In northwest Cambodia, right near the Thai border there is a town named Poipet. Those who have been tracking with us for the last few years might remember that Anita and I were considering moving there, or at least checking it out as a potential ministry site. For better or for worse, since moving to Kompong Cham about a year ago, Poipet fell off our radar.
Our family recently attended a birthday party where Poipet was brought up in conversation. Someone mentioned the road from Poipet to Siem Reap was going to be rebuilt to facilitate commerce with Thailand. Someone else mentioned how Poipet was a hub for human trafficking. Another said that there was no legitimate economic activity there, that the whole town was built on sin. As the conversation progressed, we painted an ever darker picture of this notorious town.
Finally someone said, “Who would ever want to live in Poipet? It sounds like such a pit.” To which Anita replied, “Actually, Danny and I were thinking about moving there a little over a year ago.” Someone else joked, “At least you wouldn’t get bored, you could visit a different casino each night of the week!” Still another asked, “So why did you want to move there?” I replied, “It was because it was so messed up that we were interested in moving there. Most missionaries don’t want to live there but the people need Jesus so we figured why not us?”
I could tell some of our friends felt a bit embarrassed and I felt a bit self-righteous for having said that, so I decided to set the record straight. “Yeah, that was back when we were really idealistic and wanted to live where people needed Jesus. Of course they still need Jesus but now I want to live in a place where I can buy multigrain bread.” The others laughed, and conversation soon turned to other topics.
Living in Kompong Cham, which isn’t nearly as remote, has brought home the reality of the costliness of serving in places like Poipet and given me greater appreciation for those who are willing to pay these costs. May God call more missionaries and development workers to the forgotten, and seemingly forsaken, towns and cities like Poipet.
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I don’t know if I’ve become more realistic or just plain complacent. When we first came to Cambodia, I was willing to “go anywhere”, looking for places “in need”. Now, MY “needs” for comfortable living and modern amenities come first. I really need God to help me discern if I’m putting my felt needs before his call for our lives.
ha ha, it’s refreshing to hear these things.
i’m in the market for a new car now, and i’ve been having these neurotic thoughts as well. (yeah, trusty civic from lowell is finally making me nervous safety-wise) there’s no way around getting a car, but i’m so worried for some reason about being “materialistic”. maybe i’m just afraid of perceptions of others. example, money i spend on a normal basis (fishing, eating out) would probably pale in comparison to a car, but others don’t see those things. rationally, it seems stupid to worry about avoiding things instead of focusing more on trying to strive towards a calling/vision to help those in need.
maybe it’s more a reminder or a lifestyle/spirituality issue. i.e., i don’t want to stop living simply (relatively of course), ’cause maybe i’ll forget to think of the poor, and forget to remember that the only way life for most people on earth can ever be redeemed is through a life in heaven where they can be first and people like us will be last.
ideally, i’d like to live in an empty room with a big closet for all my work clothes, and own nothing but a bunch of mutual funds and properties. but i guess i have my own versions of multi-grain bread too.
at least i’m not buying a saab.
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