Lina's story

Lina has been with us for almost a week now. She is a most precious Khmyer Christian lady who is hugely devoted to her two children. Together with her son Sopheak, Lina has joined the Bonnevie Phnom Penh household.

Lina was just about to graduate from highschool when the Khmyer Rouge came to power in 1975. Her mother and father (finger across throat; tears) were killed by this demonic regime, together with her grandparents. I don't know how she survived those years - that will be another story.

Lina married an army man after the Khmyer Rouge years. He left her when Sopheak was two years old, so Darra would have been 9 or 10. Darra says that she remembers her dad but she has not seen him since he left. Lina was left alone without parents; without support. She was so poor and so desperate that she took Darra and Sopheak to an orphanage in Phnom Pehn to be cared for. She then set up home outside the orphanage and attached church, scraping together a living by cooking food and selling it. It was through the orphanage that Lina came to know Jesus.

Some eight years pass in this way. Then Lina moved south, to the coastal beaches near Sihanoukville. Tourism was beginning to bring people into Cambodia - and the southern beaches are on the tourist trail. At that time 'only five others' were selling stuff on the beaches, so Lina took Darra and Sopheak out of the orphanage in order to sell things she made - mainly plaited bracelets. It was in these years that the Forbes family (working with World Vision) came to know Lina, Darra and Sopheak.

Initially there was a living to be made, but the combination of increased competition, the children growing older and losing the 'cute' factor and the months of down-time through the monsoon season meant that life became very difficult. Then, Lina became ill and could not make her goods. Money-lenders came into the picture and things were very difficult.

Bill and Heather became involved. Darra moved to Phnom Penh where the Forbes got her back into school and, in exchange for household work, paid her an allowance. It took a year to pay back the loan sharks.

With Bill and Heather's imminent return to the USA (they left 5 days ago), Lina hugely wanted to return to Phnom Pehn to be near Darra. She also wants Sopheak to be in 'a good church'. Bill explained that, increasingly, the southern coast is a dangerous place for a young Khmyer male. Homosexual foreigners come to this area seeking young guys and Lina was concerned for her boy.

So, Lina (who has perhaps as much English as we have Khmyer!) says 'I pray to God' for a place to come to in Phnom Penh. Her expectation was a one-room dive. We are so grateful and delighted that Bill and Heather's love and commitment to Lina and the Lord's good hand have worked together to bring her and her lovely family into our lives.

Lina is great with Sokhun. She is cooking for her, sits with her and is learning from Sue how to give care. I'm having to fight her to get into the kitchen to cook (tonight, I win!) and am on the verge of losing the fight for my manly right to do the dishes. She's a little evangelist too - out to follow up on her nephew last Sunday, who has been doing drugs.