Remember History

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The world is extremely rich with history. I may be stating the obvious, but I so easily forget. Any country visited or any interaction with a human can reveal information that occurred in their past. These historical circumstances can help us understand why present situations are a certain way. It has been some time coming to write about the trip, but I recently had the privilege to learn about the culture and history of two, beautiful countries.
Surrounding Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam are geographically close to one another, yet they are significantly different. They each have their own unique systems in place for politics, employment, transportation, communication, entertainment, and fashion. These diverse countries do happen to share one thing in common. They each have endured a nationwide tragedy. One experienced a mass genocide while the other faced a fatal war. As I toured historical locations in a famous city of each country, I was reminded to keep incorporating history in my perspective as I go through life.   
It is easy to look from the outside and draw a conclusion about the condition of another country. Once I stepped inside the other countries' territory, I began to see from a new angle. Especially when I entered Cambodia, I was expecting that I would be exposed to more poverty than Thailand. This expectation wasn't wrong, but I was thrown off at first when many of the people spoke fluent English, used US currency, and drove like Americans. While traveling to the RNhu home and the floating villages, this first impression changed as the Western (and French) influences in the city quickly diminished. Then, the poverty screamed loudly.
In the late 1970s, the people of Cambodia suffered from the Khmer Rouge. The reigning authority at the time claimed he wanted to create all people equal and to do so he needed to start from ground zero. He tortured and killed off the educated, suspected spies, families, a few foreigners, and many others. At prisons and work fields, thousands throughout the country unexpectedly faced an early death. The results of the genocide are still clearly visible as the country continues to struggle in developing from square one.
The results of major events in history help me better understand why homes like RNhu are needed in places like Cambodia. In Cambodia's situation, the children are essentially the third generation in their country. The first generation were their grandparents who were lost in the genocide, and the second generation were their parents who were just children themselves during the tragic event. Resources and energy since the event have been spent trying to survive and develop that not much is left to support a family or an education. Children are left vulnerable.
The trip also brought to my attention the importance for people to learn a skill or trade. Education is important, but people who survived the prison headquarters of the Khmer Rouge were the ones who possessed a skill in art or had a trade in mechanics. Their skills created a way out. When there is not an opportunity to earn an education that will provide a future career, what else is available to be used as a source of income? I would hope the chance to learn a skill or trade would be available before people think the last option is to be sold or to sell their child.
     I know I've written most about Cambodia, but my visit there just reaffirmed why I joined a ministry like RNhu. Children and families are aided with resources to provide an alternative way to life. Remembering history will unlock ideas in knowhow to help others. 
What will you do with the history you know? 
Written By: Remember Nhu Intern, Thailand
https://remembernhu.org/

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Note Megan B. - Thailand in the notes section.


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