Much To Share from Shawna

Our trip is is quickly coming to an end.  We have made so many friends and have learned so much from the people of Svay Pak.  While I miss the comforts of home I know there are many things I will miss here as well.

It amazes me that singing, dancing, and playing with children in an over crowed room, in the 96 degree heat with no air conditioning and humidity that feels like rain, is a joyful experience.  I know, it sounds awful, but it was truly one of the highlights!  The words to "Who's the King of the Jungle" and "You'll Never Be Alone" along with the accompanying dance moves are etched into every cell in my body.  In case you were wondering, the Chicken Dance is universal!

I've enjoyed much of the food.  I was too  'chicken'  to try the frog legs, snake, fire ants, or duck eggs, but the rest was pretty tasty.  I even got brave and sampled the "stinky fruit ".  Lucky for me the smell is much worse than the taste!  I do crave a cup of good coffee and being able to drink water without worrying if the ice is safe! I'm looking forward to a home cooked meal that doesn't include rice.

Daily commuting was truly an adventure! The traffic here looks like a birds eye view of recently disturbed ant hill.  It is total mayhem!  There are posted signs which are merely suggestions and they are truly comical when I wasn't gripping the handle of the Tuk Tuk and praying.  Supposedly they drive on the right side of the road, occasionally.  The number of people on a Moto designed for one can exceed 5! And don't even get me started on the lack of people who choose to obey the helmet law. We actually passed a "Safety Driving School; they were out of business.

Our Van rides to and from Svay Pak each day were a time to share, laugh, sight see and compare the culture with home.  The question of the day,  "if you could start one business in Cambodia, what would it be?"  Answers from team members varied ranging from;  favorite fast food restaurants, manufacturing  and installation company for combination mister/ceiling fans (needed on every patio/balcony/corner), and Triple A Towing for Tuk Tuks (AAA TTT).

There is so much more but I must sign off!  Enjoy the pictures!

Kate's Perspective: Highs and Lows

          How do I even begin to describe how I am feeling right now? I tend to do this thing where I am able to bottle up my emotions until I burst. And after my hour long sob fest, I realized that might not be the best way to handle my feelings.
          Today was a day of extreme highs and extreme lows. Not only are the kids getting very comfortable around us, but the staff is as well. As I mentioned in a previous post, the staff, or disciples, are for the most part teenagers, which makes it really fun for me. In the Cambodian culture, interaction between genders (except for children) is kind of limited. But within each gender. It's a sort of free-for-all. As in, there's no such thing as bubble space, and there are an endless amount of pranks. I feel like my all-girls highschool really prepared me well for this dynamic. Here it's perfectly normal to (lightly) kick someone (of the same gender and age group) behind their knees and then run away and pretend like someone else did it. I'm really liking this whole hit and run thing. I'll probably be doing it even when we get back home and get labeled as the crazy person who hits people and then runs away.
             One thing that's funny about Kid's Club is that there are usually at least three to four kids completely asleep, conked out on the floor for the whole session. So when we go down to lunch, my mom points out a cute little girl about four years old sprawled out in the corner near our table. I didn't really give it a thought except for: it's crazy how these kids can sleep with so much noise around. After lunch is served and our meal is prayed over, my mom motions me aside with tears in her eyes. She tells me that she found out that the little girl who is sleeping was just rescued from a home where she was physically and sexually abused. And I physically feel sick. We pray over the situation and I do that thing where I bottle up my emotions. The rest of the day goes smoothly and I enjoy my time with the kids and staff. We get into the van and Clay and Justin start telling us about their day at the Lord's Gym. Clay tells us about how he basically witnessed a guy inappropriatly touching a young boy. And how in America, Clay would have arrested the guy then and there, but here, after talking to the people in charge, he found out they can't do anything until they investigate further. Meanwhile, there is this guy on the loose who might be molesting children. And the pit in my stomach grows as I continue to push my emotions down. We get back to our hotel and I feel so sick all I can do is sleep. I get woken up to have dinner on the balcony. After we are finished the others go back to their rooms. I grab my Bible and my notepad and go back out to the balcony. Where I immediately break down. I don't understand. I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt another human being like that. Especially a child, an innocent. I don't understand how anyone becomes so sick, so twisted. Do they not get the damage it causes? Doing something like that to a person literally breaks them. It robs them of joy, of peace, of hope, and sometimes, of the ability to love. It takes a lively and vibrant child and turns them into a ghost of who they once were.
              This is why I'm here. I want to come back here after college and stay for a year and be one of the people who protect these children from this evil. Who restores, and acts as a vessel through which they can feel God's love for them. To show them that they are intrinsically valuable no matter what's been done to them or what they've gone through. And to give them hope, for themselves, and for the future of their country.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

So each night at dinner we each share our favorite thing from the day, one thing we are most thankful for from that day, and the worst thing for that day.  Today my favorite thing was quite funny and I just had to share.  So I figured I could throw in a few more favorites to give you a little taste of our time here.

Do you speak English?... Today the translator, Ratanak tells Tim that one of the disciples had asked if Cody spoke English.  Apparently Cody is a man of so few words that the locals figured he couldn't speak English! I'm still chuckling at that one :)

Tuk Tuks and Traffic...  The roads are a mess, but it's all great fun if you're not in a hurry and you're riding in a tuk tuk.  Driving on the wrong side of the road is totally fine as long as you give a courtesy honk, road signs and painted lines are only suggestions.  Five on a moto, no problem

Punch-A-Monk... No we are not harming  the men in orange.  It's a fun new car game!  Whenever you see a  monk getting. Ride on a moto or in a tuk tuk you yell punch a monk and lightly hit the person next to you.  Don't sit next to Shawna, she's not so good at the lightly part of the game.

Bal teat...  Soccer! (It's a big thing here) we get to play with the guys and kids after kids club on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Just like home for me.  Well except  the field is an actual field  and the goals are two logs sticking out of the ground wth a string tied across.  And keep away from Justin and Cody, they're a little intense.

Mexican food in Phnom Penh...  There is food everywhere.  You can't walk five feet without running into a food vendor!  Okay that may be a bit of an exaggeration, more like eight and a half.  Restaurants, cafés, carts, converted motos, you name it.  And it's anything you  can imagine.  Frogs, bugs, coconuts, durian, popcorn, cotton candy and the ever popular baby chick in a hard cooked egg.  Who would have thought you could get a taco in Cambodia?  Not me.

Rock A Bye Baby...  Mary found the nursery and  has secured herself  a position there.  She helps out first thing in the morning until lunchtime everyday.  The babies are handled a little differently here though.  For example diapers  seem to be optional and  Mary's pant leg fell victim to a stinky surprise.  We stopped by a market on the way home that day and Mary bought two packs of diapers for the nursery.

This list could go on and on, but I must get some rest.  Can't wait to see what's in store for tomorrow. Because as we were told when we arrived here, "everything's written in jello."

My Heart Breaks

If you were to ask any team member the most often spoken word on the trip, the 9 of us would agree, "awesome". And by most accounts this describes my experience on this trip. Today found us at the beginning of week two of Kid's Club, the Lord's Gym, Serving in the nursery, leading Bible study, and serving on the medical team.  After minimal sleep as we stayed up late into the night to Skype with our church during service (the joys of a 14 hour time difference), the van was a bit quieter on the way to Svay Pak.  Morning VBS went well. The guys had a powerful experience in the gym that I'm  sure they will write about in another blog and of course, Mary tended to the babies.  After morning Kid's Club and then staff care session that I lead with Janelle, our team gathers downstairs for lunch with the AIM staff and foster children.  I would say that there are easily 50 plus that  the 2 house moms cook for.  I enjoy this time of the day as it allows us to interact individually with the staff and really get to know them, plus the food is yummy!
As I approach my table I notice a toddler aged child that has fallen asleep on a carpet near my table and I smile at the Pastor and motion to the child.  The Pastor stops me from reaching out to touch the little girl.  He tells me that she was recently rescued with her siblings and that the children were all physically and sexually abused in the home.  Apparently she sleeps better amidst all the noise and confusion and she needs sleep now more than lunch.  I choke up and nod at the Pastor, I can't speak.  I have so many questions, but honestly, they are not important.  This safe moment that this poor little child can sleep is more important than my curiosity.  During prayer I tear up.  I look across the table to Kate and motion for her to join me outside.  I hugged her close & tried to tell her the story through my tears.  Kate & I prayed, and I have prayed many times since.
The sad thing is that this goes on all over the world.  If it was only here I know that it would be easier to rationalize, to explain.  Before this trip our team was required to read about the history of Cambodia and the  destruction of their society under the Khmer Rouge only 40 years ago.  Saturday we visited the Killing Fields, a powerful memorial to the many who were tortured and killed during the reign of Pol Pot. So I understand why this society is broken and hurting.  But what I just can't understand is why the children? Not just here, but all over the world.  How can people hurt these 
innocent children, how can parents and families hurt their children?
Right now on our balcony, my beautiful daughter is sobbing.  I've held her, consoled her, spoken words of love, and cried with her.  She is suffering from a broken heart and I feel her pain.  To witness this really hurts.

During  our afternoon Kids Club I wondered how many of these children were suffering in the same way? My heart is breaking for these children........

Another Great Day

Bear with me here on this post.  I'm tapping it out on an iPhone and I'm not much of a wordsmith, so I'll make it brief.

Our last week here in Cambodia was so amazing and as Friday came to a close, I was a little sad.   It flew by so quickly and I could only expect the second week to do the same.  I was reminded of our youth pastor, Connie lannom's pep talk at the beginning of vbs a couple of weeks ago.  She had done some math and figured out we had 90,000 seconds to invest in our youth that week!  Which sounds like a lot but those seconds sure do fly by.  I'm not sure how many seconds we have been given with our kids here, but I know already that I wish I had more.  I'm doing my best to be intentional with every second I am given with these little ones.

And with that I am sure that I am learning more from them than they are from me.  To remove all the distractions of the world, like the phone and the to-do lists and be like a child.  To worship God without abandon, smile and giggle because it's fun and feels good, and not be stingy with love.  We came here to bring aid and refreshment to a hurting community, but I feel we got so much more in return.  So with four days left, those seconds are sure to disappear quickly.  But mark my words I will make everyone

A piece of my heart will surely stay in Svay Pak.

The End of an Amazing Week

This first week has gone by so fast.  Although I'm glad to be adjusting to life in Cambodia I realize there's only 1 week left to spend time with my new family!

I won't ever complain about the comforts at church again as this morning I sat for 2 1/2 hours with approx. 150 people in 1 room, no open windows, 103 degrees interior heat, 85% humidity and no air conditioner.  The only air flow came from the same 6 fans we use in VBS.  I believe my sweat was sweating!  Crazy yet to experience worship in 2 separate languages sung in unison was priceless.  It's amazing how the love of God has no language.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I could be so physically miserable yet so spiritually cheerful.

I've fallen in love with a group of children that on the exterior appear as filthy rags yet their little hearts and souls are as beautiful and pure as the most brilliant diamond.  I'm so thankful to have this opportunity to experience Gods love outside the traditional idea of Christianity.

On Friday one of the "brick children" (poorest of the poor) came up to me with a red marker and motioned that she wanted to write something on my arm.  I hadn't seen any other child do this before so I was a bit apprehensive yet I stuck out my hot, sticky, stinky arm for her.  She started to write (see picture) I Love You followed by a heart and with a very sweet soft voice said she wanted to bless me everyday.  My throat hurt trying to hold back the tears.  All I could feel was pure love for this precious baby girl.  This will be marked as an all-time favorite for me during this trip.

Thank you for your love, support and prayers,

Janelle

Great Way to End the Week!

Today was trully an amazing day. I am forever changed.

We began at AIM's Church in Svay Pak today for Sunday morning service. I had no expectations. The service started with a twist on the, "Stand up and greet someone sitting near you." Instead, we (the mission team), stood up and walked around the room greeting everyone while they remained seated. In Cambodia, like many Asian countries, it is customary to press your palms together in front of your chest when saying hello or thank you. So that's what we did. As I went around and bent down to the congregants and said "good morning," I was greated by the brightest happiest faces I have ever seen. Many grandmothers reached up and put their hands on the outside of may hands, smiling and saying "God bless you" in Khmer. Children reaching up with their little hands high-five'd me. I was overwhelemed with the love and sweetness of these fellow believers in Christ. Tears welled up in my eyes. There was no stopping it. By the time I got back to my seat, I was a mess. I looked down the aisle and saw my teammates also wiping the tears from their eyes.

Then the worship started. The worship team was made up of about 15 young members of the church that work at AIM. It was the most heart felt worship experience of my 42 years in the church. The joy and love that flowed from the worship team and the congregation pierced my heart. Imagine you had one last opportunity to worship God on this planet. They held nothing back. Many of the songs were sung in Khmer. It didn't mater. I was blown away. Again tears. In that moment I thanked Jesus for allowing me to experience this. Just beyond the walls of the church lies abject poverty, and a culture that sells their own children. A culture decimated by the Khmer Rouge only 35 years ago. That beautiful grandmother who held my hands lived that nightmare. But, here we are, crying out to God, praising his name together.

The singing was followed by a powerful message by Pastor Chanta. We were joined by english speaking disciples that translated his words. It was a message of love and forgiveness. Two things so sorely needed here.

At the end of the service I considered the irony of this situation. I came to bless these people, and I am the one who was blessed!

I recorded one song from the service. When I listen to it. I am still moved. People rejoicing and declaring their love for Jesus in their own tongue.

 

God Bless,

Clay Cranford