Vision for a Country, Horror, Beatles, and a Sweat Box.

Final Day in Cambodia.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. This documents my last day in Southeast Asia, and I am writing in the Tokyo airport with no sleep in the last 30hrs....so forgive my writing.

Today we had a relaxed breakfast with Pyneath (country director in Cambodia) and talked more about the future of Young Life in Cambodia. Please pray for this man. He has carried the weight of the ministry on his shoulders for 11 years and he is very tired. It is amazing to hear him talk about his vision for the country (Young Life centers in each province, a work that is completely sustainable without foreign resources, and changing the Christian culture in his country from one that only takes, to one that gives) and to know that it is absolutely possible with his leadership. Please pray that the Lord would give him rest over a sabbatical in 2010 and renew his heart and soul. Pray for Clif and is his leadership and decerment with Pyneath. Pray for the finances in Cambodia. It a has been funded by a few large donors and those resources are drying up. We need monthly donors that would own a center, a staff person, a computer lab. More on that on my final...maybe you would be one.

After breakfast Pyneath took us to the Genocide Museum. I had certainly heard what happened here in Cambodia between 1975-1979, but did not know the details. Basically, a radical ultra communist rebel group called teh Kehmer Rouge led by Pol Pot took over the country on April 17th, 1975. Within a few hours they began the systematic emptying of every city in the country. Litterally millions of people were displaced. The goal, a whole new society where everyone was equal and worked the land. Within a few days they began to execute and imprision anyone who was educated: doctors, teachers, lawyers, government officials, and more. Not long after that it became an extermination of a population where anyone was killed, babies, elderly, etc. In 1,000 days it is estimated that 3 million people were killed. We walked through room after room that was filled with pictures (mug shots, if you will) of the victims. It was overwhelming to see the pictures, see the prison where many were held, tortured, and killed. There was a stack of old clothes that was just a mountain. We also had the chance to walk the Killing Fields. After the regime was ousted farmers around this plot of land began to notice a stench. It was the decaying bodies of thousands of people. As we walked there were still pieces of bone and clothing on the ground from 30 years ago. It was heartbreaking. They call it here ‘The Murder of a Gentle Land’ which sent the country back into the stone age. Pyneath told us that in the 1960's Cambodia was called the "jewel of Asia." Different countries came to them to see how to build a prosperous society. After Pol Pot they had to basically start over, because all the people who were educated had be killed. (picture above is a up close of the bone monument, picture in full below. Picture below of clothes and a bone still on ground, as well as picture of mass graves. I was sick after this experience.

After checking out of our hotel we ventured to the Central Market for one final assault on our senses. I have been to a couple of third world countries, but never had a seen so many merchants, packed so closely together selling everything from purses and scarves to spices and really large beetles (if I am not mistaken people eat them, picture below). We shopped and bargained and basically did an hour of the tourist gig. One piece of advice if you are traveling to Cambodia - go to the restroom before you go to the Central Market.

We then decided to get haircuts. We drove to a part of the city that looks like the rest to outside eyes - lots of people and shops lining the street. We walked into a hot and humid "hair salon" to find 5 people waiting for us. We were pumped. Unfortunately, we found out after I took the lad and the guy had started to cut my hair, but we found out only this guy cut hair. So Pyneath, Clif and Rob decided to see if there was another barber close, leaving me alone...fun. Pyneath remembered that his second cousin was a hair stylist, so he called his mom and found out that she was just doors down. The other guys walked in to be greeted by a nice air-conditioned salons. So, while I was in the small Sauna hot box they were enjoying a spacious air-conditioned environment. I am not sure why there were extra people in my barber shop staring at me, but by the end I was soaking wet from sweat. I was so mad when I walked in the door dripping in sweat to see Rob getting his head massaged after a comfortable air-conditioned hair cut. Fortunately for me they gave me the shampoo treatment like Rob. Total cost for three haircuts and for shampoos - $10. I am ruined. Every time I walk into SuperCuts from now on I will say 'three dollar for hair cut and 5min head massage'?

Finally, on our way to the airport we stopped by the third and final Young Life Center. We should not have been surprised at what we found - three classrooms of kids being taught English, a packed computer lab and a couple of kids hanging out practicing the guitar. (notice what the student is practicing in English..Blind Bartemous). It truly is an incredible work that God is doing in Cambodia through faithful disciples living out the call of 2 Timothy 2:2, "And these things that you have heard me say in front of many witnesses entrust to reliable men (and women) who will also be qualified to teach others."