Someone died today so I got to sit next to Kimsoeun in church! Usually he is playing the guitar but today we sang a cappella as someone had just died in the house across the road. The whole front of the house was open so we could see the body on the floor covered in a white sheet. They said it was an old sick person. The noisy chanting and stuff had started and people were busy doing all the things they do as soon as someone dies.

The photo above is of the house where the body is. Can you see the white funeral flag and the loud speaker. You always know when someone in your neighbourhood has died.

People made jokes about Thailand when they saw us today. We didn't realise when we left home but as soon as people at church saw us they commented. Can you see why?

I took the camera to church today to take photos to take back to oz, but it is hard to take nice photos in church. It is kind of dark and the walls are glazed white tiles. The darkness means you need a flash, but then the flash makes a bright spot on the white shiny wall. But I did get some photos of people.

For some reason I always feel so tired after church. I sleep for 2-3 hours and then it takes me ages to wake up. Church doesn't even go that long, but maybe from the heat and trying to understand Khmer.

Death in Cambodian Buddhist Culture

A Christian funeral

Kimsoeun's friend's dad died recently after being sick since around September(the last week and half he has been waiting for this). Kimsoeun left school after lunch and spent until dark in the family's district

When KS got back last night he said he was encouraged to see that the church members had taken over the preparations. I think one of the things that happens on the first day is the washing of the body, it's a community event. Often Christians end up having a Buddhist funeral as the relatives will start all the things straight away, but sounds like the church members were there already. The family (father and siblings) are not Christians, but they didn't protest. (I guess that must be hard for them, if they have certain beliefs of what needs to happen to the body to have a good next life.)



As well as church members I think pretty much all the students went as I and a staff member were the only ones at dinner last night.

Soeun went to preach there this morning, and will go back tonight for the burning of the body. When he's back at work today he'll be getting ready for the program of Jesus's death tomorrow- lots of death this week.


The coffin says : Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

His 3rd year sts were eager to know what he was preaching from, as he has set some of them homework to prep a sermon for a funeral.


Update Sunday 4th: After the Good Friday program we found out another family in the community had a family member die. Then a few hours later we found out two more people had died. So some of the students who had been busy with funeral programs all week have to spend this weekend, not resting has they had hoped but helping people with funerals.

The noise started up again at 4.30am, more music and chanting and talking. Soeun said there was an announcement to say they are taking the body away soon, so I think that means the noise will stop soon.

Our bedside clock thermometer said 23 this morning! Never seen it so low so we took a photo, it rained last night too.

So noisy at Bible school today. Last night someone in the area died, we know because they chant using a load speaker when its happening. So today there is the clangy funeral music- its really loud, poor Soeun is having trouble marking. Hopefully this family isn't too rich, or it could go on for days.
Its also cold and rainy here, which is strange. Today I started a ten day PHAWS

Our friend’s father recently passed away after being sick for some time. Our friend and her mother are Christians, and are so thankful that their father/husband accepted Jesus just before he died.

Recently I’ve heard of a few Christians who have ended up having a Buddhist funeral. As soon as some dies, or when they are dying, the monks are called in to carry out the Buddhist rituals. Apparently it all happens automatically, with friends and neighbours playing their part. As the major religion is Buddhism, and many parts of life are very religious it seems that everyone knows the proper thing to do when someone dies. So this is how Christians end up having Buddhist funerals, even when they have lived their life as a Christian and their family knows they are not Buddhist.

In the case of our friend, if she’d wanted her father to have a Christian funeral, she and her mum would have had to confront her relatives with this strange idea. I’m guessing that wouldn’t have been an easy thing to do at any time- but especially hard if you were to do it the same hour your father/husband had passed away. So I think they just let everyone take care of everything, knowing it was only his body and that they will see him again.