Amid Gunfire and Displacement, Small Acts of Kindness Changed Lives Along the Thai–Cambodian Border

In early July 2025, tension between Thailand and Cambodia escalated along the border near the Esan region. The dispute, rooted in long-standing territorial disagreements, suddenly turned violent. Villages near the conflict zone were affected. People fled their homes. The deafening sounds of gunfire and bombing replaced what used to be peaceful days.

No one was ready for it. In just a short time, families were forced to leave behind everything and escape with their lives. Children cried with fear, not knowing what was happening. Parents hurried to pack valuables and household items that they could carry. Some escaped without shoes, others still had their farm clothes on their backs. Some just drove away without directions, not knowing where to go.

The escape caused havoc on roads leading out from the border in all directions. Roads that were normally near empty on regular days suddenly became gridlocked with queues of cars as far as the eyes could see. People were driving in panic, trying to find safety. It was a scene of confusion and desperation everywhere.

Like in all wars, many lives have been lost, not only soldiers, but also innocent civilians who were just going about their daily routines, like shopping and farming. In one tragic incident, a rocket fell directly on a 7-Eleven shop at a petrol station. It instantly killed 13 people and injured several others, some seriously. As of this reporting on August 4, 2025, some of the injured remain in the hospital.

This war has displaced over 140,000 people on the Thailand side. I do not have the figures on the Cambodia side, but our church leaders in Cambodia have also taken care of refugees who were affected by this war. In this time of great need, we continue to pray and extend love to those who are suffering, hoping for peace to return soon.

Among those who escaped from the fighting they were many Adventists. Many of these Adventists chose to take refuge in our churches. Some Adventists had no choice but had to take refuge with other people in government organized locations as Adventist churches were too far for them to reach. Like Daniel and his friends, life for Adventists at the government centers pose some challenges as unclean foods were offered. At the same time, there are not just Adventists who chose to come to our churches but also their relatives and friends who are not yet Adventists. Many were Buddhists who have never heard of Jesus. But we didn’t ask what they believed. We simply showed up. We listened. We shared. We cared.

This provides opportunities for us to show our love and care to not only to our fellow believers, but also others. We could not possibly do this without your generous support. Almost immediately, after the evacuation was ordered and refugees arrived at our churches, we received help from donors in Thailand. Then, after I reported the incident many of my friends in Australia sent in their donations. Some shared my reports with their friends across the globe. As a result, I was contacted by someone from Mauritius that a church there had taken an offering to help our refugees in Thailand.

Your sympathy expressed in your generous donations have enabled us to do our parts in caring for the needs of the refugees efficiently and in a timely manner.

We were able to help around 100 people from different places in Southern Isan (Southern region of Northeast Thailand—comprises of four provinces: Buriram, Surin, Sisaket, and Ubon Ratchathani).

In Det Udom, we helped nine people at the church and twenty people at our members’ houses. Among them were small groups from Don Keaw where we helped four people, Sum Ngoo with four people, and Nong Nok Kien with eight people. Each one had their own story. Each one was searching for peace and safety.

In Sisaket, seven people found comfort through our help. Some of them were non-Adventist Filipinos who were far from home and had nowhere else to turn. They were thankful someone saw them. Someone cared.

In Horn Gai, nine more lives were touched. And in Fangthoeng, the largest group of twenty-four people received help there. One of our staff members had family

from Buriram and Nam Yuen. When the fighting got worse, their relatives came running to them for safety. These families are Buddhists. They did not expect anything from us. But they received something more than food and shelter.

They received genuine love and care from us. This changed their attitude towards Christians and break down barriers.

We didn’t come with big answers. We came with small acts of kindness—a meal, a mat, a mosquito net, a listening ear, and of course a prayer. We believe that even these simple things like acts of kindness can be a bridge—a bridge that connects people to hope, a bridge that brings them closer to the heart of God.

I know that we might not have been able to help all the people affected. There are still many who have been hurt and are still hurting. Many are waiting for help. But we thank God that even in our smallness, He allowed us to reach some. And even if we could not reach every hand, we chose to reach the ones near us. Because every life matters.

We called it Bridges of Evangelism. But it wasn’t just a project. It was our calling. It was a way to show that the church is not just for Christians. It is for anyone who is hurting. Anyone who needs help. Anyone searching for light in a dark time.

We may not have ended the war. But we believe love speaks louder than fear. Compassion reaches deeper than pain. And when we open our arms to those around us, especially those who don ’t yet know Christ, we are building something that lasts—a bridge, a connection, a living testimony of God’s love.

To those we helped, we did not just give relief, we gave our presence and care. And most of all, we gave them a reason to believe that they are not forgotten.

In the middle of sound of gun fires and bombs, bullets flying overheads, dead and smell of death we heard a gentle whisper—a whisper from God, reminding us that even in broken times His love continues to build bridges through us.

And we will keep building.

Let us also keep praying. Praying that this war will end. That peace will come. That families will be restored. And that one day, even those who are still far from God will see His love through the bridges we build today.

Editor’s note: This story recounts events from mid-2025. Since then, renewed fighting has displaced more people and claimed additional lives. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Thailand continues its relief and outreach efforts as needs in the region persist.

The original article was published on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division news site.