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Looking within self for the meaning
and purpose of life
Nonprofit agencies: Educator
provides advice to avoid fraud
Student
reflects on
new chapter of life |
Service is part of Pisey Sok' heritage, family
after immigrating to America |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
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Pisey Sok (pronounced pea-say soak) exudes happiness. His contentment with
the world is so infectious that nearly everyone who sees him smiles as they go by.
As far as he is concerned, life is a blessing and that blessing should be
shared.
Sok, a double major in biblical studies and Christian
ministries at George Fox University, came to America via Taiwan as a Cambodian refugee
when he was 5 years old. His parents – his father is a Buddhist minister; his mother
is a health care professional – are both Cambodian and came to the United States
under the sponsorship of the Church of Christ Latter-day Saints.
All Sok can remember of his time in Taiwan is the rain and how warm it was.
“Oh, and the dirt, it’s very dirty there,” he added.
When he landed in Portland it was Christmastime, and two things struck him:
the lights, both the changing street lights and twinkling Christmas lights on houses; and
a cold, powdery white stuff called snow.
“I had never seen that before,” he said.
His parents moved from Taiwan because of the political unrest that tore the
country apart. He says by the grace of God, his family made the trip safely.
He relates his life in chapters of a book; graduation today (Saturday) is
just another page to turn. Those pages are mixed with emotions like excitement and
uncertainty.
“Turning the page is the hard part,” he said.
Sok is making plans for the summer, which include a conference in June with
his youth group in Colorado and then a trip to Romania in July as a missionary at an
orphanage. Eventually, he wants to return to Cambodia and help others, including bringing
a little hope to the people there.
Before coming to George Fox, Sok was attending the University of Oregon on a
full academic scholarship. He had lots of friends, a busy social life and interesting
classes. But after a while he realized it wasn’t enough; life should not be so easy,
he thought.
He transferred to GFU and quickly realized he enjoyed the smaller campus and
the community atmosphere.
Shortly after coming to GFU, Sok lost his state scholarship
because of his major in biblical studies.
“My major is about people,” he said. “I want to influence
people’s lives; I don’t see why the state doesn’t see that.”
Sok see his gift as relating to young people. Adolescence is a tough time
when personalities are developed and decisions made that can affect someone’s life
forever. He wants to help direct kids to be honorable and healthy and make good choices.
“I want to see young people confident in who they are,” he
said.
His family is service oriented, and along with Pisey and his parents both of
his brothers believe in giving back to society. Younger brother Visal is studying social
work and Christian ministry and hopes to someday serve as a police officer. His middle
brother, Pisith, is serving in the Marines in California and will soon head to Iraq.
But for Sok, his passion remains his gift of encouragement and affirmation of
others.
“Life needs to be more about encouraging people,” he said. “My
philosophy is that I was created for a greater purpose.” |
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From May 1, 2004,
Newberg Graphic
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