The man affectionately known by the Helping Hands staff as “Bullet Man” (Mr Tam Tim) was photographed at his home in the village of L’berk some weeks after he had undergone surgery to have a bullet removed from his left arm. 

Mr Tam described through an interpreter the enormous relief from pain he is now enjoying.  This man was conscripted to the Cambodian Army in the early 70’s and took part in fighting against the insurgent Khmer Rouge.  He in fact took two bullets in his left shoulder and arm, the first passing straight through his shoulder and leaving a relatively minor wound, which subsequently healed.  The second, however, lodged beside his elbow, where it remained without treatment while he escaped the fighting and took refuge in the countryside.

Mr Tam survived the Khmer Rouge regime and has lived with his family in L’berk village in Siem Reap Province since that time.  His wound had never been attended to because the family had no access to the amount of money necessary to have the bullet surgically removed. Over time the wound became increasingly painful, to the extent that in recent years he was literally being driven to the point of insanity.  His family became alarmed at his erratic behaviour and brought the matter to the attention of Helping Hands staff.

As evidenced by his smile in the above photo, the surgery that Helping Hands arranged to have the bullet removed was completely successful.  Our “Bullet Man” has returned to his family a much changed person, no longer accompanied by the pain that has been his constant companion for the past thirty-five years.