Nov 13, 2024 Cambodia Through Victoria’s Eyes 

Team member Victoria shares her thoughts on the complex realities she experienced on our recent mission trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia. 

“During our mission trip to Cambodia, I was taken aback by the level of need that exists there.  

But when I arrived, I quickly realized how wrong I was and just how small that Adventist presence truly is, and how deep and widespread the struggles were. 

One of the most striking challenges I encountered was the education system. In Cambodia, children attend school six days a week, Monday through Saturday.  

Before coming, I heard about the presence of the current missionaries and the work being done by the local church, so I assumed there was at least a foundation of support.  

Which created a unique difficulty for many students who wanted to observe the Sabbath. And for most Cambodians, missing a day’s work means losing out on crucial income, meaning it becomes a choice between keeping the Sabbath and putting food on the table. 

The financial hardship here is staggering. Families live in extreme poverty, and the cost of daily life is so high that even basic necessities like food and clothing are often out of reach. 

In North America, obesity is a pressing health issue, and people struggle with a lack of exercise and poor lifestyle choices. But here, the challenges are entirely different. People are frequently malnourished, working long hours in grueling conditions, and struggling with poor housing situations. Many live in overcrowded spaces, which contributes to the spread of diseases like tuberculosis—something we rarely encounter in North America. 

I spent a lot of time talking to the young people during my visit, and I was struck by how deeply they longed for an education. Despite their desire to continue their studies, many face an insurmountable barrier: the cost. They dream of going to school, of pursuing higher education, but the financial burden makes that seem impossible. Most students rely on sponsorship or hope for a miracle to make their dreams a reality. It made me realize just how privileged I am to have had easy access to education, and how often we take that privilege for granted. For these youth, the chance to study feels like a distant dream, not a given assumption like it can be here in North America. 

The overwhelming need in Cambodia will always stay with me. The challenges are large and complex, but so is the resilience of the Cambodian people. The Adventist church members I met are some of the most inspiring people I’ve encountered. Their unwavering faith and commitment to serving God, even in the midst of poverty, left a lasting impression on me.  

Click to view the Cambodia mission trip gallery.