A Non-Contradiction

A moto isn't usually the best place to have a meaningful conversation so they don't usually happen there. However, that doesn't keep me from trying every once in a while. So a couple of days ago I picked Calli up from school on the moto and on our way home I decided to try and connect with how she was doing. So I asked her a couple of simple questions which ended up with her giving simple and profound answers. It just so happened that her answers sum up very well how we all feel. The questions I asked were: "What is your most favorite and least favorite parts about living in Cambodia?" She thought for a minute and replied: "My favorite thing about living here is how everything is so different from what I am used to...and my least favorite part about living here is that everything is so different." Those answers seemingly contradict but I totally feel the same way. I absolutely love the differences and cherish them at times. Other times, when all of them seem to be screaming at me at the same time, I can't stand them and just want something to be familiar. The neat thing is, things are beginning to feel familiar here. Whether it be running into people you know in the city, understanding the price of an item when it is given to you in Khmai or just recognizing and waving at friendly neighborhood faces while on a run. The ratio of familiar to un-familiar is still tipped way in the balance of "un" but regardless, we can see God taking care of our wants and needs on a daily basis by making us feel more and more comfortable here. There are still hard times (you get those anywhere) but none of us have ever looked back and wished we would not have moved. What a huge answer to prayer. Blessings!

I added some random shots from our time here so far.

Tasty Treats

So this morning started out with a fresh mango and pineapple smoothie. I don't know if a better breakfast exists. I then did some work at Asian Hope International School and the Sanctuary (Asian Hope's new Hospitality house). Busy times around here. Later on, after trying to find some things for our new place, Carolyn and I ran to the "grocery store" with my 10-year-old, Calli. She has been blessed (or cursed) with somewhat of an adventuresome spirit like myself. So as we were pulling up to the store, she suggested we buy some crickets. When somebody says that here they are not meaning the kind you buy to feed to your pet reptile. They mean the fried kind supposedly for human consumption. So we did our shopping at the store and took off on the moto to find crickets. Hoping it would take long enough so she would get discouraged in the search, we found some within about 47 seconds of leaving the parking lot. She had made me promise that if she ate it I would too (or maybe it was vice versa). Anyways, we purchased a bag full of fried crickets from a roadside (actually on the road) vendor. She had a pan of boiling oil right on the cart with a fresh batch brewing. We somehow communicated what we wanted and she communicated in Khmai that it would cost 2500 riel. That is about 60 cents. Okay, I think I can spend that on what some here consider a delicacy. So we brought them home and some in our family (I would never let on that it is Carolyn and Abby) were completely disgusted by the sight but the rest of us were okay with it. Calli and I eventually proceeded to make good on our agreement. The crickets were first dumped out onto a plate and set on the counter. We waited 5 minutes and if that wasn't enough, when we took the cover the plate, ants had swarmed the pile of crickets. Not to be discouraged, we decided that if we had resolved to eat one type of insect, why not 2? So we pressed on. I was volunteered to go first. So I bravely and confidently (at least on the outside) stuck one fried cricket in my mouth and chewed it up. Much to my surprise it wasn't bad. It almost tasted like a crispy piece of bacon. If you didn't have to deal with the long hind legs poking the inside of your mouth you could almost forget you were eating one of those things you stomp on when you see it alive. Nonetheless, my ingestion of the cricket preceded Alex and Calli eating one as well. Then our brave Cameron tried by putting a leg in his mouth. He did end up spitting it out but it was a try. The 2, perhaps smartest, members of our family, Carolyn and Abby, stood by with cameras and much moral support. All in all a great bonding experience for our family. Sorry Jiminy. Pics are of the 3 "partakers" of the crickets, the crickets themselves and Calli trying to brave the cicket).

Distribution to Victims of Fire

Yesterday our family was able to take part in distributing donated items to families who lost everything in a fire that happened about a month ago. I would have to say the event was overall a success but it left me with a feeling of "there is so much to do". It was definitely a morning of paradox. On Monday Abby went to school, although the kids are off all week for Khmai new year, and sorted clothes, food, toiletries and other small items to be distributed. Along with a couple teachers and 1 other student they made about 70 bags to be given out, each geared toward a specific gender and age group. Then Tuesday morning all of the bags were loaded in a van and we all went over to the site where the displaced families are now living. Once we got there, we all got out and started interacting with the kids and it was a lot of fun. Even though we can't communicate verbally with them, there was still a lot of smiles exchanged. We had one of the teaching assistants from Logos walk around the "village" and let some of the most needy families that we were there to give out some needed items. That worked for a little bit...until it was clear that we had more people lined up to receive bags than we had bags. Toward the end people were grabbing the last few bags instead of waiting. Although those who received bags were happy and thankful, it was sad to not be able to give to everyone. It left all of us with a feeling of joy to serve but a desire to do more. That is the paradox. We could have avoided the sadness if we had done nothing but we would have missed the joy and all of the smiles. To be honest, I wouldn't trade either.

New Life School

It is so cool to be here in Phnom Penh working with Asian Hope to see what kind of difference they are making outside of the obvious. We have 3 schools, a girls and boys home and a hospitality house. They are all great ministries and I enjoy being a part of them. However, since moving here I have realized that our impact is felt beyond the confines of our official programs. One such example would be New Life School. NLS is a small christian school that was started only a couple years ago for the poorest of the poor in Phnom Penh. Each day they receive children from orphanages who could never pay tuition of a private school or the price to pass through a state school. They would be relegated to a life of servitude and probable abuse. Now they are given a chance at a new life through education and Christ. So how does Asian Hope play a part? Well the principal and the 6th grade teacher (both are Khmai women in their mid to late 20's) were once teaching assistants at Logos International School. If you ask either one of them, and I have, they will both tell you that they would not be where they are today without their experience at Logos. Their time with us taught them lesson planning skills, classroom discipline/control, and gave them the confidence and experience needed to affect a change in so many other lives. This is one of the reasons why in most of Logos' classrooms they have an experienced western teacher and a Khmai teaching assistant: it allows us to help produce excellent Khmai teachers who can then leave our school and make an impact in areas that we couldn't. We also support NLS with ongoing teacher training and curriculum.
With this in mind, we wanted to bless the students and staff of New Life school. So last week we bused in all of the kids (in 2 shifts on 2 different days) to enjoy a carnival at Logos. Our 5th and 6th grade classes helped plan and host these students. They were able to run in grass on an obstacle course, swim, play basketball, throw water balloons, get their faces painted, listen to music, watch a puppet show and maybe best of all, eat ice cream. Our hearts were truly blessed to watch these kids light up with all of the choices of activities. I am not sure who had a better time the kids or those of us who could watch them enjoy themselves. I wanted to share some of these pictures with you but really wish I could bottle up the sights and sounds of that day. I look forward to many more of this type of event...they are priceless for these kids. Please know that any of you reading this would be a welcome set of willing hands and feet during any of these events. If you are interested, leave a comment. Blessings!