The Hourngs in Cambodia!

Last night, during our prayer before bed, our little family of three ended up laughing more than we expected. We were supposed to pray and sleep early. But as we sat together, stories started flowing. Stories about our childhood. Stories about hardship. Stories about scars. David laughed the hardest. He could not believe how different our lives were when we were his age. He and his cousin Pich live in a generation filled with technology, comfort, and convenience. We grew up in a very different world. We told him how we never said we were bored. There was always something to do. If we did not have toys, we made our own games. We created fun out of nothing. We climbed trees. We ran barefoot. We worked. My husband shared how, as the only boy among three sisters, he had responsibilities early in life. His job was to fill five large clay jars with water for cooking and washing. He fetched water from the Mekong River in front of their house. Every day. At eight years old, he learned how to...

Years ago, during the height of the Covid pandemic, we made a long trip that I will never forget. My mother in law insisted that we visit Vandy’s relatives in Mondulkiri . She was worried. She said we did not know what would happen next. What if sickness spread more. What if she would never see them again. As a mother and grandmother, her heart was heavy. Mondulkiri is at least eight hours away from Phnom Penh. It was a long drive from Vandy’s hometown. Roads stretched far. Mountains rolled in the distance. But we went. We went to honor Mayey , which means grandma in Khmer. We went because love sometimes looks like obedience. That trip became more than a family visit. It became a lesson about endurance. When we arrived, they welcomed us with joy. For them, it was amazing that foreigners like me and David came to their home. They were fascinated that we spoke English. It was their first time hosting someone from another country. They prepared their best for us. Wild meat dried like jerk...

Today is a holiday in Cambodia. It is Peace Day . This is actually a new holiday created just last year in 2024. When it was announced, many of us welcomed it with hope. A day meant to remind us that peace matters. A day to pause and reflect on unity, healing, and safety for our nation. And yet, who would have thought that this year, a border dispute with Thailand would take place so close to this very day. It feels ironic. Peace Day arrives while bombs have shaken border communities. Families have been displaced. Homes have been damaged. Fear has quietly entered places where children once played freely. For many, peace suddenly feels fragile and uncertain. In moments like this, staying silent does not feel right. As a family, and as part of a faith community, we felt a strong pull to do something. Even something small. We could not just watch from a distance and move on with our daily routines as if nothing was happening. These are not just headlines. These are real people. Mothers. ...

I am grateful for a husband who not only cares for our family but also serves our church faithfully. Vandy is dependable to his friends and to the wider community. He may be quiet, but his life speaks loudly of faith in action. Our 16th anniversary reminded me again of the importance of marrying with intention. For the young people and singles we minister to, we often encourage them: date with the intent to marry. Marriage is not about fleeting feelings but about building a life together under God’s guidance. A few days ago, on September 30, my husband and I celebrated our sixteenth wedding anniversary. Sixteen years, it feels both long and short. Long because of all the stories, lessons, and memories we now carry together. Short because the days seem to have passed so quickly. This year, our celebration was simple but very meaningful. Vandy picked me up from the university after my morning classes, and we went on a lunch date. He brought me to a steak house, a rare treat for us since...

We are back from the long Pchum Benh break in Kampong Cham, and my heart is still full from the time we spent with family and friends. It was a meaningful trip on so many levels. We had a wonderful time with Vandy’s side of the family, and despite the heavy rains that poured throughout the week, nothing could stop us from celebrating the holidays the Khmer way. The table was always full. Plates of steaming Khmer food were passed around. Freshly harvested fruits made their way from farm to plate in a matter of hours. And of course, there were the traditional rice cakes my in-laws prepared "ansoum and numkom" which they always make ahead of Pchum Benh. These cakes are not only for the family to enjoy but also to be brought to the pagoda by Kong kong as offerings for ancestors, to be blessed by monks. If you’ve read my previous reflections  👈 you know that Pchum Benh is one of Cambodia’s most sacred festivals, rooted in Buddhist tradition. While as Christians we do not practic...

It is Pchum Benh week in Cambodia!  By the time you are reading this, we may already be in Kampong Cham, visiting Vandy’s side of the family. Every year, this becomes a familiar journey for us. More than just a holiday, it is a deeply cultural and spiritual season for Khmer people.  For us as Christians, it is also an opportunity to reflect on God’s grace, to reconnect with relatives, and to quietly live out our faith in a way that shows love and respect while also pointing to the hope we have in Christ.  Read Previous Posts here: Why Do Cambodians Celebrate Pchum Ben?  👈 What does it Mean to Live Out my Faith?  👈 This year, as I prepared my heart for these visits, Colossians 3:1 kept coming to mind: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” This verse feels so timely during Pchum Benh . While many people are looking back to the past, thinking about their ancestors and th...