Update from the Cambodia Mission Team

By Smhuat


Day 11 - Sunday was mixed with encouragement, fun and more travel! The restaurant at Freedom Hotel in Siem Reap caters to Westerners and we took advantage of this mini blessing with lots of American dishes for breakfast!

Afterward, we met our guide, Meas Sopha who’d shown us the temples at Angkor Wat the day before. Troy had asked him what he knew about Jesus on our ride home. Meas Sopha’s sister and brother are believers and he wanted to learn more about the “European Jesus” as he put it. He accepted Troy’s invitation to join us for church at one of the churches in Siem Reap and we joyfully added him to our van for the ride out to the church.

Praising the Lord is good for our souls. Praising the Lord with children who also praise the Lord is indescribable! These children raised their hands and sang their praises to the Lord – eyes closed and smiles everywhere! What a joy to see! We enjoyed the hospitality of these lovely people – as well as the additional surprise of the introduction of a man from the Philippines who was doing missionary work in the area! What a blessing for Glen to see someone working in Cambodia from the Philippines – his mission field for 17 years!

The pastor of the church gave us a Khmer Bible for our friend Meas Sopha. We all signed it and when we got back to the hotel, presented it to him with the hope that he would use it to learn about Jesus! He seemed genuinely pleased.

Another 6-hour travel adventure by bus (this time quite air-conditioned!) back to Phnom Phen gave us an opportunity to reflect on all we’d experienced. This was the end of our “vacation” weekend – Troy’s plan to help us rest before the heartbreaking work ahead of us.

And heartbreaking it is. This is our 12th day (Monday) and our visit to the Tuol Sleng – or “S-21” gave us a real understanding of the annihilation that happened under Pol Pot from 1975 – 1979. Seeing the original buildings used for torture as well as pictures of the atrocities done there to the people of Cambodia, BY their own people, is heart-wrenching beyond belief. It is a vivid reminder of the depravity of man without God.

The Killing Fields monument also brought this concept home to us. We saw the sites of mass graves, as well as hundreds of skulls found after the massacre.

Another emotional rollercoaster experience was the rehabilitation house here directed by Don Brewster. It is such an example of the healing power of Christ. We are in awe of the sacrificial love each of the staff gives to the girls rescued from the sex trade industry. There are 54 girls currently at the facility. To see them one would never guess the horrors they’ve been through, but their pictures and stories tell it. Some however are healed to the point that they can help in the outreach to a very depressed and evil part of the city. Shopping was the delightful end of our visit to the center and we enjoyed buying the items made by the girls.

Don Brewster gets the gold star for restaurant suggestions so far on this trip! “Le Duo” is an Italian place – beautifully decorated in Italian motif. And the FOOD was authentically Italian – probably because the owner is Italian! We think he is married to a Cambodian woman. And this answers the question, “what is an Italian restaurant doing in Cambodia? Looking forward to another visit there this week!