I have asked a few people to enter their thoughts on the blog about our day today and the answer I got is mostly the same - "where do I start?" & "I don't know how to say it". In actual fact, these are probably the most appropriate comments that can be made given what we have done.
Where do you start when you come face to face with the history of this country? How do you explain to young Australians that a large percentage of the population can be wiped out with a simple change in the country's political leader? How do you explain that the first people to be killed were those with an education? How do you rationalise that a whole economy can be destroyed overnight as a result of a leader simply burning all of the money in the country? How do you draw parallels to this when we come for school a safe place, where democracy is mostly successful? How do you explain "fairness"?
More importantly, how do you explain that this happened (along with numerous other genocides around the world) within the one species? That we as human beings can be so ruthless to each other!
At the moment, shell-shocked is the best word to describe most of the team. This day will take a long time to digest and rationalise and I am sure it will raise more questions than it answers? Let's hope that these future leaders of our country learn from what they have seen as they move through into the next stage of their lives.
Cheers
Shaz
That's it Shaz, this is the part of the journey that it all gets very real in what the group is achieving. It is something that definitely cannot be put into words or photos and needs to be experienced in person.
ReplyDeleteThe enormity of the wonderful work that you guys are doing and are yet to do is now taking place. To understand why the people of Cambodia need your help has just been made a bit easier to understand now you have visited Tabitha, S21 and the Killing Fields.
As Shaz says this will generate more questions than answers and it is something that will now live with you all. They call Australia the lucky country, yes it is lucky...yes lucky to be in a position to help those that are less fortunate.
Keep up the great work guys...
So very true, it doesn't matter how many times you hear Janne's talk or visit S21 or the Killing Fields you always come away feeling somber and wondering "how can one human being do these things to another?"
ReplyDeleteAs you do your next lot of house building take time to remember these stories as you are working along side and helping those who have been left behind.
You are achieving wonderful things and helping to build world peace. Keep up the good work the next few days will fly and then you will be on your way home to those who love you dearly and have given you all the opportunity for this experience of a life time.
Beautifully recounted Ron. Your message is poignant and compassionate and never dims. I don't believe that I will ever get over or make sense of visiting S21 or the Killing Fields and ever be able to understand how or why it was done.
ReplyDeleteFiona Fenton
It is so very soul destroying to see the cruelty and violence you have seen and heard of. However it is heartening to know that good people like yourselves will bear witness to these things and then try to find a way to make a positive contribution.
ReplyDelete