During the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia Mrs Ra was just a child. After years of suffering cruelty, violence and starvation under the Khmer Rouge, she and her family escaped across the border to Vietnam. The relative peace they found there however was short lived as although just a young teenager Ra was given an AK47 and sent back to fight for the Vietnamese as they battled to oust the Khmer Rouge. Ra survived this incredibly traumatic childhood, though some in her family did not.

Mrs Ra came to Sovanapoom Church in about 2000.  Now in her late thirties, married to an army man they had three children together. At that time they were very poor and had nowhere to live; Ra was even trying to sell her baby out of desperation. Ra and her family were given shelter at Sovanapoom Church on the condition that Ra would not sell her son to anybody.

So along with her baby son, two older daughters and husband who was addicted to gambling and alcohol, this family came to live at Sovanapoom. At the church Ra was very curious to know about the god of the Christians and she asked many questions and decided to follow Jesus herself.

Ra was also very interested in cooking so she would help Tess do the cooking and she learned how to keep the kitchen clean and prepare good food. However like most very poor people who take any opportunity they can get, she continued to steal from us and she left and came back again several times over the years. Throughout this time gradually, as Ra would come back asking for forgiveness each time she grew more and more.

We’ve been able to help her buy a piece of land and built a house for her and her family. She is even paying this loan back as she is now employed at Sovanapoom Care. Now as the kitchen manager Ra is trusted with buying all of the food and the other things needed to run the community centre. She handles a large sum of cash for us every week, receipts every cent and she does a very good job.

These days whatever Ra handles is done well. If she’s cleaning, washing, cooking, or counselling and loving the children we have confidence that it will be done right. Trust like this is a huge thing in this work and we really appreciate Ra and the work she does here. Ra has grown into a good friend to Tess and I, and she is a very important part of the work at Sovanapoom, she’s a real blessing to us all.