Wat Opot Children's Community

December 20-21

I skipped town for the weekend to go visit the children at Wat Opot, about an hour or so south of Phnom Penh in the countryside of Chambak, towards Takeo.

A small local bus takes me down there; it was packed and because I hadn't bought a ticket in advance, I end up having to stand for the close to one and a half-hour journey. No problem, though. Then I get dropped on the dusty roadside by the Chambak market, except there seems to be nothing around but a small fruitstand. I am somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Usually a foreigner gets bombarded by moto drivers offering a ride as soon as you step out on the street or out of a bus, whether you need it or not, but here, of course, when I really did need transportation help, there is not a moto in sight! Then one appears but when I say "moto dop?" (the usual nomer for a moto taxi driver) he looks at me as if I'm an alien speaking an alien tongue. But I'm not! That's what you say in Cambodian when you want a ride from a motorcycle.

[This occurs a few times throughout my journey -- I say something in Khmer (i.e., Cambodian) and the person stares back at me as if I'm from outer space. I'm told, generally, they are so used to foreigners speaking English that they are assuming English is coming out of my mouth, but they're not understanding... because I'm not speaking English, I'm speaking your language! Other times, though, I start to say something in Khmer, and they go: "Oh, you speak Khmer! Bla bla bla bla, and they rabble off..." Eh, no, not quite. Just a few helpful phrases, such as 'Joum riep sue, suk sabai?' (hello, how are you?) or 'kniom awt niem sait' (I don't eat meat!). I'm trying to learn the language. It's fun. But I digress...]

Eventually I do get a moto dop, and clamber on with my big bag of clown stuff and stilts, and off we go down the main road for about 15 minutes and then onto a small dusty way past traditional houses, rice fields and cow pastures to Wat Opot, the temple. Wat means pagoda, or temple, in Khmer.

Bus to Chambak (Takeo Province) / and, gateway to the road to Wat Opot ...
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I am going to the Wat Opot Children's Community (also known as the Wat Opot Project), which is an organization offering a home to children living with HIV/AIDS or who have parents with AIDS who can no longer care for them. Many are orphaned. Here they receive loving care, shelter, education and the chance to be part of a community. There is much misunderstanding of HIV and AIDS in Cambodia, which here is still a relatively new phenomenon and fast becoming an epidemic, and most people are deathly afraid of catching the disease. Thus, people, including children, who are infected are often ostracized from the community. But at Wat Opot they get to live life freely as part of the community, and there is a lot of outreach to integrate the general surrounding population. At Wat Opot, everyone lives and plays together and the only way you can tell which children actually have HIV or AIDS is at 7 am and 7 pm when these children line up for their daily anti-viral medication (donated by Doctors Without Borders).

These children have suffered much hardship and sorrow -- seeing their loved ones wither away with disease, losing their mother and father, a sister or brother, or themselves on the brink of dying until they came to Wat Opot for proper care. Thus, a main goal at Wat Opot is to bring back for these children the joy of living and a hope for the future. Many of these children have been despondent thinking there is no life ahead for them, they will die sooner or later. But with medication they do not have to die, so go to school and build a life and a future for yourself! It takes time to convince some of them. Even if all is possible, they are nonetheless surrounded by death. As a different example, one boy, recently arrived, was pampered and spoiled by his grandmother who let him do or have anything he wanted because he was going to die anyway. Now at Wat Opot Community, the boy is on the brink of becoming a troublemaker, seeing no point of going to school and causing mischief. He is slowly learning to adjust to the possibilities around him. To take his life seriously for what it's worth and what is possible.

The children are extremely affectionate, even with a stranger. Even the older ones, those teetering towards trouble. One boy puts his arm around me as we walk to the temple for evening prayer, he's holding on with great affection. At night when there's a dance party after my performance I see him at moments letting himself go, expressing himself joyfully on the dance floor, then suddenly withdrawing, the smile and gleam gone. It's like two forces are pulling at him, he's not quite sure yet which way to go, what to trust. He is one of the boys not wanting to go to school. I hope the joy wins out.

As I arrive, one little boy, around three years old, immediately runs up to me and clings to my leg. Wow, I just got here and I'm a complete stranger. Throughout the day, he is constantly there, crawling up in your lap, hugging you, taking your hand. I'm told he is extremely needy, seeking love and affection from everywhere else but his mother who is very sick and has rejected him, trying to ween him off her, convinced that she is soon going to die.

Wat Opot is a place of great joy, love and care, yet with the nearness of death a daily reminder.





Some of these children may be infected with HIV, but it is their energy which is infectious! Their smiles, the gleam in their eye, the affection they lavish. Their excitement at playing and clowning around! They love the red sponge noses I brought with me. And the stilts, always such a hit. We do workshops in the afternoon, playing clown games, making funny movements and playing silly characters. Even the older youngsters, 15-20, who seemed way too "cool," get into getting goofy. Not used to a whole lot of structure, our play gets a little chaotic at times, and I discover that the kids' attention span is very short (even though they are not raised on MTV!), when I try to enter into more structured, disciplined exercises to actually teach them certain skills or create specific choreography. But no matter, as long as the kids are having fun! (It's a good challenge for me, though -- how to adjust my game to cater to each situation, each group of kids. Each place is different, what approach is best for these kids, how do I switch things up on the fly to keep them engaged? If this doesn't work, what can I do instead? I am learning as I go!) For anything more, I would have to come back and stay a longer time, which I just might! It would be great for them to develop their focus and concentration skills, to build their sense of accomplishment through theatrical exercises and for them to have a chance to express and work through their experiences by creating their own plays and performances. The children would definitely benefit from drama therapy. Although there is an art class offered on weekends to some students, the kids have not had much opportunity for creative expression through drama.

It was but a brief visit. I hope I left the children with a powerful experience that will stay with them into the future!


Srey Mal goofing off again!




The main building, including dormitory and medical office / The fish pond which helps sustain the community. There's 10,000 of them in there!


Time to say good bye! Off I go! Thanks, kids, for playing with me! And thanks Wayne and Bonnie for the wonderful opportunity of visiting Wat Opot!