Walking the Freedom Walk, by re-tracing the route that my wife walked on her journey to freedom from the genocide of the Khmer Rouge, has opened up so many emotions to my son and I which we could not have expected. While I have heard the stories of atrocities from my wife and others
“A day will come when we will chase a dog because he has a grain of rice stuck on his tail.” This may have a strange sound to it, but this was a prophecy which Noit’s grandmother had in her heart many years before war broke out in Cambodia. This being so, whenever s
Life previous to the Khmer Rouge take over in 1975 was not good. Cambodia was entwined in the Vietnam War because of its proximity to the war zone. Cambodia shares a several hundred mile long border with Vietnam. Do you may remember Kent State riots and killings of university stude
I now know the sound of nearly every kind of car, bus and truck in Cambodia having walked over 100km alongside one of the busiest roads in Cambodia. I know that any bus which comes within 4 feet of me is going to blow my hat off! I know when a car is passing from behind me how quick
Today was a long tough day. The road where we were walking was narrow and didn’t have a shoulder. It was recently fixed leaving the sides of the road where we were walking to be loose gravel and sand. It was like trying to walk on the beach or in a sandbox. This caused me a
Today was hot. The heat index was well over 110 degrees. I was struggling to carry my forty pound pack. My son and I had now walked almost fifty miles on our Freedom Walk honoring the sacrifices of Noit, my wife and Paul’s mother. We are retracing her steps that she walked w
Today we walked at a good pace, though a festering blister on my foot got the best of me. Today, we were in a newly paved section of road with no shoulder. The entire walk today was in sand and gravel. It was like walking on a beach or in a sand box. My feet are hurting terribly n
If I were an artist I would draw you a picture to depict what the walk that my wife, Noit, made was like, but try to imagine the conditions that they faced when walking home. . . Swollen heads from malnutrition Emaciated bodies 16 year old Noit weighing 20 kilos (45 pounds) Her mothe
As we walk down the road I seem to be constantly talking with people, if not my son. I wave at every kid who walks to school. I talk to teachers coming out of schools. I greet everyone on a bicycle. I say hello to people who watch little stalls and sellers in markets. Pretty much t
Today as I walked, prayed and listened to scriptures I was struck by my wife’s walk, under a completely different situation than my son and I walking. The hardest part about walking has been carrying the backpack of all our goods. I packed very light. I have a few light snacks. I