My trouble began when my mother died. Blamed for my mother's death, I was moved around a lot, growing up with different friends and relatives. My father served in the army and was often on the frontlines, never at home to raise me.

My country fell into a civil war; this was the time of the Khmer Rouge. The amount of food that was given to everyone was minimal; often there was no food to eat at all. If people began to complain then they would be killed instantly.

When the war ended, I reunited with my family, including my father, who I barely knew. I decided to move to Phnom Penh to continue my studies. It was there, my life changed in a way I never could have imagined.

After securing a ride to the city, I found shelter in a nearby Buddhist temple.

In order to survive, I woke early and ported luggage and vegetables, which helped me save enough to study at the local university. After studying Cambodian literature, I began the arduous work of writing my thesis. Through my research, I came across a book on Jesus.

I met a Christian who was a pastor at an underground church. He was able to answer my many questions about Jesus and brought me to a church service.

Troubles ahead

When I came back from my school at that time I left my bicycle on the ground floor in the temple where I was staying. I went to lay down for about 10 minutes and then went to return to my bike, only to find that it had been taken.

After one week I had spent all the money that I had saved, so I had no money to pay to live at the temple, or to eat, or to study. I became very sick because of this situation and because there was no one to take care of me, I just lay on the floor in my room. I thought that I was close to death.

Around nine o'clock in the evening, I had a voice come to me like the wind, "Why don't you pray to the Lord Jesus Christ?" When I heard that I became very scared. Suddenly, I remembered about the pastor who shared to me about Jesus, saying that He is almighty and powerful and He will help those who call by His name.

Hope in the suffering

I prayed, "Lord Jesus, please heal me and help me, if you are real. Please do something in my life so I can know you are real, and then I will believe in you and serve you forever."

I heard a sound come to me and it said this, "I come to you because you have called my name." I had never had this happen before, I could not get up usually as I was too weak, but this time I was able.

I looked up to the roof and I saw very brightly shining lights pointing at me. At that time I was very sorrowful when the light left me. I thought that maybe a ghost or an evil spirit had come to visit me, and after that I was very scared. I went back to bed, but had not closed my eyes when the light came again and a voice said, "I am Jesus Christ, that you called by name, now I come to you!"

Then I jumped out of bed and knelt down. Then I saw a man wearing a white dress that I had never seen before. His eye looked at me, I saw that His eye looked like a river, and he laid his hand on my head. He said, "My son, follow me." So I bowed down and said, "Jesus, I now believe in you."

At the same time, tears came out from my eyes like I had not experienced because I had been healed, my strength was restored and all of my sickness had left me. I was very excited and happy, so much so that I could not sleep, I wanted the sun to rise so I could go to the pastor's house and tell him of what happened and let him pray for me.

A new beginning

As soon as morning came I went to the pastor's house and told him of my story. He said to me that you are really chosen by God from this day then, so he prayed for me after that and began to train me. Once again I could continue my study at university and then after I graduated from university, I committed my life to serve the Lord full time in the Church.

I received Jesus Christ as my Lord in 1988 and I was baptized on September 20, 1989 at Tonle Bathy Village of Takeo province.

The things that I have dreamed for in life, I have been blessed with. In the beginning, I was the only believer, but now my brother, father and many other relatives also believe and have accepted Him as their Savior and their Lord.