Ezekiel

I woke up at 7:00 in the morning and got ready by packing my luggage to leave later in the day. We went to a cafe to eat breakfast, then went back to the hotel to finish packing our rooms. At 10:00 AM, we left our packed bags in the hotel foyer and headed to our taxis (tuk-tuks) waiting outside.

We got in and drove to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in the city. We received tickets to enter the area, along with an audio guide device to hear facts about the different sections of the museum. The museum was a former secondary school that turned into a security prison referred to as S21 by the Khmer Rouge regime. It acted as a prison from 1975 to 1979, until it fell. We wrapped up a little early in order to stay on schedule for the rest of the day.

We took the tuk-tuks to a restaurant for lunch and ordered. After we finished eating, we got back on our tuk-tuks and drove to a shopping centre. In the air-conditioned shopping centre, we went up to a specific general store to buy supplies for our sponsor child. After checking out, we headed back to our tuk-tuks and loaded the bags.

We drove the supplies to a market, where we unloaded the bags into our shuttle bus to travel to Light of Hope. After unloading, we headed straight into the markets to make additional personal purchases. We wandered within the markets for over an hour.

We regrouped at our meeting spot and waited for everyone to arrive before boarding the shuttle buses. We brought our shopping bags with us inside and sat in the humid heat of the bus. Once we headed off, the air-con turned on, and the bus was pleasant.

After one hour and 45 minutes, we stopped at Khan Sen Sok in Phnom Penh, where dozens of little kids had pet spiders crawling on them. They offered us food such as spiders and insects. You had to pay 500 Cambodian Riel per person to use the bathroom facilities.

We arrived at the hotel, unpacked all our luggage and supplies, and checked into our rooms. We all got together for worship and dinner, then went to our rooms to sleep.

Amelia

Today was our last day in Phnom Penh, so we started by packing our bags and getting ready for breakfast. After breakfast, we took tuk-tuks to S21, a school that the Khmer Rouge turned into a prison, where they tortured and killed thousands of people. It was a very confronting experience, with many graphic photos and a solemn atmosphere, but I also found it insightful, and it was a good way to end our stay in Phnom Penh before arriving at Light of Hope. It reminded us what we were here for and how we can help the people here.

After S21, we had lunch at Kabbas, then went to Central Market, where we bought souvenirs, clothes, and more. It was really exciting to experience the bustle and bargaining in the markets. We spent about an hour in the market, said goodbye to our tuk-tuk drivers, and then got onto the vans and headed towards Light of Hope.

It was a 3-hour drive, with a stop in between. The moment we stepped off the van, children selling snacks crowded around us. Many of the kids were holding tarantulas we could hold for a dollar, and they followed us wherever we went. It was really fun to experience and interact with the kids, but also confronting. I realised the reality of the effects of poverty that still impacts every generation here.

Afterwards, we got back on the vans and had a quieter ride to the new hotel. Once we carried our luggage up to our rooms and had dinner, we finished the day with worship, where we reflected on what we experienced.

Today was tiring and eventful, but I’m glad we got to experience everything, and I’m so excited to meet and teach the kids tomorrow at Light of Hope!