Why bad things happen to good people ?

A soup eating place in the corner of Olumpic market was the place where I first introduced to Lim Pisith whom I didn’t like at all when we first met. He jokes a lot which at one point during that dinner, I started to felt uncomfortable. As two people who first known each other, he asked me where do I work and so on... after a few questions, he came to realize that I was the selection committee of a youth camp which he has just applied for.

A week later, the selection committee of the youth camp had announced the successful candidate and Pisith was one of them. 28^th October, 2008 was day one of our 5 days camp in Koh Kong. The camp went on as planned and ended after 5 days. My view on Pisith has changed 100%. During 5 days of our youth camp, Pisith has clearly shown that he was one of the most active participants. Even jus being there as a participant, he played the role as care taker to other participants especially those who were younger.

Pisith became the next year youth camp committee in Siem Reap province. Pisith was so dedicated to this volunteer works. Without any payment, he tried his best sharing his private time and money to the success of our youth camp. Later in 2009, he was selected to attend Asai Pacific Youth Conference with me in Taiwan. Upon return, he became more active with our volunteer youth organization, Initiatives of Change. He joined as participant and committee in most of our programs. One of his most achievements was the preparation and proceeding of Cambodian-Thai Exchange Program. Without him this program couldn’t be the same at all. He added not just the success of program’s content, but also the friendly loving environment during the program.

From years to years, other committee member including myself got tired of volunteer works, we grow older, we had life partner, became busier with our life, we had more responsibilities,...so we withdraw ourselves bit by bit from volunteer works which we used to be very active when we was younger. Pisith was the opposite, he became more active each other, not just with us but also other youth group. Pisith isn’t rich at all but he always reserves some of his money to support volunteer work especially the youth group like Youth Experience Sharing group.

Youth nowadays have a lot of chance to travel abroad for free as more programs are funded as capacity building. We all want to travel and want to make Cambodia presented at international programs. I too, travel from time to time to here and there, but we all know that we were willing to travel to represent our country at international events on scholarship. We want to make Cambodia presented at international community but only if we don’t have to spend our own money. There are not many, including myself, who would spend thousand dollars for an air ticket to attend anything. But Pisith did. He saved and saved and he travel always with Cambodian flag to different part of the world to make sure that Cambodia is represented.

His last missing to make Cambodia known was claiming the highest mountain in the world, the Everest. On 11^th October 2012, I called Pisith to say Good Bye and wish him all the best for his trip to place Cambodia flag on the top of Mount Everest. That was the last time I hear his voice. Pisith made his way to half of the mountain and passed away due to health condition. It was too expensive to bring his body back to Cambodia, so yesterday with his brother in law and a monk travelled from Cambodia, his body was buried in Nepel. His ash will be brought to Cambodia and his funeral will be done as soon as his brother in law arrived with Pisith’s ash.

He is gone now, forever. We will never see him again. The legacies of his works have impacted our lives. Pisith has been my most respected person. He has lived with full love to anyone even the person he doesn't like. He inspired me to give the people I hate a second chance. He has helped us a lot and it is time we should help him back. The cost of his medical care in Nepel was very high. We are doing fund raising to support his family. If you wish to make any contribution, please contact me (Nana) at +855 92 66 30 62 or Mr. Kim Vuth at +855 12 33 88 87. Your contribution is highly appreciated.