A Healing Fire (June 2008, Pg. 116-129)

Author: Leow Jian Zhong (38)
Heading: A Healing Fire
Origin: Reader Digest June 2008 Issue Page 116-129


In brief summary, this piece of article from Reader’s Digest June 2008 is generally about a story of this Cambodian man by the name of Sokreaksa S. Himm, whose whole family had been killed by the Khmer Rouge during the Khmer Rouge occupation in 1975, Cambodia.

During that point of time, Sokreaksa was 11 years old. Together with his family, they were living at a village in Siem Reap. One morning, one of the Khmer Rouge agents, known as chlops, summoned his whole family, which includes his father, mother and 11 siblings, for execution as they had been identified as the enemy of the angkar loeu, the local Khmer Rouge leader. Young Sokreaksa witnessed how his father was brutally killed by the Khmer Rouge, and was greatly horrified. Soon, he and the rest of his siblings were killed and buried in a huge trench. However, Sokreaksa was very fortunate that he was still conscious enough to get out of the trench before the Khmer Rouge came back with more people ready to be killed. Sokreaksa managed to escape from there but he was helpless, as he saw how his mother was tortured to death by the Khmer Rouge. After the entire massacre, the Khmer Rouge carelessly filled the grave.

Feeling despair and infuriated, Sokreaksa vowed that he would avenge for their deaths. When he grew up and became an adult, he had opportunities to revenge those who had killed his whole family. But every time there is an opportunity, he just couldn’t do it. He left for Canada as he can no longer stay in Cambodia, which brings him sufferings and hatred. During his stay in Canada, he knew friends from churches, and Sokreaksa slowly realise that forgiving them is a better choice. One day, Sokreaksa was given a chance to go back to Cambodia to propagate Christianity and to counsel those who are scarred by the Khmer Rouge.
It took him years to decide to go back to Cambodia and to forgive those who had killed his family. When he was back to Cambodia in 1999, he went to search for those chlops who he wanted to revenge on. Instead of killing them, Sokreaksa counsel them and even give them a hug, which represent that he had forgiven all of them. Sokreaksa had also arranged to build a school in the village.

I was greatly touched by this article. To forgive a person is difficult. To forgive a person who had hurt you is more difficult. To forgive a person who had killed your whole family out of nothing is impossible. Sokreaksa managed to forgive all of those who had killed his family. I am very impressed by this guy, that after so many years, he still went back to Cambodia and in search for the former Khmer Rouge and to forgive them. This story also proved that a religion is able to transform and change one’s life and perception to the better. Sokreaksa is also a charitable person as he donated to build a school in the village that he grew up.
Personally I do believe in “Forgiving and Forgetting”. To forgive another person for their mistake is difficult, but it is only through this that you can cure the grudge deep inside your heart.

To conclude, I would like to say that to forgive somebody; it requires a lot of courage. Hence I’m very impress by what Sokreaksa did.