Sep 28, 2022 Confessions of a Gang Leader
How dare you run away from home like that! I yelled at my wife, slapping her hard across the face. I was enraged with Poy who was visibly shaking and in tears. Please Ki, don’tâ¦, her mother protested, but I cut her off, striking her also. And how dare you interfere in our marriage! I grabbed Poy’s wrist and dragged her out of her mother’s house.
This was not the first time my wife ran away or was hiding from my violent temper. But we were once a happy couple, living in the Angkor Thom district in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Poy and I were married 14 years ago, and were blessed with four children, two girls and two boys. Our marriage was difficult, and I just didn’t want to believe it was because of me.
I was a leader in a gang, walking in darkness for years. I was smoking, drinking, and doing drugs. I would lead my gang to disrupt events and cause trouble. Wherever I went, people were fearful of me, knowing about my gang involvement and my fierce temper. No one dared to look at me in the eyes, because of my hot temper and violent behaviorÑwhich was worse when I was drunk.
Poy would hide from me if she noticed I was drunk or in a bad mood. She would hide at neighbor’s or friend’s houses. Our children also learned to avoid me when I was angry. I was frequently violent with Poy. I was just so out of control and would often take my anger out on her. Yelling was my usual way of communicating with her. Even I could see my wife was dead inside, filled with fear and worry. Life was hopeless and desperate.
My wife was in tears almost every day because of my terrible character. Some neighbors saw how depressed she was and invited her to go with them to the Adventist church. She got more involved in church and finally accepted the call to get baptized.
After her baptism, I noticed she was different; she was no longer depressed and hopeless. Poy’s life became a life of prayer. I could see her face was shining with hope. I could see she was kind regardless of how I treated or spoke to her. She continued attending church, and I knew she continued to pray for me.
I came home after midnight one night after causing trouble in the village. I noticed Poy was still awake. She was sitting and crying.
Why are you crying? I asked Poy. Because I’m praying that God would touch your life and help change you for the better, she replied. I didn’t think too deeply about it at the time, but I noticed that after that my life started to gradually change.
A few years ago I dismissed myself from the gang, due to circumstances I can’t talk about. But I started attending the Adventist Church regularly with my wife. And about a year ago, I successfully quit drinking and smoking with the encouragement from my wife. My temperament also changed with the improvements in my lifestyle. I could feel both my physical and emotional life was healing.
This year Poy and I went to a QHM sponsored evangelistic meetings entitled The Three Angel’s Messages. During those meetings, I decided to surrender my life completely to Christ in baptism. I really praise God for my wife’s patience and prayersÑGod changed my heart completely! Jesus is the greatest Healer and RestorerÑHe is good all the time!
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
