Sarun and Sieb Go to the French Restaurant
🍛 Sarun is one of the elderly women in a Cambodian village whom we support with food for a year.
When I first met Sarun, an 84-year-old grandmother, she struck me as incredibly intelligent. Later, when I brought her a food package, I discovered I was right.
She was one of the very few girls of her generation who received an education. At that time, girls almost never went to school — but Sarun not only graduated from university, she also learned French. She worked as a clerk, got married, and had four children. Some of them have passed away, and others became monks. Sometimes they still write her letters.
That day, while I drew her portrait, she shared her stories. Then she pulled out a red thread, whispered blessings into it, and tied a bracelet on each of our wrists.
She was one of the very few girls of her generation who received an education. At that time, girls almost never went to school — but Sarun not only graduated from university, she also learned French. She worked as a clerk, got married, and had four children. Some of them have passed away, and others became monks. Sometimes they still write her letters.
That day, while I drew her portrait, she shared her stories. Then she pulled out a red thread, whispered blessings into it, and tied a bracelet on each of our wrists.
She truly is a remarkable woman.
🌸 That’s when my son Leo had an idea: what if we take her to a French restaurant, so she could speak French again, after so many years?
I asked my followers. More than a thousand said yes. Only one said no 🤷🏻♀️😁
I asked my followers. More than a thousand said yes. Only one said no 🤷🏻♀️😁
A couple of weeks later, we came back with an invitation written in Khmer. She read it, smiled, and said yes.
But the next day, when we came to pick her up, she hesitated:
“I don’t want to be the only granny going. Can I bring a friend?”
But the next day, when we came to pick her up, she hesitated:
“I don’t want to be the only granny going. Can I bring a friend?”
And so Sarun’s childhood friend Sieb joined her. Sieb had never married and hadn’t left her home in years. But that day, she took a shower, dressed up, grabbed a little handbag… and came along.
Soon the two grannies hopped on a motorbike with our translator Sophanna, laughing like young girls. On the way, they kept pointing at the streets, amazed at how much the city had changed. They hadn’t been there in over 50 years.
Soon the two grannies hopped on a motorbike with our translator Sophanna, laughing like young girls. On the way, they kept pointing at the streets, amazed at how much the city had changed. They hadn’t been there in over 50 years.
✨ For them, it felt like traveling into the future.
At the Olive Cuisine de Saison restaurant, the French owner welcomed us warmly. Sarun immediately started speaking French. For both women, it was their very first time in a restaurant. Sitting at the table, they giggled and whispered to each other like teenagers.
The food became its own adventure. Fresh baguette with butter and olives. A small appetizer of salmon, feta, and capers. Then onion soup. Finally, sea bass with risotto, and for dessert — crème brûlée.
Every bite was a discovery.
The whole evening, they laughed and repeated that they would remember this day forever. It was as if they had stepped into another world.
The food became its own adventure. Fresh baguette with butter and olives. A small appetizer of salmon, feta, and capers. Then onion soup. Finally, sea bass with risotto, and for dessert — crème brûlée.
Every bite was a discovery.
The whole evening, they laughed and repeated that they would remember this day forever. It was as if they had stepped into another world.
We took selfies, then sent them home in a tuk-tuk — which in Cambodia looks a lot like a carriage.
✨ Sarun and Sieb left glowing with joy. For Leo and me, it felt like we had just become part of one of the brightest memories of their lives.
🙏 You can support our campaign so that Granny Sarun, Sieb, and other elders in their village can have groceries for an entire year.
✨ Sarun and Sieb left glowing with joy. For Leo and me, it felt like we had just become part of one of the brightest memories of their lives.
🙏 You can support our campaign so that Granny Sarun, Sieb, and other elders in their village can have groceries for an entire year.
