When Blood Flows, The Heart Grows Softer

Jeanette W. Lokerbie, When Blood Flows, The Heart Grows Softer, 1976 

From the beginning of Protestant missionary endeavor in Cambodia in 1923 until 1970, it was rated as one of the world’s most difficult and unyielding mission fields… For almost half a century, there was an incredibly miniscule response. Then, beginning in 1971, came a 4 1/2 year period of miraculous and genuine responsiveness to the gospel. In that short span of time, in Phnom Penh alone, several thousand persons from every stratum of society turned to Christ. Twenty-seven congregations were established and this was largely the work of laymen newly converted. (xi, Foreword)

 1976년, 크메르루즈의 잔혹성과 킬링필드의 현실이 아직 세상에 알려지지 않은 때, 캄보디아 선교사들이 구술한 내용을 기록으로 담은 이 책이 출판되었다. 크메르루즈의 침공으로 저자는 캄보디아를 입국하지 못한 체, 라오스에서 발길을 돌려야 했지만, 캄보디아를 빠져나온 여러 선교사들을 인터뷰할 수 있었고, 그렇게 킬링필드의 고난이 닥쳐오기 직전까지 하나님께서 이 땅에서 시작하신 부흥의 역사를 기록할 수 있었다.

짧은 캄보디아 교회 역사 속에서 초창기 그리스도인들의 담대한 헌신을 읽노라면, 우상 숭배가 만연한 이 땅에 뿌려진 순교의 씨앗, 하나님이 지금도 행하고 계신, 돌이킬 수 없는 복음의 역사에 마음이 웅장해진다. 그 물줄기 속에, 하나님이 쓰고 계신 역사 속에 우리가 있음이 감사할 뿐이다.

캄보디아 선교의 시작과 저항: A surprise reversal one year later (1923) was scarcely less negative: “You may preach,” the governor grudgingly told Mr. Irwin and Mr. Hammond of the C&MA, “but I assure you you will have no success.” In the succeeding months and years, the government did all in their power to guarantee the accuracy of this governor’s prophecy. (9) … Satan is a defeated foe. Nevertheless, each millimeter of progress had to battled for. (9)

캄보디아를 장악하고 있는 불교의 영향력: At every level Buddha was “God.” A myriad of pagodas proclaimed it. Saffron-robed priests confirmed it. There was no escaping that entrenched power, not the enigmatic smile of the Buddha, a patient smile that seems to say, “I’ll be here when all others who would oppose me are long forgotten.” All aspects of life revolved around the temples: social life and customs, education, economics, politics, as well as religion… The glories of the nation’s past were their famed temples. Their life after death hinged totally upon their obedience to Buddhist principles. (11)

첫 열매, 성경번역을 돕던 함 형제: “I have finished the whole book, and I am persuaded that this Jesus you talk about when you explain things to me, is the true God and I now want to become a Christian.” Mr. Hammond didn’t think this man needed more knowledge before accepting Christ as his Savior. What was necessary, however, was that he understand what it would cost for him to become a Christian; that he would undoubtedly be ostracized by his friends, mocked by many of them; he might even be put out of his home, for he would be one of a very, very few Christians in Cambodia at that time… From the time he received the Lord, it was very evident that the Holy Spirit had opened up Ham’s mind… From that time on, instead f a few verses a day, they would finish a couple of chapters. (19-20)

땅 치어 소령: Major Thaing Chhirc, a third-generation Christian. His grandfather, the first in the family to be reached with the gospel, heard only a few words. “Worship the true God,” a convert from Buddhism, Daraith, told him. He believed, turned from Buddhism, and brought up his family so effectively for Christ that his grandson is a noted Christian.

 한 소년의 회심과 열매들: Lim Chheong, The Idol-Maker’s Son: To myself I was saying, “I cannot fulfill all the ‘don’ts’ of Buddha’s teaching.” But God saw the desire of my heart. He knew that I was searching for the real meaning of life… One Sunday morning I heard the children from our neighbor’s house singing a song about Jesus Christ… She told me about Jesus who died on the Cross for my sin. “Jesus can get the sin away from the heart of people,” … I accepted Christ as my personal Savior. That was in 1953, in Kampong Cham province. I was then 15 years old…. “You are not my son anymore. Get out from this house and go sleep with your God!” … God sent my brother-in-law, who took me to his house. That was the time when I learned to pray, to ask God, and I learned to trust the Lord. (42-43) … after my graduation, my heart grieved and with my family I cried, because of the fall of my country to the enemy… With another Cambodian broadcaster, Keam Nuy, my wife and I broadcast the Word of God to the Cambodians… (50)

종교적 진공 상태: Are we all this bad? Do we all have this much bad karma? I think this is just one factor that has caused a sense of religious frustrations, developed a religious vacuum within the people. This is a serious area because religion in any culture, especially in agrarian cultures, is always a big thing…. “A rocket lands within fifteen feet. Her husband is killed, her children are maimed, and she is standing there holding a bleeding baby; the child is dying in her arms and Buddhism can only say “This is a result of your bad karma.’ There is no real area of comfort for this woman… They could no longer believe in Sihanouk, whom they had believed in strongly. He fled the country.” (126) it really all gose back to the war, but it’s the idea that for years they have just lived by their Buddhist principles and never really thought much for themselves. (127)

 땅 치어 소령의 편지: Dear Missionary Friends, ‘Where is the Lord God of Elijah?’ he cried out… that also is the cry of the young Khmer church leaders at this moment…. Then the time came for Elijah to be taken to heaven, and the young Elisha had to carry on the mission during those dark days in Israel. We do need God’s greater power and wisdom just as Elisha did. Please pray for us and ask God to give us the right words as we boldly tell our agonizing people about the Lord and explain to them that his salvation is for them now. (149)

선교사들의 철수: When is a missionary not a missionary? When his is an evacuee… We fled, Lord from our anguished people, and their devasted land… Missionaries in limbo? They are still missionaries… (156, 159)