And The Rains Came...and Came

Raindrops failing on the roof provided a cozy backdrop to our lazy Saturday morning.  High temps in the low 70's signaled an early arrival of fall. 3 inches in 24 hours made the headlines in Greensboro, NC.  Photos of minor flooding were printed on the front page.  Much welcome rain in a dry and thirsty land!

One look at Facebook and my idyllic mood is broken.  Images of serious flooding across much of Cambodia takes my heart back to this beautiful land and the friends we left behind.  Monsoon rains come every year in Southeast Asia.  But the floods are

                     particularly bad this year, destroying crops, flooding homes, spreading disease, and taking lives.  Makes us grateful today to be dry, safe, and  healthy.

These images also take us back to the memories of our "Journey Thru Cambodia" in April and May of this past year….when many villages were completely out of water, and suffering from the lack of rain. 

 Difficult realities in a land where the forces of nature control much of daily life.

We've put together a compilation of photos and videos that highlight our recent journey to Cambodia. We hope these images will help you to SEE Cambodia and her beautiful Khmer people.  Our apologies for the low quality when on full screen mode. We couldn't get it to upload until we reduced the resolution.

Part 1: Phnom Penh and Kampong Thom

Part 2: Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, and Battambang

Part 3: Sihanoukville and Kampong Cham

ENJOY!

A Beautiful Cambodian Morning...in CAROLINA!

The words "covered dish" and "ham biscuits" popped off the page as I scanned my

e-mail from St. John's Church announcing a covered dish luncheon.  As any respectable southerner would do, I made plans to attend this event, hoping there would also be some  super-sweet iced tea! This church luncheon was far from typical, however, as it was hosted by the Cambodian and Montagnard (from the Central Vietnamese highlands) congregations.

Pastor Tim (leader of Montagnards),Pastor Samel Om, Alger and Joyce.

As Alger and I made the hour and a half drive from Greensboro to Charlotte, I reflected on the past twenty years of my relationship with the Cambodian church.  My life had taken a dramatic turn in January 1990, as I put my business career aside and jumped into the world of urban cross-cultural ministry. Thousands of Cambodian, Lao, and Vietnamese refugees had been resettled during the 80's, many of them calling Charlotte their new home. 

It all began with Wade Rogers, the elderly pastor of a small, traditional, inner-city church who noticed a young boy walking down the street in late October…barefoot and coatless in the chilly fall weather.  Pastor Rogers soon discovered a whole community of Cambodian refugees living in the area around the church, and began to help. Mattresses, rice, school supplies, and clothing were donated.  The children were invited to the Wednesday night program, fed a warm meal, and formed into a precious kids choir.  From this simple beginning, Reach Out Ministries was established.

I had the privilege of co-leading Reach Out ministries for three years.  During this time, a full range of programs and ministries were established, including boy scouts, sports teams, English classes, tutoring programs, summer camps, medical assistance, legal advocacy, and cultural training. The Cambodian Mission Church of Charlotte, led by my dear friend Pastor Samel Om, was also developed. The church has recently joined with St. John's UMC, and is now reaching out to the multi-ethnic community in the neighborhood.

Alger and I entered the church fellowship hall and were met by Cambodian friends and familiar smells of Cambodian food.  Bowls of rice replaced the typical mashed potatoes.  Noodles and curry instead of macaroni and casseroles.  Two hundred Cambodian, American, and Montagnard friends enjoyed a great meal together.  Truly a blessing and a taste of heaven!

 What is my point for sharing this with you?

Over the years, many people have told me how much they wish they could be in missions.  To spend time in Cambodia…to help needy children, to do something that really matters with their life.  But for various reasons, they don't feel that it is possible.

IT IS POSSIBLE!  The world is at your doorstep. 

You no longer need to leave your home to be involved with people from other cultures and nations.  I call it "Foreign Missions; Conveniently Located."  God has brought the world to us.  We often think of only the large cities as being ethnically diverse….New York, Chicago, Los Angeles… You might be surprised to find that even the medium and small cities in the US are home to many different nationalities. 

Reach Out Ministries was developed by people with no special training, and little cross-cultural experience.  Just ordinary people who saw a need, did what they could, and continued in faithfulness.  You, too, can make a difference right where you are.

Is your church involved in cross-cultural work in your city?  Would you like to get involved with the internationals in your community?

I'd love to hear from you.  Perhaps give you a few ideas on how to get started.  Direct you to available resources that you may not be aware of.  Pray for and encourage you.

Do you have stories and experiences that you'd like to share with others on how you, or your church group has reached out to the nations in your own city?

Please share them in the comment section below.  Your story could be the encouragement someone else needs to take the first step.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in."  Matthew 25:35

Montagnard worship service. Charlotte NC  July 2011

A Father to the Fatherless

Father's Day has been difficult for me this year.

I have been acutely aware of the void in my life that would have been filled by my dad, Ralph Frank Garrett, who died when I was 23.  I think of the times in my life that I longed for his wisdom, his support, his encouragement.  Should I take this new job offer? I felt the void when I tried to make my own home repairs.  Felt it when I was married (finallyJ) and he wasn't there to give me away.  I missed the sense of safety and security that comes from the protection of a loving father.

But what happens when an entire nation loses its' fathers prematurely and unnaturally?  When war, disease, famine, and murder take the lives of a whole generation of Cambodian fathers and grandfathers? 

From 1975-1979, the Pol Pot regime systematically targeted the "fathers" of Cambodia….eliminating the educated, the professionals, the teachers, the religious leaders, the artists, the doctors.  The resources and wisdom and experience built up over centuries of a culture gone in a few short years.

How does a nation rebuild without their fathers?  Where do they go to for the answers to hard questions?  Where do they find that sense of security and safety that comes from experience?

Alger and I were struck by the lack of middle aged and older people in Cambodia.  The population has doubled in the past twenty years, and half of the population is under 18.  Cambodia is a vast sea of young people, with few lighthouses to guide them. It's a nation looking for answers, for hope, for a future.

The young people that Alger and I met all across Cambodia have a deep yearning for relationships with older people. (Hard to admit, but we fit into this category nowJ) They need that same encouragement, support, and wisdom that I needed as a young woman after the loss of my dad.

Our ministry will focus on mentoring and training this young generation to be the leaders of the New Cambodia…to help them realize their full destiny in God.

In Psalm 68:5, David writes that the Lord is "A father to the fatherless, a defender of the widows...God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners in singing."

May Cambodia come to know their true Heavenly Father as we celebrate Father's Day  here on earth.

Why Cambodia? Part 1

A few months before I left for Cambodia, my brother Mike asked me what seemed like a simple question.


"Why the fascination with Cambodia?"


Certainly a fair question to ask, as I have spent the last twenty one years of my life working with Cambodians, talking about Cambodia, studying and researching issues related to Cambodia, and yearning to return to this beloved land.


But I found it was not a simple question for me to answer.


I first became interested in Cambodia after watching the movie The Killing Fields somewhere around 1988.  I was stunned by what I saw.  How on earth could this have happened during my lifetime?  Evil incarnate through Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, committing atrocities on a scale previously unknown.


My mind was invaded with thoughts more numerous than the bombs being dropped on Cambodian villages.  Where was the world when this happened?  Why didn't someone do SOMETHING to stop the madness?


So, the first part of my answer to Why Cambodia? is historical.  The connection as an American, combined with the uniqueness of the tragedy, have drawn my heart to Cambodia.  A second part of the answer, the call of God on my life, will be addressed in Why Cambodia? Part 2... to come.


I realize that many of you may be familiar with the Vietnam "Conflict", but few are aware of the devastating effects the war had on neighboring Cambodia and Laos.  Here's a short summary of the events that led to the near total destruction of a nation, and it's beautiful Khmer people.


Steps to Destruction of a Nation


1. Stage a coup.  In 1970, Lon Nol staged a coup against Prince Sihanouk.  This led to the beginning of a full-scale civil war, with the previously fledgling Khmer Rouge (communist guerilla group from countryside of Cambodia) partnering with Sihanouk.  


2.  Win the civil war. After 5 years of devastating civil war, the Khmer Rouge conquered the capital city of Phnom Penh, and it's troops marched victoriously through the streets on the morning of April 17, 1975.  What happened next, even Hollywood writers couldn't come up with.


3.  Evacuate all urban centers at gunpoint in three days.  Imagine a heavy knock at your door.  An angry faced K.R. soldier orders you to evacuate...immediately! 
 "Why," you ask. 
 "The Americans are going to bomb us.  You'll be back in 3 days.  Just bring a few things to eat."
Your heart sinks.  Your husband is at work, and your children are on their way to school.  You consider resisting, but see that your neighbor didn't fare too well from similar behavior. Sadly, you gather a few things and join the thousands of people already in the streets walking to ?????????


Millions of Cambodians were ordered out of their homes in every urban center and forced to march for days and weeks to distant countryside areas, sleeping and cooking outside with no protection from the heat and mosquitos.  Many die along the way.


In a moment, the Khmer Rouge had destroyed one of the strongest foundations of any society...a shared sense of community and connectedness with family and nieghbors.


4.  Kill off all the educated class, government leaders, and all others that had been "polluted" from foreign powers.  What better way to quickly gain hold over a society than to kill off all the professional and educated classes.  In the first few weeks, you were destined to die if you fit any of these categories;
educated, former military, former government leaders/workers, school teachers, spoke a foreign language, wore glasses, business people from the cities, doctors, lawyers, religious leaders, including monks, pastors, imans. 


5.  Destroy every societal system. Bomb the central bank, destroy the monetary system, cancel all education for children, purposely destroy infrastructure, including sewer, water, bridges, anything mechanical (that evil "Western" influence), prohibit any type of religious service, and kill off all religious leaders, turn doctors into slave laborers and uneducated peasants into medcal workers.


Destroy the family structure by separating husbands and wives into different work camps, and by putting children into youth camps far away from their parents.  Destroy any sense of respect and love for parents by brainwashing the children into believing that ANGKOR was their parent and caretaker.


6.  Overwork and underfeed the population.  16-18 hour work days were not uncommon.  Backbreaking manual labor moving Cambodian clay by hand to build dikes and dams in an effort to return Cambodia to it's former "agricultural glory years" of the Angkorian Empire.  DIDN'T WORK!  During the last few years of the failed reign of the Khmer Rouge, many regions of the country suffered staggering starvation.  Personal Cambodian friends have told me that often they would receive only a watery rice soup with only 7-8 grains of rice.


7.  Keep them in constant fear of torture or death.  Being sick, unable to work, saying the wrong thing, being found out that you used to live in the city...anything could give the ruthless K.R. soldiers a reason to torture and or kill you.  To this day, every time I drive thru the countryside and see blue plastic bags, I have flashbacks to scenes in the Killing Fields.


8.  Take away any sense of control, including the right to choose to marry.  Khmer Rouge often chose mates, and married them in simple group ceremonies, in which they were made to promise to have children within the year for the K.R.


By now I think you get the point.  This was not just a normal occupation of one nation or group over another.  It was an evil, well-planned, systematic means of destroying an entire society of people...by Cambodians. Well-researched estimates point to over  2 million Cambodians killed between 1975-1979.  This was out of an estimated population of 8 million....25% of the nation killed.  99.99999% of the population terrorized, starved, overworked, and traumatized.  


Never before in modern history of mankind has something of this magnitude, this comprehensive, and this devastating been levied upon a place and it's people.  Obviously, there have been other horrendous acts of genocide.  After WW II the world said never again....but just 30 years after the Jewish Holocaust..it happened again.  And again in Rwanda.


This is not a political article.  My energy is not directed toward what was done, what should have been done, and by whom.  


My point is to simply to say....Friends, please remember Cambodia today.


Please pray for Cambodia.  
Come to Cambodia.  
Support NGO's and missionaries working in Cambodia.
Lend your expertise to Cambodia.  


Cambodia is just now rebuilding.  It has only been 11 years since the last Khmer Rouge leaders and soldiers laid down their arms.  The political environment has been relatively stable in recent years.  China, S. Korea, Malaysia, and many other countries are investing here.  The time is now for this land to leave the past behind and build the New Cambodia.


Jeremiah 29:11-12 says:


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you a future and hope.  Then when you come to me and call upon me with your whole heart, I will be found by you."


God has a great future for Cambodia, one with hope for a new tomorrow.


Join with me in praying that this promise becomes a reality for Cambodia in the near future.


Look for Why Cambodia? Part 2 coming soon to a blog near you:)

Cambodia....a Nation in Waiting

As I reflect on my past two months in Cambodia, I'm struck by one mental image....WAITING. Everywhere you go, people are waiting. 


-Tuk Tuk and moto drivers are waiting for the next Western tourist to step off the bus.

-Cambodians wait patiently for buses that are often late and expensive.

-Small corner shop owners sit outside waiting in hopes of a customer.

But I see the children (the future of Cambodia) waiting for much, much more.


-Young children are waiting for basic health care... A chance to grow up healthy and strong.  Many village children have NO health care available.  Simple wounds can become dangerous infections. Untreated diarrhea (usually due to unclean water) can lead to serious dehydration or even death. The death rate of children under 5 is one of the highest in the world.

Are you a health care worker?  Dental, medical, health education, nurse's aid, PA? Short term medical teams can truly save lives and make a real difference here.








-Cambodians are waiting for economic opportunities, and freedom from oppression of poverty. The demographics of this nation are staggering.  Over 80% of the population is under the age of 30, and 50% is under the age of 18.  Can this developing economy support this influx of millions of young workers?

Are you a businessperson?  Do you have IT skills? Looking for a place to invest?  Are you a Cambodian living outside of Cambodia?  Come back to Cambodia with your experience, skills, and English. Help build the "New Cambodia," and be highly successful in the process.












-Cambodian children are waiting for a solid education. The government schools pay only $50.00 per month which is NOT a livable wage in Cambodia. Many of the teachers have a limited education themselves.  Education is the ONLY chance for a better future for the 7 million children.

Are you an educator?  You can be of great help as Cambodia searches for models of education that are effective.  Do you speak English?  The country is NUTS about learning English.  If you can speak it, you can be useful.  Good English skills provide many opportunities for better jobs as the tourist industry continues to grow.  Come for three weeks, three months, three years!  Cambodia needs you.







-Young girls are waiting for a chance at a better future.  Women face many obstacles in obtaining an education here.  If they are fortunate enough to have the money, they are still limited by housing restrictions.  In order to leave their province and study in a larger city, they must have a safe and supervised housing situation.  Several NGO's are establishing dorms for girls, providing a safe and nurturing enviroment while they further their education.




Have a heart for women?  Facing empty nest syndrome?  Ready to retire?  You can be the answer to a young woman's prayer by setting up a girls dormitory.


Cambodia is a nation struggling to recover from 30 years of war and genocide.  The Khmer Rouge tried to destroy every system of society; commerce, religion, education, medical, family, etc. However, they did not succeed, and the resilient and patient Khmer people are rebuilding their lives and nation. 


The needs are endless, as are the opportunities to serve.  Make a difference with your life.


Consider Cambodia!  Cambodia is waiting.......for you!

Reality Sets In

I knew the moment we entered the restaurant that our decision to eat breakfast at our guesthouse was a good one.  As we approached the roadside café, 12 shiny silver pots filled with largely unidentifiable objects awaited our selection.  I enjoy Cambodian food, but can't handle traditional meals first thing in the morning.

After the breakfast stop, we continued on our way to Buffalo Village, so named for the hundreds of water buffalo that roam the area.  This part of Cambodia brought a welcome change in topography, with hills and valleys adorned in green from the recent rains.  We turned left off the main road about 25 miles northeast of Sihanouk Ville, and continued for about a mile on a narrow paved highway. This quickly turned into the typical Cambodian one lane red dirt road, which we followed for the rest of the journey into Buffalo Village.

We were going to the village to participate in an informal prayer of dedication for the new school building, which is 90% complete.

We joined in with the voices of a hundred children singing Deep Down in My Heart.  Their little faces showed moments of joy and laughter.  Alger shared a short message, and I led a prayer of dedication and thanksgiving for the building. 

At 11:00, as the first school shift ended, Pastor Jonah opened the medical clinic.  Children and some parents lined up to receive basic medical care and OTC medications.  One after another, they sat on the short blue stools in front of the medicine table, and answered some basic questions of triage.  Age?  Symptoms?  How long?  The most common complaints were cough, fever, skin problems, aches and pains, and headaches.  These precious, innocent ones would then receive their medicine…a dose of Robitussin for cough, antibiotic ointment for infections, aspirin for fever…their big dark brown eyes looking up at Pastor Jonah to provide some relief from pain and suffering. 

For over an hour we watched this unfold, and were deeply saddened by the reality in front of us.  It's relatively easy to state statistics…. they're impersonal and general.  They don't have names and faces attached.  But here in front of us were precious children, with a name, and beautiful face, and piercing brown eyes. 

What is the answer?  In a nation with 50% of the population under 18 years old, the numbers are staggering.  There are many great NGO's and ministries, like Pastor Jonah and Samaritan Love Mission working tirelessly and sacrificially to meet the needs.  But it still only scratches the surface. 

Pray for God's wisdom and creativity as NGO's, churches, and others seek solutions.  

Pray for more workers to dedicate their lives toward building a new Cambodia. 

Pray for us as we continue to discern what our role is in affecting positive change for Cambodia's future, both physically and spiritually.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD," plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. "

We set out on our first major mission in Cambodia...to find a good cup of coffee!  Our mission was quickly accomplished, as we stumbled upon B and C Cafe, which served up a  respectable Americana and Mocha.  Sitting outside in the early morning, watching Cambodia drive, cycle, moto, and walk past us, I reflected on the "waiting time". For 16 years I (Joyce) had yearned to return to Cambodia, a land and people I first fell in love with in 1990.  Several planned trips had been cancelled.  It seemed I would never get back here.  But here I am...with my husband Alger...who also has a love and vision for Cambodia.  God is faithful to complete what he has started!  My joy at being in this country again was (and still is) indescribable.  It's like coming home again, and a sense of "rightness".  


With our initial mission completed, we ventured out into the streets of Phnom Penh.  Busy, hectic, confusing, and chaotic are all adjectives that fit this place.  We walked down the street for a block or two, and noticed the Olympic Stadium to our right. As we wandered though the gate, the  nearby guard seemed unconcerned with our presence.  I could just imagine the stadium packed with thousands of young people...all worshipping God with great joy. Alger and I stopped and prayed for this vision in my mind to become reality.

I then suggested that we walk around the top of the stadium and pray over the city.  As we reached the top, two young Cambodian teens boldly approached us. 


"Where are you from?" they asked
"America," we replied.  
"We are Christian,"they added.  "Are you?" 
"Yes," we replied excitedly. 


 I coudn't believe it!  In our first venture into the city, Cambodians were reaching out to us.  We talked for some time with Richard and Tiri.  Richard, who is now 17 and speaks terrific English, shared his story.  He had begun attending Free English Classes five years earlier, sponsored by New Life Fellowship in Phnom Penh.  After a year in English Bible Classes, he began teaching younger children in an orphange.  He rides his bike everyday to work with these needy children.  "I knew a little about God then, so I taught what I knew.  Now, I know more, and I teach more, " he explained. 

Alger and I were so blessed to hear his story.   


These are the type of young people that we feel called to train, mentor, and encourage in their Christian walk.  The 18-30 year olds that want to grow in their faith and reach out to their fellow Cambodians.  The church is very young in Cambodia, and in need for teaching and  discipleship. We were very encouraged with this encounter on our first morning in Cambodia, and saw it as a confirmation that we are on the right track. 


God is on the move in Cambodia.  Please join with us in praying for the future leaders of the church...like Richard.