This was previously a school and the Khmer Rouge converted it into a prison for the torture and interrogation of prisoners for information. As many as 10,000 adults perished in this place, not counting the children also held here. It is hard to imagine an institute for learning would become a place where many innocent people lost their lives to the torture and harsh living conditions.
As I was walking through the place, looking at the exhibits and the mug-shots of the detained, I was reflecting on the passion and the death of Christ. These thousands of innocent Cambodians lost their lives in a power hungry and mindless regime. They died a horrible death, for some of them. They were detained against their will and tried to escape but had not much place to run to.
On the other hand, the Christ we worship gave up his Divine nature and chose to be with us, mere humans, living our lives, sharing our meals and feeling our emotions. When the time came, he gave himself up to be tortured and crucified on the cross, for a crime he was innocent of.
Circumstances can put us in situations we do not want, suffer under the hands of our tormentors, and even be executed. But how many of us can willingly give up our lives, knowing full well of the torture and death that we will be put through. This is the Christ we worship. This is the God who loves us so much that he will go through all that just to be the sacrificial lamb.
All I can say is, "WHAT A GREAT GOD WE HAVE !"
2 comments:
Just a few words to add.... there were 14,000 thousands prisoners held in S21 between 1975-1979 and only 8 came out alive. All of them were tortured there in cruelty beyond human imagination but none killed there unless they died from the torture. All were sent to various killing fields to be executed.
Thanks for the added information. It is sad and shocking to know that a fellow human being is capable of the cruelty and torture to another of his own kind......
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