Age: 18
Birthday: February 12
11th Grade
School: Logos International School

I am the third oldest in my family. I have three sisters and two brothers. I came to Asian Hope from the province Koh Kong near the Thai-Cambodia border in March of 2000. My dad had been shot to death, and my mother abandoned me when she realized her husband was dead. Lydia, my oldest sister, had to take care of us. My grandmother helped look after us for a while. However, her other son had also been killed in an accident so she was already caring for his wife and children and could not afford to continue to care for more.

My grandmother knew a policeman who had an Asian Hope business card and told her about the orphanage. My whole family traveled together to Phnom Penh to bring my sisters and brothers to Asian Hope. I was living with my mother and I didn’t know that my sisters didn’t live with my grandmother anymore. From that time on, I lived with my grandmother by helping selling fruits on the street when any cars stopped to take a break. I said to myself that I wish one day my sisters and brothers would come to visit me.

A couple of days later, a bus stopped by and I ran to sell the fruit. I was shock and happy that I saw my sisters and brothers get off the bus. They were happy to see me too. Then Fanny asked Mr. Steve if he can take Samedi and I to lived with them and he said “Yes”. I was so happy to be with my sisters again. But when I get to Phnom Penh, I became scared. When Mr. Steve asked me something and I thought he was speaking in English so then I started to run into the house and hide.

After a couple of days, I get used to the people in Asian Hope. The parents began to take me shopping for some clothes. When at night times, they were having devotion as a family. I came to join with them but I don’t understand at all about Jesus Christ. They told me that Jesus Christ was the Son of God that came to die on the cross for my sins. One night I was so tried and I com-plain to the parents. They told me to go bed by myself and so I went into the room and was so scared of darkness.

Then my mom came to me asking why I was crying and I said that was so scared and she told that God will always be with me all the times. So then she called me back into the living room and I didn’t feel scared anymore. Now I know that Christ is Savior and he will be always be with me. I know if Christ had not bought me here that I won’t get any education. I would not have known Christ at all in my life. I’m so happy that I would be able to study in order to learn more about God. I’m so thankful that God had chosen me to be one of his daughters.

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