Cambodian New Year and Oudam, like many Cambodian’s, was out in the province on April 12, 2008.  A week long celebration of enjoying family, food and relaxation lay before him.  He had just arrived that night and was tired from travelling so went to bed early.

After an hour of tossing and turning, Oudam felt a heavy uneasiness in his spirit. He had left very elderly parents back in the city and felt extreme concern for them.  He tried to ignore it but finally knew God was telling him to return to Phnom Penh even though it was late.  Night travel is never a good idea in Cambodia, especially 100 kilometers on a motorcycle.
 
He arrived in Phnom Penh very late and exhausted.  All seemed fine in the tiny wooden slum dwelling that Oudam called home.  He slept deeply for several hours but was awoken by a terrible nightmare.  He had seen his home completely engulfed in flames.  He could feel the heat and smell the smoke, the dream had been that real.  He tried sleeping again but again the visions of fire kept coming to him.  He spent the rest of the night like that.  At about 5:00 a.m. he fell asleep. 

A few hours later, he woke up to a huge commotion taking place all around him.  This time, the smell of smoke was real. The entire neighborhood of about 590 houses,was on fire.  He could see the flames rapidly spreading towards his house so he desperately moved his Father and Mother outside the slum area, on a street further away.  He returned to find the fire was almost to his place so he ran in and saved just a few belongings and ran to safety with his parents.  It seemed not much was being done by the fire department to save the community.  “I begged the firemen to save my house,” says Oudam, “but they wanted money to do anything and I had nothing”.

They watched their home and hundreds of others burn completely to the ground.

As I spoke with Oudam, his smile and quiet words touched me.  He knew God had warned him to return to Phnom Penh so he could save his parents.  He knew the Holy Spirit had warned him in his dreams of the coming fire.  And he knew God had spared their lives.  His elderly parents would never have made it out alone.

Oudam is trusting God to provide for his small family.  Samaritan’s Purse has helped provide temporary shelter, some food, hygiene kit, mosquito net,
and other basic essentials for this family and many others .  We visited their tiny shelter to encourage them and let them know we care and love them.  We may not speak Khmer, but hugs and tears translate in every culture.

Where ever we walk or go to help on this relief site, we are greeted with huge smiles and expressive thanks from these amazing people who have lost almost everything.  It is a privilege to be helping them in Jesus’ name.