Rachel Smith's Newsletters from Cambodia

February 2000

Dear Family and Friends:

Greetings from the other side of the world!! I hope everyone is doing well and taking care of each other.

Before going to Cambodia, my group was sent to Bangkok, Thailand. Bangkok is truly a city of hustle and bustle. It has the rhythm of any other major city. I found many familiar sites such as 7-11's and Starbucks. I toured sites such as the Grand Palace, former residence of the king of Thailand, and several Buddhist temples. It was a great cultural experience to be among the people of Thailand. It was also interesting to be totally immersed in a different language.

After Bangkok, I went to a place called Hua Hin which is also located in Thailand. During the week of January 19-26, Maryknoll missionaries from the Asia area met for a retreat and meetings. What a wonderful introduction to the world of mission! I met missionaries from China, Nepal, East Timor and many other places. I heard of experiences, some humorous, some moving, of the reality of life in mission. It was both inspiring and energizing.

Next, I traveled to Bangkok to view some places where Maryknoll missionaries are currently working. Along with the other new missionaries, I met with young men who were refugees from the conflict in Burma. These young men were Buddhist novices or people studying to monks. They shared their stories with such honesty but yet hope for a better life. I also visited an AIDS hospice in the slums of Bangkok. They people seemed to be glad to receive our smiles and welcoming to our visit.

Finally, on January 29th I arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia! Phnom Penh is a sharp contrast to the city of Bangkok. It is a much smaller city and retains almost a rural atmosphere. The people of Cambodia are ready to offer a smile and a slight bow to me as I prepare to be a part of their lives. The poverty here is visible and stark. I still, though, feel a presence of hope. Sweet smelling flowers are everywhere and offer a peace to this troubled land and to her people.

I start language school on February 7th. I heard a "rumor" it is difficult to learn Khmer which is the language of the Cambodian people. I am ready to forge ahead and face the challenge. Please pray for me!!!

Thank you for your continued support especially in prayer. The Maryknoll community of Cambodia has been extremely welcoming and excited to receive four new lay missionaries. God bless and be well!!!

Peace, Rachel

April 2000

Dear Family and Friends:

It is hard to believe it has been three months since I left home to come to Cambodia! The weather here is becoming warmer each day. I have to remind myself that springtime is approaching and the Easter season is upon us. I hope everyone is well and enjoying the beauty of spring.

Language school is well under way here. Learning Khmer, the language of the Cambodian people, has been a challenge. I have been studying Khmer script also and I am trying to memorize the 33 consonants and 24 vowels that comprise the Cambodian alphabet. When I try to speak it must sound like the speech of a child. I can usually only utter three or four word sentences. The Cambodian people attempt to understand. Often, I find the Cambodian people being my "teachers" and correcting my pronunciation. It is ironic to think that I came here to serve the Cambodian people and it is the Cambodian people who are helping me. I found that one of the best ways to learn Khmer is to go out and BE WITH the Cambodian people.

A great place to practice Khmer is in the markets of Phnom Penh. The markets are filled with stalls which contain a variety of items. A person might be able to find a part for a motorcycle at one end and find fish, still jumping sometimes, at the other end. A large majority of the vendors are women and you often find small children at their feet. I feel timid as I approach the saleswomen but attempt to speak my broken Khmer anyway. She seems to understand and even gives me a way to better pronounce my request. I begin to feel more confident and soon we are actually talking! We speak in small clips and phrases but I now know that she is married and has three children. The conversation does not last too long and we bid each other good-bye. "Lee-a seun hai-ee! Sok sop bai!" Good-bye! Good health!

She asks if I will return to her stall. I say I will. I try to remember the location of this particular stall. The market is a maze of stalls with each aisle leading to different sights and smells. I realize as I walk away that this market is the life blood for the women of these stalls. They call me over saying "Madame! Madame!" and try to get me to buy their wares. I love the hustle and bustle of this place of chaos and odd smells.

As I leave the market on a motorcycle taxi, I travel down a dirt road filled with potholes. The stalls of the markets usually spill out onto the streets. The streets are also lined with Cambodians performing the tasks of everyday living. I see children going to school but still other children are remain behind. I see tall houses right next to the shacks made of scraps of wood and simple tin roofs. I hear the sounds of the Buddhists monks chanting at the nearby temple or Wat. The sounds reach the ears of the family I see begging in the streets for a little relief from their hunger.  Are the prayers of the monks for them?  I wonder if any prayers reach them.

As I see the human face of poverty, I resolve to study Khmer a little harder that night.  I hope that eventually I will be able to talk more deeply with the Cambodian people.  I have seen the work of the Maryknoll projects in Phnom Penh and other human service organizations.  Amputees and polio victims learn vocational skills at the Wat Than Center.  Poor children are given the opportunity to learn how to read and write at center run by Maryknoll Sisters Regina Pelicore and Joyce Quinn.  Others are starting an AIDS hospice for those that have no where else to go and another is teaching sewing skills to Vietnamese women who face enormous persecution here.

The tasks seem endless.  Where does one start?  I think it starts with a conversation.  In the beginning, the sentences may be short but with time, patience, and study true dialogue begins to form.  The dialogue continues.  Eventually, the dialogue leads to a place for a dying AIDS patience or an opportunity for a child to have a chance in life.

I would like to thank everyone for their support especially in prayer.  It is good to know I have such great support across the miles.  Prayer does indeed reach no matter how many miles separate us. I wish everyone a blessed Easter season.  Please take care and be well!

Peace,   Rachel

June 2000

Dear Family and Friends:

It is a beautiful time of year here in Cambodia. The rainy season has begun which brings some relief from the heat. When the rains come, the Cambodian people begin to plant the rice. The fields turn from the dark browns of the hot season to various shades of green. Rice is the staple of the Cambodian diet and now my diet! It is a wonder to see the countryside turn into such wonderful gifts of Creation.

I will complete language school in August. It has been a difficult road but at the end of this journey it will be worth it. I have learned the power of words and how words form the stories of our being. These stories say who we are and where we come from. As I begin to hear the stories of the Cambodian people, I have realized that "mission" begins with this sharing of our stories and truly listening to the stories of others.

A large majority of the people in Cambodian has lived through the horror of the Pol Pot regime (1975-1979). During the Pol Pot regime, over two million Cambodians died. When I hear of people's experiences during this time, I am reminded that the statistic of 2 million people is comprised of mothers, fathers, children, and friends. I have come face to face with the people behind those numbers. It has been a powerful experience to be present to the people who are not merely numbers.

Statistics, facts, and figures…it can be overwhelming! But if I remember to take the time to listen to the people, I will see how close their stories are to my own. The people here have hopes and dreams for the future and struggle to provide for their families. Their experiences are still unique and special given the situation here. I truly find joy in being a presence to the Cambodian people.

I have to begun to look at possible ministries for me after language school. I am leaning towards working the mentally ill population or developmentally disabled adults. People with disabilities in Cambodia face enormous stigmas and discrimination. Services are very limited to the disabled population especially those that live in poverty. I am looking forward, still, to working with the disabled population again.

I would like to thank everyone again for your continued support especially in prayer. I can really feel it even across the miles. I hope everyone is well and enjoying the summertime! Please take care and be well.

Peace, Rachel

E-mail: mkmekong@forum.org.kh

Mailing address: Maryknoll Cambodia
PO Box 632
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

September 2000

Dear Family and Friends:

Transportation to language school is interesting. The most popular way of getting from place to place is by motorcycle. People simply hop on the back of these small motorcycles and tell the driver where they want to go. After arriving at the destination, a price is agreed upon and money is exchanged. I have driven with the same person for the last six months of language school. I paid him at the end of the month for his services. Usually, these motorcycle taxi drivers live from day to day and do not know how much they will earn for that day. In the past six months, we have grown to be friends.

The ride to language school is brief but still we have discussed topics from family to political situations in Cambodia. I am sure he has appreciated my increased skills in the Khmer language. Our first few conversations were a bit limited. Recently, he asked me to help him with his English skills. I readily agreed since he is always willing to take me where I need to go. He then in turn invited me to see his small home and meet his family. I was really touched since he as seen the size of the Maryknoll house and pictures of my own home in Baltimore.

I was welcomed, as always in Cambodia, with warm hospitality. He was explaining to me how his mother-in-law started to build the house. The house was not completed because she ran out of money. He had to borrow the money from his brother and sister. It was a large amount for Cambodians and he was making monthly payments of $2 to repay the debt. It was very difficult for him to repay the debt.

He said that since I provided him with a regular salary he was able to make larger payments. He is now almost free from the debt. He thanked me for helping him and his family.

I was very humbled by his words. I needed to go to language school so I rode with the same person everyday. Simple enough? His words of thanks caused me to reflect on the meaning of mission. We can be easily be overwhelmed by the statistics, facts, and figures of poverty. It can make us want to give up and say, "What can I do?"

The simple action of providing a man with a regular salary has allowed that man to free himself of a burdensome debt. He is a family man with a wife and two daughters struggling to make ends meet. His story seems so familiar to our own stories.

I also realized that our everyday actions have effects on people. We go to stores and pay for our merchandise. How many lives have we effected that day? The lives of the cashier, the salesperson, the person who delivered the merchandise, etc. I think we are more connected to each other than we ever realize.

Thank you for your continued support both in prayer and the numerous e-mails and letters. Your support has also helped a man to perhaps look towards the future with hope and be free from debt. Please take care and be well!

Peace, Rachel

P.S. Please support debt relief for poor nations! The debt of these nations causes a lack of social services such as schools and hospitals. We can help people of the world look towards a brighter future!