To start this month, we will tell you about the graduation ceremony. It went well with the graduation of 9 children. The Village Chief and families watched Khmer dancing performed by the children and then the awarding of the children certificates of completion of daycare. The parents spoke to Sokheng and the staff about how much they valued us looking after their children well, it was again humbling to hear how much they value this. As always there were a few tears were shed by all the staff as we said goodbye to the children, but the snack afterwards helped, although I must say that the ants had had a wee go first.
We started the first of our new children late in October, twins. That means we have doubled the number of twins we have at present! I am only starting to recognise the difference between the other twins now after a year in day care, this is going to be difficult.
Mark and I were 44 years married on Graduation Day, so the staff presented us with a beautiful cake and sang Happy Birthday to us!
Mumps are still doing the rounds in the village, and we are keeping a close eye on our own children. The children like the West are immunised against certain diseases but I am not sure how common it is to include it for mumps.
On my travels to work, as I have said many times before, I get to see unusual things. This month it is wedding caterers on their way to set up, an ice-cream van in our street, and my car ploughing through the flooded streets, never a dull moment!
I managed to have a wee girls night with my friends Maly and Sopheap. We had Indian food which was delicious.
Mark has been feeling a little under power lately and is struggling with mild illnesses, please pray for him.
We had sad news last week. The Founder of Aim Cambodia (Don Brewster) passed away from a stroke back in the USA. I first met Don and Bridget in 2011, and our past Mission Teams would do kids clubs down in the village they worked in. Mark and I would have met them for coffee when they were over, and his passing will leave a large hole in their organisation.
I wanted to tell you about a little old man who works in a bakery and directs traffic too. He as been at the same spot since we arrived in Cambodia and deserves a medal, how he directs the traffic on a busy main carriage way is unbelievable, everyone obeys him. He rides his bicycle home every day with his whistle blowing in time to his pedalling which is so cute.
Bible study group is still growing with two new members attending – God is Good!
We get people arriving at day care asking for food as they are hungry, we do what we can getting them rice and some vegetables as well as people asking for work, it continues to humble us how God provides for these people and that they see us as a Christian organization who helps. This month a very kind local donor funded a food give-away to the neediest grannies.
Sophal our staff member who had surgery is continuing to mend but is not ready to return to work, please continue to pray for her and her husband.
Sokha’s is looking quite pregnant now and we are thankful that she is receiving good care through our equivalent of the NHS. She is so happy, and her son and daughter are looking forward to meeting their new sister. Recently her husband lost his big toe in an accident at work, the doctors managed to sew it back on, now we are waiting to see if it has been successful. Most people here wear flip flops, not the best footwear for a building site.
Sokheng is working hard to select the new children, her heart is so big, she (and we) want to take everyone! It is difficult as there are so many families in need of a place to improve their situations, but we just do not have the funds to take on the whole village. Maybe someday!
The rest of the staff are working hard, enjoying what they do and learning new skills as they go along, they even came in during a public holiday to get the day care ready for the children coming back.
The children are learning the story of Samson and how he fell in love with a lady who tempted him and how he lost all his strength, I am reminded about how easy it is to be tempted away from what God wants for us and to do things in your own strength. We must stay rooted in God and walk his path; we are only effective when we do his will. I pray we seek God in all that we do.
Until next time.
Blessings !
Liz and Mark x
