Leang and Saroeun Eav slipped out of Cambodia in 1979 under the most desperate of circumstances. After nearly four years of witnessing murder, starvation, torture and barely avoiding death under the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in the Southeast Asia country, they miraculously escaped with two young children to a refugee camp in Thailand, eventually making their way to the United States.
Today, 46 years later, four young grandsons of Leang and Saroeun have returned to Cambodia as missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Another cousin, a granddaughter, will begin serving this summer.
When these cousins look over the tranquil rice paddies of the Cambodian countryside or ride their bicycles in the teeming cities, they don’t see the atrocities of the Killing Fields. Instead, they see beautiful landscapes and growing communities filled with humble, peace-loving people.
Elders Ethan Nielsen, Alain Eav, Anthony Eav and Jaden Grunkemeier are all first cousins from Utah. They are the four oldest grandchildren of Leang and Saroeun Eav. To them and their families, it is a miracle that they were called by God’s prophet to serve together in the homeland of their grandparents. They love Cambodia and feel a special kinship with the Cambodian people.
Remarkably, a fifth first cousin and next-oldest granddaughter, Sister Arleigh Eav, from Valencia, California, received her call to Cambodia in January 2025. She will arrive in August after language training at the Provo Missionary Training Center.
In their ministry, the young cousins are helping supplant the fear and horror of their grandparents’ traumatic experiences with the hope, peace and love of the Savior Jesus Christ.
Having their oldest five grandchildren all serve in Cambodia is a dream come true for Leang and Saroeun Eav. They never could have envisioned it more than 40 years ago when their only thought was to escape Cambodia alive with their little family.
Read the full story on the Church News.
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