CMS missionary Maggie Crewes has worked at the coal face of injustice and exploitation for decades. After many years in Africa, she is now working with vulnerable young women in a Cambodia still haunted by the Khmer Rouge. 

When I visited the local town of Kampot recently I saw AK47s, which were used during the war of the 1970s, that had been transformed into works of art. The sight reminded me of Isaiah chapter 2 (although with a Cambodian twist), where we get a graphic description of God’s vision and plan for our broken world, what life will be like on the mountain of the Lord, where there will be no more war. The redundant swords will be beaten into farming tools to till the land and people will walk in the light of the Lord (verse 4-5). 

O Lord, how we long for the day when this promise will be true throughout the whole of our troubled earth. 

While the AK47s now hang on the walls, the impact of the war and the Khmer Rouge genocide in the late 1970s lives on in hearts and minds, especially for anyone around 50 years old or more. I have heard many people’s stories about the impact of the war. I was reminded of this recently during a work meeting with a very professional and well–educated woman who runs a local organisation. Within minutes of our first meeting, she was recounting her story. She had seen her 15-year-old sister, father and grandparents murdered before her 6-year-old eyes, and was told by her mum that if she too was ‘taken away,’ that she must care for her tiny, still breast-fed baby brother. 

the impact of the war and the Khmer Rouge genocide in the late 1970s lives on in hearts and minds, especially for anyone around 50 years old or more.

In our ministry at Hope for Justice we are connecting with families whose lives have been torn apart by that war. As well as remaining in living memory of so many, the post–war generation (who make up many of our staff) were brought up with explicit messages – not to trust, to be so careful, you never know who will turn against you. Establishing relationships of trust, and building strong teams are key challenges. Pray for Cambodia, for healing, and for the day when all descendants will walk in the light of the Lord. 

PRAY  

Please pray with Maggie, that God would work through her and the ministry of Hope for Justice to help bring God’s healing love to people in Cambodia. Sign up to her prayer points here.