Happy New Year or in Khmer (Bon Choul Chnam Tami) we are now celebrating Chinese New Year in February and then we will celebrate Khmer New Year in April.
We have been enjoying a few days of cooler weather lately which is nice and welcomed before we start the climb to hot season when temperatures will hit over 40 degrees. We believe you have had some snow, Sokheng is disappointed that she has not experienced it.
Our latest baby is 4 months old and is a wee sweetheart. His mother is so pleased that she can look for work and that the baby is getting proper baby milk. Our 6-month-old pays a little visit to the office every-day and it is such a joy to see him. I think about his mother a lot, how she must be feeling not seeing him and her daughter and praying wherever she is, she is safe.
The husband of our cook (who retired about 6 months ago) died last week. Mark, Sokheng, the staff and I went to pay our respects. The tradition is to have a ceremony, a week later to have another one, and the third ceremony 100 days after. A funeral pyre is built at the top of the village and the body is cremated in the early evening of the first day. Please pray for Sothy and her family as they mourn.
On a lighter note, I came out of day care one evening to see a big sticker of a pig on the back window of my car! It was not difficult to find out who the culprit was, and he will be waiting in anticipation for whatever I do back to him lol. (It was difficult, Liz blamed the wrong person for 3 weeks 😂)
29th January was my 63rd birthday, I can’t believe it, my head says I am 17 but my body doesn’t agree with me. I recently paid a visit to the doctors because my left leg was swollen, only to discover that I have a blood clot. I’m now on blood thinners for the next 4 months, isn’t age a wonderful thing! My brother Bill’s birthday was the day after mine, although I am not telling you his age (he would kill me), anyway Bill, hope you had wonderful birthday, I love and miss you.
The children in day care are such a joy to be with, they love singing, learning new things and although life for them at home is hard, they know they can be themselves and they are safe for the time they are with us. I just love to watch the new children as they come in crying and frightened, and to see them 2-3 days later with big smiles on their faces running into day care happy to be here. Sometimes you can see at home time, that they don’t want to go home, my heart goes out to them.
A fantastic evening is just around the corner on 23rd February in Belfast! Harmonic Sounds and Emma Louden are “live” at 7:30pm – come and hear them, have a special evening, and support the work of Eggshell Cambodia. Sorry we will miss it but it’s a little far for us to travel but hopefully not to far f
or you.
As we start a new year our prayers are that God will continue to bless our staff and children, that he will continue to make his presence known in the village and that we see lives changed because of his love. We also pray that whatever comes for you in 2024, that Jesus will be at the centre of your life, and that you will experience him in new and wonderful ways!
I have been worshipping a lot with the song “Lord, I need you, every hour I need you”, we cannot do things depending on our own strength, we need Jesus, our one defence, our righteousness, oh Lord how we need you.
One of the children who just graduated was talking to her grandma and said; “Is Jesus not with me now that I have left day care?”. Her grandma (a new Christian) told her that Jesus was always with her. We are definitely seeing growth in those who attend our Bible Study! Praise the Lord!!!
Until next time…
Mark & Liz…
