Skip to main content

Cambodia Trip - Aftershock

I just came back from a "mission trip" to Cambodia - May 2-19. There were 23 young adults that went from our Church. We went to Cambodia to work with kids, bring a tonne of supplies and to help (mostly financially) with a building project. Sometimes I have questioned the value of these types of trips, and I still do at times - but I will leave that for another post. This whole experience affected me in ways I am just beginning to understand. I saw things there that you just don't see in North America - the poverty, the prostitution (VERY aggressive), the social needs. We may have a large problem with these things in North America, but we have found ways to hide them better so that middle class people like me don't have to see them too much. I found the needs impacted me so much, that I can't wrap my head around the needs I see here at home. We have meetings to discuss how we should change the programs at our church...my kids feel they "need" new things or more attention...my computer doesn't work right...I feel like I want a rest...things need fixing around the house...we have the same old discussions at church meetings that we have had since I got here...and I just feel like shouting, "STOP, don't you know that people are starving, that people suffer through crap everyday and we (I) am doing nothing about it! Can we just do something meaningful instead!" I get frustrated easily, and I think I am just starting to figure out why. Either it is because I just can not adjust back to real life for me, or I have been enlightened and it actually really sucks.
Labels:

Comments

Unknown said…
i know how you feel trevor. when i was in jamaica, i was absolutely sickened by the amount of tourists (and i've been one) that were content and happy to just ride around and watch the poverty and starvation that goes on in that country (they just don't show it on the commercials or in the pretty pictures of the resorts). i don't think i will ever be a tourist again.
12:38 pm
Pamela said…
hey Trevor, )found your blog via your facebook notes)...
I think we all need experiences that open our eyes and your short, but intense, time in Cambodia was one of those experiences. Prehaps that is what one of the purposes of short-term missions is: a way a encouraging long term action.
7:18 pm
philter said…
yea, your totally enlightened and it does suck. I am glad you wrote about Cambodia. I don't want to forget bro. I am trying to continue to see injustice so that I don't grow warm and just relaxed. You will never be the same and life just gets more frustration. Yeehaa. You should read the Iresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne. It is great.
10:19 pm
Trevor said…
Yeah Courtney, being a tourist lost it's appeal a lot...especially in a 3rd world country

I agree pamela, that is definitely one of the purposes (porpoises) of an experience like that.

Phil, thanks for the encouragement...more frustration, I can't wait! I will check out that book, I have been wanting to read it.
6:51 am
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Should I Bring Jesus to the Poor?

I met this young lady who works for an inner city organization that works with children. She has been working there for 10 years. She said one thing in particular that really struck me. She said, "I used to think that when I came to the inner city to work with these kids that I would bring Jesus to them, but when I got here and started working with them, I started to realize that Jesus was already here." It struck me because I think that we middle class people (not just Christians) think that we should go into the inner-city and "rescue" people from their situation. We often feel as though we have all the answers and they have everything wrong. Is it possible that it is the other way around? Is it possible that people who live on the streets...those who don't worry about tomorrow, those who are not obsessed with money or material possessions actually have something to teach us? I think so. So in response to the question, "Should I bring Jesus to the po...
2 comments
Read more

Broken Hand - And I didn't even hit anyone!

I have been absent from posting for a few weeks mostly for one reason. I broke my hand. I know, I know it is possible to type with one hand...but I found it incredibly frustrating to do so, I can't stand hunting and pecking! Especially with my left hand. How did I injure my hand? I am glad you asked, since I have only told the story about 1000 times in the last two weeks, so you are lucky number 1001. I was in Pinawa at some natural waterslides close to the old Pinawa Dam(n!). I was there with a bunch of youth leaders as part of a leadership retreat that we were doing. We were having a great time going down the rapids on the (relatively?!) smooth rocks for about 45 minutes. My friend Jason and I decided that it would be a great idea to go down on a tube, together. My friend Matt held the tube for us as we got on and released us down the rapids (I mention names here because there is a pending lawsuit, and I am still not sure who is at fault...Jason for rolling off the tube ...
6 comments
Read more

"Christian" Music

The whole idea of "Christian" music has bothered me lately. There is this whole industry that exists to produce and sell "Christian" music. It's as if the music itself could be Christian...I am pretty sure that music itself does not have a soul (well OK there is Soul music, but c'mon!). I prefer to think that music is just music, sometimes Christians play it, sing it or write it. What if Christians did not have the advantage of having Christian labels producing their music, or Christian radio stations playing their music and Christian book stores selling their music? I think it would be wonderful...I think there would be more "Christian" music on secular radio stations and in regular music stores. There would be Christian artists who are more prepared to be honest about their faith. There would be people outside the Christian circles who might be exposed to some good Christian artists (I think there are a couple of those!?). I think this would make...
4 comments
Read more