Mission to Cambodia 2013
from Taylor Bonds

It was a great day. We woke up by going on a 3 mile run along the river in Cambodia with my professor and friends. We proceeded to get ready for the hospital’s annual nursing check offs. They do this to check up on the skills of the many nurses and doctors of the Hope hospital. It is something that Belmont provides for the hospital every single year. There were five stations: Nursing Process, Drug calculation, Drug procedure, Wound care and Diabetes teaching. Not only did they recite us the entire procedure, they also had to recite it to us in a language that is so hard for them to speak: English.  Many ask why they have to learn this all in English considering most of the citizens speak Kamahi. It is because they do not have Cambodia nursing textbooks, they are either in English or French making the hospitals here either English or French speaking hospitals. It was so strange to be on the other end of things, because myself and the other 21 nursing students have felt the nervous feelings and butterflies while we do our check offs. All of them did absolutely amazing, and it was so encouraging to see their passion for learning and their passion for wanting to do well and succeed. It was also nice to see how much they cared about learning English. They wanted to hear us speak English and ask us questions in English so they could practice. So much fun!

Then, Lacey, Emily and I made our way to shadow in the Emergency Department. As we stepped into the hospital we came upon a 74-year-old woman that had lungs completely full of fluid. In the medical world we call that pleural effusion. She needed thoracentesis. This is where they take a huge needle and withdraw fluid from her lungs using a syringe. It was so hard to see. And, it was so hard to imagine the pain that this woman must be feeling. It broke my heart and it gave me reassurance that medical missions is something I truly want to do to better the lives of many. This is a picture of the woman’s lungs before (left) and after (right)  they took the fluid out!

After that we went back to check offs which were very fun! After check offs I had to ask the nursing director where they buy their amazing pens, because if any of you know me well, you know how much I love fine print pens. In California I would drive 45 minutes just to find an office max that sells the TUL .5 ballpoint pens that I love so much. I would buy 6 of them for $14, which is so expensive! So, I was hoping that their Cambodian fine print pens would be a little bit cheaper. After asking the director about where to buy the pens, she had to ask lots of other people, who asked many more and eventually a man came up to me that said he would go buy them for me. I decided to go with him, because I did not want him running errands for me What I assumed to be a 3 minute adventure down the street to buy some pens ended up being an hour and a half journey down many roads because in Cambodia they will not buy an item if they know the item could be purchased for less. So, we bargained ourself down to a price that the man I walked with seemed to be okay with!

What I was not prepared for was the story that the man I walked with was going to tell me. It started with my American, selfish, fair skinned self saying, “It is so hot and so sunny today!” His reply was a testimony that gives me chills to write about. He said that he used to work in the fields under the reign of the Khomer Rouge every day in this hot sun.  The journey of his survival is one of the most heart wrenching stories. It is one thing to read about it, watch a movie about it, and even to visit the places where many of the Cambodians were killed during the Khomer Rouge reign. But, to hear about it from a survivor standing right next to you taking you to buy some pens was one of the hardest things I have yet to experience.

What words do you say after hearing about one of the most horrific things that has happened in our history? How do you respond knowing the unbearable pain they went through?

I decided that maybe he wants to talk about it considering he started the conversation so I thought I would ask him more. I wanted to take the time I had while walking through street after street to be intentional, to love on his heart, and to tell him that he inspires me. For I know that the Lord’s timing is perfect.  Some of his words:

“He worked until he could not stand any longer”

“He would eat whatever they could find in the ground. Any live creature was a special meal: lizard, snake, rat, mouse, bugs”

“My family separated because they forced my sisters into camps, we still have not seen one my sisters”

“My sisters husband was killed before her eyes by the Khomer Rouge”

“When I got fever and sick there was no medicine, so I buried myself in the ground to cool me down.”

“My mom was poor, but smart, and she survived.”

“All the schools were taken away and by the time the Khomer Rouge Reign ended, I was 18 and had to start in Grade 4. I had a lot of work to do but I caught up quickly. By the age of 22 I was in Nursing School in the morning, Cambodia school in the afternoon, and English school in the evening”

Word after word after word broke my heart into tiny pieces. Honestly, when I walked back to the hospital I felt numb to think that these people that I am working with above the age of 34 ALL survived. And, to think they are the minority of the people that survived is terrible.

Today, he is the Vice presidents of one of the best nursing schools in Cambodia. God truly does work in miraculous ways.

“Blessed is the man who preservers under trail; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which [The Lord] has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12. I am so thankful for the motivation, protection, and love God gave this man, it has inspired me more than he will ever know.

After the hospital we went to dinner and then Emily (my roommate) and I went to sleep to get ready for the next morning.