Cambodia - Children at Beoung Tom Pun Church

Katie, Tilly, Peter and Fiona visited the ministry of Pastor Kunthea to the dump children at Beoung Tom Pun on Tuesday 25th September 2012.

Fiona writes her thoughts of the visit...

'We knew that this place would be different, we just didn't realize how much. I was not prepared for what I would see. I prayed Tilly would not be confronted because she was so young and yet I should have prayed for my heart as I was confronted by the poverty and the lack of hope for these children.

 

At the Centre of Peace it was clear the children were part of God's family but I felt at this church they children were not. They felt lost, alone and without hope. We arrived and as I walked onto the roof I could immediately see the children were malnourished. They were skin and bones and the ones that weren't had those pot bellies you see on World Vision adds. Some were so weak the older ones just had to hold onto them.

 

We introduced ourselves and started by Pete telling them the story of David and Goliath. Pete chose so well, they loved that story and they laughed when Goliath ( Peter) fell. It was good to see them laugh as their faces were so much more serious than the children at the Centre of Peace. How weary of the world these children appeared to be. How can children be so weary at such a young age?

 

We played the bottle game with them which they seemed to enjoy and then we handed out the cookies and the icing and lollies. They loved this activity. The younger ones were so gentle when we gave them the biscuits, they would all whisper words of gratitude. I could only think how small and insignificant a biscuit would be in their life, yet at least it brought a moment of joy.

 

After the biscuits we played with the parachute which shocked us. The children were hard to control as they were not used to playing together in one group. They would just punch the children under the parachute. We just stood by and watched as they made their own fun for a while.

 

Next was the coloring in and the painting and chalk. During the painting again it became obvious how intelligent and creative the children can be. Despite their terrible circumstances they could still dream in pictures. They drew love hearts and angry birds, clouds and rainbows, they drew the cross and they also wrote we love Australia. Again, how beautiful children can be. How giving and loving. It is so sad that these children have so much potential but they have no opportunity in their life to show that potential.

 

The chalk was loved by all, as were the coloring in activities. I just walked around trying to get to know them. I was shocked when one little boy came up to me with some paper and pencils but he had not coloured his sheet in. I asked him and motioned for him to colour in but he just stood there with a blank look on his face. It only then hit me that he didn't know how to use a pencil. I had to teach him how to colour in. What little boy of 5 or 6 does not know how to colour in?

 

As we handed out the food and they scattered off to share their food with their families I watched them leave from the roof. Although I had told the others at the end of the day to remember that they were in God's hand and we would leave them under his protection I couldn't help but cry. I was so sad for these children. I couldn't help but cry. As I watched them run off I thought how helpless I was. What had I really done? What had we brought them other than some food and a few moments of fun?

 

Yet Katie reminded me what I had told them. If nothing else they have left an imprint on our hearts and so I know we will all pray for them. I can't lift them out of poverty, but I can pray for them. I know Jesus is better than gold, knowing him will be worth more than all the riches in the world. So I will pray God into their lives.

 

One thought I had while speaking to Pete was that in the west we don't want Jesus to return because we don't need him to. We don't pray for Jesus' return because we don't need him to. But these children, they need him to return. They need heaven. They need God's rest and peace. We should be praying He return for them! '