At Flame we believe that it is not just what we are doing but who does it that is important. Many of our staff have already travelled the same journey that our clients are on. Who better to lead the way?
Introducing: Khchao Socheat
WHAT IS YOUR JOB WITH FLAME?
I’m Socheat and I’m a teacher in the After School Centre teaching English. I heard of Flame and sometimes would go into the Activity Centre in Stung Meanchey to play with the kids. I admired how the Flame staff treated the children and how they taught them not just Khmer subjects and English, but also good morals. This made me want to be involved as I knew I had knowledge that I could pass onto the children that would help them.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED FOR FLAME?
I’ve worked with Flame since 2018.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I am excited to see these children grow and become good people and be able to make good life decisions. Their parents have not cared for them well, and have wasted their money and resources, so it makes me so happy that now we can give those children hope, and enable them to have a bright future, and break the chain of poverty and sadness.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
In my spare time I listen to music, read books, watch movies and play sport. I also like to go climbing (hiking) in the mountains as that makes me feel good.
But I especially love to go to my hometown to visit my parents and my brothers and sisters.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND/HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING FOR FLAME?
I grew up in a village outside of Phnom Penh. In Grade Six I was twelve years old and started to go to a children’s program that was run by the local church. It was here that I noticed how kind and loving the teachers were. It made me wonder why they had so much love inside them, I wanted to have it too. I struggled with anger as a child, and often would fall out with people. Seeing the kindness and forgiving attitudes of my teachers made me want to be able to be like them also, and no longer struggle with my anger. They set good examples for me to want to follow, and even when I would not listen to them, they never once got angry at me and explained that it was Jesus who helped them. Once I knew that it was Jesus, I wanted to know more and more, and so soon became a Christian myself, and not long after, my whole family also became believers.
I wasn’t very good a learning, even though I wanted to study and learn English, I easily got distracted. The church was patient in teaching me, but I didn’t improve very much over that time – I often pent more attention on the girls who were there and wanting to play games more than study.
When I made it to Grade 11 in 2010, I moved into the church and tried harder to learn English. While I was there I also learnt how to read music and taught myself how to play the guitar. Over this time at the church I really grew as an individual and learnt much from my pastor, who taught me much about Gods great love for us and how he gave his life to save us. He inspired me to want to share Gods love with the people surround me.
So I joined became a leader in the church’s children’s program – the one I first had heard about God. This was wonderful for me, as I had the opportunity to tell the children stories about Jesus and worship with them, playing my guitar. I loved this time. I stayed here until I finished school and then finished as a teacher in 2012 to move to Phnom Penh.
I joined the New Life church in Phnom Penh, and moved into their dormitory. It was difficult to come here as I came alone, but I was thankful to meet other people who had also recently moved to the city. Even though I met people early on, I found it difficult as I didn’t make immediate connections with these people, so still felt lonely.
I had English lessons at this church from 6am till 6pm each day, and this greatly improved my English speaking. I was able to practice with the other people in the church and also with foreigners who would visit the church from time to time. At this same time, I met my now wife through the new Life Church as she was also studying. After six months I felt my English was good enough that I could confidently apply for jobs to be a teacher.
I started my first job as teaching Khmer to foreigners for one and a half years. After this job, I began teacher English to Khmer children. I did this job for three years. During this job in 2015, I began studying English at university. I would do my job from early in the morning to mid-day, and then continue study from afternoon till night.
Over this time my relationship with my wife continued for five years, and then we got married in 2017 after been dating since 2012. I then began my third job which was similar to my second – teaching English to Khmer children through Transform Cambodia. In this job I never spoke Khmer, but rather spoke English at all times. I did this job for another one and a half years.
My wife and I welcomed our beautiful daughter in 2018, and named her Liza.
It made me feel very fulfilled that I could pass my English onto these children, and teach them other things that will help them have a better life in the future. When they learn English, it will open up many more job opportunities for them. I know it is God’s plan for me to work with Flame Cambodia, and I know it was God who put these children on my heart. I feel pity for them, as they have such bad backgrounds, but I feel joy that through Flame I can with God’s help turn that bad into good.
Previously to working in Flame it had been the SMC area that I had seen and first wanted to be a part of. I did not know but I was then assigned to work in the SNC area, and I knew that it was the right place for me to be.
WHAT MESSAGE OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE?
Sometimes when people have a problem, I try to encourage them to win by giving them advice and being with them.
When someone make a mistake I encourages them to change and fix it. I tell them no one is perfect. But the best thing is to try and fix our mistakes.