June 2009 – A Greater Hope

Ream is working on becoming a US citizen.

Our case is quite difficult since she does not qualify under normal conditions; with difficulties comes money.

So Ream made a trip to America with the main propose to raise funds to help us pay the lawyers working on her paper work.

While in the United States Ream took the opportunity to also promote our work here at the orphanage. It was a bit sad that the Orphanage overshadowed our present personal need for help, but I know God will bring the blessing and both our family and the Orphanage will continue be cared for.

Ream made a lot of new friends and inspired a few new churches to get involved with us. It is quite exciting to have future teams set up and people wanting to do more.

One of the things Ream did, she put on a cooking class for sponsors and people who where interested. Since so many people like the food from here we though why not show you how to make some easy dishes. Most of the dishes are pretty healthy I would say since Fish sauce is used rather than oils and the vegetables too, are very good for you.

We hope to do this for you in the future as well as it brought really good response.

We are sorry that some sponsors were unable to come because of timing or being out of the State.

What have we been up to in June?

We started to take the children into the “real” village once Sunday a month.

The goals in mind is to help the children share their faith, help others with less, stop rumors and correct thoughts of the orphanage by the children sharing with people of how they live and what they do. We also want to strengthen the children’s faith by having them voice it to others.

We started the first Sunday trip with Melor and Own sharing their favorite verses. Lim and Vuthy shared and answered questions. The group that we visited sang some songs, we prayed together and then went outside for some fun.

Above is Lim and Vuthy sharing.

Nite and Kyo headed back to encourage a few children who where scared to come and play.

We played tug-o-war, jump rope, sack raced, threw Frisbees and played soccer.

On the way home the kids saw a berry tree full of fruit so we stopped for a minute as they raided it. Some kids where not even out of the van yet and the first half was already at the top of the tree eating.

Here Peaktra shows he has been eating the berries.

What I liked most about our Sunday trip was I got to see children I met a long time ago, I have pictures of them 5 years ago. I suppose they stood out to me because they have so many girls in their family and they are all so beautiful. I told Ream I would hate to be their dad with all the stresses that a handful of pretty daughters would bring.

The one boy I met 5 years ago was very clingy and lovable. Just make you want to

keep him and this time the same thing held my have the whole time helping me get Frisbees.

Really wonderful kids in that village I am glad I have had the chance to know them so long.

This grandma can’t stand up straight. This is all she has in life, a broken body and a house with holes in it. I sure would like to help her out a little more than we can.

This grandma is 81 years old. It is really an amazing thing for someone here to live so long, normally if sickness doesn’t kill you a war will.

A negative thing about not speaking Cambodian is the inability for me to hear their stories.

Here are a few pictures of the kids working around the house.

Ly and On picking up leaves.

Own and Ream caring for the baby turkeys.

Melor and Bun Heoun at the pond.

Tee’s taking care of the goat food.

Vicheka, Rosa and Nite are cleaning out the bird pen.

Young is getting pig food.

Ly, Nyng and Wut are out in the field getting grass for the rabbits.

Darow watching the goats. We plan on eating a male this year for Christmas.

Playing games.
The children are wearing out the Stratego game. They play it everyday, every hour even the girls are beginning to play when they can get it away from the boys.

Rumacube has become the second most played game in the house.

Cards and dominos too.

A wonderful couple from Hawaii that we met last September has been sending us wonderful books; the Max Lucado type.
The other day I spotted them in the yard reading. The beautiful pictures in these book have made them very popular with the children to look at and the staff translates them often.

Bun Heoun was quite serious for a while. You can tell she was very responsible at home probably the mother figure. But now she is just one of the children.

After a long dry spell, volley ball is back in action. A lot of our boys have hit puberty this year and are growing tall. The ability to spike or even hit the ball over the net has given them the desire to play more. It good for a while I regretted leaving the space in the yard, I thought I should have put the grass in.
Most of them have turned 15 this year and are a pretty good group of boys. I am glad we have them.