Church service in Phnom Penh

About this recording

Creator

Kristin Post

Date created

February 18, 2001

Duration

0:24

Location

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

File

MP3

License

This recording copyright ©2001. Terms of use

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In the classroom

This is a recording of a Christian church service in Phnom Penh. Christianity, like all religions in Cambodia, was once prohibited from being practiced by Pol Pot and his genocidal regime. However, less than 20 years later, it is possible to find Christian churches in the capital city.

From my journal:

Drew a cross and brought it to moto drivers, made a prayer sign, one guy seemed to understand, but he took me to #9 guesthouse. Got a man there to translate for me- and I stuck with my driver. he took me in a new direction, but I still wasn’t sure he understood.

I saw a sign for Church of Nazarene. At first, when I walked in, I tought they might block me and not want me- but it seemed like services were starting. A thin professional wamn with a US accent came in and led me to a seat. She said she’d just been taking a medical team to the provinces. She isn’t a doctor, she is some office manager for the church.

Then she had things to do so a girl with a chubby face sat next to me- she helped translate some of the service (which was all in Khmer) to me. She had a little New Testament in English which I read. I recorded some of the sermon and singing.

It was a good service — different men did different things. At first, there were men on one side, women on the other. But more men came and sat on our side. They didn’t always pay attention. Crowd was between ages of 15-25- some older people. Songs were without accompaniment. Church was “L” shaped room with pews, a podium and microphone, and a wooden cross on the wall. Simple. Traffic is audible from outside. People were nice, but not pushy when I left.