Ugly Culture

 

Cambodia had braved through many tough times throughout these years. There were 3 distinct issues: civil war from 1970 to 1993 and again in 1997 (there was a coup between the current prime minister and ex-prime minister), landmines and AIDS. The situation on the landmines has been improveing as Cambodia has been receiving support from foreign countries like Japan. Who suffers the most from this? Cambodian farmers mostly get killed or injured. US bombed Cambodia's provinces which are located along Vietnamese's border during the Vietnam war (Laotians or Khmer people also suffered from it). Things had improved ever since. We no longer suffer from the civil war, but political issues still persists. HIV/AIDS is known to almost 99% of Cambodians and most landmines have been removed. Despite these improvements, the fourth problem has surfaced recently: traffic accident. On average five people die in a day due to traffic accidents. Traffic accidents are becoming more prevalent. There many reasons that contributes to this, Drink-driving, under-age drivers, non-licensed drivers... a lot of poeple are blaming the government, so do I. We have many laws in place, but it is only to frighten the poor and powerless people. These laws are ineffective towards the rich because money can buy justice (spoken by a government spokesperson Phai Sipharn who said that those who "have money, have justice").

But wait, I am not criticizing the government in my blog. What I want to bring attention to not just the accidents themselves, but also to what happens to the victims during these accidents. I am coming to explain why I named the tile of this post as "Ugly Culture". Don't get me wrong, Cambodia is a country of diverse and beautiful cultures. But since young, I have heard about people running into the crowd not to help the victim, but to grab any valueable items that have been strewn across the road. It is a very ugly and selfish sight. This should not be happening. Cambodians should question themselves: what if it happens to my own relatives or family members? This question is very worth pondering over. I would wish that we are more open to discuss about this ugly culture. Recently, I saw two posts on Facebook, one is a video and another one in photographs. This is the case: a truck loaded with drinks collided with a truck loaded with cement. Many people surrounded the area; some were watching, some were calling police or ambulance, and among them, some of them were taking the drinks. They are taking it probably not for personal consumption, but to sell them. My question is, if they drink them, can they drink them? It is like they are drinking blood, sweat... This is what I call an ugly culture. In an interview with a local newspaper, a lady who claimed to be a relative of the victim said that she has no money to pay the company. The people who had stolen the drinks from the truck had committed a very selfish act. Never did they once consider how their actions would have cause an impact on the driver and his family hope that Cambodians are more willing to discuss this issue and what we can come together to stop this from tainting the beautiful Cambodian culture. A better Cambodia is possible, only when we all are educated. I am praying for a better Cambodia. I pray that, this ugly cultured will be dismissed from Khmer people. They should learn from what the beautiful cultures have taught them. Live beautiful, make everything beautiful around you. *** Special thank to my friends who helped me to correct my grammar mistakes and also added some good words. Peace out.

GO BACK TO YOUR SHEEP AND FEED THEM

What are things which in my mind that making me not able to sleep?

    First: God gave you a work which to take care of his people, the orphans, the sicks, the poor... But why you leave them separately site to site? What? Are you ready to face with the Lord, who gave you this authority to look after to them? If you need leisure, for sure can, but see what is the differences between leisure and lazy. What have you done to your sheep? They are lost, some wounded and smell, some foxes eaten them, oh one fell into a well and you said to me, they can help themselves. Man !!! That is not a word, it is your responsibility. You are full, fun, laughing ... look !!! They are cold, they don't know where to come home, do you think they are able to get out from the well by themselves? I believe in the Lord's plan, so I am still, but my mind is stuck with this issue. Go back to your sheep and feed them. For times is still have for your repentance. How long more do you want to let your sheep lose?
  If I have a in-cure disease will you still want to be with me till the end of my life? She said yes, but I left her. Today I am sleeping with disease, eating with the disease, playing with the disease, laughing with the disease... Do you have fear with it? I said "NO", but some point, I felt scared. Not because of money, but I chose to stay with the disease victims. But I believe it is because of the CALLING. YOU ARE NOT A HERO. Maybe you are questioning me, are Jesus? When you love someone, don't be afraid to sacrifice for that. If my sacrificing really can help,I don't mind to do it. But I don't believe that, I really need to have that disease as a sacrificing, because I know it doesn't help this way. I know what I need to sacrifice for, my heart, my times, my knowledge, my skills, my life...

 I am lonely, I need friends, a friend, but most of all, I feel like Adam, he needed a woman. I am 28 this year and I really need someone who can help me to achieve my dreams, who will let her labs for my head, give her arms around my backs... Can she go to watch soccer with me? hehe, just my side, I hope I can complete her needs also. I had tons of hidden relationships which I am hating now. I need a girlfriend/wife for a real human, not a machine. I want to be her man, not her phone or computer's screen. I can read her some of her favorite books. Oh, I want to give her all of the romantic things that I have known from every corners of teachings.
  I am born here which is a country of troubles or Kingdom of Wondering. Politically, I don't like how the government is doing at all. Corruptions itch my heart, injustices speed my heartbeats, security haunting me. I wished to see my country to reformed, like other countries in the region. Real fight against corruptions, poverty, injustices, human rights, nature resources ....I can give all my worries to God who can solve all things, and He is loving to handle it for me.
   But lastly, the thing which in my head tonight that making me not sleeping is Coca-cola. It hurt my stomach and pin my brain.

Myself

A letter sent to me by Marrie, it is a great feeling when we see people thinking possibly about us. But i know myself, i am a fallen soldier.

Dear Vitok,

I am back in Hong Kong after this first encounter with Phnom Penh,

and I wanted to thank you very sincerely for your time, your insight about the situation in your 

country and its politics and your sharing.

I must confess it was a moving moment for me.

I have mentioned it to my son and some of my friends too.

It was absolutely impressive to meet such a 'leader' as you are and as you call yourself.

Full of convictions, full of questions too.

Convictions are so essential to make things happen, and questions are also so important 

as they make oneself continue to progress.

I feel so fantastic that you can articulate so clearly your dreams and that you are so clear on 

how to implement them.

Go!! You will make it for sure! 

and if I may a small advice from my side: 'Do not let 'traffic jams' block your way !!' 

I do hope to see you one day in Hong Kong, as you have in mind to travel the world!

If I can come back next year for the same Photo Phnom Penh event, I will try to propose to Ivy 

and Patrick to take with me the 'kids' out there to look at the photos exhibitions.

I always thought Art is a fantastic way to open up eyes and mind, help see beyond reality

and show a life where one can go higher!

We should find a way to give the Kids more exposure to Art and to Music too!

Thank you again, 

I wish you all the best in this Chinese New Year of the Goat!!

You will see, It will be for sure, warm, comforting and constructive.

Warm regards, 

Marie

WORDS FROM MOTHERS (SWINGS AND SINGS TO SLEEP)

Mother's day is coming, but I don't really know the exact date of it. According to the Holy Bible, Eve is the first mother of the humanity. I am sharing this, about mothers. Mother put me in a hammock swung and sang me to sleep, son you please sleep I sing you to sleep, don't cry baby, wake up i have you snacks, grow up wisely ... Mother for me is and person who never give up on me ( me and my youngest sister were in a serious sick when we were young, my aunt in-law said "throw them into well" guess what !!! Mamma didn't give up on us, right now my tear is boiling). Mother for me is the one who never say lazy to provide us, a mother who responded for 5 kids, she made banana cakes and I walked to sell them all. Mother for me is the one who will never shame just for your needs, my mother asked help from my uncle to provide us rice, house, land after we left our homeland. Mother for me is, the one who proud of me ( She always tell people about me, graduated from University, can speak fluent English ...). Mother for me is, the one who stand by my site, she has never silent to see me hurt when I couldn't speak out. Mother for me is, the one who has a dream for me, a dream that myself will living in a very great live. Mother for me is, the one who is always correct me [ ( Son!!! you shouldn't spend too much money, use your money wisely), my second mother (the founder of the orphanage where I spent my 14 years) said: if you are lazy, you will take your wife to dance in bar.]
     Mother is the one who suffered to let you out with your first scream, her pain delivered you, her tears, sweats just to hear your very first crying. I am not a mother, but I have a mother, sorry to those who has no mother. "For whoever does the will of God is My brother, sister and mother #Jesus", not all the mother are good, but truly we are appreciate their great loves upon us. Why I say this, mothers selling their daughters to be sex slave, she does gambling and sold her daughter to get some money for pay debts. Some girls were tempted by their mothers to sell their virgins because they think it is the easy way to earn money. If you think it is not true, you can do research in Cambodia sex trafficking. Step-mothers, aunties ... why people are so selfish? There are many NGOs are working with them the victims, give them skills to be a good mother in the future. We are sad when news say a father killed two kids with the mother and himself in the end. Violence, poverty, uneducated lives ... bring a sad mother. When a mother is sad, her little baby inside also sad. Actually I don't want to share this in this article, because mainly here is for mother days. But when elephant die, you can't use bucket to cover it. I am blessed to be born with my mother. Fourteen years I grew up with mother Sakada and other mothers who guided me to be a greater person, they didn't sell me, her words "To build up an orphanage is not to sell the kids, I hate people using children as their businesses". She is a great mother, mentor, teacher ... with strong commitments, she built up leaders. I am blessed to be one of them who were a fruit of her.
   'Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Said Jesus. Mother needs you when she become older. Don't leave her too long, teach your children to love her, so that your grandchildren also remember you when you getting older. Everything is just like a circle, cow eat grasses, human eat cow, human's body give fertilize to grasses. It depends how much you paid to other, you will get that much back to you. My boss said, no one had paid her lunch or ice-cream yet in my country (Cambodian friends). Honor your father and mother, so your children would learn from you and your family will be blessed.


-----------------------------------------HAPPY MOTHER DAYS-------------------------------------------------

HAPPY MOTHER DAYS

WORLD WHICH YOU ARE LIVING IN

I had been living in an orphanage for about 15 years. My world was so small in reality, I knew a lot of things but they were only in teachings. I could point many countries in the world map( I and my friend like to compete, how many countries that we can remember.), but I had never been there. I thought all I learnt were easy to practice.

   I started to drink alcohol and smoke ( tried, because smoking is consider as very bad in Cambodia) when I reached 23. What I learnt from the church, were great. I did wrong against the one who I respect the most. 

Proverbs: 20:1  Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. 

I still keep this verse of reminder in my mind. It tells me who I am. Will I choose to be a follower or a leader. When I was a teen, I was a tough teen with drinking, smoking, ... As you know, it is a natural of life. The lust is the biggest thing that I cannot taking control of. It is a big struggle for me. I saw many teen smoke, drink... when I was a teen, I didn't really want to try them. I went to a Karoke once with my friends, when I was in secondary school. When we were there, my friends chose their songs and do you know what? My turn, I chose some rap songs from my favorite Khmer rapper "Pou Kliang". It surprised them, because they couldn't rap, haha. It is guilty for me to jump over the school fence to an illegal place. We were about 15 to 18. One day I was in the capital, it was a festival in the kingdom, it was a cold night, I was late and didn't want to bother my brother then I decided to stay outside until the next day, I smoked. Me: can I have a cigarette? Seller: which brand? I chose a brand and I asked them light, they said to me, "You are a new smoker, boy". I wanted to try, because people say smoking can warm us when we are feeling cold. But guess what? I choke when I smoked. It was a quiet night, I walked around the France Embassy. It remind me of a song from a band called Green Day "Boulevard of Broken dreams"  I sang that song along until the next day. I saw night lives in the capital, prostitution, drugs, adulteries ... I was young to know about them, I thought. 
  Being yourself is a perfect way, being helped by other when you are in need is a relaxing way. If you are pool like me and you couldn't afford to go overseas and someone come out and guarantees you, that would be a perfect way. God wants you to live your own way of freedoms. He put Adam and Eve the first human and He didn't tie them to a tree. But He said: Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. He is a caring God, Father.
  Life after I face with work temptations, when I buy somethings for my organization and ask seller to give me a receipt then they may ask me, "do you want me to put same price?". That means, if I say no then they will put a fake price on the receipt then I may get benefits from it. Can I do it? For tour guides in Siam Reap Angkor they gain so much from tourists, such as: commission from restaurants, shop.... is that wrong to get commissions?
1 Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? 
Why it is a problem to get commissions? Once I brought a team to Cheng Ek genocide museum then it was late, we needed to pay money to guards, so they let us it, after I tour them around and they called me, handed me some money and I passed it to my boss. She admired my honesty, my word is like this, I may use that little money to buy trust from people, can I be rich with that amount of money? But maybe I loss my job because of this little 15 USD. According to the verse from the Bible above, I can take that money, if I didn't take the money from the guards, it already given to them. What I got benefit from is trust from my work, but what I lost was my face, the guards may say this person also get this money or if they knew I am a Christian and they may say, oh this Christian guy also corrupted. So in the next commission I rejected not to get and waiting for the work to ask it from me then I may explain them. I don't want the trust from the work anymore, my face and my God is greater than that. I really don't like to bring team to Siam Reap Angkor, because I always see cheating from tour guides, they always put half price to everything the team need. It makes me feel sick, I hate corruption, when I was in high school, I used to collect money from students for teachers or for school, my friends said, they are poor, I didn't dare to get the money from them, But I had to face with the teachers. I needed to tell them, charity or individual benefits. I told them, they will face with God if they steal the money from charity. Charity is from what you happy to offer.
  I have faced many temptations, I failed and rose again. You need to be strong, you need to keep yourself up with encouragement words from what you believe can make you stronger. I am blessed to have God who always speak to me. Good words from good heart, make you good works. God bless you people.

MY BELOVED HOMELAND

SUNSET
You can take a deep breathe, the fresh air, no poisoned smoke or dust. I love to see this season, because the sunset is beautiful in this season.  I wish to see this everyday, but life is not always like this. I wished to serve at this place, if God is planning this for me, I believe I will love it till the end.

THE VILLAGERS CHOPPING THE POTATOES

The price always cheap, they need to spend a lot of energy for the work, but it can only give them little. They can earn from it 1000 USD per year, it means they earn 83 USD per month (the whole family).

Chilly on the cut log.

TRANSPORTATION
In the past the transportation was wooden ox cart, but then updated to tire wheel cart, which can move faster. Now they can have motorcycles, because the road are developing. The cart is used for loading heavy things instead of truck.

My cousin plants them and my niece plug it out.

Naughty girls behind me

THE PURE WINE.
Palm trees can produce hundred of useful stuffs for people. Sugar, Box, Vinegar, Juice, Boat, Jelly, Vegetable, Cake, .....
My brother makes wine from the tree and can get around 5 letters of  wine every day. He likes to drink and every time  I go there, I will drink with him. It is pure, no chemical are mixed. You are not easy to find this pure wine from the city.

THE SMILE THAT THEY HAVE, I WANT TO MAKE THE SMILE GROWING. NO VIOLENCE, I WANT TO PROTECT THESE S:MILE (:

Another view of the sunset.

Old house, the design and wood are old, but looks nice (: 

Two cousins, I used to stay with them when I was young.

Small garden of a family. Chilly, eggplants and ...... No need to go to market to buy them anyway the markets also far.

Click here to watch the video: Homeland