leaving you looking like a human pancake. We experienced this first hand!


The highlight of our trip to Cambodia was the time spent with the Sisters and volunteers at Don Bosco School. They house a group of 132 girls, teaching them secretarial skills, social skills and hygiene. (photo 628) They also look after 17 special girls with tragic backgrounds and often a very bad home life. There is also a kindergarten here with a further 120 children. (photo 653)


We also visited a village school managed by the nuns with 400 children. The Sisters provide a hot lunch which is probably the only meal these children get each day and yet they all wanted to share their food with us when we arrived.


We brought them each a notebook for their studies and enough sweets for each of them to have a few. You would have though we had given them a million dollars. Their faces where glowing with happiness and the biggest smiles you have ever seen. (photo 563) They put their hands together as if in prayer and bow to you. This is how they greet you and also how they say thank you. After that we visited yet another school with 300 children (who were all taking their naps). So sweet to witness.


All of these schools survive on charity alone. One large bag of rice costs $13 and will feed one of the schools for 1 week. It is just amazing what they survive on. At the schools they children are not only taught their normal classes, but also taught basic English, social skills and hygiene (which most are not taught at home).


But the interesting thing is that these Catholic nuns are teaching in a 95% Buddhist community. They explained they do not teach religion but do teach the importance of prayer.We passed onto the nuns a great tradition taught to us called "Group Therapy" where each evening at dinner you take turns talking about the positive things that happened in your day. The nuns loved it and couldn't wait to share it with the other sisters from other groups and of course their students. (Troy and Jolee, you will never know how much your family tradition has had such an amazing affect around the world!)


Our last day in Cambodia we had the privilege of meeting a young lady we have chosen to sponsor called Chenda. She is one of the 17 "special" girls at Don Bosco. She has had so many tragic experiences in her 21 years it is incredible. Now she wants to be a psychologist and help others. She is learning English and tried so hard to express her gratitude to us for helping her. She sat holding our hands and gave us lots of hugs. When we departed she said with tears in her eyes "Happy New Year Mom and Dad."


We all had tears as we left Cambodia. Those few weeks had such impact on our minds and our hearts and have helped us appreciate just how lucky we are for such basics like clean water, electricity and homes with real floors, walls and furniture.

Next email will be from Vietnam.


Lots of love ,
Lisa and John