Meet Marin. His polio prevents him from walking on two feet so instead he crawls about on all fours (see brief video below). Marin lives in the Svay Reing Province of Cambodia, just minutes from the Vietnam border. He and his wife have four children, two of which have severe physical handicaps as well. Marin supports his family without begging for help. He crawls in the muddy fields, planting vegetables and rice. One year we gave him money to buy a new wheelchair to replace the rickety, old thing he could barely get around in. We found out later that he bought a new chair and gave it to his handicapped daughter.
Marin is a beggar but not the kind we would naturally assume him to be. He is a beggar telling other beggars where to get the bread: that is he tells the lost about Jesus, the Bread of Life. He is a passionate preacher for Jesus. Marin attends all of our LeaderCare seminars when we travel to the Vietnam border, and he is one of the most knowledgeable Bible students around.
We meet so many in Cambodia who inspire us. And we aspire to be like them in their devotion, commitment, and love for Jesus. Some drive us to “all fours” in humility and gratitude.
Be sure to watch this 30 second video showing how Marin lives day to day. His hand gesture is not that of begging, but rather that is the normal/formal way Cambodians greet others.
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