The Khmer Rouge

It’s pretty hard to describe this nation. The terrain is very similar to Thailand except there’s seems to be more rice paddies. But the people have been through horrible atrocities.

WARNING: The rest of this entry contains graphic information

A genocide occurred here from 1975-1979. Haven’t heard about it? We hadn’t either until about a month ago. I guess that’s the thing that is particularly disturbing. Everything about it is rather disturbing, but what really bothers me that the world really doesn’t know, or want to know, about this whole situation. We had no idea that up to 2 million people were executed between those years. Basically, in April 1975, the communist militia won the civil war, and then tried a terrible social experiment.
They said the time was year zero, and everything from the past needed to be erased. They then emptied the main city of Phnom Penh, (where we are currently) which had about 3 million people at the time. They sent everyone to go work in the fields and harvest rice. They had borrowed heavily from the Chinese and now had to pay them back with rice. Money, marketplaces and everything advanced was destroyed. Owning any kind of material things were not allowed, the penalty was death. Thousands starved and families were separated, and everyone was terrified about saying absolutely anything.
We have visited some sobering sights in the past few days. We went to the Tuong Sleng Museum, Also called S-21.

It was once a high school but under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, it was used for torture and execution of prisoners. Anyone who was a suspect was brought here, and were made to confess to their “crimes”. The method of choosing the victims was quite crazy. Anyone who had any schooling, or any “western association” (wearing a watch or speaking any language other than Khmer) were automatically targeted. Anyone who spoke out against, or was considered a threat to, the rule of Angkar (what they called the new rule) were executed or sent to fatal work camps. Men, women and even children of all ages were victims. Here are three mug shots of some of the accused.

The prison is very much in the same state as it was during the reign of the Khmer Rouge. Many of the smaller classrooms were used a prison cells, and torture chambers. It was eerie to be there. But I feel compelled to write about it. I did not know. I fear that probably many of you do not know about this either. It is of a graphic nature, but how can people help if we are unaware? We may think ignorance is bliss, but truth reigns supreme.
We also went to “The Killing Fields”. It was the extermination camp and mass burial grounds of the S-21 prison. It was pretty horrible. It’s like attending a funeral, but worse. After you enter the grounds, there is a monument (or stupa) to remember those who were killed. Inside the glass cases are skulls.
Thousands of human skulls.

It really hits you in the face when you see it for yourself and up close like that.
Yet Cambodia is a nation of contradiction. As we were walking around the grounds, rain coming down, recollecting about the carnage that took place here, there’s a boy of about 14 walking ahead of us singing out loud, with no apparent concerns.
It weighs heavy on us. It is tragic that human beings can do such things to each other. If you’re still reading, and want to be more informed, there’s some books you can read. “First they killed my father” by Loung Ung. It is her personal story of what happened when she was a child. Also, “Voices from S-21” by David Chandler. There’s also the movie “The Killing Fields”. It came out in 1984 and is based on the story of an American’s journalist who was there at the start of the revolution, and the story of his close friend and helper who was Cambodian.
In 1998, Pol Pot, the leader of the “revolution” died before any justice could be done. His second in command also died before any type of justice could be served. Sadly, this seems like the norm without anything being done officially to give closure, by way of trials or a tribunal.

During that time, millions of landmines were planted in the fields and country sides. This is still a very relevant problem as they estimate there are about 4-6 million active landmines still abroad. On average, about 40 people are injured weekly due to landmines. We have been advised, and followed, to not stray from any paths. All around you see many victims who have lost limbs or been badly burned. We also visited the landmine museum a few days ago. It is run by “Aki Ra”, a former child soldier who’s job it was to deposit the landmines. He now uses his experience in the field to locate and disassemble landmines. Commendably the Canadian government has been quite involved in the abolition of personnel land mines, and their use throughout the world.
Yes, this is explicit, but it IS what happened. We can easily choose to ignore it, just as much of our world has done. Or we can educate ourselves and do something about it. Even telling someone else about it is something! The people who are hurting, starving, and dying around the world are very real; As real as each of us are to each other.

Moto Mania

In Cambodia, the majority of people use motorbikes as the main mode of transportation. Going to the market, picking someone from school, that sort of thing. Helmets are optional, of course. My eyes have been opened to the amount of uses for this motorbike. People here haul around more cargo on their motorbikes than most people do in their pick-up trucks in North America! What can you hall with a moto? More like what can’t you.



Different uses we’ve seen of the motorbike:

Hauling produce... and your wife









Transporting 4 queen size mattresses


















Delivering 3 good size pigs





















Moving scaffolding

























Loads of bananas

















3 monks and a driver





















Here we have a guy carrying three helmets but not wearing one of them!!




We’ve also seen 3 propane bottles on the back of a motorbike but it’s on a video instead.














Here we’ve got the bicycle used to transport a large plank


















I don’t actually know what these are called. They are like a two wheeled tractor that is hooked onto a trailer. They seem to be like an oversized rotor-tiller, where you have to hold the handles down to use it. Plenty of uses with that one! Whenever we are out and about in Cambodia, we just sit back and enjoy the show. There doesn’t really seem to be much for rules. It’s recommended you drive on the right side but not required. Uncontrolled intersections are maybe the most entertaining with all directions going at once, basically the person with the most guts gets to go. There are surprising few accidents, and everyone seems quite calm and relaxed. We’ll continue to update this as we get more on camera. So now you've had a taste the mighty Moto!!

The Kingdom of Thailand

Thailand, every cheap Mennonites dream. Things here are nice but quite cheap. I think that speaks for most of Southeast Asia. Our time here has been good, my folks came out for a few weeks and we had a real enjoyable time on the beach and also in the markets. We spent 5 days in the south at Railay beach, while staying busy lying on the beach, snorkeling and we even got in a couple of dives (check www.flickr.com/photos/crftravels/ for more pictures).
We then made it to Chiang Mai, where yes, there was plenty markets and foot massages. It has been a time of refreshment, if you can refresh in the heat that is. We are off to Cambodia shortly.
Sorry for the long delay between posts, but, sometimes it’s hard to remain faithful on here and post regularly. Partly because internet access can be limited and partly because we sometimes feel like no one is reading anyway. If and when you read this, send us a comment or better yet, send us an email and tell us how YOU are doing. We may be half way around the world, but we still like knowing how YOU are doing. The only way we can know is if YOU tell us. It helps us not feel so out of touch! Thanks for bearing with us.

So what were we doing in PNG anyway?

We went up  to the western province at helped out at a hospital.  Two doctors were visiting from Australia. They were in their 2^nd week of 2 weeks of elective surgery. I helped out in the theatre with prepping before surgery, cleaning up afterwards and getting  things as needed during the procedures. I was able to assist in all kinds of interesting medical things. The doctors were very skilled and did an excellent job!

Craig was busy! The maintainence department was in need of some leadership. Something you can’t  really do when you are only there temporarily. He was able to do a lot of upkeep on the missionary houses. Our house in particular.  He was able to get the gas going so we could cook, and he was able to get the hot water working. (yay for plumbing husbands!!) He was able to show some of the local workers  some new things that are important in relation to plumbing. He also tried to reinforce the fact that some things need regular maintainance BEFORE there is a problem. Craig was also to clean out a lot of the tanks to keep the bugs away!

Both of us had our try at a little home schooling. One of the families next to us were home schooling. I guess sometimes it’s nice to have variety in teaching. It’s probably good for both mom and students!! Craig spent a little bit of time with Tom and I spent a few mornings with Rosie.

It rained a lot there. Sometimes 4 or 5 times as day. It was very humid.  Many things went moldy! Craig had brought a jacket with him. We didn’t wash it there, and we never got it wet. But within 3 weeks, the wrists had grown green fur!!

It wasn’t all work though. The afternoons were hot so we often went for a dip in the river. It was refreshing! Sometimes, we borrowed rubber tubes and went for a float. It was so relaxing and a nice walk back  to the  base.

We also got to take a boat trip out to the village. It was called Sonai. We went with some hospital staff who were doing an immunization clinic. We stopped at various villages along the way, to tell them to come to the clinic the next day.

They had a lot of moms come to the clinic with their children to get immunized! The staff were pretty busy with weighing kids and giving them their shots and talking with the moms about family planning.Kids are the same everywhere ! Most of them were scared and some cried before they even got the needle! Poor little guys! 

We had a great time with the medical staff who came on the trip  and enjoyed visiting with them after the evening meal. We also really enjoyed going on a jungle  walk to collect firewood.  Very humid and slippery!

All in all, it was a very good experience! The scenery was amazing and  more importantly, we really enjoyed the people that got to know!!  We are grateful that we got to have this  valuable experience!

Papua New Guinea

Well we've finally made it, after about 1 1/2 years of planning we have arrived here in the Frontier of Papua New Guinea.  It is a beautiful but rugged country with a lot of diversity.  Not a lot of roads either, making air travel a must to many places (unless you want to hike for a month).  This is usually good but also makes things quite expensive.  The climate here is something to get used to, It rains about 4 times a day, and just when you think it can't rain harder it does.  They get about 6-7 meters of rain per year!!  The temperature has been pretty warm, never lower than about 20 and than goes up to the low 30's during the day (but feels a lot hotter with the humidity in the 95% range).  The place here is quite nice, right on a river where frequent dips are needed to stay cool.  We have a couple more weeks here in Rumginea and than off to Madang for 11 or so days.  

C

In the land of OZ

 

 

It’s been good to be in Australia. A lot cooler than the last place, especially at night. We’ve camped a couple of nights in our little shelter and have been fairly cozy. This week, we took our open water scuba diving course. It’s a little unnerving. It’s a good thing they make you practice everything in shallow water before they bring you down for a dive. Once we actually got out to the Great Barrier Reef, it was good and I felt confident.

We had an awesome first dive actually. First off, we saw dolphins alongside the boat as we went along. Then there was a whale about 100 feet from the boat while we were hanging out on the surface. Underneath we saw tones of amazing fish and coral. We also saw a manta ray, and a sea turtle.

Sea life is so diverse from everything else. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been in or around the sea that much, but I find it fascinating! We’re going to dive again tomorrow!

 

~R

warm showers and washing machines

Yesterday, I had my 3rd warm shower since leaving Canada. Count em. 3rd. (Yes, I have had more than 3 showers, just not warm ones.) That was 38 days ago. Not that it was a big deal in Fiji. It was a lot warmer there then it is in Brisbane. But now that I’ve had a warm shower, it was glorious! And then I did a load of laundry yesterday too. Man, that was easy. We used a washer in Fiji sometimes. But we did a lot of hand washing. There was even a dryer! I have not even seen one of those since Canada.
Ahh, modern conveniences. I think that when you don’t have them, you adapt and adjust. But when you are exposed to them again, you realize their wonderful purpose and beauty. So next time you are having a shower and have the option of turning the temperature up, thank the Lord for the option.
It’s pretty expensive here. Pretty comparable to Canada I guess. But more $ than you feel like spending when travelling for a long time. We’re renting a car and heading up to the Great Barrier Reef on Saturday. Sunshine coast, here we come! ~R

fiji time

Wow I guess it’s been three weeks since our last post. So I guess nothing has been happening then!! Well Fiji has been great thus far. Most of our time has been spent in and around Suva, the capital. We’ve been connected with some people here that have shown us around and taken care of us. They have turned into good friends as well, and we had a hard time leaving them yesterday. We have really appreciated all they have done for us, but much more, the friends they have become. A lot of our days were spent hanging around the city, and then meeting up with different people or groups in the evening. We got to witness the hockey of Fiji, rugby. On a few Saturdays we went to watch a bunch of matches; we missed the brawls but we did see a dislocated ankle and shoulder!! Rugby is everywhere here, you see kids playing in the streets, everything is about rugby.

We also got the chance to go to the small island of Beqa (pronounced Benga). The boat ride out itself was a 2 hour adventure. In a 24’ fiberglass boat we went up down with waves up to 20’ high!! Nobody was dry but everyone was safe despite the wonderful lifejackets, or lack there of. We stayed in one of the small villages there, where we warmly welcomed. We were officially welcomed, by the chief of the village, by a kava (traditional Fijian drink) ceremony. We were than allowed to be anywhere in the village. We were basically treated as royalty throughout our 5 days there. We were always given the positions of honor around the “table” for the meals (which were all eaten at the chief’s house on the floor). The people have a real desire to be hospitable and do a great job of it. One day we hiked along the ocean to the next village where people fed us large prawns freshly caught. We also had coconut milk, right out of the coconut, with the top chopped off with a machete. The coconut is used for everything, it’s like duct tape, 1001 uses. Nothing on it goes to waste, they even make rope out of the fibers.

Yesterday and today were spent at a hostel right on the ocean. It’s quite nice, we’ve enjoyed the ocean with kayaks and the beach quite a lot. Tomorrow we have to get up early, and we’ll get out to the yasawa islands. They are supposed to be among the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world. Wish us luck!!

Barefoot church, barefoot everywhere!

We spent the night at a nice hostel by suva. We have a balcony that overlooks an incredible lake, surrounded by rain forest. We ate breakfast of crackers, apples, and peanut butter while the birds chirped. It was so pristine. We went to the Methodist church across the highway. A few people were seated and, of course, the sandals were left at the door. We had no problem with that! The service was in Fijian. They sang songs acapella and did the most beautiful harmonies! We were invited to a home for lunch and decided to go. Fijian people are so hospitable and gracious!  They don’t wear their sandals in the house, of course. Vinni (our hostess) set out photo albums to peruse while she and her cousin prepared lunch.  She also came and told me to change into a sulu. (A type of sarong. Guys wear them here too). She also gave one to Craig. She is a widow and has a boy Tukai, who is 4 years old. He was visiting his in-laws for the weekend. We sat crossed legged on the floor and shared in a lovely meal of: mahi mahi , covered with coconut cream, sasate (sausage),  and tapionga. (a type of root vegetable) It was delicious!! Then, they offered us pillows to relax while they made tea. It was made from orange leaves they picked off the tree. She also served a type of bread made from flour and coconut cream. Served with homemade jam. Yum! Then she got ready and offered me deodorant and perfume before we went out. Talk about hospitality! She walked us right back to the lodge while we were still dressed in Fijian style garb. She seemed proud to have us as guests and we were thankful to have met her and her cousin! Fijian people seem to be barefoot in most buildings. I even saw quite a few barefoot on the street in Suva last evening. I think we’ll like it here. ~R

 

Where are you June 25th??

            We left at 1130 pm from LA, on the 24^th .  We arrived at 5 am in nadi, fiji, on the 26^th after a pretty decent overnight flight (10.5 hours).  PTL that my back didn’t hurt too bad, I just had puffy feet!  Our hotel is pretty nice; the grounds our nice and beautiful, with a nice pool and waterslide. There is no safe in the room, but we’re trying to be careful.  We pretty much slept all day on the 26^th we got up for supper and than went back to bed.  Ruthie had a migraine on the 26^th but slept it off.  It has been much needed down time, after the weeks of madness previous.  Today we want to checkout nadi, and probably go to Suva tomorrow.  The time change from Alberta to here is 18 hours or subtract 6 and then add a day.

Craig

In Canada

We are still currently in Edmonton, enjoying that which appears to be spring.  The plan as it stands now is to leave the end of June and head over to fiji.

craig