Rithy graduating
THE STORY OF RITHY
I am Rithy, a former kid grown up from Unacas orphanage, I was born in Thai refugee camp and moved to Cambodia in 1991 with my grandma and my dad. My mother passed away in Thai refugee camp since I was 1 month due to wrong given medicine from the nurse. I had been living with my grandma for a few years and then had moved to Phnom Penh. Life in the city was so hard, my father was a soldier and my grandma couldn’t afford to feed me. In mid-1996, my oldest sister, my older brother and I was sent to Unacas orphanage which was located in the city. As I remember there were only 20 kids staying in the orphanage. I was 8 years old when I first arrived the orphanage and I was sent to grade 3. In 1996-1997, our orphanage didn’t receive any donation; all the food expenses were from the money of Mrs Sakada (the first director who set up the orphanage). I remember that we did not have enough food to eat, so some of our friends in the orphanage decided to beg the food from the houses nearby to fill our stomach. By the end of 1997, our orphanage was introduced by a Canadian lady to a Christian charity group. They started to tell us about Jesus, the savior. From then, all the kids and staffs at our orphanages started to receive the good news.
By the grace of God, in early 1998, my orphanage was moved to Kandal Province (Unacas Orphanage nowadays). First arrived the new land, we had to do more work due to lacking of fund for the kids, so we needed to do farming, planting the vegetable, raised the pig, cows, ducks and fishes for the needs of the orphanage. I could not be lazy at that time; I had to get up at 4:30 in the morning walked to the farm to water the vegetable till 6:00am. After watering the vegetable, I had to do the daily work at the orphanages like cleaning the toilet, the rooms and brought the water from the pumping well to the bathroom or toilet (we did not have clean water from the pipe). After finishing all the tasks, I had breakfast (not enough breakfast) and walked to school which took 45 minutes to arrive my school. A pair of school uniform and a pair of shoes had to be used for one year which was hard when it was worn out so I had to sew by the needle by myself. Going to school by walk with no pocket money, sometimes felt really upset when seeing the kids at school having money to buy the food. Though facing those hardships, it could not stop me to go forward to study for my future. In 2000, some bikes were donated to the orphanage, so I could ride to school which was convenient to save my time.
From 1998-2002, we had the Sunday service under the bamboo tree. Praise the Lord, in 2003 the church building was completed so we moved to have the Sunday service at the church Hall. Thankfully, God has given me a gift of music and He has called me to serve in the worship team as a little drummer since I was 12 years old. I have been voluntarily serving the church since then and many of young leaders at church have been trained through the gift God has given me.
In 2005, I was in high school, grade 12. It was the sad year I had never faced since I had been in the orphanage. My friends who had finished high school and planned to pursue their studies in University decided to leave the orphanage as the Director of the orphanage did not allow them to study in the University, my first-generation friends who were with me since 1996 had left, only two youth remained, me and one of my friends as we were in the last year of high school. In 2006, my friend and I graduated from high school, same thing happened, my friend left the orphanage as my orphanage Director did not allow him to stay at the orphanage because he wanted to study in the University. I was so upset and lonely as no one could help me, I just stayed at orphanage and was an English teacher there waiting and thinking how could I go to university. A few months after graduating from high school, I went to Phnom Penh to apply for the scholarship to study in University but I failed. I had been staying at the orphanage for a year teaching English there with the salary 20$ per month. I had been applying for many scholarships since 2006 and still failed.
In September 2007, I applied for the entrance exam in a famous University which I had to sit for the TOEFL test. I applied for the entrance exam, I was not planning to study in that University as it is a high fee University and the entrance test is really difficult to pass and study there, I took the test was just to measure my English knowledge that I had learned from the orphanage and the other reason I did not have money to pay for the school fee even I passed the entrance exam. There were around 6000 candidates sat for the exam and the university selected only 500 students. I was so relaxed to sit for the exam as it is no meaning to me even fail or pass but other candidates seemed so nervous. The exam was completed, back to the orphanage and no willing to see the result of the exam. A month later, I went to the City to visit my brother, and I just dropped by the University to see the result.
Surprisingly, I passed the entrance exam which was unbelievable. I asked God why He allowed me to pass the entrance exam which I had not plan to take English subject as my plan was to study to be a doctor. With no sponsor and was not allowed to stay at the orphanage if I studied in University. After learning that I passed the entrance exam, the receptionist at the office at the university told me that I had only three days more to pay the school fee and the school would start a week later. Nervously, I found a quiet place at the university campus and asked God; “God! you let me passed the entrance exam, what is your plan to me as my Director would not help me or allow me to study in the university, but I trust your plan and I am willing to do according to your plan?” After praying, I went back to the orphanage and told this good news to Mr Sela (a deputy director of Unacas). He was amazed with the news, and he told me to tell my Director, but I told Mr. Sela that there was no use to tell her as she would not allow me to study and she would ask me to leave the orphanage if I choose to study at University. I was so nervous to tell her but I needed to, it was really shocked to hear her (the director) reply which was totally amazed, different from what I had thought, she allowed me to study in the University. I couldn’t believe my ear with her reply. God is good to me, He has changed everything, my orphanage director told the accountant to give 450$ to pay for the school fee for one year, and gave some money for buying the uniform and stationery. Finally, after a few months in the university my director had found a sponsor for me to support my university fee. My sponsor was an Australian guy who had visited my orphanage before.
The blessing time and the hard time during the University life, I had to drive the old motor early in the morning 25 kilometers from my orphanage to my University in Phnom Penh and back to the orphanage to teach English at 1pm from Monday to Friday. I was always exhausted after the driving; I have to. Late 2007 my director passed away; everything was changed. I had no allowance like before so I just only had 40$ per month from my teaching at the orphanage for spending on gasoline and buy the stationery. In mid of 2008, God blessed me to have my own motorbike through an American friend who came to visit my orphanage, And I could see that God was doing something good for me according to His plan. For the first year in University, I felt so stress with my study as I could not catch up the lessons, most of my classmates were from the rich and educated family, they had been learning English before in both writing and speaking unlike me I just knew how to speak but was poor in writing which had made me so difficult in writing. And one more thing, I did not have financial support like the others as the documents and books needed to buy which I could not afford. I had told my brother and Mr. Sela to quit the school but they still encouraged me to keep going even facing the difficulties as not everyone had a chance to study in this top University. Every day I had put a lot of effort to study hard in order to catch up the lessons in the University, there were many assignments, homework after class; at the same time, I needed to teach English at the orphanage in order to get the allowance to support my study.
By the blessing from God, the encouragement from the other people around and from my effort, finally I could finish my Bachelor Degree in 2011. On the graduation day was the happy day ever in my life as I would not have made this if there was no blessing from my Lord Jesus. Thus, I have dedicated my knowledge, my everything to the Lord is to serve Him and to use all what I have for His’s sake. After graduation for three months, I was invited to work as an interpreter and translator in one organization which serving church ministry. I have been serving there for 4 years and a half. In mid-2016 until now, God has called me to serve in new ministry which serving the street kids and poor community in Cambodia.
I could see that everything I have today is from God and from the place in grown up. Unacas orphanage is my home which brings me experiences, knowledge, friendship, and tone of good memories which I could never ever forget. I always talk to myself and share with the others that “To me is nothing, but with God I have everything.” So, it is my time to return back to God is to serve his ministry and serve the needy as much as I could according to God’s will. Even now I have left Unacas orphanage for 7 years already but I always go to serve at church and helping the orphanage as much as I could. Now I am a chairman of board of director of Unacas. I never forget where I am from and who have helped me to grow; so, with no hesitation I have to contribute back by whatever means to help the others, especially the poor, the vulnerable people, the orphans and the needy.
Last but not least, I would like to share my favorite Bible verse which is always in my mind and also encourages me from the day I believe Jesus until now, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “The plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.” May God bless You! From Coca ( Rithy ).