Not-so-happy childhoods

At a recent staff retreat, many of us shared our testimonies. It was amazing to hear everyone's stories, but especially those of the Khmer teachers and assistants. Sometimes, since they know English and have good-paying jobs, and they were born after the Khmer Rouge era, it seems like they're the lucky ones compared to most Cambodians. I forget that they've experienced a lot of suffering, just like nearly all Cambodians. Some details that stood out to me:

-Sophorn sold porridge and fruit in the streets starting at age 16, when her dad died. She spent a year teaching in the US 2 years ago, and describes it as "my chance to be a teenager." It was the most freedom and the fewest responsibilities she'd ever had.

-When Piseth was young, his dad spent three years in the hospital. Every day, Piseth rode his bike for miles to bring his dad food. Only months after his dad recovered, he deserted the family for another woman. For years, Piseth timed his walk to school to avoid running into his dad en route to work. On another topic: when Piseth became a Christian, all his friends called him "Son of God." For years, he worshiped God in the bathroom - the only place in his house with privacy. It's still where he feels closest to God!

-Somien, the oldest child in his family, watched his siblings get split up into several orphanages when he was about 12. He kept running away from his orphanage and soon joined a gang. He cried as he told his story. Today, he's a teaching assistant in kindergarten, and has earned the trust of all the little ones. He hopes to start a school in the provinces in a few years.

-Sokcha's dad spoke out too much against the government during the civil war in the late '80s. His family had to leave abruptly for a refugee camp in Thailand. The journey through the jungle, surrounded by land mines, took weeks on foot and by bicycle. His family of four rode on one bicycle taxi = 5 people total for miles on a dirt path. At the camp, he was the worst student in his class, earning 0's on everything. His parents beat him for his grades. One day, his teacher became so frustrated with him that she slammed his head against the chalkboard. About a week later, everything started to make sense, and he became a top student. Today, he's a brilliant math and physics teacher.