Recently, I read that it is a writer’s job “to make the world visible.” Today that is my goal–to take a small aspect of Cambodian life that may be “hidden” to most readers and make it “visible.” Most reading this blog right now know that I am writing this from the poorest country in SE Asia; that I see the face of poverty on a daily basis; and frequently hear horrific stories of need and abuse. What you don’t know is that I also hear stories of a different kind as well. I repeatedly hear accounts of great generosity and sacrifice that puts me to shame and makes me rethink what it is to be generous and openhanded. I work with Cambodians who are extremely generous.
The Cambodians with whom I work struggle greatly to meet their own needs and yet think it is nothing to give most of their paychecks to other family members in need. I work with a young man who gives half his paycheck monthly to his younger brother to go to university. I work with several young women who send half of their paychecks every month to their mothers. Another couple that I know recently took all of their savings to build a house for their father and sister. These are not unusual stories. These stories happen and are happening around me all the time.
Is there more to this story than just simple kindness and generosity? Yes. Absolutely. These stories point to cultural differences between the East and the West and the diverse perceptions of filial and familial obligations. It speaks of dissimilar world views that are rooted in Aristotle and Confucius; whose teachings enormously impacted the intellectual, social, and political histories of the people who followed in their wake. However, does it make these personal sacrifices any less real? Not to me. I am awestruck every time I hear about them—particularly because I know how sparingly many of those giving away half of their paychecks live. Honestly, in this instance it makes me question whether or not we in the West haven’t lost something in all of our striving for independence and autonomy. In this instance—in this facet of life–are we, the West, the more impoverished?
-Julie Martinez
It’s been particularly fun seeing our kids from the Pace Children’s Home grow intellectually in the past year and a half that I’ve been here. For most teachers in the US, they have a group of students for nine months and then start all over again with new students. I have the privilege of continuing [...]
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Sustainability is a popular buzz word in the field of development these days, and for good reason. Why waste efforts helping people in ways that will not give them a long-term benefit? Even if an organization has the resources to commit to a perpetual “band-aid” approach to deeper problems, such strategies often create an unhealthy [...]
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I am always taken back when humility is modeled before me by someone in leadership. I believe humility is not always required or appreciated as a key leadership quality in Asia, or in many leadership roles in the West, too. Leaders can get away with treating others with less respect, and most of the time [...]
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Recently I had the unexpected pleasure of getting out of town with some PCL friends for a little last minute vacation. Cambodia’s late King Norodom Sihanouk passed away in November and his long awaited cremation closed the Learning Center, and most of Siem Reap for that matter, for several days in early February. [...]
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Laborious. Tedious. Painful. Frustrating. These are some of the first words I would use to describe our slow road to learning the Khmer language. Language study began shortly after we arrived last January. Progress was slow to say the least. This is a language that has not an alphabet, but an alphasyllabary (yes, I had [...]
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Lately I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the concept of poverty. Poverty can come in many different forms. It doesn’t always have to mean a lack of money, shelter or food. The basic concept of poverty means, “the state of being insufficient in amount.” This opens up a host of correlations. It could [...]
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My very first project in Siem Reap was to take a basically empty building and convert it into a coffee shop. A tall order for one who didn’t drink coffee and had zero experience running a coffee shop or restaurant. (Although I am an extreme tea drinker, I have to confess I now succumb to [...]
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Click the link below to enjoy a short video of our children from the Pace Children’s Home in Siem Reap enjoying a “leisurely” bike ride with Matt Bohlman, the Home’s director. You won’t be disappointed! Kulen Mtn Bike Trip 2
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This past weekend was an exciting one here in Siem Reap! We had a team of three guys travel all the way from the States with one of our PCL staff members, Jake Stum, to participate in several days of biking including the official Angkor Wat Bike Race and Run. We also had our Director, [...]
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As part of our education efforts in Cambodia we are growing small test plots of vegetables at our integrated farm in Takam. The success of these vegetables means several possibilities for the Cambodian villagers in the neighboring communities. If they decide to grow their own crops during the dry season there are 3 major benefits [...]
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