Mission of Mercy Continued in Kang Meas District

The mission of mercy continued throughout the Kang Meas District, by LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an area devastated by chronic drought. This additional assistance was coordinated for nearly 5,000 desperate families, and distributed to eleven communes, divided into five different locations, over a four-day period. This was provided less than three months following the initial food relief distribution to 1,200 families in the Kampong Thom and Svey Rieng Region of Cambodia.

The aid to this, the poorest district in the region and the hardest hit by the drought, was initially requested in behalf of these areas by His Excellency Min Khin, Senior Minster of Cults and Religion, who sadly succumbed to cancer before he could witness the project brought to fruition. The logistics of such an enormous project required nearly a year of careful planning and coordination with the LDS Church, the local humanitarian missionaries in Cambodia, government officials, as well as village and commune chiefs; to administer the massive relief program. It was beyond sobering to look into the eyes of these unfortunate families, seated shoulder to shoulder, in anticipation of alleviating some of their suffering. 

Her Excellency Min Chandyneth, daughter of the late Senior Minister of Cult and Religion, Excellency Min Khin, and Her Excellency, Nguon Thuonm, his widow, attended the distribution sites and with great emotion, expressed their gratitude to the Church for the extraordinary, magnanimous gift extended to the people of the region.

"I could never put into words," she said, "how much this means to my father, to my Father's memory and to our family. LDS Charities shows their love and commitment to the Cambodian people who are suffering, through their actions; not just with words."

Government officials attended each day to formally express their gratitude for the generosity of LDS Charities. Additionally, church leaders including, Khong Lim, who serves as District President of congregations in the LDS Church in Kampong Cham, along with several missionaries, were on hand to assist the deprived masses in loading the food supplies into whatever transportation was available, to take them to their homes.

Villagers arrived hours ahead of the distribution, willing to sit on the ground in stifling heat in order to receive the allotted food. Some held their babies, others their children standing close by, grandmothers and grandfathers alike, all plagued by the drought and shared in this deprivation. They were overwhelmed with gratitude at the realization the neatly stacked piles set before them, of rice, noodles cooking oil and fish sauce, were for them to take home to their dwellings, to their families and were provided to temporarily ease their burden and relieve their hunger; enough for over a month.

Gratitude was expressed through smiles, embraces, nods of appreciation and even tears, for sustenance given through the goodness, donations and contributions of Latter-day Saint Church members to the humanitarian fund; members who believe and follow the teachings and example of the Savior, Jesus Christ who taught “charity never faileth."

In each province, each day the scene was replicated; a sea of a thankful recipients.

Indeed, this was a “mission of mercy.