Name: Sreng Sopheap, nickname is Lucky known as when he was a tour guide. Place of birth: Born in the remote area of Cambodia, Banlung District, Ratanakiri Province(see the map below), Cambodia in 1982 within a very hard condition of the family.
In 1994, when he was 12 year-old, he left home because he was having a big problem with his step-father. Then he was falling into a bad boy situation, even out of the community...He was eating dirty food, no shelter to sleep, wandered along the street collecting rubbish while he was having no family comfort till the year of 2000. However, still managed to have his name registered in the secondary school.
In 1995, he was asked to come back home again, but this did not last long time for the same reason that he left before. In 1996, he went to work with his relative as a sugar cane farmer, watering everyday....After working several months in the farm, he then went to work in a rock breaking factory as a collector...Funny that a young boy working had no problems, but it was the life...
In1997, by looking for a better life, he started to work in a saw mill. But it was hard for him to get into work since he was just about16 years old. Fortunately, he managed to get into it. He worked in the saw mill for 3 years. His life was so difficult...He was sick no body taking care....only the noise of the machine that gave him comfort towards his life in the factory. He missed his family, but the only thing he could do was just crying and let the tears falling down....He was ashamed of going back home since he felt that he has family but seems to be like not having any family...
In the year of 2000, the saw-mill closed. He was compelled to go home. But before that, he knew Christ, the God of the world. He went to study bible and English at a Seventh Day Adventist and the same time started to realized that God helped do good things and encouraged to go back home with the joy of Christ. Then, it was such a great thing what God has done for him was the lovely family that Sopheap (Samnang) returned. He then was very welcome by the whole community.....that was because he knows God...
How do I manage all my studies?
Of course, I may not be able to survive in Phnom Penh for my studies. With that, I would like to thank to the great people who help me from abroad with most of my studies, accommodation and others expenses for the materials. Without that, I must say that I must not be able to join the university's life in Phnom Penh at all. And I thanks so much for their kindness towards me as well as to the Cambodian development for the future. And I, myself, believe that I will do something according to what I am being helped in return that I can help the others as well.
