2010/11/30
Dear Friends/brothers and sisters-in-the Lord,
This is the biggest tragedy since the Pol Pot regime. We met with heavy hearts, three hundred and forty seven (221 female ) died and three hundred more were injured last November 22, 2010 night in a stampede on Diamond Island's north bridge, bringing a tragic close to final day of water Festival celebration in Phnom Penh. This tragic, untimely and unexpected loss of many lives will remain a bitter and painful memory for Cambodia. This is an incident that no one wanted to happen.
In response, the government of Cambodia, under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen, has been very generous with assistance to the affected families. The dead were have been given free coffins and free transportation by army vehicles to their respective home, the injured receiving free medical care, and every bereaved family is expected to be a gift of compassion.
My executive committee, my staff and I are initiating a survey with our member in 117 churches that we currently work in to see if there is anything we can do to help any affects families. We want to be good neighbors to them in this time of need. On November 26, 2010 KCC has raised some funds from few our churches members to contribute to people who are injured in Kosomak Hospital.
We are all to be reminded of our own frailty as we see and witness the bodies of people who were once alive and vibrant and now still and unmoving- the breath of life snuffed from them.
May God allow His people to be compassionate and sharing to reach out to those who suddenly mourn the loss of loved ones!