Most of the young people on our FCOP staff were too young to remember the PolPot regime, however the effects of that time remain tangible today. In the 1970s, 80s, and even early 90s, the Cambodian people learned to live off of the land and became the ultimate survivalists. As the central government was dismantled, the people learned to eat anything and everything; oftentimes making tools from very unlikely sources. Since protein is essential to one’s survival and a balanced diet, Cambodians have learned to consume protein from every possible source. It’s not uncommon, even in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, to find a buffet of bugs to choose from, cow poop soup on a menu, or barbecued rat, gecko, or snake on a skewer. 

The FCOP family has its very own ultimate survivalist: Chomrong. He is a man of ingenuity, creativity, and he will find and eat anything. Mak Sou and I always joke with him and make sure he knows that when the food situation gets desperate, we’re going to move him back to Phnom Penh here with us. It’s a good thing to have a guy like that around.  We recently had a party with our national church office staff, and what should come along but a snake… Well, here you can’t let a good meal go to waste. So the boys grilled it up and made it into sour soup. You have to admire and respect their creativity.