Pchum Benh is indeed a lovely Buddhist festival in Cambodian culture. It recreates and nourishes a sense of family and community in Cambodian people, wherever they may be. The closest Christian equivalent I know of is the lovely way All Saints Day is celebrated in Poland, with thousands of families spending the night in cemeteries, sleeping with candles by the graves of their deceased families. There is a lovely spirit there too. And like Cambodia, Poland has suffered enormous human losses. So these rituals fill a vital place in people's hearts and give comfort.

And thank you to Verghese Msthews for sharing these regular glimpses of Cambodian life with us. HIs posts on OLO are always worth reading. This is one former ambassador to Cambodia who really got out and made the effort to understand and respect his country of posting.