Making a difference in Cambodia

On December 27, 2004, a missions group of about 25 left Fallbrook for Cambodia on a two-and-a-half week ministry trip led by Randy Fleming and Kit Carson. The trip was sponsored by Calvary Chapel of Fallbrook and the Fallbrook Christian Book Store. Since the first Christian missionaries weren’t allowed in Cambodia until 1992, the mission team found that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Randy is now back in Cambodia working on the orphanage that will be built by Calvary Chapel of Fallbrook and other ministries. Several of the group who made the December trip were inspired to return to Cambodia, including Amy Putnam, 24, and Naomi Nelson, 18. The women plan to return for possibly a month-long stay. Naomi’s brother, Luke, is ministering in Cambodia at the present time.

During the December trip the group visited approximately two villages each day, where they played games and read Bible stories to orphans and other children. The Bible studies were translated into the Cambodian language by Reim Carson, wife of Kit Carson, one of the team leaders.

Amy Putnam, the director of the Women’s Resource Center in Fallbrook, visited Cambodia to learn about possible ministry opportunities. She is studying to be a midwife and knows that this kind of learned skill would be valuable to the women in the many small villages near Phnom Penh.

“I met with many of the women and shared how we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’”

, said Amy.

“Life in Cambodia is not valued,” she added. “When women find out they are pregnant it is a sad thing and some try to terminate their pregnancies.” A typical village woman doesn’t believe that the child within her is a living being until the ninth month. To help dispel this and other myths, Amy showed the women fetal models, which illustrate the different stages of development. “The women were amazed,” said Amy. “They stroked the models.”

Amy didn’t feel apprehensive about going to a country that has been called the most densely mined country in the world, but she did notice that many people were disfigured because of landmine accidents. According to the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur, “Some 3,000 square kilometres of Cambodia are marked as mined territory.”

Many of the children in the orphanages or on the streets aren’t really orphans. The families of these children cannot afford to feed them and thus the children at age 9 or 10 end up wandering the streets. Amy explained that the villagers welcome orphanages because they realize that their children will finally be given food and shelter.

A typical village home consists of an eight- by ten-foot elevated hut which is covered with palm fronds and carpeted with grass mats. Amy explained that their belongings are sparse and consist mainly of a rice bin, a food bowl and a few articles of clothing.

Even though life is difficult in the Cambodian villages Amy was surprised to find that the children seemed happy. “I saw an enormous hope in spite of everything — these kids are the ‘tomorrow’ of Cambodia. I feel that they will turn their country around.”

Naomi Nelson also had a life-changing experience which led her to consider another mission trip. She was quite moved by the response of the children in the villages and in orphanages. “They were so grateful for everything we did for them,” she said. Many of the children were able to speak some English and enjoyed learning the English songs taught by the mission team.

The food that the missionaries ate while in Cambodia was simple. “I tried to be really careful and stay away from eating a lot of meat,” said Naomi. Breakfast consisted mostly of French bread and bottled water. Most of the other meals consisted of rice. “We also brought some snacks with us,” Naomi noted.

Naomi is excited about joining Amy Putnam and others from Fallbrook for the return visit in August. She found the Cambodian people “friendly, open and warm,” and felt safe during her time there. “We never ran into anyone who didn’t like Americans,” she noted.

Why does Naomi want to return? “I just fell in love with the kids and the people,” she said. “There is unfinished business there — I wouldn’t feel settled unless I went back.”

For further information on the Cambodian Mission Team please contact the Fallbrook Christian Bookstore at (760) 728-1600.