Early Bird

I am up a bit early, so ahead of schedule. It seems more show up with each passing day, so we are seeing well beyond the customary 100 patients, as we don’t want to turn folks away. Having four providers, each with their own translator plus two ‘floaters’ (there is a special tribal language here as well) helps immensely. The clinic is running like a well oiled machine. Today I will switch from lab to triage, so that will be a nice change. I don’t like making babies cry😞.

It’s so hard seeing the weathered faces of those who’ve witnessed the horrific genocide at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. All would have lost someone, and most likely many someone’s, and so, so many were orphaned because of it. I can’t help but wonder which among the older, male population were forced to serve the regime. Do they still live in the community where they served? Do they see the faces of those who suffered at their hand? Hard to even consider.

At the genocide museum, there were photos of many of the victims. I’m not sure why a ruthless dictator wanted pictures of those he’d sentenced to die, but I hesitate now to ask if I can photograph the older folks lest it evoke that long buried (perhaps not) memory. So I try to focus on the children. For them, pictures are a happy thing.

During our evening meal last night, our Cambodian physician, Dr. Lena, shared his tragic story. His father was captured and killed early on when Pol Pot initially invaded. His mother was killed viciously four years later, but she had hidden her son away before evil could find him. His uncle managed to survive the four years of the regime, and took him in. He continues to call his uncle ‘father’. He broke down when he was sharing this, as did we all. He said his mother was a nurse, and his father a teacher. (The regime murdered all who were educated and might take a stand against them.) Dr. Lena became a physician to honor their memory, and he is an amazing, compassionate provider! He oversees the children’s home, as he wants to serve those who’ve also suffered the loss of a mother and father. He said that for years he wanted to find and kill those who took his parents from him, but then he met Pastor Sou a missionary of the Foursquare Church in Cambodia. Under Pastor Sou’s leadership, and through his faithful service to the people of Cambodia, Dr. Lena was redeemed by Jesus, found healing and forgiveness, and he extended that forgiveness to those he wanted to kill. Such a powerful testimony! I know his mother and father would be so very proud of him. He said he had one photo of each, and he looks like his father. How I’d love to see those photos. Pastor Sou, by the way, passed on last year. His wife, also a minister, took over, and she now serves as the national leader for Foursquare International here in Cambodia. We were able to meet her in Phnom Penh, hear a beautiful message she shared during the church service, and then enjoy a meal with her afterward. A beautiful woman who has no doubt touched so many alongside her husband, and after his passing! So humbled by these people…

Dr.Lena is in the middle. 🤗