Reflections so far - Alan Jamieson

For me, Day 1 ran the full range from hope to the horrors and naked evil of mankind at its worst.  The visit to World Vision Cambodia and what we learnt and heard from the Operations Director and his colleagues was encouraging, reassuring and at times inspiring.

World Vision International is a Christian organisation and the commitment of World Vision Cambodia to Christian values is very evident; no mean feat in a country in which only 2% are Christians.  Their programmes for the well-being of children struck a particular chord with me.  The personal testimony of the Operations Director was a wonderful, but not isolated, example of good works flowing from a soundly based faith. Another aspect we learnt of practical help to those in desperate need is the IMPACTS programme, which provides support for the after-care welfare of children, both girls and boys, who have been victims of trafficking and sexual abuse. 

A visit to the Pol Pot killing fields brought the dreadful reality of far off events of indescribable human cruelty of the Pol Pot regime in 1975-79 home to us. This was followed by the starkness of the S21 genocide museum.  The starkness broken by a group of modern day children at play in the grounds was in itself a testament that the human spirit is powerful enough can to overcome the most gruesome of actions. But it was impossible not to be moved by what we saw and not to be determined that atrocities such as this must never be allowed to happen again.

Musings from Cambodia 1

(19/01/14 On the flight)

Well now…. sitting here on the aircraft…. flying over Queensland…. 10km above the planet’s surface. My wife at my side…. friends with us…. what could be better? 

We have it extremely lucky in good ole UnZud… Fred Dagg used to sing about this… remember his song? “We don’t know how lucky we are…..” We have beautiful beaches just a stones throw from our elegant door steps… parks with lot’s of area to play sport, walk the dog, picnic or a myriad of other leisure activities.

We can hop in our steel cages, on our you beaut pedal bikes, scooters, motorcycles… walk with safety… free of pollution, free of fear, free to express things the way we deem fit. We travel to far flung destinations, to our holiday homes, to the mountains and best of all return home once again to paradise.

Is this REALLY what living in Aotearoa is like for us?

Is this the truth?

Is it everyone’s reality in our small country?

Or do we have some real problems in our own backyard? Do we have a dark side in our quarter acre pavlova paradise? Indeed, perhaps there is poverty in Pure NZ… what do you think?

(22/01/14 On the road to Takeo) 

Poverty… it’s a word that stirs emotions, a word that divides opinion and for a great number of people is a stark reality of what they face every day. Like you I have seen the comments that in NZ many children live in poverty, and many families can’t afford to feed themselves.

Let’s compare it to where we are now…. Cambodia, and indeed Thailand where we have travelled in the past.

Cambodia from all accounts is a country that rates as the poorest in all of Asia. Families survive on a meagre amount, as low as $US600 per year. Granted, food is cheaper, housing cheaper if you can find it.

BUT…. there is horrendous true poverty, and a violent oppressive past. Children are exploited, used as sexual gratification for twisted people and often live dirty lives on dusty streets. Older people have disabilities from land mines, disease, and lack of medical care. There is a whole generation almost missing as a result of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge. 

So…  do we have poverty in NZ? Not if we compare the two countries. Cambodia is far more impoverished. We do have people in NZ who are living difficult lives and find it hard to provide for their basic needs. But unlike Cambodia we have safety nets in place. In Cambodia there is 25% of the population officially unemployed. There is no benefit, and pensions are virtually nonexistent outside of Government workers. 

We can’t ignore poverty anywhere it happens…, New Zealand included. However let’s thank God we live in a country where our basic needs and rights are set in stone. Let’s celebrate our freedoms whilst understanding the world’s problem areas. Let’s help where we can and try to be good citizens in the world community.

For me, this is THE most important thing we can learn from a trip like this… however learning is one thing, action is a quite different thing. 

Here therefore lies the challenge. 

From your blogger Peter Chatteris

Landmines

Catherine, Aimee and Lee visited a shop and noticed that there was a photo of Princess Diana on the wall. In the photo was the shop assistant. In enquiring further the assistant advised that she was in fact the shop owner and that she was a landmine victim in 1979. She came from a rural community and was walking with a friend when her friend stood on a land mine. Her friend was killed and she lost her right leg and some of her torso. She was 12 at the time. After going to a rehabilitation school she learnt to become a tailor and from there she has become an entrepreneur who now owns two shops that sell goods made by landmine victims. After Pol Pot Cambodia had a disproportionately high number of unexplored landmines but most have been cleared now.

Church before the trip

Hello to all at Church!!

Two more sleeps!

This is the group travelling to Cambodia this Sunday 

We leave Sunday afternoon and fly into Bangkok.. then Monday morning to Phnom Penh. This blog along with the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StHeliersChurchAbroad will keep you informed and up to date with our adventures! Cheers all... Peter

Introduction - Peter Chatteris

Hi... I am your blogger for the Cambodian trip. Most of you know me but here's a quick intro.

I have been associated with St Heliers Church since being baptised there in 1959. The font is still the same one... how cool is that!

I teach music and hire out Remote Control Cars for a living... yeah kinda a boy thing huh!

I am married to Sharyn and have three stepkids, 4 cats, 2 dogs and ... various strays from time to time...

Cheers!

Cambodia Trip

Only a few weeks until we are off to Cambodia. This is the source for news of the trip