BOOK CLUB Part 2

I would love to hear from any of you who have started reading this book by Somaly. I just spent a few minutes in the beginning chapters again, asking myself how a child can be left to fend for themselves. I think most of us would agree we have NO slot for that kind of childhood. And how could she be so easily given to "GRANDFATHER"? She truly was alone and at the mercy of anyone who had remotely looked after her. Did you sense her longing to belong, to be loved, to be a part of a family?

We all were made with that deep need to know we are of value, that someone notices us, puts a plate at the table for us, misses us if we don't show up. It is amazing how wonderful it feels to have someone pat a seat next to them and say, "I saved a seat for you".

How can we do that for people in our lives today? Does someone come to mind that needs you to "Save them a seat", send them an email of appreciation, value their presence in the meeting?

I would love to hear how each of us could take up the challenge to encourage and validate the "Somaly's in our lives".

I am a total culture geek, so I spent a good amount of time looking up subjects like PHNONG, MONDULKIRI PROVINCE, and especially the history of the POI POT'S KHMER ROUGE. There is no way I can express the sorrow I felt walking among the devastation of that regime in Cambodia only two years ago. This history of genocide plays a ferocious part in the mind-set of the Cambodian people. I will never be the same after viewing first-hand the atrocities of this regime.

Please share with us your impressions, your insights, your journey in this book. We all will grow and learn from your honesty.

Blessings to each of you for letting your heart and mind be vulnerable,

Patti