A Tragedy of Loss

11-22 was a tragic day for most of the Cambodian people!  It should have been a joyful time for family and friends to enjoy the Water Festival, especially with the annual boating competition at the riverside.  It  became, however, a national day of mourning to show heartache and pain for those who lost their loved ones during a stampede.  Something like this never happened before in Cambodia.  There were about 400 people who died, and hundreds more are in the hospital.  People never expect a joyful festive time to turn into a time of grief and sadness.  Loss is one of the desperate feelings that make us look inside ourselves to find out how such losses of family members, relationships, possessions, etc., affect us.  I was also shocked when I received the message from a friend on the second day after the disaster.   This reminded me that life is unpredictable, and made me think about how we react to these losses.

Loss of loved ones

On the television screen, I saw lots of people, especially the mothers, who cried and even fainted when they held their children or saw their dead bodies lying on the floor.  The sudden loss of loved ones may bring about a feeling of helplessness in the future.  Mostly the parents put all their hopes on their children, especially hoping they can study in the university.  For some poor families in rural areas that support their children to study in Phnom Penh, they hope in return that their future will improve when their children find good jobs in the city after graduation.  Families that lost parents may face drastic adversities for survival.   It is like a dead end without any hope.

“Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.”  Psalm 71:3

Loss of support

When the disaster happened, the government's ability to help is limited.  The prime minister encouraged the public to donate money in order to help the victims and their families.   Again, in midst of a messy situation, some people took this chance to steal the victims’ motorbikes or rob them of their belongings.  Some truck drivers raised the cost to transport the corpses or their family members to hospital.  Even the mobile phone networks were jammed, and people were very tense while trying to contact their missing family and friends.  The government is still investigating the cause of that incident, but it seems there is not much it can do to help the urgent needs of the victims.

“Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name” Psalm 74:21

Loss of sensibility

There are lots of rumors after the accident.  Some said that the ghosts would seek the lives of 5,000 people.  Even some of our students could not sleep well because of fears.  On the other hand, many families put up a ‘shrine’ to serve the ghosts so that they wouldn’t do any harm to their family.  They put  fruits and drinks in front of their house, along with incense, which is more or less like our Chinese customs.  The price of bananas is usually around US$0.75 a bunch, but since the big demand for  offerings after this incident, the price has increased to US$3 a bunch.  Some people still bought bananas for the sake of their ‘security.’  When people are in fear, they will do anything in order to ‘protect’ themselves.  Even when some non-Christians saw some Christians putting a cross in front of their house, they did the same because they think that it can get rid of evil spirits.

“Restore us, O God; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved” Psalm 80:3

Prayer points

1. Pray for the families of the victims that the Lord will have mercy on them
2. Pray for Phnom Penh city that the residents will have peace and strength to recover from this tragedy.
3. Pray for the strength to receive 3 overseas teams in January
4. Pray for our new students in the dorms that they can adjust to living in the city.

In Christ,

Davis Lam

December 2010

Cambodia Mail Address: P.O Box 602, Phnom Penh, Cambodia