MBC Share the Happiness,

Cambodian children whom actress Jo An met ②

Cambodia is the place where the pain of the holocaust still lingers. In 1975, while the radical communist Pol Pot’s ‘Khmer Rouge(Red Khmer)’ regime was seizing the power of Cambodia, numerous civilians were slaughtered under the cause of the construction of Utopia until 1979. Among people who were slaughtered, there were ordinary women and even children. By this case named ‘Killing Field’, 2 million people which took up about a quarter of Cambodia population were killed mercilessly. It was just thirty years ago, however, still many people in the Cambodia live in adversity with lost siblings or parents in Killing Field.

Pala(55), an old woman who Ms. Jo An met today, had her family as one of the victims by ‘Killing Field’. Pala lives in the slum area where perpetrators and victims of ‘Killing Filed’ are living together. Upon entering the village, the strong, pungent mix of all kinds of waste odors protruded our nostrils. Pala’s family was the poorest people in this slum area.

It is hard to consider it as a house due to its horrendous conditions. Pala and her three kids have been living in this area for four years. Her husband died in ‘Killing Field’. “He was killed by getting beaten in his head furiously and repeatedly. After killing him, his body was thrown away in a forest so we can’t find the body.”

It was a death that even without the body and just through rumors. Pala has been raising her kids solely by hawking after her husband passed away.

“Mom, Mom!” The kids were calling the Pala, their grandmother, as mom. The old woman has been raising her third daughter’s children who cannot even remember their real mom. Suddenly, the youngest, Borromeoi(2,man), started to cry loudly. Borromeoi’s whole body was covered with red spots which from skin disease. Children lives in unsanitary environment always are exposed to danger of diseases. In addition to Borromeoi, evidences of diseases remained all over the other children’s bodies. Pala wanted to take Borromeoi to the hospital; however, she is concerned about earning daily meals so that she cannot go to the hospital.

Every morning, Pala goes out to harvest vegetable, ‘water parsley’. ‘Water Parsley’ is a common and cheap vegetable in Cambodia. Sometimes she catches fish and sells them, but in the rainy season, it is hard to catch fishes so she has to make a living by selling only ‘water parsley’ for a while. Jo An had desire to help the old woman so she decided to follow her through the long way to the ‘water parsley’ field.

While old woman was picking ‘water parsley’, three years old Rambo was holding two years old Borromeoi; a little child who still needs to be taken care of was looking after another child. Borromeoi started whining and crying in his brother’s arms. Borromeoi only stops crying when Pala holds him. Borromeoi was holding a water bottle, not a feeding bottle.

Trimming work begins after picking all ‘water parsley’. Jo An listens carefully to the Pala’s explanation about how to trim. Selling a bundle of ‘water parsley’ makes about 120 won in equivalent of Korean money. Selling four to five bundles a day allows people to buy 1kg of rice. If ‘water parsley’ was not sold, it would be hard to eat one meal a day. “Yesterday, we almost did not have any meal because we didn’t have rice.” Fortunately, the crying sound of her hungry children was recognized by the lady in the next door, and she shared some rice. Pala, who worked all day, was also hungry, but she took the children first and fell asleep with empty stomach. “Even I can’t give them snacks, I should give them meals on time….” Pala can’t do anything for the children who suffer from hunger all the time.“Some people who don’t have money send their children to other family who does not have a child. But I wouldn’t do that because I feel sorry for the children. Although I don’t have money, I will raise the children by selling ‘water parsley’.” Her children are the only reason for the old woman to live. If the old woman has her children on her side, she can overcome anything, even her exhausting life.

While Pala and younger brothers were harvesting ‘water parsley’, Ttuit(7,man) who are left on the village was going around in a trash heap with a big sack; he was picking recycle to help Pala. He should be admitted to go to an elementary school, but he doesn’t. School provides free education, yet not everyone can go to the school. He passes the school whenever he goes around to grab trashes. Ttuit cannot just pass the front of the school without stealing a glance. Ttuit fixed his eyes on the children playing in the school through the wire fences of the gate. “I want to go to school and play together.” There is only one door between them, but why are their situations so different from each other?

The old woman went to the market to sell the harvested ‘water parsley’ from the morning. However, there are no customers… although one hour passed by, the amount of ‘water parsely’ is same as the first. “On some days I can’t sell anything.” It is hard to sell ‘water parsley’ because so many people sell ‘water parsley’. However, she has to sell this so that she can buy rice to feed her children. The old woman can’t leave because of that, so, she sold ‘water parsley’ until the very late at night.

The night of Eondong village revealed the gap between the rich and the poor because families in better circumstances can use electricity. In contrast to the next door house with fluorescent and television on, Pala’s house is dark. Lantern that could go out at any moment lights up the inside the dark room. The old woman cooks rice in the pitch-black darkness and children have a meal like they are accustomed to the dark. Eventually the old woman makes soup with unsold ‘water parsley’ and feed children. When the children go to sleep after having a meal, Pala keeps fanning beside the children, worrying that the children may not sleep well because of mosquitoes. She is too determined to take care of her children that she forgets her own fatigue. 

The next morning, as soon as the sky is bright, Jo An diligently goes to the old woman’s house. Things that Jo An had in her hands are gifts that the family necessarily needed:  the solar flashlight. Instead of a lantern that is easy to go out, the solar flashlight will light up the old woman’s house. The second present is opened. Playing with it like it’s a toy, the children are very excited about a big unfolded mosquito net. It is likely that little gifts make the old woman and the children happy, making Jo An happy as well. Now the children and old woman can sleep comfortably at night without disturbing mosquitoes? We hope that the old woman and the family can now have a sweet dream.

Seven years old Ttuit, three years old Rambo, two years old Borromeoi. Not picking up garbage or crying for food, but an ordinary life as going to school and playing around with children match with them. These children need your help to live like any ordinary kid.