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| Close to the riverside in Phnom Penh |
On Monday night around 10pm, thousands of people were celebrating the annual Water Festival on a small island just south of the main riverfront area. Joining the island to the mainland is a small bridge. As hundreds of people were on the bridge, something sparked a panic and a stampede began. Some people fell off of the bridge into the water while others were crushed. In all, over 300 people died and several hundred more were injured and rushed to the hospital.
Thankfully, none of our church members perished, but I did here that one of our church members was injured. However, some people in our church had friends or relatives who died or were hurt and surely everyone in our church and city was affected by this tragedy.
During the Water Festival, many people from all over Cambodia come to Phnom Penh to participate in the festivities. The main attraction is the boat races on the river. Teams come from every part of the country to compete. The estimate is that the population of Phnom Penh (just under two million) doubles for the days of this festival. Therefore, it is very likely that many people from all around the country have been affected by this tragedy. Prime Minister Hun Sen said that it is the biggest tragedy to take place in Cambodia since the Khmer Rouge.
Please join us in praying for Cambodia. Please pray for physical healing for those who have been injured, pray for emotional healing for those who lost family members and the pray for the blessing of God to be on the Christians who are comforting friends and loved ones at this time.
