So we made it into Cambodia yesterday :)!!! We flew in on a pretty clear day and could see the country well from our plane windows. On descent, Grace said "Wow! It's so beautiful!" She liked the multi colored roofs of the buildings we could see. There is a lot of uninhabited land and the people mainly live lined up on the roadways. We got off and went through customs very easy. Phnom Penh is the capital and the airport was very small. It was mainly one room with several counters and had a few food booths outside. We met Kit and Ream right outside and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them these past two days :) They had some candy and supplies to pick up for the school and orphanage. Next week when school finishes for summer there will be an End of the Year Carnival where the candy will be passed out.
This was the market that we went to for the candy supplies. Then we stopped by a more westernized grocery store for other supplies. It was very crowded and full of unique smells :) The orphanage is 25 kilometers from Phnom Penh and it took us 2 hours to get home from the airport due to road conditions and lack of road laws. I got to visit with Ream in the van on the way back and it was great to hear about their missions and focus here in Takeo. The village is only about 2 kilometers square. Ream was talking about the orphanage and schools reputation in Cambodia. There are other Christian based orphanages and schools but many are corrupt or not following the laws/regulations. She said that here they don't call the orphanage or school by it's name. The locals call it the "Jesus Orphanage" or the "Jesus School" and they pray over all they do as well as when they work with the local and national authorities for permits and NGO status. They have a very good reputation for working within the framework of the government.
This is the front gate of A Greater Hope Orphanage :) It sits back a couple little side streets on aprox. 2 acres of land. I will try to draw a map of the land and what it's used for because they do a great job of utilizing the land.
Yesterday was laundry day for the boys so today is laundry day for the girls. You can see some hung up behind these palm trees. In front are a couple plots of land for planting various vegetables.
This is a side where some of the larger boys are digging out a pool by hand. They have part of it lined with cinder blocks. At the end of this little path where the smoke is, there is a small brick structure where the trash gets burned. Next to that is also a pit where they compost waste for fertilizing the ground.
This is a little pond where they are growing some catfish. Pretty much all the water here looks this color. Even the great river from the plane flying in had this color all across the landscape. We were told some of the kids drink straight from the ponds when they are very thirsty.
This is Anna loving on one of the dogs here :) She is a sweet little dalmation mix who tipped over a pot of boiling water on herself last week so she has blue medicine and is healing.
This is the front of the school that is also used for church on Sundays. This morning we walked down after morning chores. The kids get up at 5 am. They eat at 6 and do chores before school. Then there is Bible study for the Orphanage staff that Joseph and I went to this morning. We read the last half of Mark 5. After that we walked to the school which is on the main road. There was Bible study in session for the kids. The kids have Bible study every morning and the staff have their own Bible study before the school day.
This is the library for the school. Kit painted the dinosaurs. Books are very expensive here and they are hoping to grow their collection when they can get some funds. Kit said it is probably the only library in the province. Schools just don't have them and there is no infrastructure in the government to have any.
This is 4th grade class in session. I snuck a picture through the window. The classrooms are mostly portables and have big fans but no air conditioning. The picture below is of a 4/5 year old class. They have 2 classes in the morning and then bring in the older 5s in the afternoon. Space is very hard to come by and the education is very good at this school so there are more and more children who want to come. In most schools here, grades are bought. If you can pay, you can get an A. There are many parents who bring older children to this school who can't read. This has been such a problem that Kit and Ream are opening classes in the afternoons and evenings just trying to get the older kids reading and writing before they can be put into classes. Because this school is based on Christian values, earning fair grades has been ground breaking to the mentality of some Cambodians.
Above are two sweet girls who were cooking foods for the school children. The girl in the front is making waffles over open fire and the girl in the back is making "Cow Feet Cake" which is made from yams and fried in the silver pot. The waffles were very tasty! All our kids liked those! I wanted to try the "Cow Feet Cake" but we left them for the kids. Maybe next time :)
The kids here are very friendly! Al enjoyed "interviewing" several with Joseph working the camera.
We hung around while the kids were at recess. Their school day is divided into two sections with a 2 hour break for lunch and rest in the middle of the day. Grace said this morning that this place is great! Below, Benjamin is showing "thumbs up" for the Gatoraid!! Had to put that in since it originated in FL :)
This is one of the little lanes that we walk to the school on. It's lined with houses. Below is a house next to the school. It's one of the much nicer houses on the trip to school.
Below is part of the orphanage and schools water system. These are huge cement barrels that collect rainwater that is used for drinking and it's attached to a filtration system. However, we are drinking bottled water :)!
Well, it has been a crazy, whirlwind of days and God has been very merciful to us! Some of the blessings have been the following:
1. We got out of Taipei right after a tropical storm system swept the island.
2. We have had safe travel and we are all healthy right now.
3. The Lord protected us on the roadways! This is huge here!
4. We have adjusted time change relatively well.
5. The Lord has blessed us with friends like Kit and Ream!
6. We got to hear His Word proclaimed in Khmer.
7. We are getting to fall in love with a beautiful people group.
Please pray for our continued health and safety. Please pray that we can be an encouragement and blessing to Kit, Ream and all the workers and kids here. And that we will know His will and do it.
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