A Hurting People

Yesterday as a pretty intense day!  It was Saturday and we decided to do the typical tourist locations.  Our first stop was the Genocide Museum(Prison).  If you don't know much about the Khmer Rouge, like me before deciding to come here, this is a short summary I found online.  I encourage you to research this more  if you don't know about it. I want to warn you that some of the things I will share about my experience will be a little graphic so read with caution.  

"Khmer Rouge: A Communist guerrilla movement in Cambodia (formerly Kampuchea) led by Pol Pot, which ruled the country between 1975 and 1979. The Khmer Rouge killed an estimated 2 to 3 million Cambodians via torture, execution, over-work or starvation during its four-year reign of terror. (This was 1/4 or 1/5 of the total population.) They sought to cleanse Cambodia of capitalists and intellectuals, and to impose a new social structure based entirely on collective agriculture.Pol Pot's murderous regime was forced out of power by a Vietnamese invasion in 1979, but the Khmer Rouge fought on as a guerrilla army from the jungles of western Cambodia until 1999.Today, some of the Khmer Rouge leaders are being tried for genocide and crimes against humanity. Pol Pot himself died in 1998, before he could face trial.The term "Khmer Rouge" comes from Khmer, which is the name for the Cambodian people, plus rouge, which is French for "red" - that is to say, Communist."

As I walked through this prison, that was one time a school, it was overwhelming to see the images of innocent victims that suffered and died by their own people.  The place felt heavy as I walked through the halls into each cell room.  I could not understand how human life was treated with no value or respect.  Many starved to death or were tortured in ways that I cannot forget.  There were only 7 survivors from this one prison.  

We took a tuk tuk over to the killing fields.  Before going inside we ate lunch at a restaurant nearby.  It was pretty good and they had french fries!  On their menus, it is actually written "Fried French".  It was nice to have something other than rice.  It is not an exaggeration when you hear asians eat rice for every meal.  Literally, they do! 

We walked into the entrance of the killing fields and was able to get audio to guide us through the tour.  I was standing in the place where thousands were murdered!  Each marker told us of what happened in that place from the time they arrived, to what they used to kill, and where they put the bodies. There was a tree that had spikes on the stems and it was a way that they would slit the victims' throats so it would be silent.  There was also a tree called the "Magic Tree" that they put a speaker in and blasted music so no one else would hear the torturing.  

There were many large pits on the land as we walked.  Those pits were where they would pile up the bodies.  I really felt sick when I saw the mass graves of where children had died.  There was another tree, called the "Killing Tree" where they would just swing and hit the babies and children head on the tree.  When it rains, the remains of things like teeth, bones, clothes, etc. come to the surface and are preserved in boxes around the grounds.  In the middle of the site, there is built a stupa and many skulls are kept.  They are classified into categories and it's a place to go and pay respect and pray. 

This day was hard to take in.  Seeing what Cambodia has been through and how they are trying to rebuild gives me such a love for these people.  They are so kind and excited to see us Americans.  Even with their hospitality and stares along with smiles, you can still feel the oppression.  With the religion over 90% Buddhist, it is a very dark place.  Because I live in the Bible belt, it is hard to wrap my head around the fact that many have not heard the name of Jesus.  What is encouraging is that we have met people here that have been saved by Grace and are active in spreading the love of Jesus to their people.  We went to church today.  It was mostly in Khmer, but they had English words under the Khmer words during worship and the message was translated.  It was an awesome experience!  They were so on fire!  One guy got up and shared a verse and told a testimony with tears running down his face.  Although, I could not understand...I could see he loved God.  It was so cool to be with my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world!!!

Please remember my team and I in your prayers.  We each have our own struggles and challenges to deal with on this journey whether it be with health or our spiritual lives.  Thank you so much for the prayers you have sent up thus far!  

Blessings,
B