Tim did his best to prepare me for what I would experience here on the ground. I've seen his past trip pictures and knew it would be no Lynden with fresh manicured lawns, pristine yards, clean streets and cloroxed homes. He prepared me well. Here's my best to describe in a "few short words" what I was introduced to this past week...
As we near the end of our time here in Cambodia, I've only had my stomach in my throat just a small handful of times. A pause in air movement passing a fermenting pile of trash alongside the road caused a quick moment of immediate mouth breathing to avoid the smell from being burned into my nostrils. A turn in the Russian Market leading us through the "fresh" produce and meats made me rush to provide deodorizing oils to prevent the urge to vomit in the skinny walkways between booths of foods and goods. The warmer it gets, the more pleasant the transforming trash becomes.
{The entire pig, dragon fruit, silks, shoes and fresh meat. }
And let's talk about trash.
There is a garbage system, but I'm convinced it's one that runs on a When-I-Feel-Like-It business mentality. Bags upon bags of sealed tight garage, most of which that is not contained, scatters the streets with everything not in use. Many will come along in a tuk tuk and pick up items that could have potential recycling purposes. When the garbage trucks do come by the people toss the trash on a corner where men pitch fork the bags into a truck to a disclosed area.
Old water bottles and glass coke bottles become the new container to sell gasoline in along with plastic bags that are used and can be found hanging from the scooter handle bars. Discarded cement, metal, plastics and perishables have become part of the landscape here in the city and outside villages. It becomes part of their homes, provides places of rest for those in need of a seat and creates cushion for some to walk on. The ironic thing to me is when it rains or at the end of a day, you'll pass a home where a woman is sweeping her small claimed piece of cement in front of the family store, with a bristle broom clearing it from dirt and excess water. At most a four foot long entrance to their home that is kept clean with pride for what is rightly theirs.
There is a garbage system, but I'm convinced it's one that runs on a When-I-Feel-Like-It business mentality. Bags upon bags of sealed tight garage, most of which that is not contained, scatters the streets with everything not in use. Many will come along in a tuk tuk and pick up items that could have potential recycling purposes. When the garbage trucks do come by the people toss the trash on a corner where men pitch fork the bags into a truck to a disclosed area.
Old water bottles and glass coke bottles become the new container to sell gasoline in along with plastic bags that are used and can be found hanging from the scooter handle bars. Discarded cement, metal, plastics and perishables have become part of the landscape here in the city and outside villages. It becomes part of their homes, provides places of rest for those in need of a seat and creates cushion for some to walk on. The ironic thing to me is when it rains or at the end of a day, you'll pass a home where a woman is sweeping her small claimed piece of cement in front of the family store, with a bristle broom clearing it from dirt and excess water. At most a four foot long entrance to their home that is kept clean with pride for what is rightly theirs.
The road system is respectful, out of control and completely undocumented. There is an unsaid rule about merging and allowing cross traffic to not get smothered by multiple cars, scooters, moto's and large trucks as all four directions best said, go at once. I'm not quite sure you could possibly teach drivers ed here because the one rule is to always assume they don't see you or will stop. Seattle traffic at rush hour is a breeze compared to the mayhem that manages on the dirt, gravel, sometimes paved, pot-hole riddled roads. Some pot holes as deep as a foot and almost the width of the street. The side street New Life Church is located on, had a special birthday or wedding happening on it. We knew this because they popped up a tent on one side of the road.
Yep, in the road. Crazy, but quite common.
These people are extremely talented balancer's as well. Moto's with 20 mattresses tall will maneuver through the roads. Scooters with a family of five cruising through town. One family had the dad, helmet on as only the driver is required to wear one, driving with a large plastic bag in front of him, his sleeping young son leaning against the bale of a bag with his tongue hanging out taking a peaceful snooze. Behind dad was his daughter snug between him and mom who had her hands full of goods too. How anyone could find a moment to have sweet dreams baffles me?!! This little guy managed quite well. It's also common to see people holding an IV bag up high with the needle still inserted into a vein. Medical attention taking the drive-thru approach.
Yep, in the road. Crazy, but quite common.
These people are extremely talented balancer's as well. Moto's with 20 mattresses tall will maneuver through the roads. Scooters with a family of five cruising through town. One family had the dad, helmet on as only the driver is required to wear one, driving with a large plastic bag in front of him, his sleeping young son leaning against the bale of a bag with his tongue hanging out taking a peaceful snooze. Behind dad was his daughter snug between him and mom who had her hands full of goods too. How anyone could find a moment to have sweet dreams baffles me?!! This little guy managed quite well. It's also common to see people holding an IV bag up high with the needle still inserted into a vein. Medical attention taking the drive-thru approach.
We saw many motors with live chickens hanging upside down tied to the handle bars or animals across the back ready to be brought to the market. Cows crossing the street, goats grazing through the rancid piles of trash and last night as I was leaving a home, rats scampering across driveways from pile to pile. What you often see next to a rusted out bike or tuk tuk is a Range Rover or Mercedes. The blend between the lowest of lows and wealthiest of wealth is strangely beautiful. It works. There is such respect in this community even with the diverse gap between the rich and the poor. The difference back home is we don't mix the two and shun the opposite we live in.
If you're familiar with Cambodian culture, then you would know how significant the killing fields are in the placement of history. 343 killing fields to be exact in the country of Cambodia. We visited one and that was enough. Some still have not been visited as they are protected with land mines to prevent the disgusting truths buried underground to be found. Even the narrator in my head phones had a sobering voice as we walked through the grounds. The place of the killing fields was morbid, dark and very real as the rain had unearthed some of the rags and bones of those executed by the regime. At the end of the tour you could watch a video, but I had seen enough at that point and chose not too. I was done. The fact that anger and resentment doesn't rule over this land is a miracle in itself. We later visited the prison inside the city walking through cells and torture chambers of those captured before the guards sent them out to the killing fields. Unbelievable history.
Recently our power went out for close to 24 hours. There was an urgent need to clear the fridge of perishables that had potentially gone sour due to appliances not keeping them cool. Here, the power goes out regularly and in the summer it's on a scheduled outage to keep all the air cons and fans running fairly from neighborhood to neighborhood. Eggs sit in the hot sun, meat hangs in the heat. The wires resemble something of a matted rats nest after not combing ones hair for a week. Yesterday, I saw a guy fixing a wire as he stood on the top of a ladder leaning against the clump of wires between poles. We were told of one guy who was electrocuted by these wires and his buddies thought best to toss him in a puddle of water to help him.
There is a vast gap between an educated decision and that in which is made. Most fires begin with electrical shortages from not having large enough wires for the wattage running through the lines. And let's mention fires. If your house goes up in flames there is a fire department, but in order for them to take action, you have to pay them what you feel your place is worth before a trickle of water is sprayed. If the house is worth less then what it cost to put it out then you let it go up in flames. I'm not sure my brother would be able to implement this procedure at his station back home.
There is a vast gap between an educated decision and that in which is made. Most fires begin with electrical shortages from not having large enough wires for the wattage running through the lines. And let's mention fires. If your house goes up in flames there is a fire department, but in order for them to take action, you have to pay them what you feel your place is worth before a trickle of water is sprayed. If the house is worth less then what it cost to put it out then you let it go up in flames. I'm not sure my brother would be able to implement this procedure at his station back home.
In all the community that I've seen here, authentic joy radiates through the rush of life: the kids, the smiles and colors of life. There are pages of a story being told in the eyes of child here. There is no such thing as a bland backdrop to life lived in the city. There is hope in the villages as schools are being built and having church on Sunday. ( Thank you Koi & Reny for sharing this hope with me.) There is new life offered as programs are building the young generation up to be successful and empowered through Christ. There is contentment beyond my comprehension as what they know is all they've had. I have grown immensely seeing the many smiles on faces young and old, having the kindness offered and hearing how a little help has opened windows of opportunity. I left in tears as I was the one richly blessed this week. A little confused leaving as I truly do wish I could stay longer.
Flying out in the daytime, I was able to get a glimpse of the land from up above. What felt like we covered miles of city was just a small footprint of ground.
I was left with this thought:
We covered no more ground then that of which takes claim to a Lynden zip code. The life that is lived, abused, taken advantage of, tossed by the wayside and discarded is too much for most of us to grasp. But, I was given a little insight too witnessing life fully lived, completely dependent, appreciated and craving more of the beauty of life with Jesus as King. Those we met this past week, I am confident will be the catalyst that starts a wave of change in the hearts of many. It's impossible to miss the radiant passion for Jesus that grows deep within and by no means can be contained.
For those who prayed for us during our time away...thank you.
{ Pastor Sophea & his wife Jenny, Hans Molegraaf & the Broersma's. }
Flying out in the daytime, I was able to get a glimpse of the land from up above. What felt like we covered miles of city was just a small footprint of ground.
I was left with this thought:
We covered no more ground then that of which takes claim to a Lynden zip code. The life that is lived, abused, taken advantage of, tossed by the wayside and discarded is too much for most of us to grasp. But, I was given a little insight too witnessing life fully lived, completely dependent, appreciated and craving more of the beauty of life with Jesus as King. Those we met this past week, I am confident will be the catalyst that starts a wave of change in the hearts of many. It's impossible to miss the radiant passion for Jesus that grows deep within and by no means can be contained.
For those who prayed for us during our time away...thank you.
{ Spent an evening with the Single Women's group from church. }
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