Happy Khmer New Year, we celebrate 12-14th April !
Many businesses are putting out displays of bales of straw, hats, and other Khmer straw decorations; a problem is that Water Buffalo love straw, so this morning I was watching a businesses owner trying to get 6 huge water buffalo out of her shop and to stop them eating her straw display!
Mark and I had an overnight trip to Bangkok a week before the earthquake. Mark had to go back again for some tests at the hospital – the directions he was given to the department he needed was “go straight until you see the pianist, then turn right” not many hospitals have someone playing the piano in them.
Mark was in a mini-mart when the earthquake happened. He thought he was dizzy until he noticed the trees and buildings swaying. He is fine and home now, test results were good, I am just so happy I was not there, the little earthquake we had while in Japan was enough for me. We know people in Myanmar and are praying for them, they are safe but there is a lot of damage in their area. We would ask for prayers for all those affected.
Daycare is still having lots of sick children, either chicken pox or fevers, the weather here is very upside down, we are having rain when we shouldn’t, wind and cooler days, this all causing sickness.
I want to give a shout out to two Khmer friends who treated our staff and children to hamburgers and fries. Some of the staff and most of the children had never had a hamburger so didn’t know how to eat it. Once they tasted it, it was amazing how quickly they disappeared, hahaha !
We recently had three ladies visit from an Australian Organization GDG, they commented afterwards how wonderful the facilities where and how clean the building was. They said the children were amazing and everyone was so welcoming. Thank you, ladies.
I also had a message from our 80-year-old volunteer Valerie from Scotland, who went back home a few weeks ago, she said she just wanted to stay on the plane and come straight back to Cambodia, but we know her family were glad to see her home.
We would value your prayers for our Director Sokheng and husband Philip – Philip’s mum is very sick, and the prognosis is not good. He has returned to the USA to be with his mum, but Sokheng had to remain in Cambodia as her Visa did not come through.
We did a food giveaway within the village for Khmer New Year, and thank those who donated towards this, our good friend Richard and Barnabas Aid. Philippians 2 v 13 says “for it is God who works in you and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose”. We are reminded that all that happens, though it may be us who give the food away, it is all done in his name and for his purpose to see lives change and to reach the lost. We serve a mighty God.
Our children are taking a break for the Khmer New Year and Easter week, enjoying time with their extended family, pray they stay safe until they return to us after the Khmer New Year and Easter.
We will finish by wishing you all an Easter full of God experiences – and that His Son dying on the cross and rising from the dead, will become real to those who do not know him. That you will have opportunities to bring the lost to Him during this special time.
Lastly, what do you do when stuck in a traffic jam? Go to sleep of course!!
Blessings…
Mark & Liz x
