The team really needed a day of rest, and since the kids were in school today, we took the time to meet together, have extended quiet time, sleep in a little, and have an American breakfast. Some of us even took in a $6 massage. Wonderful. The head and shoulder massage did wonders to relieve sinus pressure and fluid buildup.  It is very dusty and dry here which can mess with your sinuses.

We met the kids from both of our homes at the Bar B Q.  This is such a treat for them and they love it!!! Most foods are on a buffet and raw.  You collect what you want, then return to your table to cook it on your tables little fire. You will have to ask each team member about some of the unique foods they got to try.

This was the first time both homes were together with us.  We were wondering how it would go, but the kids blended nicely and there wasn’t any jealousy about which group any one of us happen to be with at the moment.  Of course we tried to get around to everyone. It is more difficult with 50 kids though. But they are all so beautiful, you make time for each one. I still can’t imagine ever being able to walk away from any of these kids if they were mine and I had the means to care for them at all. None of them deserve such abandonment and rejection from the very ones who are supposed to love, care and protect them. I am overwhelmed with love for these kids and can never fully express how happy I am to meet these kids and know that people from our church, part of the family of God, are reaching out clear across the world to rescue them.  The words do not exists to tell you completely what your financial and prayer support means to these children.  I urge you, when you have the chance to write to them, send pictures of your family, and pray for them, do it! Some days it is all they have to hang on to. One little boy we met in our new home whose mother died and father rejected him, also just lost his aunt.  He attended her funeral while we were there.  It was so difficult for him to be happy while we were there. But I know, in time, with love from his house parents and letters and prayers from his sponsors and our church, he will make it.  Just so much emotion for one little boy to have to deal with.

These kids pray for us, so please pray for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tuk tuk like like what Sambo needs. Yep. 20 kids can get on that!

 

Today is Sunday. Happy 50^th anniversary to my parents!

This is a full day as well as our last day with the kids. We began it with worship with all the Battambang homes (10 of them). This is an experience in itself.  I tell you, when they sing “Shout to the Lord”, they are shouting with all their hearts. It is a massive blend of voices singing with full hearts. We are always blessed to worship with them.

Home 1 prepared lunch for us. Yes, French fries again. Not sure who told them Americans like fries, but we have them every meal they prepare or order for us. I have eaten more fries in one week here than 3 months at home. They are fresh cut and fried though!  Very yummy! We have even started to like their form of ketchup. It is more like tomato sauce. Taste fresher though! I love to spend time in the kitchen with the older kids and staff helping and watching them prepare the food. All coking is done on the floor.  They do not have counter tops. They cook over fire or a two-burning gas stove that sits on the floor. Like a camper’s stove. I was able to prepare the hot sauce they have with every meal. I smashed hot peppers and garlic in a wooden bowl with a wooden smasher.  Then we added chili sauce and squid sauce.  After stirring that, hot water and lime juice freshly squeezed was added.  Yummy in small doses!!!! Really hot!

We gave gifts to each home separately then. Fist home 1. The kids were so very excited to receive pj’s and socks.  They are were giggling and talking and trying on their pj’s over their clothes and posing for pictures.  They were all very happy.  Home 2 had the same reaction.  The pezz  candy was a big hit.  After they finished the candy and the refills, they found ways to play with the dispensers and carried them around the rest of the day, even to the park later that day. Thank you to our sponsors for providing these gifts. It has been cool in Cambodia too, so the warm pj’s are a treat!

AT 2 we headed to the park.  This was the same park Zac, Jamie and I took the kids to a couple of years ago. More rides were open though and so was the pool. For the first hour, kids rode the amusement park style rides.  You have to understand though, the safety rules we have in the US are non-existent here.  It is pretty wild in our Western minds.  I said only in Cambodia do the goats run from underneath the roller coaster track as your cars come flying down the hill. There is no such thing as sitting on the ride at all times or even waiting til the ride comes to a complete stop before getting on or off a ride. It is really quite amusing.

The second hour was spent swimming. The pool had a large elephant inflatable slide at one end.  It was cold water, but the kids went anyway.  The kiddie pool was very large, but they had just started putting water in it.  That didn’t stop the little ones though.  It was like a giant slip n slip! I joined the little ones diving on the slippery surface which had about an inch of water covering most parts.  The kids had a lot of fun splashing me and each other. The team had an awesome time in the pool with the older kids.  Smiles abounded!

After changing, we had dinner there. And yes, they ordered us French fries! Then the kids jumped on the trampolines and rode more rides.  I ate so much, I didn’t think I had better join them.  So I just sat with those who were taking longer to eat.  Wow, do those little kids eat.  Kim Hab had two plates of fried noodles with meat and veggies, where I couldn’t even finish one.  He is a big eater in a little body says his house mom. Same with some of the other little children.  Where do they put it all?

Torrey picked up the flu that Tim had that has been going around,  I know some of the little kids from our home had low grade fevers or had been sick.  Tim went with Torrey back to the hotel for a couple of hours while we were at the park, then joined us at dinner.  She was feeling a little better and wasn’t going to miss the last night for anything.

We left to return to the homes for a combined home dance party! The speakers were set up outside and turned up as loudly as possible.  We had everything from Khmer dancing, to country line dancing to hip hop to break dancing. We had it all. After enough dancing for me, I sat down to take it all in.  There was the team, even Torrey, dancing and smiling and swinging the kids.  There were the kids, with the biggest smiles on their faces, laughing and dancing and holding on to us. Half way through, there was Nga sitting with Tim holding on to him knowing what was coming next.  She starts early. Such precious faces, such joy, such a picture of how their lives should be. Such blessing falling upon us as we serve and love the forgotten, the rejected, the least.  They are so great in the eyes of our Lord. They are so great in ours as well.

The music stopped. Vannak made the dreaded announcement. Time to start your goodbyes.  The mood changes, the tears and tight hugs begin as we make our way from child to child barely getting free from some of their grasps. Zac shared how one little boy wouldn’t let go of his legs.  He just kept crying and looking up at Zac with big sad puppy eyes as the crocodile tears ran down his face. It was almost more than Zac could bear. As Zac put it, this is one of the best and the worst parts of the trip. Those who were joking around now bear their deepest emotions with us. It is heart wrenching, but at the same time, paints a clear picture of why we come, why we sacrifice to rescue these kids. For me, this is at the top of the joy list of things I could be doing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who gave, who prayed for us, and for all those who support this orphan care ministry.

I never tire of coming.  It never becomes routine. My heart is touched in new and fresh ways each time I spend time with our kids here. Pray for all of us as we begin our journey home.  Parts of our hearts will be heavy with joy, other parts with sorrow for having to leave. Be patient with our team as we reenter our culture with a keener awareness of God’s work in our lives. It may take us awhile to get up to the American speed of life as we will be pulled and drawn back into our memories of our lives the last two weeks. Pour hearts are full, and we have much to share.

Today we sit on a bus to Phnom Phen.  Torrey still isn’t feeling the greatest.  Liz is out cold I think. Others are reflecting while listening to our music. Some are taking in the sights around us as we travel the dusty roads stopping occasionally to let vendors on the bus to walk the isles with food and fresh fruit to buy. Tonight we will have dinner and try to connect with Pheakdey, a friend of mine. Tomorrow we will visit the Killing Fields and a place of torture during the Khmer Rouge.  It will be a heavy day emotionally as we experience in person the terror that took place  in the mid to late 70’s here where millions of people were brutally murdered just for being educated. The rest were enslaved inn work camps little 3 pieces of rice a day to eat. Many died because of the conditions. Mine fields were buried in many places to keep people from fleeing. The atrocities that occurred here are unspeakable, and therefore I will not go into more detail here. But God has not forgotten this country or its people.  He is calling people here to Himself, and they are responding.  Please pray for Cambodia!

Told you we did  a lot today.