May 8, 2013 by
ខ្ញុំ​គ្រាន់​តែ​ចង់​ចែក​រំលែក​ពី បទ​ពិសោធន៍​ដ៏​ថ្មី​ស្រឡាង​មួយ​សំរាប់​ជីវិត​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ ដែល​ខ្ញុំ​មិន​ដែល​ជួប​ប្រទះ​ដោយ​ផ្ទាល់​នៅ​ក្នុង​ឆាក​ជីវិត​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ក្នុង​រយះ​ពេល​៣៣ឆ្នាំ​ចុង​ក្រោយ​នេះ។ នេះ​ជា​រឿង​រ៉ាវ​មួយ​ដែល​បាន​កើត​មាន​ឡើង​ក្នុង​កំឡុង​ពេល​ដែល​ប្រពន្ធ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​សំរាក​កូន​ទី​២​របស់​យើង​។ នៅផ្ទះរបស់​យើង.. ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​សៅរ៍​ទី ២០​ ខែ​មេសា​ ឆ្នាំ២០១៣, ប្រពន្ធ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​បាន​ប្រាប់​ថា នាង​មាន​ហូរ​ទឹក​ចេញ​មក (ប្រពន្ធ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​គ្រប់​ខែ​ត្រូវ​ឆ្លង​ទន្លេរហើយ ថែម​ទាំង​លើស​ថ្ងៃ​កំណត់​៤​ថ្ងៃ​ទៀត​ផង) នោះ​វា​ជា​សញ្ញា​មួយ​បាន​ប្រាប់​ពួក​យើង​អោយ​ដឹង​ថា នេះ​ប្រហែល​ជា​ត្រូវ​ដល់​ពេល​កូន​កើត​ហើយ ព្រោះ​យើង​បាន​រង់​ចាំ​ពេល​វេលានេះ​អស់​រយះពេល​ជា​យូរ​យារ​ណាស់​មក​ហើយ! (បន្ទាប់​ពី​កូន​ស្រី​ទី១​របស់​យើង ពិសិដ្ឋ ហ្រ្គេស សូហ្វៀ មាន​អាយុ៣ឆ្នាំកន្លះ យើង​សម្រេច​ចិត្ត​ និង​យល់​ព្រម​ជាមួយ​គ្នា​ថា​នឹង​យក​កូន​មួយ​ទៀត ហើយ​សង្ឃឹម​ថា​ជាកូន​ប្រុស​ទៅ ចុះ។)  យើង​ទាំង​២នាក់​រៀប​ចំខ្លួន​រួច​ជា​ស្រេច ដើម្បី​ទៅ​មន្ទីរ​ពេទ្យ​ឯក​ជន សម្ភព​សោភា ចំណែក​អីវ៉ាន់​ផ្សេងៗ​សំរាប់​កូន​តូច និង​សំរាប់​ឪពុក​ម្ដាយ​ក៏​រៀប​ចំរួច​ជា​ស្រេច​នៅ​ក្នុង​ឡាន​តាំង​ពីមួយ​ខែមុន​មក​ម្លេះ (ប្រពន្ធ​ខ្ញុំ​ចេះ​តែ​រៀប​ចំ​អោយ​ហើយ​ទៅ ក្រែង​លោ​កូន​កើត​មក​មុន​​ទៅ​ យើង​មិន​ចាំ​បាច់​ប្រញ៉េប​ប្រញ៉ាប់ ភ្លេច​នេះ​ ភ្លេច​នោះ ខ្វះ​មុខ ខ្វះ​ក្រោយ)។ រង់​ចាំ​បន្តិច ទំរាំ​ម៉ីង​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​មក​ដល់ យើង​ត្រូវ​ទៅ​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ​ជាមួយ​គ្នា។ ចំណែក​ឯ​កូន​ស្រី​របស់​ខ្ញុំ សូ​ហ្វៀ ត្រូវ​នៅ​ជាមួយ​យាយ​នៅ​ផ្ទះ។ ម៉ីង​ខ្ញុំ​មក​ដល់​ហើយ ចឹង​យើង​ឡើង​ឡាន​ទៅ​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ​ជាមួយ​គ្នា។ ធ្វើ​ដំណើរ​តាម​ផ្លូវ​ចិត្ត​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ច្រាស​ច្រាល ចង់​ចាប់​នេះ​ចាប់​នោះ​ខុស តែ​ខ្ញុំ​ត្រូវ​បង្អាក់​បន្តិច​ ហើយ​ដក​ដង្ហើម​ធំ​មួយ​ដើម្បី​បន្ធូរ​ភាព​តាន​តឹង នឹង​ប្រមូល​អារម្មណ៍​មក​វិញ។ ងាក​មើល​មក​ទឹក​មុខ​ប្រពន្ធ​របស់ខ្ញុំ គាត់​បញ្ចេញ​អារម្មណ៍​ឈឺ​ចាប់​តាម​បែប​ស្ត្រី​ឈឺ​ពោះ​សំរាល​កូន តែ​មិន​ទាន់​ដល់​តំណាក់​កាល​ខ្លាំង​នៅ​ឡើយ​ទេ។   មកដល់​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ… ម៉ោង​ប្រហែល​ជា​១១ យើង​បាន​ទៅ​ដល់​មន្ទីរ​ពេទ្យ។ ទៅ​ដល់​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ ប្រពន្ធ​នឹង​ម៉ីង​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ចេញ​ពី​ឡាន ឯ​ចំណែក​ខ្ញុំ​វិញ​ត្រូវ​រក​កន្លែង​ចត​ឡាន។ ចូល​ទៅ​ដល់​ប្រពន្ធ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ត្រូវ​បាន​ពេទ្យ​នាំ​យក​ទៅ បន្ទប់​ពិនិត្យ ចេញ​មក​វិញ​ខ្ញុំ​សួរ​គាត់​ថា “ពេទ្យ​ថា​យ៉ាង​ម៉េច​ទៅ​ហើយ?” គាត់​គ្រាន់​តែ​លើក​ដៃ​ជា​សញ្ញា​ ដោយ​ប្រើ​ម្រាម​ដៃ​៣ នោះ​បញ្ជាក់​ថា ស្បូន​បើកបាន​៣សង់ទីម៉ែត្រហើយ។ បន្ទាប់​ពីរៀប​ចំឯកសារ​រួច​រាល់​ហើយ យើង​ត្រូវ​បាន​នាំ​ទៅ​បន្ទប់​សំរាក​រង់​ចាំ​មួយ ពេល​នោះ​បង​ប្រុស​របស់​ប្រពន្ធខ្ញុំ និង​ប្អូន​ថ្លៃ​គាត់​បាន​មក​ដល់​ល្មម ក៏​បាន​ជួយ​យក​អីវ៉ាន់​ចេញ​ពី​ឡាន​ឡើង​ទៅ​បន្ទប់​សំរាក​នៅ​ជាន់​ទី៧។ ចំណែក​ប្រពន្ធ​ខ្ញុំ​នឹង​ម៉ីង​ត្រូវ​ទៅ​សំរាក​នៅ​បន្ទប់​បន្ដោះអាសន្ន​សិន។ នៅ​ក្នុង​បន្ទប់​សំរាក​បន្ដោះ​អាសន្ន​នោះ ប្រពន្ធ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​មាន​កាអាការះឈឺ​ពោះ​ខ្លាំង​ជាង​មុន។ ខ្ញុំ​បាន​ទាញ​យក Ipad រួច​ បើក​កម្ម​វិធី​វាស់​ការ​រំញោច​ស្បូន  ដើម្បី​អោយ​ដឹង​ថា តើ​វា​ឈឺ​ញ៉ាប់​ ឬ​រង្វើល។ ការ​វាស់​បាន​បង្ហាញ​ថា ការ​ឈឺ​ពោះ​កាន់​តែឈឺ​ញ៉ាប់​ទៅៗ ពេល​នោះ​ម៉ោង​ប្រហែល​ជា១២ថ្ងៃ​ទឹក​ភ្លោះ​ក៏​បាន​ហូរ​ច្រើន​ជាង​មុន នឹង​មាន​លាយ​ឈាម​ផង (នោះ​បង្ហាញថា ការ​ឈឺពោះនេះ​ជិត​ដល់​ការ​សំរាល​កូន​កៀក​ជាង​មុន​ហើយ។) យើង​ក៏​បាន​ហៅ​ជំនួយ​ការ​ពេទ្យ​មក។ ពេទ្យ​បាន​មក​ដល់ ហើយ​បាន​ផ្ដល់​យោបល់​ និង​លំហាត់​មួយ​ចំនួន​សំរាប់​ប្រពន្ធ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ ដើម្បី​កាត់​បន្ថយ​ការ​ឈឺ​ចាប់ រួច​ហើយ​ពេទ្យ​បាន​ប្រាប់​អោយ​ញ៉ាំ​អាហារ​ថ្ងៃ​ត្រង់​បន្តិច​សិន​ទៅ ដើម្បី​យក​កម្លាំង​​សំរាប់​សំរាល​កូន​ក្នុង​ពេល​បន្តិច​ទៀត​នេះ។ ខ្ញុំ​បាន​ជួយ​សំរួល​ដល់​ប្រពន្ធ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ដោយ​​ រៀបចំអាហារ​សំរាប់​គាត់ (អាហារ​ផ្ដល់​ដោយ​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ) ហើយ​បញ្ចុក​គាត់។ បន្តិចៗ​ម្ដងៗ​ គាត់​បើកមាត់​មួយ​ៗ​ហារ​មាត់ ទាំង​យក​ដៃ​អោប​ពោះ ដោយ​អាការះឈឺផ្អួលៗ។ ញ៉ាំ​បាន​តែ​២ទៅ៣ម៉ាត់​គាត់​ក៏​ឈប់​ថា​គ្មាន​អារម្មណ៍​ញាំ​ទេ ព្រោះ​ឈឺ​ពោះ​ណាស់ ខ្ញុំ​ក៏​បាន​អោយ​ទឹក​គាត់​ផឹក​បន្តិច​ហើយ​ក៏​រៀប​ចំសំរាប់​គាត់​ទៅ​កាន់​បន្ទប់​សំរាល។ ម៉ីង​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ទៅ ជាមួយ​គាត់ ចំណែក​ខ្ញុំ​ត្រូវ​នៅ​ញ៉ាំបាយ​បន្តិច​សិន រួច​ហើយ​ចាំ​ដូរ​គ្នា​ជាមួយ​នឹង​គាត់ម្ដង។

December 17, 2012 by
Dear Family & Friends: America is devastated by last week's tragedy of (20) children and (7) adults who were killed by a 20 year old young man at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.  When crimes like this happen, I can say for certain that our faith is tested.  When we are in dark times, we hurt; and we ask "why me?"  This devastating crime can happen anywhere because our world is increasingly filled with violence.  We know it is not unusual to experience a time of darkness. As a matter of fact, it will happen to everyone. Q239:  Who do we talk to when we are in dark times? A239:  "Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant?  Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.  But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze.  This is what you shall receive from my hand:  You will lie down in torment." ~ Isaiah 50:10-11.  "And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ~ Mark 15:34.   We all go through dark times, and we all sometimes feel forsaken, but our faith in Christ is our hope.  With and in Him, we are never without hope.  God loves us always, even when we hurt and are in a time of darkness.  He has promised us in Psalms 23:1-3, "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake."  Warren Wiersbe is correct when he says, “When you and I hurt deeply, what we really need is not an explanation from God, but a revelation of God.  We need to see how great God is; we need to recover our lost perspective on life.   Today's Prayer Heavenly Father, at the moment nothing seems to be able to help the loss we feel.  Nothing can replace the loss of lives.  Our heart is broken and our spirit mourns.  All we know is that Your grace is sufficient.  This day, this hour, and moment by moment, we choose to lean on You.  For when we are at our weakest, Your strength is strongest.  We pour out our grief to You, and praise You for a glorious day.  When all suffering and hurts are extinguished, may Your love conquer.  Lord, we thank You so much for love.  In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen. Grace and peace,  Veasna Eddie Khem Do everything in love (1 Corinthians 16:14) .  Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalms 37:4).   

October 19, 2012 by
Here is a great Story by Sivy.  She is a Cambodian girl who has been adapted by a missionary couple, raised in Thailand. She is  now in a university in the US. She is also a registered member of our community. Clik here to read her story "Living My Dream"     LIVING MY DREAM October 8th, 2012 at 4:10 pm I must confess: I had some unpleasant attitudes toward school in the last couple weeks. I was extremely frustrated because no matter how much schoolwork I completed, there would always be more to do. There were days that I did nothing other than attending long classes and doing more schoolwork in my room. It seemed like time was going so slowly, and yet I still didn’t have enough time to finish my work. Then, in the midst of this intense frustration, a fond memory came to me. It made me realize that I am actually living my dream. When I was a little girl, about nine years of age, I imagined a perfect world for myself. Back then I was living in a remote village in Cambodia near the border of South Vietnam. Like many other children in the village, I had the responsibilities to help my poor family plant rice, collect vegetables, feed pigs and chickens, and tend cows in the fields. I helped my family with all these chores everyday. I did attend school but only for four hours from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. each day. Work was an absolute priority and school was a secondary. I was tired and weary from my chores, and I desperately wanted to study at school the whole day. One day as I was riding on the boney back of my old cow, I looked at the white clouds in the blue sky and started to imagine my perfect world. I imagined that my parents suddenly became rich and built a great big house. The house would have many rooms, and I would have a room to myself (most houses in Cambodia only have one big open space and everyone shares that space). I wanted a bunk bed in my room. I saw bunk beds on TV and thought that they were the coolest things. I wanted to sleep on a mattress and sheets like people in the movies. It looked very comfortable and luxurious. (People in my village did not sleep on mattresses and beds, but they slept on a mat on the plank floor. We also slept inside mosquito nets to prevent mosquitoes from biting us.) Once I had my own space and my own bed with a mattress, I would study all day long on my comfortable bed in my quiet room. I would study, study, and study some more. There would be no more planting rice in the hot sun or tending cows in the fields all alone. I would just go to school and come back to my room and study. This was what I really imagined but never expected it to come true. Miracles have happened since those days when I dreamt of a better life. Now I have a bunk bed, a mattress and sheets. I share a room with my two good friends in my dorm. I don’t have to plant rice in the field or tend cows in the hot sun. My only job is to study. Having been raised in a Buddhist home, who would have guested that there is a God who cares enough for me to listen to my imaginations and dreams? Who would have expected that He would find me in a remote village and bring me this far, to the other side of the world, to a university where I could earn a college education and fulfill my dreams? This memory of mine humbles me. Sometimes I forget where I came from and take these blessings for granted. How many little girls and young women around the world long to have a great education like I have right now? Before I complain about schoolwork or classes, I remind myself that this is what I actually wanted. I am literally living my dream. WHERE ARE YOU FROM? September 11th, 2012 at 4:51 pm With brown skin, brown eyes and black hair, it is not an easy task for me to blend into a crowd of white people without being asked, “Where are you from?” Most people have no problem answering such a short and easy question. But like other missionary kids, I always struggle to come up with a quick and comprehensible answer. This dialogue reflects what I went through last year when I started Judson as a freshman. American student: “Hey, where are you from?”Me, with a worried smile: “I’m from Thailand.”American student: “Ah, Thailand! I love your country. Thai people are so nice!”Me (not sure whether to say thank you or explain): “Yeah… Thailand is a great country, but I’m not Thai; I’m Cambodian.”American student: “Oh… well I hope you like it here. Hope you have fun living with us crazy Americans!”Me: “Yeah… I’m also American… I mean… I’m also a citizen of this country.”American student: “Wow, really? Then, how long have you lived here?”Me: “Never, this will be my first year…” [AWKWARD PAUSE] American student: “You know what, I need to run, but I’d love to talk to you more about it. Why don’t we sit together at lunch?”Me: “Yes, sure.” I often feel bad because my answers deeply confuse people. My honest dialogue might confuse you readers as well. If this is the case, I wholeheartedly apologize. Let me explain myself to you. I was born and raised in Cambodia as a child. My last three years there, I lived in a poor and deprived orphanage because both of my biological parents died of AIDS. At age thirteen, I was adopted by an American couple who were missionaries in Thailand. I lived in Thailand as a missionary kid for seven pleasant years before coming to study in America. I recently became a U.S. citizen after a complicated and long adoption process. That is why I am a citizen of the United States but have not lived in this foreign land of mine before. With the start of my second year at Judson, my room is a mess because I haven’t unpacked everything, and I can’t make up my mind where to best place my worldly possessions. I walk around on my floor and throughout campus greeting and hugging old friends. We share about our summer, and how we terribly missed each other. And then I realize: nobody is asking me where I’m from! These friends know me; they know my story and where I am from. This is marvelous! As I watch new students move in, bringing along their endless dorm supplies, I wonder where they are from. Are they from around here, or are they from another state? That person standing over there might not even be from the States. Every person comes from some place and each of them has their own story. Their story of where they are from might not be as complicated as mine, but it is still nice to stop by and welcome them and ask where they are from. People are usually proud of their states and country. So by asking this question, it brings smile to their faces. So where are you from, if you don’t mind my asking?