The Floating Village

Tonle Sap, Cambodia (day 88)

This afternoon we explored a floating village near Tonle Sap, Cambodia. We took a boat ride along a shallow river. The boat slowly chugged down the river towards a large lake.

As we drew closer families and children flocked towards out boat. A mother with four children drew close. She latched onto the boat and floated beside us. A baby and small child lay asleep on the floor of the small boat. The babies face was caked with dirt as insects buzzed around his naked body. His rib cage and swollen belly moved up and down very slowly reminding me of a  world vision commercial. His brother (I think) who was maybe four years old sat with his mother. A python was wrapped around his neck. The snake boy and his sister held out their hands begging for one dollar. Their desperation and sad hollow eyes made my heart ache. 

Another mother and her baby attempted to reach our boat. She too begging for money. When her baby started crying she cupped the water from the lake. She then poured this dirty, green smelly water into the babies mouth. "Only the strong survive here", some one said later as we talked about what we had seen. Other children in floating buckets paddled towards us asking for sweets and money.

People tell me that I should ignore the child beggars. But I cannot bring myself to do this. I do not want to pretend they are invisible. 

After visiting the floating village our boat chugged back along the river towards Siem Reap. The sun was setting and the floating village looked so beautiful as it was painted by the cherry horizon. I took in a deep breath and I wondered again how beauty and tragedy can so easily co-exist.