In Cambodia, during the Khmer Rouge regime of the late ‘70s and ‘80s, life was cheap. A young couple with two toddlers were sent as slaves to the rice fields, along with many others, and labored each day as part of the government efforts to rebuild the country’s eleventh century system of food production. Life was hard.

The Hengs’ first escape attempt was unsuccessful because their facilitators took their money and ran off. They tried again and during the second escape their third child, Mary, was born. The infant was so tiny she could be held in one hand and Peggy, her mother, couldn’t produce milk. To feed her they squeezed the sap from plants. She was seriously malnourished, as were they. They traveled along dangerous trails, beset by hunger, fear and threats to their lives and finally reached Thailand, suffering from parasites and diarrhea. But they made it to a Red Cross camp where lifesaving efforts saved their children, themselves and the tiny being, Mary.

After two years they were sponsored by Saint Barnabas Episcopal on Bainbridge Island. When they came to the United States, they were welcomed and sustained. Of course, there were many obstacles to be faced and they did so, little by little, with the help of islanders who cared. Terry McCord, a Helpline House volunteer at the clothing barn, met the family when Mary was a toddler. According to Terry, Mary’s teeth were totally rotted from malnutrition, and “she received a stainless steel smile” with assistance from Helpline.

“As a child I remember that we never had much and one day Santa Claus showed up at my door with gifts for everyone,” Mary said. “I knew our family couldn’t afford gifts. I remember my first stuffed animal and Barbie doll. How did Santa possibly know? This is just an example of the childhood memories the people at Helpline gave us.”

Mary saved her money while working during high school and Terry was happy to assist her with college and graduate school applications. The Heng family is now totally independent with Peggy and Mary crediting Helpline House for its support and assistance through the years.

“Actually, Helpline House is never far from my family’s thoughts or heart. My mother often talks about how much Helpline and the Bainbridge Island community received us with open arms and gave us the opportunity to live a new life. There is never a time that my mother speaks of Helpline without tears in her eyes.”

Mary has just completed her doctoral studies in medical research at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, has purchased a condo and is engaged to Peter, a medical school graduate. Her story is just one of many of “Neighbor Helping Neighbor.”

Garnet Logan is a board member at Helpline House