A Greater HopePortraits From a Rural

Cambodian Orphanage

- Erica Simone -

In February 2010, I traveled open-mindedly to Cambodia, in essence, to dis-cover its culture, meet its children, photograph their faces and help in which-ever way possible. During my time there, I visited a half dozen NGOs, schools and orphanages, two of which I developed strong relationships with. My most memorable and cherished experience was at A Greater Hope Orphanage, located approximately an hour and a half outside of the capital, Phnom Penh, in a small and impoverished rural village, Temy.

A Greater Hope was graced with 35 of the bravest, most beautiful souls, whose smiles imprinted in these pages will remain engraved in my heart for-ever. The courage, kindness and caring nature of these children have taught me so many valuable life lessons, including appreciation and forgiveness, which their understanding of seems extremely diff icult to fathom considering the gruesome hardships they had endured at such a young age.

During my stay and through these encounters, I began to question the mean-ing of life—as all of us do at times or others. I realized that perhaps the simple knowledge of how to love, how to give and how to appreciate are all it really takes to be at peace with life and to be a good person. The children I met in Cambodia have become my most cherished role models.

I dedicate this book to all the children of Cambodia, and to Kit and Ream Carson, whose love and self less devotion towards their children at A Greater Hope proves amazing honor and incredible inspiration on so many levels. May their path from now and forever in saving the lives of children be blessed with ease and happiness.

For more information and to contact A Greater Hope Orphanage, please visit: http://www.agreaterhopeorphanage.org

Love,

Erica Simone

"My family used to live in a small house in the city. My father got really sick and we didn’t

have enough money to help him, so my mother sold the house. My father still did not get better

and, because we didn’t have enough money to stay in the city, we moved to the village with

my grandmother. My father eventually passed away and my mother had to go back to the city

to get a job in order to support us while we stayed with our paternal grandparents. She got

a job as a cleaner in a factory. Our grandparents were so mean, they treated us very harshly

and would say horrible things to us. They threatened us so we wouldnt tell on them, but when

my mom came to visit, my brother Chi told our maternal grandmother. My mother took us to

my grandmother’s who was very nice, but very poor. Chi and Hau would work hard to help

my grandmother so we could eat. She and my brothers sold snacks at the sand pit where all

the people worked. One day, there was a man with a big truck who came to buy sand. He

saw us and he told my grandmother about the orphanage. After my brothers, Sang Hua and

Vechi, and I moved to the orphanage, we all became very happy.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?"I want to make and sell cakes.”

Weed, 7

"My parents passed away when I was very young. I was so little that I couldn’t remem-

ber why, but my sister told me that they had been sick: my mother had tuberculosis and my

father had diabetes. We lived as orphans for while, with no family or anyone to care for us until

my oldest sister got married. The three of us then went to live with my sister’s father-in-law.

He had f ive children of his own; it was very kind of him to take us in. When we went to live

with him, we became Christians—they taught us about Christianity and Jesus. I believe in Him. I

would go to church, Sunday school and went to kindergarten at the church. Five months later,

Jon and I came to live at the orphanage because my uncle-in-law could not afford to keep us

anymore and they wanted us to have a better life. I am at the orphanage now; my life is much

nicer and I know I will have a better future.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?"I want to be a driver.”

On, 8

"My mother left us with our grandma when I was very little. My grandma did not

take good care of us. I got sick a lot and my ears hurt badly. Mommy says I have a hole in

them and that I might go deaf one day.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?“I want to sew.”

Peaktra, 6

“When I was very little, my father left my mother for another woman. My mother was

very poor, working in the f ields and selling eggs to raise my sisters and I. One of my sisters is

from my mother’s f irst husband. I have another sister, Engly, who lives with me at the orphan-

age now. We were four girls at home and my mom tried really hard to take care of us, but

it was too hard and sometimes we didn’t have enough food. We would sit and cry with her

when things got bad. She was often sick and didn’t have enough money to buy medicine so my

mother decided to go work as a servant in a rich family’s house in the city with my oldest sister.

Engly and I had to stay with my grandmother and great grandmother. They are both very old

and very poor as well. My great grandmother is 90 so it is hard for them to work in the f ields

and raise us. My great-aunt heard about the orphanage and asked if we could come live here.

We are very happy now, but I still cry sometimes because I miss my mother.

My oldest sister was very sick while she was working with the family in the city. Her

gums were bleeding so badly that the doctors couldn’t help her; she died soon after—she was

f ifteen. My mother brought her to the village to have a funeral at my grandmother’s house; we

were so, so sad. Before I came to the orphanage, I had never gone to school and didn’t know

how to read but now I know how. I am very happy because I can read stories from the bible.

I really like the Good Samaritan story.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?"I want to work in a sewing company.”

Rosa, 8

"When I was one month-old, my mother threw me away, but my grandmother saved

me and ended up raising me. My mom left and I haven’t seen her since. I lived with my grand-

mother until I came to the orphanage.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?"I want to be a singer.”

Darow, 11

Vicheka and her brother, Peaktra, have left the orphanage and gone home. Vicheka will be a baby sitter for a 2 year-old grand child and Peaktra will not get the medical help he needs and will most likely go deaf.

Vichika, 10

"When I was little, I would get sick a lot and my mother began to give up hope —she

thought that I was going to die. So my grandmother said that she would care for me. I felt better

after I moved in with her, and so I stayed there. When I was around eight years old, my grand-

mother became ill so I cared for her. One day, I went to visit my mother and stayed for dinner. It

was getting dark so my mom told me to stay the night. The next morning, my grandmother had

passed away and her neighbor said that she was crying out my name all night until she died. I was

very sad that I hadn’t been there for her. This is a memory I will never forget.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?“I want to be an accountant.”

Tate, 14