Cambodia

Pol Pot

So, I was fortunate to take part in an amazing trip a couple of weeks ago. I went with a group of about 30 to Phnom Penh Cambodia to build houses. We started our first full day there in orientation at The Tabitha Foundation. It is an amazing organization that is helping others by teaching them how to earn money and save. While there, we got a little history lesson so we knew what and who we were building for. I will be honest with you...I had no idea about Pol Pot, Khmer Rouge and the awful times Cambodians faced around the time I was being born. It was such an educational trip. It is so baffling to think that such an evil man can rise to power so quickly and pretty much bring a country down to nothing in just 3 days. He took away and burned all the money, took people out of their homes, separated families, put everyone to work in harsh environments and tortured and killed thousands. Anyone that had higher than a 6th grade education was immediately executed along with people who wore glasses because they looked intelligent.
We went on a tour of an old school next that had been turned into a prison during those 3 years. Out of the 20,000 people that went in, there were only 5 survivors. Our guide was a sweet lady that was only a child when all of this happened. She talked about being separated from her family and her siblings that died. She worked in the rice fields all day. They were stripped of clocks and watches so they didn't even know the time or day.

 Next was the killing fields. This was where bus loads of people were brought weekly and eventually daily to be executed. They did not use bullets because they were too expensive, so they were beat to death with various tools. The hardest thing to see was the tree where they would hold the babies by the ankles and smash their heads against. This was a very draining day.

 The next two days were spent building. The village we went too was a lot larger than I expected. I loved that the families you were building for were right there watching, some even helping. They were so excited and thankful. They honestly have the most unbelievable smiles! And they were always smiling! It really makes all the little things in my life that don't go right and that get me upset seem so insignificant.

They loved bubbles!!

At night and the last day we were there we had some free time to explore the city! We had some wonderful dinners out and I came back with bags full...awesome shopping!! We also took some time to tour the palace.

What an humbling experience it all was! I came home to my massive condo and healthy family with an even greater appreciation for how truly blessed I am. All the evil and poverty that I saw and heard about during those days though made me grateful that this world is not our home.