Communication and poetry, Rob Serpell to Barbara Jackson, CLC Secretary
“I want to say that I greatly admire the work you are doing particularly with Saman (CLA Director) who I think is a living Saint.
Thank you for the life giving experience of Cambodia- I came with respect for the culture and an open mind.
For me it was both exciting and confronting.Exciting in the vibrant life on the streets and smiling faces of the people and confronting in the impoverished living conditions one sees everywhere especially the beggars and children selling things that few visitors want.One can feel helpless here until you realise that the work Saman is doing is where our efforts should go.
She is a remarkable lady who brings hope to her people and builds confidence for the future.This I think is the greatest thing one person can do for another and Saman has done this for so many.She is an inspirational leader who has reinforced the want in my life to do something.I feel very priveleged to have come with such a wonderful group whose interaction and laughter made it possible for me to not only survive this experience but to revel in it and want to help and come back again.It drew us together as a group and I hope we can continue to keep in contact.
It is at times like this that I feel the need to create something to express my thoughts-in this case verses. Maybe they will resonate with the others or maybe not”
PHNOM- PENH
Busy life everywhere,
bikes,scooters darting here and there.
Chaos reigns on the street,
where the people meet.
Movement alive, so much pace,
market places to find some space.
Lovely people the source of light,
for dawn has come after the night.
Just the beginning, not the end.
CAMBODIA
Beautiful children,smiling faces,
survivors of a brutal past.
But,some peace at last.
Then comes a champion CLA
to rebuild from the old
many a story being told
of new purpose,new life,new day,
when there will be a fairer sense of play.
ANGKOR WAT
Hindu faith had the plan
built in honour of their god
a monument in it’s scale
other buildings seem to pale.
Once inside there is no noise
for the symmetry gives a sense of poise.
They worshipped here for many a year
until Buddha found this sacred space
and took it for his own place.
Came the upsets and the strife
ancient temple lost it’s life.
Lying dormant ,dead in time.
The jungle then gave up it’s treasure
for man to wonder at his leisure.
Will man make sense of life again?
Rob Serpell
