The Day

Disclaimer: this is not a post to highlight my birthday cuz I don't like to be reminded I'm getting old anyway..haha, but just the events that happened. :)

Of all the parties and presents I've ever had or received, I dare say this birthday would be one of the most significant. Although not the kind who is sentimental, the day before the birthday, it did struck me, that I'd be celebrating what people call the "significant" birthday of turning 21 away from family. And since, we were really busy with the youth camp and thus I didn't expect anything.

Julia's birthday was also on the same day as mine. Right after one morning session in the youth camp, they called us upfront and sang for us the birthday song. Well, the really great part was that, all of the youths then prayed for us! It's a feeling you get when you see people of different language, people whom you think lack so much in terms of quality of life..yet people who can stand in God and bless you in return.

Then the pastors lead Julia, Aaron and I (Uncle Aaron's birthday was on the 13th) to a table, which they specially covered with red cloth...and there was a birthday cake.

This is the cake. Really, it doesn't look like much. It's just a simple sponge cake. But you know what, they had to go to Baray town just to buy this cake. No one sells cake in the village, a majority of people, the youths and pastors have never tasted cake.

And yea, that cake..cost..USD15! (FYI, teachers earn only USD30 Per month)

I quote from my friend's blog

One day, the local pastors celebrated some of our birthdays, which happened to be during the youth camp. It was an eye opener to see what their ‘birthday cake’ looks like. It is a large version of the egg bread the Chinese use for prayers. No icing or toppings. Just plain. And that alone costs US$ 15. We were so touched by their graciousness. We managed to cut the cake to share it with 180 people. While serving the cake to the youths, they thankfully took a piece each and some were shy to take it because like I’ve mentioned before, it is rare for them to have such a nice thing to eat. To us, it probably looks unappetizing and we’ll probably react like, “What on earth is that?”

The most "touching" moment for me was what I saw later in the afternoon. Ps Samreth actually saved up his portion of the cake, wrapped it up in paper and when he saw his young daughter, he unwrapped the cake and gave it to her.

To them the cake was that precious. So much so that the father would not eat it, but save it up for his daughter.

Honestly that cake is not of Secret Receipe standard. It's plain, looks like a big pau, and it soggy and sticky at the bottom (not baked properly).

But it's only when you're there in Cambodia seeing a father save a piece of cake for his daughter because it's so special, then you realize how much I've enjoyed in life. I mean, how can anyone NEVER eaten cake before? It's really a mini "shock" to me.

Especially because we didn't really live with the Cambodians their level of poverty didn't really sink in to me. And plus, we ate good food there, the equalivent of their feast was to us, normal lunch or dinner. It was until then when I actually realized how much I had compared to the people there.

And I began to see the local pastors in new eyes. I saw how much they loved their people. How Ps Kun would sleep in the church with the youths, so that he could go to the village with another youth the next day to invite his friends. How Ps Rom would carry water to fill the stone filter for the youths, even though he only has 1 real leg..and one prosthetic one. How Theara would shout and strain his voice when translating so that the youths can hear, although he has a history of TB and is actually endangering his health.

How Ps Kun and Ps Rom actually don't receive salaries because CMS would only pay salaries after a trial period of 2 years...yet they are there to preach, to go to villages, to be at the camp...and then go back home to tend to their farming and pigs..so that they can still feed their family (they get love gifts which is a basic "salary" but it's really not enough to feed a family)

I am just so thankful to God that my 21st birthday was spent among the Cambodians in Cambodia. If given a choice between having a big party with some fancy dinner in some hotel or sharing a cake with 200+ people, learning to love them, being blessed by them, I know which one I'd choose. No doubt!

And although yea I was far from family and friends, I was around people who accepted me, and treated me like a star! ahahhaa. One girl gave me some grasshoppers, the kind where you fold from coconut leafs. Another boy, Daniel, gave me a small woven thing..and a letter in broken English.

I will not trade this experience for anything else. And I guess to a certain extend I caught a glimpse of what it means to be following God's will.

It may never be extremely comfortable (just like being in the hot sun in Cambodia, with no electricity, no aircon party or frosted cake) but it's always better and fulfilling (being prayed for by the youths, sharing cake with them, being honoured and treated with such a precious cake).