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Meet Sara Im
Born and raised in Cambodia, Sara Im endured four years of captivity under the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Separated from her family, she was made to work in the rice fields for 16 hours a day, with little food and sleep and almost no rest. The communist regime’s genocide claimed at least 2 million Cambodian lives. But Sara survived!
In spite of the horrors she went through, Sara never gave up hope, determined to find her way back to her family. Her journey did not end when she moved to America as a refugee. She studied and worked hard so she could bring her parents and siblings to the US.
Sara’s story of resilience and courage taught me the power of right thinking and prayer in the midst of adversity. I love the fact that she uses her experience to encourage others to persevere through hardships.
Takeaways from this episode
- Love can motivate us to endure hardships. Sara’s desire to be reunited with her family kept her going. Love can also demand sacrifice. After emigrating to the US, Sara spent a lot of energy, money, and time to bring her family out of Cambodia.
- Sara’s campmates helped one another in the labor camp. Having a good support system can make a big difference when we go through a terrible experience.
- When Sara landed in the US, a kind Christian woman helped her settle down and find her way around the new place. It was this kind of love in action that later led Sara to Christ.
About Sara
Sara Im grew up in Cambodia where she overcame four years of captivity and mass genocide that claimed two million lives. Through her own resilience and God’s help she escaped, fled to America, graduated college, and wrote an award-winning book called, “How I Survived the Killing Fields.” Sara inspires others to have hope, courage, and a positive perspective in life by sharing her story. She is a much sought after speaker at corporate events, conferences, churches, schools, and she’s been interviewed on many TV shows, radio shows. Sara is the owner of Smart Healthy Living, a wellness business, and director of Christian Professionals Network of Tampa Bay. She’s a member of Women’s Speakers Association, Toastmasters, international and Bay Area Professional Writers Guild. Sara resides in Florida where she just celebrated her 33 years of marriage with her husband. Connect with her at https://www.saraim.com.
About Mabel
An immigrant from India who has lived in seven cities across the U.S. in fourteen years, Mabel navigates between cultures, feeling at home everywhere and nowhere. In her first book, Far from Home: Discovering Your Identity as Foreigners on Earth, Mabel draws from her personal experience as an immigrant and examines the lives of biblical heroes to shed light on how we can find purpose and joy as sojourners on earth. Get her FREE digital resource, 7 Reasons Why Heaven Matters.
FREE Resource
Download the tip sheet, Love Your Immigrant Neighbor : 5 Action Steps, here.
