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After the Heavy Rain: The Khmer Rouge Killed His Family. He Tracked Them Down--But Not for Revenge . . .
The powerful sequel to the moving book The Tears of My Soul , After the Heavy Rain chronicles the life of Sokreaksa Himm after the Cambodian killing fields and examines his amazing ability to forgive.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 9, 2022
This is one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read. It is a beautiful contrast with our culture’s focus personal vengeance, grudges, and rights. If anyone ever had a seeming right to hate anyone else, Reaksa did. He and his family suffered the loss of all they owned. He watched them suffer cruel tortures. Then he watched them be murdered. He was starved and brutally attacked. Years later he deliberately finds those responsible - and forgives them. He goes beyond that and blesses them. It isn’t just powerful because of his beautiful actions though; it is powerful because he shows us that we to can learn to forgive and live in peace and joy. And he doesn’t base that offer just on his experiences but on the sure promises of God’s Word. He carefully walks us through what a Biblical path to forgiveness looks like using both Scripture and his own experiences.
At one point I couldn’t help comparing his story with Corrie ten Boom’s story. Both suffered horrendous tortures and immense personal loss, and both chose to follow Christ’s command to forgive. Yet, one was a mature believer before suffering and one only learned of Christ years after suffered. One was a woman; one was a man. One was Asian; one was European. Surely their ultimate responses would be different. But they aren’t. Both struggled with rage, anger, bitterness, and hatred. Both faced the hard work of obedience. Both learned to forgive by the strength of God’s love acting through them. Both sought those that had made them suffer and blessed them. Because both were forgiven by Jesus Christ for their sins, they could both forgive others.
He doesn’t try to make his journey seem simple or easy. He shows us just exactly how hard it was at every step. If it wasn’t so applicable to every human heart, it would seem repetitive as he accents the struggles that he had over the years to forgive. But by the end, you understand the true freedom he found when he followed that hard path obediently.
I can’t recommend it enough. It is even more poignant when you read after his first book The Tears of my Soul. But you don’t have to. It is a fine stand-alone book.
At one point I couldn’t help comparing his story with Corrie ten Boom’s story. Both suffered horrendous tortures and immense personal loss, and both chose to follow Christ’s command to forgive. Yet, one was a mature believer before suffering and one only learned of Christ years after suffered. One was a woman; one was a man. One was Asian; one was European. Surely their ultimate responses would be different. But they aren’t. Both struggled with rage, anger, bitterness, and hatred. Both faced the hard work of obedience. Both learned to forgive by the strength of God’s love acting through them. Both sought those that had made them suffer and blessed them. Because both were forgiven by Jesus Christ for their sins, they could both forgive others.
He doesn’t try to make his journey seem simple or easy. He shows us just exactly how hard it was at every step. If it wasn’t so applicable to every human heart, it would seem repetitive as he accents the struggles that he had over the years to forgive. But by the end, you understand the true freedom he found when he followed that hard path obediently.
I can’t recommend it enough. It is even more poignant when you read after his first book The Tears of my Soul. But you don’t have to. It is a fine stand-alone book.
September 24, 2018
This guy's testimony is amazing! The reason for only giving it three stars is that he often repeated himself and I often thought that it was a waste of time (sorry).
But if you struggle with forgiving others this book is for you. If you want to know what reconciliation is, this is for you.
But if you struggle with forgiving others this book is for you. If you want to know what reconciliation is, this is for you.
July 26, 2014
This is by far the best story on forgiveness I have ever read. This book tells the incredible story of Sokreaska Himm, but then also takes us on his journey to track down those who caused him so much pain, and the journey that led him to this.
I don't cry too often when reading a book but the beautiful illustration of love and forgiveness brought me to tears.
This book is the sequel to "The Tears of my Soul". Also an amazing read.
I don't cry too often when reading a book but the beautiful illustration of love and forgiveness brought me to tears.
This book is the sequel to "The Tears of my Soul". Also an amazing read.
November 13, 2008
What forgiveness!!
May 14, 2024
In "After the Heavy Rain," Sokreaksa S. Himm presents a profound narrative of tragedy and redemption that challenges the reader to confront the depths of human suffering and the potential for forgiveness. His candid recounting of the murder of his family during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia and his subsequent journey towards forgiveness is both heartbreaking and inspiring.
Himm's narrative is marked by a raw honesty that does not shy away from the complexities of trauma. He openly admits his lingering anger and the difficulty of his path to forgiving the perpetrators, which he ultimately entrusts to God. This honest admission starkly contrasts with the oft-romanticized portrayals of forgiveness and healing, providing a more realistic view that many, especially those dealing with personal traumas, might find more relatable and comforting.
However, I found it peculiar that Himm does not delve into how his harrowing past affected his immediate family. Understanding how his experiences shaped his relationships with his wife and children could have added another layer of depth to his story of forgiveness and moving forward.
From a professional standpoint, working in Myanmar has shown me the critical need for cultural avenues to approach forgiveness and reconciliation, similar to Himm's experiences in Cambodia. His story is a beacon for those in Myanmar seeking pathways to peace amidst ongoing conflict and pain. It underscores the importance of giving space and time for trauma processing, emphasizing that true forgiveness cannot be coerced but must come from a place of deep personal conviction.
This book serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the redemptive power of forgiveness. It is an essential read for anyone grappling with personal traumas or interested in the transformative power of forgiveness in the context of societal healing.
Himm's narrative is marked by a raw honesty that does not shy away from the complexities of trauma. He openly admits his lingering anger and the difficulty of his path to forgiving the perpetrators, which he ultimately entrusts to God. This honest admission starkly contrasts with the oft-romanticized portrayals of forgiveness and healing, providing a more realistic view that many, especially those dealing with personal traumas, might find more relatable and comforting.
However, I found it peculiar that Himm does not delve into how his harrowing past affected his immediate family. Understanding how his experiences shaped his relationships with his wife and children could have added another layer of depth to his story of forgiveness and moving forward.
From a professional standpoint, working in Myanmar has shown me the critical need for cultural avenues to approach forgiveness and reconciliation, similar to Himm's experiences in Cambodia. His story is a beacon for those in Myanmar seeking pathways to peace amidst ongoing conflict and pain. It underscores the importance of giving space and time for trauma processing, emphasizing that true forgiveness cannot be coerced but must come from a place of deep personal conviction.
This book serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the redemptive power of forgiveness. It is an essential read for anyone grappling with personal traumas or interested in the transformative power of forgiveness in the context of societal healing.
May 21, 2024
This book is an amazing read. If you refuse to understand religion or religious viewpoints then this book is not for you. It had me questioning how I view my life and how I feel about God and Christianity. It is a book that makes me want to change myself yet is also feel good. Would recommend!
March 25, 2022
Wow! You gotta read his first book to truly get the impact and power behind this second book. Amazing!!!!!
October 24, 2012
This is the sequel to "Tears of my Soul".
This book focuses mainly on the forgiveness the author had to give in order to find peace in his life. It does not focus on the events of the author's life in the Khmer Rouge. So you have to read "Tears of my Soul" first to fully understand why this book was written. There is a very good brief history of Cambodia's political scene in the introduction of this book.
I recommend this book to anyone who has been hurt and is finding it difficult to forgive those did the damage.
This book focuses mainly on the forgiveness the author had to give in order to find peace in his life. It does not focus on the events of the author's life in the Khmer Rouge. So you have to read "Tears of my Soul" first to fully understand why this book was written. There is a very good brief history of Cambodia's political scene in the introduction of this book.
I recommend this book to anyone who has been hurt and is finding it difficult to forgive those did the damage.
August 2, 2022
Good book
April 3, 2017
Although this book at times might be considered a bit repetitive, its message impacted me strongly. That is probably why certain concepts had to be repeated several times. Ultimately, this book is about the struggles of forgiveness but also about the peace and joy that it brings. Once you pull out the "root of unforgivenss in your heart", you allow for the Holy Spirit to heal you. After the heavy rain of pain, bitterness, anger and vengeance, there is a rainbow.
Reaksa is truly an inspirational person: inspirational insasmuch as he encouraged me (through his books) to see life from a different perspective and I have come to realise how petty my bitterness can be.
Overall this book uplifted my spirit, and reaffirmed that fact that nothing and no one is beyond God's grace.
Reaksa is truly an inspirational person: inspirational insasmuch as he encouraged me (through his books) to see life from a different perspective and I have come to realise how petty my bitterness can be.
Overall this book uplifted my spirit, and reaffirmed that fact that nothing and no one is beyond God's grace.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews