From Cochrane [in Canada] to Cambodia

By Corre Butler
Cochrane Times

Living three months in rural Cambodia has been absolutely incredible, but what make this experience perfect are the people and their stories.

From laughing over organic wine and chicken stomach with the guards at night to bumpy moto rides out to rural farming villages, from dining out with SC staff to playing cards with the students – I am blessed to meet so many kind, generous, and passionate people, each of them with incredible stories to tell.

I will always remember the story of the 4-year-old boy with a large infected tumor; the pain prevented him from being able to walk. He had gone through five surgeries and still needed another, but the family couldn't afford it. I will never forget the look in his mother's eyes. She was holding him tight, fixing his shirt and stroking his hair, looking around with deep, determined, and desperate eyes. I stood there helpless – it was frustrating knowing that in Canada he would be taken to a hospital and treated whether they could afford it or not.

I will always remember the story of a village family who had no access to clean drinking water, forcing them to walk to a far away pond, riddled with bacteria. Many of them got sick, leaving them with expensive medical bills they could not afford. Through the organization I volunteer for, Sustainable Cambodia, they received a well and BioSand filter for clean drinking water. When they told me their story, I was amazed that clean water, something that I had access to my whole life, could have such an immense impact on the quality of someone's life.

I will always remember the story of a student who grew up very poor, struggling to access a proper education. He received a scholarship to finish high school and now works with surrounding villages to build a better education for future generations. I think of myself in high school, where it was simply given to me.

I will keep these stories with me forever. Not only do they remind me of why I want to do humanitarian work or how lucky I am to live in Canada, but also show me the strength, hope and resiliency in all of us.

If you would like more information on the organization I volunteer for, please visit: sustainablecambodia.org or visit my blog at postinginpursat.blogspot.com.

Cochrane Times