| It is indeed true that many of us may spend our | | | | backgrounds. Allowing the children to share their |
| entire lives searching for a religion, philosophy or | | | | experiences in a supportive environment proved to |
| spiritual leader to guide us upon our lifelong journey. | | | | be an invaluable experience for everyone involved. |
| Yet few people realize that the answer to many of | | | | After twenty years of teaching at the primary |
| the questions that challenge us, could be quite so | | | | school level, it was however, time to try something |
| simple. | | | | new. Les accepted a position at Wesley College, a |
| For Les Stott, for example, the decision to open | | | | private secondary school in Melbourne. |
| Kampuchea House became an answer to a question | | | | It was at Wesley that he became involved in student |
| that would change his life forever. | | | | exchange programs with high schools from China, |
| In his own words, he says "Äfter many years I | | | | Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. This |
| finally decided to put my own teaching philosophy | | | | experience allowed him to become immersed in the |
| into practice. I was always telling my students what | | | | diverse cultures of the region. |
| should happen but not doing anything about it | | | | Les says, "the cultures were so different from what |
| myself". | | | | I had experienced in the past, it was a real eye |
| "I also looked at other organizations working with | | | | opener. It was also an experience that affected my |
| children and I found them to be less than ideal. As I | | | | students on so many different levels. |
| reflect upon my own life, I believe I have developed | | | | Not long thereafter, his position at Wesley College |
| the ability to identify problems and to implement | | | | set the stage for a specialized interest in child |
| pragmatic solutions to facilitate constructive change. | | | | welfare, children's rights and child development in |
| Some of this ability has come from a process of trial | | | | Southeast Asia. This interest has continued to this |
| and error". | | | | day. More importantly however, Les attended a |
| As Les is about to reach his sixtieth birthday, he | | | | history and geography conference in Hanoi in 2004. A |
| recalls " that as a teenager during the 1960's, | | | | short trip to nearby Angkor Wat proved to be a |
| Australian society was experiencing a dramatic social | | | | turning point in my life. It provided me with an |
| upheaval that had had a tremendous impact upon | | | | opportunity to visit Cambodian orphanages. It also |
| many of the people of my generation. In many | | | | allowed me to understand where the money I had |
| respects, we were isolated from the vast majority | | | | been raising was and wasn't going". |
| of other cultures of the world. At that time, there | | | | "I also underwent surgery for skin cancer. This gave |
| was a mass migration from the Mediterranean region, | | | | me the impetus to stop talking and start doing". |
| namely Italy and Greece. I can still remember the | | | | Since that time Les resigned from teaching. He |
| xenophobic reaction of white Australia to the | | | | purchased land in Siem Reap and began construction |
| newcomers. At the time, I really didn't know what to | | | | at Kampuchea House. At this time, there are fifteen |
| do about it. But it didn't sit well with me". | | | | orphaned or deserted children under the care of his |
| Shortly thereafter, after completing high school, Les | | | | staff. |
| obtained a diploma in primary education. As an | | | | They are now in the process of completing their third |
| idealistic young elementary school teacher, he | | | | Cambodian house. As funding becomes available Les |
| focused upon the fundamentals of primary school | | | | hopes to accommodate more children in need. A |
| education to promote opportunities for a group of | | | | library is currently under construction and plans have |
| Australian school children that was continuing to grow | | | | been made to add a fence for security purposes. |
| in ethnic diversity. At this point in time, his experience | | | | Les says, " I feel tremendous satisfaction when I see |
| as an elementary school teacher allowed him to | | | | happy healthy children. For many of the children, it is |
| satisfy his own expectations about the person he | | | | the first time that they have had the opportunity to |
| was expected to be. Yet he always felt a need to | | | | attend school on a regular basis". |
| break out of the traditional mold and achieve what | | | | "When I think about my own personal philosophy I |
| he was capable of doing. | | | | think about an ancient proverb that was recently |
| Les recalls " that although the experience was quite | | | | called to my attention. |
| fulfilling, I continued to feel the need to do something | | | | Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. |
| else. On the positive side, I found it very satisfying | | | | Without them, humanity cannot survive". |
| as many of the children were from diverse ethnic | | | | |