A Bruised Reed He Will Not Break

Some of you may have heard of the tragedy that occurred earlier this week in Phnom Penh where close to 400 people were killed and many others injured in a crowd stampede on a small bridge on the Mekong River. The whole country is in shock and we ask you to pray for those who lost loved ones and for the nation as a whole. Our family is fine and so far we don’t personally know any one involved.

The incident happened around the time of Water Festival, one of the main national holidays. The festival marks the return to normal flow of the Tonle Sap River which is reversed when the Mekong River is at peak flow during the rainy season. The holiday also coincides with the rice harvest. People come from all the corners of the country to Phnom Penh to celebrate.

Our family went down to watch the boat races Monday morning. We were impressed by how the hundreds of boats were coordinated and the teamwork on the boats. It was colorful and beautiful. We said to each other, “this is something Cambodia can be proud of.”



Then we heard the news next morning. We are in shock too and still processing. There are so many wonderful gifts that God has given to Cambodia and her people. Yet people seem vulnerable in so many ways and seem to be victimized more easily than other places. People are “at risk”—malnutrition, human trafficking, drug-resistant malaria, TB etc. We see young people (not just children and women) vulnerable too—even in the everyday decisions they face as they grow up.

We don’t know what makes Cambodians so vulnerable. We don’t know why evil seems to win the day in the presence of so much that is good. We do believe and hang our hope on Jesus. The Bible promises that he “will bring justice to the nations” and in the process, “a bruised reed he will not break.” Jesus’ salvation doesn’t do any collateral damage.

Please pray for Christ’s redemption to take hold of Cambodia and for him to bring justice and salvation to his people here quickly.