Cambodia's History and Lessons to Learn from it

This poem was originally written for a Bethel College festival. During my sophmore year; there was some racial tension that was beginning to to show it's ugly head. I wrote this in response as a reflection.

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8 NIV).

CAMBODIA’S HISTORY AND LESSONS TO LEARN FROM IT

I took a long journey to see where my ancestors from my past came and grew.
The search was hard and lonesome, for all my ancestors I never knew.
I was born amidst heartache and struggle, to the point where my family fled.
And while still in my mother’s womb, I could feel my father’s blood that was shed.
I was born in Thailand, but Cambodia will I always still call my home.
So let me share with you, the light and dark reflections I was shone.
I think we can learn from the mistakes of the past, if we could only reflect
And correct the errors, of which we still feel its effects.
Through many tears and sleepless nights, the problems that have plagued Cambodia still persists
In America’s school’s and culture, which is something we can no longer resist.
What is the cancer that has infected mankind, which at its root and core is sin?
Is nothing more than racism in form, which has come secretly and has quietly crept in.
Racism, isn’t just a thought or belief that one race is better than another race,
For God created only one race, which we would see if we looked in the face,
Of our fellow brothers and sisters, but let me make one point clear
That ethnicity and culture is not a race, but a common bond which people share.
Skin color, ethnicity or origin of birth, isn’t the cause which make us discriminate
Instead it’s an attitude and way of life, that we all possess which is innate.
We thought we learned from WW2, where the Nazis systematically genocide over 6 million Jews.
But in Cambodia under Pol Pot’s regime; over 2 million were killed by the Khmer Rouge.
We pretended from ignorance in WW2, and used the same thoughts and attitude
We promised nothing like what happened to the Jews, would ever happen to any group
But we knew what was happening, when we were giving aid and dropping in soup.
An ancient proverb once said, “If you kill the spirit the body will follow.”
If we looked around and saw the walking dead bodies whose spirits are hollow
Who see themselves already dead, and left in utter despair
Who think to themselves is there a Great Physician who can cure and repair?
We have that Great Physician whose name is Christ, and whose image we now bear
That’s become our precious jewel and treasure, and is our delight to share.
We should not only delight to share, but reflect the image of whose clothes we wear.
We wear Christ’s imputed righteousness, which was given to us by grace.
That changed our hearts and attitudes; but are other’s seeing Him in our face?
We become like those whom we spend the most time with; and whom we learn from most
Yet we wanted better teachers, than the great instructor the Holy Ghost.
If we would behold Christ’s glory, and change daily into His image
Then we could look and reflect, our heritage and our lineage.
As new creatures the old still remains, mortally wounded in our life,
Yet sin still wants to do damage, by slashing with a knife.
It may not do it to the body, for people know murder is bad in their hearts
But instead in subtle ways, sin will try to cut and rip apart
The spirit and attitudes that come from the wellspring of life
And even if possible to take us away from being Christ’s wife.
Our theme verse talked of being sympathetic and living in harmony with one another
Being compassionate and humble, loving each other as brothers.
A life characterized by this, racism has nowhere to lay its grip
Cambodia is a country still torn apart, where racism eats and rips
The fabric of the spirit of life that has allowed sin to wield its knife
Like Paul my heart’s desire and prayer is that they may be saved and have life
Racism is a grievous sin for its arrows target the value and pinnacle of God’s creation
And mocks God as creator, and clouds or love, community and human relations.
I don’t know where we’re heading, I just hope not in the footsteps in some of history’s past
But in a new direction, that show’s Christ love to others, which sustains and lasts.
Will Bethel learn from Cambodia’s dark history lesson, which is full of racism and oppression?
Or turn in a new direction, that’s directed by Christ’s steps to progression.