Today we visited two recent historical sites, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as S21, and The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, also known as The Killing Fields. The two sites tell the tragic story of the imprisonment and death of thousands of Cambodians at the hands of the Khmer Rouge from 1975-1979. We heard stories of individual people who were forced from their homes and put in prison for false crimes and forced to make up confessions which ultimately led to their deaths. The Cambodian people have suffered so much and their loss is unimaginable. Whole families were destroyed and thousands of children were left as orphans. It was a heartbreaking walk through the sites but important to understand all that the country has survived and still recovering from.

We left the sites and the remainder of the day was full of hope and joy as we met colleagues of our friends Matthew and Melissa and saw them thriving in their businesses. We enjoyed amazing food, cupcakes and tea all while hearing stories of their life in Cambodia. The people we have met are full of joy and gratitude and have some of the most beautiful smiles!