August 24, 2009

During the course of our mission, we decided once a quarter to "expand our horizons" and take the opportunity to see and experience more of Cambodia. This month was our trip to Battambang- the second largest city in Cambodia and it's most productive agricultural area as well. The province of Battambang produces enough rice to feed the entire country of Cambodia. The city is located north west of Siem Reap and since the recent completion of the road between the two cities, it now only takes a little over 2 driving hours to get there. Elder and Sister Reynolds, one of the 3 senior couples serving out in the provinces, serve there and we made arrangements to spend our "P-Day"- (preparation day) with them.

Wednesday morning, August 12th, we left Siem Reap and headed west on what is without argument, the newest and most modern of Cambodia's road. It was an unreal experience for us- it simply did not feel like like we were in Cambodia! Although only one lane in each direction, the road was painted with dividing lines, it had adequate shoulders, not a single pothole, culverts and gasp! guardrails! To complete the unreality, we did not encounter a single cow the entire length of the one hour it took us on the newly completed section of road. The balance of the trip was on an older road and back to our familiar Cambodian road experience.

The Reynolds met us at the main center of Battambang and after lunch, we began our whir wind tour of Battambang. The Reynolds had made arrangements for one of the members of the branch to drive their car and be our tour guide. Our first stop was out in the province where one of the small villages has taken advantage of what remains of Cambodia's only railroad, and created what is called "the bamboo train". The bamboo train is a small homemade flat bed constructed out of split bamboo with a simple motorcycle engine that can be switched from one end of the flat bed to the other. The flat bed is loaded with supplies, people, produce, animals- what ever needs transportation- and carried down the track. When the infrequent trains come, everything is quickly thrown off, the bed lifted off the track, and then all put back together after the train passes. On the return back, the engine is shifted to the opposite end of the flat bed, and the process repeated for the return home. It was a most amazing experience! The noise is deafening, the frequent jars as the bed passed over the off-centered tracks were bad enough to rattle your teeth, really nothing to hang onto, but the jungle scenery was beautiful and where else in the world but Cambodia for a "train" ride like this?

From the bamboo train we went further out to an immense reservoir that was built during the tragic time of the Khmer Rouge. What made it particularly memorable was our driver's wife had been forced to work on the dam as a young child- you can not talk to anyone in Cambodia who has not been affected by that time period- even the youngest child born today has lost grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and reaped a harvest of poverty, educational losses and opportunities.

On our way to Shipsail Mountain, we passed a man racking out peanuts to dry- this province is blessed with rich fertile soil and due to the tropical climate can grow almost any crop that thrives in hot weather.

Shipsail Mountain is riddled with caves- at the top is a memorial for the tragic loss of untold numbers of Cambodians that were interrogated, then thrown to their death in the cave that lies on top of the mountain. You can now walk down into the cave and look up into the opening that was used from the top. Remains of clothing and bones have been collected and placed in large open wire baskets..... It is a humbling and sobering experience to walk in a place where so much tragedy occurred such a short time ago. The reality of the Savior's suffering for all mankind throughout all time takes on a deeper meaning as we walk these tragic places....

At the base of the mountain is another series of caves that are home to bats. They come out every evening at 5:00- the Reynolds told us that they had sat in the car and watched them for an hour and the steady stream of bats never diminished. Our tour guide told us that they estimate 5 million bats leave each evening and return at 3-4:00 each morning. As the bats came out of the cave opening and crossed over the valley, they stayed in swarms that would circle and create patterns in the sky- it was a wonderful thing to see. On the humorous side of things, I couldn't help but wonder at the staggering amount of mosquitoes and other insects that these bats consume nightly-we have been out at night when you literally had clouds of insects swarming around you...everyone of them intent on a personal relationship with you!

By this time, we were running out of daylight and headed back into Battambang. We had dinner together at the missionaries favorite cafe- the White Rose. It was hard to find anything over $2.50 and Elder Dickerson treated himself to a fruit shake for 75 cents followed by a large chocolate shake for $1.00. I love the abundant vegetables and fruits of Cambodia that are available year-round- especially the pineapple!

We left the following morning, but made a quick stop at several of the many statutes that decorate the Battambang city. The very large black man is holding a stick that Battambang is named for- the "'disappearing stick" that represented a source of great power. Near the river is a memorial statue erected after the expulsion of the Khmer Rouge - it is constructed of the remains of weapons and is fashioned after the Cambodian historical Naga- a sacred snake that still is one of the most recognised and cherished Cambodian figures.

As we left the city, we were surrounded by rice fields. Unlike our KT province, Battambang can grow rice year round due to the irrigation canals from the reservoir. The area is completely flat and only a few sugar palm trees dot the horizon. Numerous large warehouse line the road and behind one we saw what appeared to be a literal mountain of rice. We stopped and with our limited Khmer asked if we could look around. It was amazing to see the amount of rice in just one warehouse and the mountain we had seen from the road were the hulls left from milling the rice grains. Their beloved white rice is just as much a nutritional disaster for the Cambodians as milled and bleached wheat flour is for Americans. We had one sister tell us that the tragic cleft palates so common here, are the primary result of the lack of folic acid- and that deficiency could be easily made up in the naturally occurring folic acid that is present in brown rice- rice that has only had one milling process rather than the two required for white rice.

As always, we are humbled at the courtesy and warmth of the Cambodian people. We have learned so much from their ability to not let their past destroy them and their hope for a better future. And again, we testify that the Savior's loving Attonement is the source of all our hopes for today and a glorious future for all of God's children.

Love, Elder and Sister Dickerson...."Grandpa and Grandma" now to 10 wonderful grandchildren!!!!