August, only four months and it’s Christmas!!
Day care has seen the children settled back into their routine but due to rainy season a couple of them have been unwell with high temps and fevers. Of course with the COVID measures we have put into place, their temperatures are taken before they come in so any sick ones are sent straight back home. There is a lot to remember to ensure the staff and children are adhering to Government Guidelines, but they are doing well which ensures we can remain open.
Last month we told you about a little girl who’s father left the family, I am glad to say that she is doing much better and that some very kind person donated money to help them put a fourth wall in so the house is not open to the elements.
One of our children has not been attending regularly, he is from a very unstable home and has 5 siblings – we have just found out his mother is expecting again. Please pray for him and his family, he is such a lovely, sensitive little boy who shows lots of love but we don’t think he gets much back in return.
Four of our children came back very thin, they had lost so much weight. Since they have been back they are eating 3-4 bowls of food for lunch, so we are confident with the good food our cook prepares, they will gain weight quickly.
Two of our children will graduate from Day care next month, so we are planning a rather smaller than usual celebration for them. We want to mark them leaving us and going on to Public School in October; celebrating how much they mean to us and what they have achieved. Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, we can only have the parents of one and the grandmother of the other. We will send them on their away with little folder filled with lots of goodies – a colouring book, pencils, reading book, bible story and some sweets. We remind them that Jesus loves them no matter what. They also get a framed Certificate of Achievement – our first graduates from last year have theirs proudly hanging outside the door of their homes, it means a lot to them.
Cambodia is now in full rainy season with rain now most days. Hard to believe that during a few days this month, temperatures in the UK were higher than here. We had a pleasant 29 during the day and 26 at night. We are now back up to high 30’s so it was good while it lasted.
We think the rain may be the reason that Liz now has a pet gecko travelling with her in the car every day to work. All will be well until it decides to sit on her knee, then there may be an exclusion order placed on it!
3 Birthday Parties –
- Party 1 – Our Khmer Family: After a prayer meeting on the day closest to his birthday, we had Khmer Curry and a cake. The cake had a little man on it with hair and money, none of which Mark now has so it was not a true representation of him.
- Party 2 – Day Care Children and staff had Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Coke. The children sang Happy Birthday to Da (Grandfather).
- Party 3 – Our Expats family: 26 people joined us on a pay your own basis, in our favourite restaurant for Mexican food. The staff in the restaurant had gone to a great amount of effort to make his night special. They decorated the place putting pictures of our family on the walls, balloons and a had karaoke machine brought in. One of the staff sang for Mark, which was very very special as she sang in English.
So, all in all, three very different celebrations but all of them special, the only thing that could have topped them, was having Craig, Sarah and CJ here too. Our little CJ turned 2 on the 3rd August, we sang to him on Facetime which was lovely.
The hard part of Mission Overseas is having friends return home. Two of our friends returned to the UK in mid-August and another friend leaving early September, it is always hard to say goodbye but God’s plans are not our plans and if he wants them to return to serve, he will make a way!
We are reminded in our sadness that our friends may come and go, but Jesus is the solid rock on which we stand, that he is constant and promises to never leave us and we hold on to that.
God is continuing to bless our work and we give Him all our thanks and praise. He is looking after us our children, our staff, the village and our family, it reminds me of a kids song I used to sing “He has the Whole World in his Hands” and we are so very thankful that he does.
Until next time, may God bless you and keep you safe. .
Liz and Mark
