The Rainy Season

So what is the rainy season like here? Wet.

Safety violations?

Life goes on as usual.

A boy doing chores (collecting cans) despite the rain.

Thanks so much for reading.




More detail? Okay, I will give you a glimpse into the rainy season here. The rainy season in Cambodia goes from May - October with the wettest months being Sept and Oct. We receive about 55 - 60 inches of rain every year. October is typically the wettest month with an average of 10 inches. A typical day during this season will be nice and sunny in the morning and into the afternoon. Then the clouds start to build. After that, the rain begins to sprinkle down and without much warning, a torrential downpour is soaking you to the bone. Since most drive motos over here, every object than can be possibly used as shelter has people packed in like sardines to avoid the precipitation. Luckily though, most of the times the bulk of the rain is done in less than an hour.
With such an intense deluge and less than adequate infrastructure in Phnom Penh, we are often left with "rivers" for roads. Sometimes it looks like a scene from a beach as kids are splashing and playing in the waves from cars and buses as they pass. However, the water is filthy and gross to play in, but for these kids, they will take whatever they can get. They don't have the options of going to a pool, beach...etc so they enjoy the cool relief any way they can.
A few months ago I asked a local girl what she enjoyed more; the rainy season or dry season. She just smiled and said she prefers to refer to them as the muddy season and the dusty season. Each have their benefits and drawbacks but on balance I think I prefer the rainy (or muddy) season. It brings cooler temperatures and less dust.
I hope this gave a little glimpse into life here. Thanks again for keeping up with our lives here. We appreciate each one of you.

Living in the "10/40 Window"

The "10/40 Window". What is it? I am sure that many of you have heard of it,  but I am also certain that many of you have not. And even if you have, you may not know exactly what it is. I know I sure didn't until we moved here. So I thought I would dedicate a post to give you a brief glimpse.
The 10/40 window simply refers to an area of the globe stretching from the west side of Africa to the east part of Asia; from 10 degrees to 40 degrees north of the equator. So why is this area so significant? Here are some statistics that might answer that question:

• 2/3 of the world's population - about 4.4 billion people - live in the 10/40 window.
• 90% of these people are unevangelized - either they have never heard the Gospel or there is not enough of a presence to make an impact.
• 85% of those living in this region are the poorest of the world's poor.
• It is estimated that only 10% of the global missionary force are working in this area.
• Of the 44 people groups in Cambodia, 31 of them remain unreached.

I wanted to share these with you so you could better understand where it is that we live.  I am thankful almost daily that we live in a country that is, for the most part, open to the Gospel. As of right now, we do not encounter persecution or any danger when sharing our faith or hosting a religious meeting. However, we never know when that might change. For us, though, it is difficult yet important to keep in mind that almost everyone we meet is lost as 96% of the country is Buddhist. Beyond the poverty, sickness and suffering, our heart is for the eternal lives of these wonderful people. Every day when we walk down the street or drive through town and people say "hi" to us, it is imperative that we view them through this lens. That is the real reason we are here. Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers and please let me know if you would like to become more active in reaching this area of the world with the Gospel.
Here are some pictures you might enjoy:

Me sharing the Gospel with some attentive kids in the remote village of Kraviek



Attending a stilted house church in Prek Pneu, the community where Asian Hope is starting the Village Development Program.



Cameron and Alex participating in a prayer time at our new facility in Prek Pneu

 

Carolyn interacting with an elderly woman at the house church in Prek Pneu.



New facility in Prek Pneu

We (Asian Hope) just signed a lease on a facility in Prek Pneu where we can base our Village Development Program out of. It is a house that was previously occupied by a Khmer family. It worked great as I was hosting a team here when we signed the lease. It was perfect since we could use the team to help clean the place before we start painting/renovating....etc. When we got to the house to clean on the agreed upon day, the family was only about 20% moved out. So the first hour or so was spent moving the family out.  Since they were just moving into the house right behind their other house, they told us we could just set everything outside...so thats what we did.
Once the cleaning commenced, we realized just how much of a mess it was. Filthy!! There was dust that looked like it had been accumulating for years. The floors needed a hose more than a broom. And the spider webs were so large and plentiful, they should have been charged rent. Regardless, we tackled the task.  With a team of 12 and 3 AH staff, we put in a total of 90 man-hours and the place actually looked like it could house a ministry. Yeah!! Thanks God for your timing.
We really look forward to watching the building take shape. Please take a look at this link Prek Pneu Facility to find an album of pictures from the new facility. I will update once we begin painting, furnishing and bringing the kids and families in. Thanks for joining us on the journey. Please keep this new ministry in your prayers.

Cameron with some new friends on the day we cleaned the facility. These kids enjoyed following him around.  He really does great with them.

A new school year begins

Wow, I can hardly believe it.  The kids just started their second full year of school here in Cambodia.  All 4 are still at Logos International School and all 4 still really enjoy it.  In fact Cameron, the most reluctant last year, just told me the other day "Dad, remember last year when I hated to go to school? Well its funny because this year I love school.  I can't wait to start 1st grade". Needless to say, that was music to my ears.
Calli is starting 7th grade, Abby High School and Alex 11th grade. I am so proud of all 4 of them and how they have adapted to our new home. Although it is sad to say good-bye to summer, it is great to be back on a regular schedule again. Now, we are only about 10 months from our first visit back to the States.

A few days before school started we said good bye to our last team of the summer break.  It was a great group of US military and civilian staff working on a military base in Okinawa, Japan. Our family treasures the brief (but hopefully lasting) relationships we can make with so many great people who are seeking to serve the Lord just as we are. Together, as each of us fulfills the plan God has for us, we can achieve great things. That is one thing that has become so evident to us here.  If you have any desire to come, visit and serve, let us know.  We would love to have you.