Cambodia Reflections - Thankful to be American; However

I cannot begin to tell you the well of happiness that opened when we were returning from Cambodia and I saw our west coast. It was not yet my home sweet West Virginia, but it was American soil.

Thankful To Be an American

There is an element of this feeling that speaks to familiarity. People here speak my language and understand pop culture references I make. Beyond that, I feel my patriotism well up inside of me. I do not fear for my safety when we are electing new officials. If I get together with a bunch of church folks and raise a racket about loving Jesus…I have no fear of reprisal. That is not the case worldwide.

Please do not take this the wrong way. I was not fearful in Cambodia, but I knew there were limits to the exuberance I could publicly express. There are vast differences in our country and Cambodia. First we can assemble for pretty much any cause and be as vocal as we want to be. In Cambodia, we could only travel in groups of 3 or 4 out in public. We could not draw attention to ourselves or have a big rally in Billy Graham style to reach the masses. There are permits you can apply for but the government corruption would likely have you tangled in red tape or fees that are exorbitant.

In the U,S we are blessed with programs to help our most needy. The infrastructure in our welfare system, our churches, non-profits and other venues organize to provide for the basic needs of countless people in our nation. When that fails the level of waste we indulge in the US fills garbage cans to overflowing with food we deem substandard. I have literally had a homeless man tell me he ate better digging in trash cans, than he ever did when he had a home. I know there are people starving in the US and living in conditions as bad and in some cases worse than what I witnessed in Cambodia. I am simply stating there are measures to assist in the US that are noticeably absent in other countries. (One of these photos in in West Virginia, the other in Cambodia...are we really that different?)

Like most Americans, I spend my fair share of time grumbling over the decisions of our government and programs that leach money from my paycheck. Whatever qualms I may have over how and where my tax money goes, I know it goes to plenty of good things to help others. (Not to mention paying the salaries at AREA 51…lol)

I am not a political science major and I have never followed politics as closely as I probably should, but I am thankful for the freedoms the American democracy provides. Our freedoms are many and I am thankful to be an American; however…

The However

As much as I love this country and my freedoms, there is something to be said for the level of respect, decorum, humility and hospitality of the people in Cambodia. There are people who would call it being repressed – I know because I used to be one of them. There is a certain comfort and freedom that comes from knowing there are boundaries we should not cross. It reminds me of our obedience to our Heavenly Father. We have parameters for our protection. We do this for our children and our animals. We put up fences (parameters) to keep them safe, but to also allow them the freedom to run and play.

I have crossed into Mexico, Canada, and gone to the Bahamas…I was never immersed with their people. I was a tourist. In Cambodia, I was invited into homes of complete strangers. In some cases, I felt more at ease with people I had just met than with people I knew back home for a lifetime. Even those who did not want to hear the Gospel, they were pleasant. These lovely people wanted to share their stories. We talked about our children and grandchildren. We even shared photos of our kids and occasionally my dogs. We laughed. Sometimes we cried.

If we were a little less cynical and a little more welcoming? What if we lived less of our lives out on social media…what changes might we see in our communities? In our families? The generosity I felt from the Khmer people and our gracious Pilipino missionary hosts, was overwhelming. I have always believed there is something to be learned from everyone and everything. The graciousness and respect of the Khmer people is something I hope to expand in my own life. I hope others will do the same.

Let Freedom Ring

Cambodia is approaching a national election. We saw evidence of the various parties based on the flags they flew. (Red, Blue and Yellow). You could feel the tension, especially when the propaganda vehicles drove by with an angry voice yelling out in Khmer their position. More than once travel was briefly delayed due to political parades. For the observant, you also saw the side arms and security forces in various capacities watching.

We are all aware that security increases during elections but there is a difference in security and hostility. Perhaps I was reading it wrong, but I felt the security forces I saw were more hostile than peace keeping. The last few American Presidential elections have brought the worst out of different groups in the US and that is certainly true in other countries. I am sure some of the protests we have witnessed in the US would mortify the average citizen of Cambodia.

Take a moment to be thankful for your freedoms. Pray for the elections in Cambodia. Pray that the seeds of the Gospel we planted will flourish and grow rampant. These beautiful people deserve every good thing God has for them and so do you!