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As a missionary, I went to Cambodia hoping to
give whatever service I could to the citizens of the impoverished
nation, but I quickly learned that they had as much to teach
me as I had to share with them. I went with an open mind, ready
to learn from the friendly, humble people of Cambodia.
The story of the Cambodian, or Khmer, people is one of resilience.
Cambodia has a rich culture dating back over a thousand years.
At its height over five hundred years ago the Khmer Empire covered
much of present-day Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar
and Laos. Remnants of the once grand empire remain as stone
temples built a millennium ago still dot the landscape in many
parts of the country. Inscriptions and murals carved into temple
walls tell of the past glory of the Khmer civilization, and
these records in stone still form the basis for the Khmer culture.
In more recent years, after a period of French rule, Cambodia
was the first of the Southeast Asian nations to gain independence,
leading to a period of growth and prosperity. Unfortunately,
after only twenty years of independence, the brutal Khmer Rouge
Regime came to power, destroying all the progress that had been
made and causing what is now known as the Cambodian Killing
Fields. Cambodia is now rebuilding from the civil war and genocide
that ended only three decades ago. Despite their hardships,
the Cambodians are a cheerful, friendly people attempting to
regain the splendor of days past and build a peaceful nation
in their beautiful land.
Riding a bike through the streets of Phnom Penh, the capital
city of Cambodia, there is something new at every turn. Children
run grinning after the foreigners as we ride through their villages.
Motorcycles, many with five or six people on them, crowd the
streets like schools of fish in the ocean. Buddhist monks walk
down the street with their orange robes and umbrellas, leaving
their blessings and accepting donations to benefit the local
monasteries that double as community centers and often as schools
for the children. Despite having so little, many Khmer people
still find ways to help those who are even less fortunate than
themselves.
I embraced their culture as they welcomed me into it. I was
privileged to experience the Khmer way of life: transplanting
rice on a flooded plain, riding through monsoons as streets
became rivers, sharing meals underneath stilted houses. The
Cambodians have little, but what they have they are happy to
share. This seems to be the secret to their happiness, and is
perhaps the most important lesson I gained from my two years
in Cambodia.
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