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The reactions of our Cambodian elders to the fall of Kabul on August 15 continue to be immediate and deep. For all of us, the vivid images remind us of this repeat in history and we know we must offer and support healing work for the Afghan arrivals in the East Bay with our CERI community. This is where healing happens. As almost 60 participants tune in by Zoom to our weekly support groups, we can see our Cambodian elders greeting and talking with everyone, while also tending to daily routines: cooking, sewing, knitting, stretching. We have time for movement while listening to Cambodian pop. Then, we sit down to talk about what is on our hearts and minds. Most speak of the inability to sleep as of late, or to stop crying. We ask participants to share, whomever is comfortable. The image of the plane taking off at Kabul airport is mentioned a lot, the one where people tried to climb on to the wings and wheels and where three were killed as the plane took off. One participant shares, “I can’t get that image out of my mind. There, they have planes to chase after, hoping for safety. For us, it was the jungle. We ran and ran to get away from Pol Pot’s soldiers.” Another says, “I hesitate to watch the news, but I can't stop. It reminds me of the past, seeing my brothers and family and I get separated, and then killed.” A third cries, “I see all those people trying to leave and clearly they have given everything up, all their belongings or wealth. I remember my family saying that we had to try to leave and that our things or jewelry or money didn’t matter anymore. I keep thinking of those children that I see in Kabul, and how much their families want to leave. I was a child myself during the Khmer Rouge, and I remember well being chased by Pol Pot soldiers, and hearing their gunshots. It brings this right back.”
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