Jan

14

A Land of Trauma

Filed Under Return To Vietnam 

Cambodia

Cambodia

It is Wednesday, January 14th and we just arrived in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.  If anyone every forgets to thank the greater universe for his/her daily blessings, take a few hours to visit here.  Cambodia is an entire country experiencing PTSD – severely tortured and traumatized by the incredible treatment of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.  During the “recleansing” of Pol Pot, Phenom Phen, the capital of Cambodia with over one million people, was reduced to a mere 45,000 as the soldier (many of them young boys) murdered the residents or made them flee to the countryside where they ended up starving to death or dying from disease.  Between 1975 and 1979, this small country lost over two million people – one million murdered (some for only wearing eye glasses which symbolized an intellectual) and the second million died of malnutrition and other maladies.  Our thirty-five year old tour guide was only four when the Khmer Rouge began its reign of terror.  His Dad, grandparents, younger sister, and several other relatives died.  He, along with many other small children, was taken from his parents to work in rice fields and fed very little.  After five years, his mother, who survived wherever she was kept, finally found him and one other sister.  Three years ago his mother died from a liver disease brought on by her many years of starvation and  torture. In spite of such loss, many of the people seem to possess an irrepressible joyful spirit even if their eyes tell a tale of pain and suffering.  The older people appear to be truly wasted, eaten up by the poverty of the environment and the memories of the past.  So when you go to sleep tonight say a prayer of infinite gratitude for all that you have, and say another prayer for the many millions of people around the world who have much less.  No matter how challenged some of our days may be or feel, they are nothing in comparison to most of the people here.

P.S.  Forgot to mention there are still many land mines in the area so it is best to stay on well traveled roads and sidewalks.  Yikes!

Comments

4 Responses to “A Land of Trauma”

  1. Nord Hjerleid on January 14th, 2009 2:49 pm

    Can’t imagine the life that your tour guide has lived. To live in a country where such torture and starvation has ocurred is hard for me to comprehend. The human spirit indeed is a marvelous gift.

    I might add, that it had been 5 days since your last posting and I was getting a little worried. Enjoy the next couple of days at sea and get some rest.

  2. Kay Shaw on January 15th, 2009 2:31 pm

    Tony and Jan,
    Andy and I have been following your trip. Having read the previous blogs we have been touched by your writings. We can read how hard your return has been but know that some of the locations, where the country side if more pleasant and life continue on, is a comfort to both of you.
    This entry again brought out our need to care for all humankind the world over. Even though our situation in the USA is not as bad as the ones you have describes, we certainly have fellow citizens who have been left behind. It is now our time and hour to come to the aid of all peoples. Thanks for your thoughts and may God bless the rest of your journey!

  3. Tony on January 16th, 2009 4:31 am

    We were unable to blog for about 3 days due to lack of computer access or slow “dial-up”…
    We just arrived in Singapore and are back online!

  4. Wyoming Land on December 17th, 2009 3:51 pm

    Good post! I even listen to what you are saying. Overall your whole blog is outstanding… I am digging it. Peace!