18.10.2024
From Castleknock to Cambodia – Reflections on a Life Changing Mission Trip
The Revd Colin McConaghie, Rector of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla, reflects on the recent parish mission trip to Cambodia. Fourteen members of the parish travelled to Cambodia to help build a new home for a family living in poverty. Working alongside builders from Habitat for Humanity in Cambodia, their mission was a partnership between Habitat, the parish and the family in Phnom Penh. The parishioners and Habitat were working with Sreymao, a 43 year old factoryworker, in Trapang Anhchanh 4 village in Porsenchey District, Phnom Penh.
When you float the idea of having a Parish mission trip it is always a step into the unknown. Will anyone be interested? What will the reaction be from the wider parish? Will those who go enjoy the experience and benefit from it?
When Jenny Williams came to speak in our churches late last year about a mission in Cambodia working alongside Habitat for Humanity Ireland there was a mixture of excitement and nervousness along with lots of questions. Over the next few weeks, a team began to emerge, some took a little persuading that they had something to offer while others had been waiting for an opportunity like this for years.
The 27th September came around so quickly as the 14 of us gathered at Dublin airport to set of on the journey to Cambodia. Any trip with Habitat seeks to immerse you in the culture of the country so our first day in Cambodia was spent touring one of the notorious Killing Fields and the S21 concentration camp. It was harrowing to hear and see the image of the genocide that took so many lives in the 1970’s but it gave us an insight into history of this beautiful country.
That evening Erickh our Habitat guide along with Pieta our building co–ordinator met us for a presentation of the work of Habitat for Humanity Cambodia and health and safety briefing ahead of starting the building work.
As we left the hotel to travel to the build site the next morning there was a mixture of awe as we took in the Phnom Penh traffic and trepidation of what lay ahead. As we arrived on site, we were greeted by the family we were building for, Sreymao and her husband Kosal. Greetings were exchanged as the family welcomed us and expressed their joy that we had travelled such a distance to help build their new home. On behalf of our team, I expressed greetings from Ireland and how excited we were to be with them and to share in this exciting project.
As we walked the short distance from our rest area to the build site, we were all felt a little overwhelmed between the already soaring heat and the smell of waste and stagnant water. As we were introduced to the local builders another obstacle emerged, the language barrier. Nervously we began our allocated task with some laying bricks while others were fastening wire to hold together supporting pillars. Work began slowly, much water was taken on board and communication was proving difficult.
As the day progressed, we found ourselves quickly adopting to new tasks. Hand signals and smiles began to emerge as we received instructions from our building crew. The nervousness began to disappear as we encouraged one another to try a new task or to swap in and out to take a break from the heat.
By the next day the site was a hub of activity, everyone seemed to naturally know their roles and there were moments of laughter between visitors and locals. The community welcomed us onto site each day, they opened their homes to provide running water for our hose and a place for us to wash our hands at meal breaks. The local children were curious and even more so when bubbles and balloons emerged during break times for them to play with.
On site new skills were emerging that many of us didn’t know we had. Those from the team with building experience patiently passed on their skills and the local builders began to trust us for more and more tasks and were even taking on board some Irish advice. As the walls got higher the heat got more intense especially for those mixing the mortar or concrete when a mask was added to the hard hat. We were laying a new floor, filling concrete pillars and finally plastering walls, a task that the women took to naturally as seemingly it was like icing a cake!
Before we knew it Friday had arrived and it was time for the handover to the family. As we gathered in the three quarters finished house we couldn’t help but be a little proud of the amount of work we had done. There was great joy as the ribbon was cut and lotus flowers thrown in the air. As we gathered for one last time in the break area the room was filled with emotion as the family, the Habitat staff, the builder and then each team member shared what the week had meant to them. The room was filled with tears and laughter as we presented our hosts gifts from Ireland, before we all danced together before waving goodbye.
We left Cambodia with many precious memories and stories to share of the life changing difference having a suitable home makes to a family. Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity will continue as we support their work here in Ireland and look towards another mission trip in 2025.
Perhaps you are wondering if you’re parish could undertake a similar mission trip. Yes, there is a lot to organise and you need to find the right partnership that fits with your own mission outlook but as one of our team members put it “just go for it, you won’t regret it, take that leap of faith.”
