Couple Finds Powerful Stories in Southeast Asia

On their first day in Cambodia, Mike and Claudia Elzinga visited the Tuol Sleng prison camp in Phnom Penh where 17,000 people were killed by the Khmer Rouge and less than 20 survived.

Traveling the world as part of a story-telling trip for Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM), the Elzingas were deeply troubled by how the Khmer Rouge, communists who ruled from 1975-79, oppressed the people.

Since the visit to that prison, the couple from Grand Rapids, Mich., has moved on to other countries. But images from Cambodia, especially of the prison, stick with them.

The prison is an old school yard, the Elzingas say on their "Two Cameras" blog that is part of their volunteer effort, involving videos, blogs, stories and photos, that has already taken them to China, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines and other countries.

During the tour of the prison, the Elzingas saw metal bars for a gym class that “became a place for torture.” They took a photo of these bars.

Still visible outside is a barbed-wire fence that covered the exterior of the buildings to keep people from jumping out of windows.

“It is a really freaky and heart-wrenching place to visit. Inside the rooms are bed frames, shackles, and chalk boards,” says Claudia.

“And a whole wing is devoted to mug shots, skulls, and clothing of prisoners and Khmer Rouge workers.”

The Elzingas took a year off from their jobs in Grand Rapids to travel the globe as volunteer journalists for CRWM. They left in the fall and, after visiting nearly 20 countries, plan to return later this summer.

They are working closely with missionaries in Asia, Africa, and Europe, seeking to connect North American churches to international missionary efforts.

Mike is taking video, while Claudia is conducting interviews, writing stories on the blog, and also shooting footage. Many of their photos are stunning, telling the stories of cultures around the world.

In Cambodia they worked with two CRWM missionaries who connected them to others.

While there, they made sure to visit Angkor Wat, a complex of some 1,000 temples, the largest religious monument in the world.

Last week, the Elzingas visited and captured stories on the Akha, an indigenous hill people who came from China and now live in countries across Southeast Asia.

Although the Akha share the same language and the same traditions, the same way of life, they have no country to call their own.

“They are spread throughout small villages in the mountains of Thailand, Burma, Laos, China, and Vietnam,” writes Claudia Elzinga.

Numbering some two million, they face many restrictions where they do live.

In Thailand, the Akha not only cannot leave the country, but they can’t leave their village unless they have special permission from the government or a student card.

“They can get arrested for anything at any time, and are often taken advantage of by the police and charged for other people’s crimes. They don’t have birth certificates. They don’t officially exist, and many Thai people treat them that way,” says Claudia.

During this part of their journey, they visited the Akha Youth Development Center (AYDC) in the mountainous region of Chiang Rai, Thailand.

The center helps Akha youth to access education and to grow in self-esteem.

In the face of many challenges, the AYDC offers some margin of hope.

“The AYDC provides housing for children who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend school because of distance or money, and transportation to and from school for those who need it,” says Claudia.

“Because of AYDC, these students are going on to do great things, and so much more is possible. We’re making a video about these kids and how you can sponsor them. Stay tuned.”

The couple is nearly half-way through the journey and have already experienced struggles, setbacks, great opportunities and a chance to tell important stories.

Looking ahead, they say they will continue to capture in images and in words stories that especially help to inform people in North America of the many God-glorifying ways in which donations to the CRC and its mission efforts are being spent.

To support the Elzingas, visit "Two Cameras" ministry effort.