Road trips are common in the life of a trial lawyer. But there was nothing common about this one.
My first venture beyond the capital city area took me through rice paddies and rubber plantations. We encountered fishing villages and rural markets. We saw many communities of modest huts. We drove by brick kilns and garment factories. We saw transport trucks filled with dozens of people standing shoulder to shoulder – workers being herded about at the end of a hard day. We saw floating communities on the Mekong River. We made a stop to see a sight I never imagined – freshwater Irrawaddy Dolphins in the Mekong River. This was the world beyond. The great unknown. The Kingdom of Wonder.
The countryside is filled with modest huts that are built on stilts, to avoid the flooding during monsoon season.
Rice paddies along the road -- as far as the eye can see.
Markets line the roadside in every town and village.
A common sight in Cambodia -- a small village of homes on stilts.
I had the indescribable honor and privilege of interviewing clients who are courageous survivors of human trafficking -- precious children of God who have been exploited, cheated, abused, and robbed of their freedom and dignity. As we learned their stories, we promised that we would do our best to help them. We looked into their eyes and saw the pain of what they had endured. But we also saw hope. And we serve a God who can deliver that hope. May it come, and come soon.
The view from inside the halls of power in rural Cambodia. Shoes remain outside the doorway, and the chickens and roosters do as well. No air conditioning here, so there is a strict and necessary open-door policy.
The sun begins to set on the Mekong River.
Irrawaddy Dolphins live in coastal areas of Southeast Asia and also occupy three of the world's rivers. It is estimated that approximately 90 of them call the Mekong River home.
U.S. road trips include stops for fast food. But in Cambodia, it's many varieties of rice and fish that can be purchased from your car window. We bought the bamboo sticks filled with sticky rice, beans, sugar, and coconut (outstanding!), as well as the small plastic-wrapped packages of ground fish with red chili peppers and herb leaves (also outstanding!). I highly recommend both.
Our family-style dinner included rice (of course), and your choice of fish sausage, moose and fried egg, or whole baby birds. The moose was truly excellent, the fish sausage was very good, and . . . I just couldn't on the whole baby birds.
Hope and great happiness came to our household from the world beyond in the form of our first visit from family. Thais’ parents, Kay and Everard, arrived on Thursday. We have loved this time of sharing our life here with those close to us and seeing it anew through their eyes, as they experience the sights and smells of Phnom Penh for the first time. In addition to the joys of favorite treats from home (hooray!), they brought us the love and support that continues to carry us through this year away. The very tangible awareness that we are not alone. Although you are far away, you are here with us. We cannot thank you enough – for your prayers and support, and for your words of encouragement.
Independence Monument, King Norodom Sihanouk, and two happy grandparents.
Kay learns the art of folding a Cambodian Lotus Flower, from the market where we buy fresh flowers and produce every weekend.
Later this week we will take our first family trip. The kids have two weeks off from school -- a belated and elongated Spring Break. The occasion is Khmer New Year, which will be celebrated on a weekend that many of you know simply as Easter. We will be spending that time in Siem Reap, which is home to the magnificent temples that are Cambodia’s most famous attractions. Look for pictures and reports soon. We look forward to sharing this experience together, and sharing it with you.
In the meantime, may God bless you all. Happy Easter (រីករាយថ្ងៃបុណ្យអេស្ទ័រ), and Happy Khmer New Year (សួស្ដីឆ្នាំថ្មីខ្មែរ)!
- Doug