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Beyond a Thousand Shadows: The true story of a family targeted for death by the Khmer Rouge, fractured by loss, and rescued by the God they did not know.
Food was scarce. Intelligence was punished. Family was illegal.
High school sweethearts Vudh and Nary were just beginning a beautiful life together in Cambodia's capital city of Phnom Penh. Vudh’s sister Chantana was an intelligent young woman trying to find her place in the world after a painful divorce. And Sovath was their little brother, a gentle child who loved to hear his parents recite a Buddhist proverb about a coming “God of Love.”
When the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime shatters the Sim family’s idyllic life, they face indoctrination, starvation, and unspeakable loss. Separated and alone, the siblings cry out to Preah Ung, the Highest God. And He answers in miraculous ways.
But when survival forces them into hiding as undocumented refugees on the border of Thailand, the siblings face a difficult Will they dare to follow the God who saved them before they knew His name?
Beyond a Thousand Shadows is a true story of suffering and loss, love and redemption. Written in an immersive, novel-like style, rich with cultural and historical detail, it offers no easy answers to the problem of suffering. Instead, it testifies to the enduring power of the love of a family and the grace of the God of Love.
High school sweethearts Vudh and Nary were just beginning a beautiful life together in Cambodia's capital city of Phnom Penh. Vudh’s sister Chantana was an intelligent young woman trying to find her place in the world after a painful divorce. And Sovath was their little brother, a gentle child who loved to hear his parents recite a Buddhist proverb about a coming “God of Love.”
When the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime shatters the Sim family’s idyllic life, they face indoctrination, starvation, and unspeakable loss. Separated and alone, the siblings cry out to Preah Ung, the Highest God. And He answers in miraculous ways.
But when survival forces them into hiding as undocumented refugees on the border of Thailand, the siblings face a difficult Will they dare to follow the God who saved them before they knew His name?
Beyond a Thousand Shadows is a true story of suffering and loss, love and redemption. Written in an immersive, novel-like style, rich with cultural and historical detail, it offers no easy answers to the problem of suffering. Instead, it testifies to the enduring power of the love of a family and the grace of the God of Love.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2025
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About the author
Abigail Follows
2 books9 followersAbigail Follows has lived on three continents and understood the life stories of friends in three languages. She has been a cross-cultural missionary for 11 years. Abigail lives wherever God leads with her husband, two children, and cat, Protagonist. To learn more, visit www.abigailfollows.com.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 28, 2025
Painful but gripping true story of a family who (mostly) survived the Khmer Rouge civil war in Cambodia in the 1970s. Written like a novel, following multiple points of view of family members. I learned a bit about Cambodian culture and the horrific communist regime and its aftermath. The love, strength, and ingenuity of the Sim family shine through all the suffering, and I found myself cheering them on!
The ending felt a bit abrupt for me, and I was puzzled by a few big things regarding certain family members that were left out. I wonder whether those family members did not give permission for their reactions to be shared, or something like that?
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this story and admire the family for their courage.
The ending felt a bit abrupt for me, and I was puzzled by a few big things regarding certain family members that were left out. I wonder whether those family members did not give permission for their reactions to be shared, or something like that?
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this story and admire the family for their courage.
December 1, 2025
This family had such an amazing/harrowing experience . I'm glad it is preserved here in this format - a compelling story- so we can read it. I live in Cambodia so I've heard many other stories from this time and yet this one was still really interesting and surprising.
I felt I could get to know the characters and see where they lived, and experience some of the things that were going on.
Mostly things from this time come in bits and pieces, so unclear and lots of chaos, so it is great to have this family's story in this format. I hope this means others can read it and understand more about what Cambodians have been through.
I felt I could get to know the characters and see where they lived, and experience some of the things that were going on.
Mostly things from this time come in bits and pieces, so unclear and lots of chaos, so it is great to have this family's story in this format. I hope this means others can read it and understand more about what Cambodians have been through.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews