Day 31, S21 Museum

  Today we went as a class to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, at the time the secret name for it was S21. It was absolutely heart breaking. What is sad to me is that there are entirely too many people in this world who had no idea about the mass genocide that took place in Cambodia in the 1970's. If you don't know about it, please educate yourself. The Tuol Sleng concentration camp was previously a highschool that was turned into a concentration camp when the Khmer Rouge took power over Cambodia. This specific camp in Phnom Penh held over 20,000 prisonors. Of those 20,000 only seven (yes, 7) survived. To this day, there are only two that still live. I had the absolute pleasure of meeting one of the two, who was generous enough to sign his book for me and take a picture with me! I can't wait to read his story and learn just how he was able to survive this camp.

    Before coming to Cambodia, I did my fair share of research on the mass genocide with the Khmer Rouge so I can better understand this country and what the people went through. But there was nothing my research could have done to prepare me for what I saw and leaned. Our tour guide told us her story, and how her father, sister, and brother were all murdered in a concentration camp one town over. But she was able to escape to Vietnam before she was captured. But she told us not to fee sorry for her, because every single person in Cambodia has the same story of losing immediate family to this horrific tragedy. I learned there that even high ranking Khmer Rouge killed themselves off (starting bottom up) to protect the secrets. This camp was one huge torture chamber and went into details with actual devices on display. Horrific! Here are some pictures from the museum:

Us with our tour guide

     FYI, this was wayyyyyy worse than the Holocaust. However, this gets little to no recognition! Mind blowing! Though only 3 million people were killed, due to the population difference between Germany and Cambodia, this was wayyy more detrimental to their population. It was said that 1 of every 3 Cambodian died during the Khmer Rouge, 33% of the population!!! It was said by another American that the reason we don't learn about this in school is because America indirectly
contributed to this happening, through a long story. Research it. You will be amazed!

Look at these innocent faces who did NOTHING wrong, other than being born in the wrong country 

 

 

     As I said, the main thing done at this camp was torture the inmates. They came up with endless ways, and I cannot possibly imagine what they went through. Here are pictures of dead inmates who were murdered. The ones who tortured them took photos to turn into their higher ranking officers to get credit for how harsh they treated them! Heart breaking!

 

 

Additional pictures:

Chains & rope around their necks!

 

 

 Lines of cracked skulls from being beaten over the head

 

 

**Tonight the girls were talking, and Sasi brought up such a great revelation the Lord reveled to her today while at this camp. We cannot fathom what these people went through while here. What they went through is not understandable it was so brutal. Constant torture. If you could have done something to save someone from this camp, would you have?

This is a lot like hell. We have the key to help someone from going there. And hell is wayyyy worse than this camp.  Are you doing your part to save as many people from this as possible??

     Now for a happier note: This afternoon was fun! Grabbed some KFC chicken after the museum. Did some shopping at the Russian Market. Then went get pedicures at Open Arms Salon, a salon with the same point as Alma Café is, to get the girls off the street from prostituting, giving them a trade and a job so they will not have to ever turn to that life again! Christian based and absolutely amazing!

 

 Pink and glitter. I am soo predictable! ;)

 

 

 This is a gas station. This is gas inside of these bottles for the passing tuk-tuk and moto's.

     After that, we went grab dinner. Went home. Relaxed for a bit. Skyped with my mom and Chloe! So nice to see their smiling faces! Went out to the night market next to the house for ice cream. Then some girl time after.

 

Fantastic Day!