The Honolulu Advertiser
Hongly Grahim Khuy
Reader Submitted
ADMISSION: FREE
WHERE: 2305 University Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
TIME: From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. / Contact: Hongly G. Khuy at 542-9353
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Every year on Christmas time, a group of the Cambodians in Hawaii together with some locals collect supplies such as tooth-brushes and pastes, medications, reading and sun glasses, clothing and other necessities for the unfortunate ones in Cambodia. Of course, the group would accept monetary donation, not for any overhead cost. Any donation ( 100% ) will be used for purchasing items that can be bought cheaper in that country.
The Cambodian community in Hawaii came to existence approximately two decades ago.
There are very few Cambodians ( or Khmers ) in Hawaii. Counting young and old, not even three hundreds in total live in the islands, most on Oahu. They came here as refugees in the early 80s as the Khmer Rouge communist regime fell ( in late 1978 ), and the country was in chaos afterwards.
Two decades or so later, these former refugees more or less settled down in this great and beautiful state of Hawaii. They feel grateful / thankful for what they have and enjoyed. In the meantime, Cambodia has started to recover and open up to investment and the outside world, tourists in particular [ Angkor Wat, one of the Seven Wonders of the world, is the main tourist attraction ]. The economy is booming, and the country is stable politically, at least for now.
Because of wars in the recent past, the mass population continues to suffer. Only a handful can live in the luxury of the recent prosperity.
The advance of new technology reaches far and beyond oceans. Cellular phones, IPods, TVs, CNN News, Fox News, Lexus SUVs, Toyota SUVs, Ford & Chevrolet SUVs, KIA SUVs....etc. are all over the place in that small country. The American currency ( US Dollars ) is being used in every corner. Actually, the American Dollars are preferred by all.
Off the roads, a stark contrast can be observed. Children work in the rice field to support their family. Some look for small fish and land crabs, snails in the ponds close by. These children live pretty much in the primitive way: no slippers, no shirts, just rag shorts.
You can probably imagine what could happen socially when the poor are tempted with dollars! With dollars, the rich can buy almost anything in that poor country.
Anyway, what the group from Hawaii is doing is just a tiny drop in a big bucket. The "Christmas in Cambodia" effort won't be able to affect a lot of change for the country. However, those unfortunate ones who receive Christmas presents from Hawaii will experience the joy of Christmas, a new hope in life. Some students will receive bicycles as means of transportation to commute to school.
Hongly Grahim Khuy
Reader Submitted
ADMISSION: FREE
WHERE: 2305 University Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
TIME: From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. / Contact: Hongly G. Khuy at 542-9353
---------------------------------------------------------
Every year on Christmas time, a group of the Cambodians in Hawaii together with some locals collect supplies such as tooth-brushes and pastes, medications, reading and sun glasses, clothing and other necessities for the unfortunate ones in Cambodia. Of course, the group would accept monetary donation, not for any overhead cost. Any donation ( 100% ) will be used for purchasing items that can be bought cheaper in that country.
The Cambodian community in Hawaii came to existence approximately two decades ago.
There are very few Cambodians ( or Khmers ) in Hawaii. Counting young and old, not even three hundreds in total live in the islands, most on Oahu. They came here as refugees in the early 80s as the Khmer Rouge communist regime fell ( in late 1978 ), and the country was in chaos afterwards.
Two decades or so later, these former refugees more or less settled down in this great and beautiful state of Hawaii. They feel grateful / thankful for what they have and enjoyed. In the meantime, Cambodia has started to recover and open up to investment and the outside world, tourists in particular [ Angkor Wat, one of the Seven Wonders of the world, is the main tourist attraction ]. The economy is booming, and the country is stable politically, at least for now.
Because of wars in the recent past, the mass population continues to suffer. Only a handful can live in the luxury of the recent prosperity.
The advance of new technology reaches far and beyond oceans. Cellular phones, IPods, TVs, CNN News, Fox News, Lexus SUVs, Toyota SUVs, Ford & Chevrolet SUVs, KIA SUVs....etc. are all over the place in that small country. The American currency ( US Dollars ) is being used in every corner. Actually, the American Dollars are preferred by all.
Off the roads, a stark contrast can be observed. Children work in the rice field to support their family. Some look for small fish and land crabs, snails in the ponds close by. These children live pretty much in the primitive way: no slippers, no shirts, just rag shorts.
You can probably imagine what could happen socially when the poor are tempted with dollars! With dollars, the rich can buy almost anything in that poor country.
Anyway, what the group from Hawaii is doing is just a tiny drop in a big bucket. The "Christmas in Cambodia" effort won't be able to affect a lot of change for the country. However, those unfortunate ones who receive Christmas presents from Hawaii will experience the joy of Christmas, a new hope in life. Some students will receive bicycles as means of transportation to commute to school.
Some others could continue their higher education in the universities in the capital city of Phnom Penh because they received assistance from this "Christmas in Cambodia" group. Some villagers could drink clean water because the group provided monetary assistance to dig water wells.
Some villagers will have a place to study, a place to worshipÖetc. Some others could see well because the Lions Club of Honolulu collected reading glasses for them. Some others were treated by doctors from the Lions Club who went on the trip.
For about two weeks this "group from Hawaii" will travel through cities and remote villages providing foods and distributing goodies / necessities to those needy ones in various provinces of that nation in south-east Asia.
The group expects to do better from year to year in their mission.
The purpose of the trip is to bring a smile, a new hope and joy to those who are less fortunate than most of us in Hawaii - love in actions, indeed. It's Christmas time, after all.
Those who had been on this "Christmas in Cambodia" trip said that the trip opened their eyes to the real world. In return they get a sense of satisfaction and joy while getting to know the country itself. Several local team members enjoyed the trip so much that they continue to go again every year.
" An Evening with the Cambodians in Hawaii " is being organized with the needy ones in Cambodia in mind. The event is a two-edged effort: 1) Promote compassion for the poor and the unfortunate ones, 2) Strengthening the relationship among community members, Cambodian and local alike.
The general public is invited! You won't be disappointed by coming to the event.
The event runs Saturday, November 1st, 2008 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the University Avenue Baptist Church [ 2305 University Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 ] - right in front of Mid Pacific Institute. That's just off the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. For direction, please call Hongly at 542-9353.
Show your support by showing up at the event - Lots of foods and fun, indeed!
The group won't be able to continue without the community support from Hawaii
Some villagers will have a place to study, a place to worshipÖetc. Some others could see well because the Lions Club of Honolulu collected reading glasses for them. Some others were treated by doctors from the Lions Club who went on the trip.
For about two weeks this "group from Hawaii" will travel through cities and remote villages providing foods and distributing goodies / necessities to those needy ones in various provinces of that nation in south-east Asia.
The group expects to do better from year to year in their mission.
The purpose of the trip is to bring a smile, a new hope and joy to those who are less fortunate than most of us in Hawaii - love in actions, indeed. It's Christmas time, after all.
Those who had been on this "Christmas in Cambodia" trip said that the trip opened their eyes to the real world. In return they get a sense of satisfaction and joy while getting to know the country itself. Several local team members enjoyed the trip so much that they continue to go again every year.
" An Evening with the Cambodians in Hawaii " is being organized with the needy ones in Cambodia in mind. The event is a two-edged effort: 1) Promote compassion for the poor and the unfortunate ones, 2) Strengthening the relationship among community members, Cambodian and local alike.
The general public is invited! You won't be disappointed by coming to the event.
The event runs Saturday, November 1st, 2008 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the University Avenue Baptist Church [ 2305 University Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 ] - right in front of Mid Pacific Institute. That's just off the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. For direction, please call Hongly at 542-9353.
Show your support by showing up at the event - Lots of foods and fun, indeed!
The group won't be able to continue without the community support from Hawaii
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