Christmas 2010

We celebrated Christmas 2010 at home as a family.

It was a time to enjoy special treats like shortbread, fruit punch, olives and ice cream.(not together of course). With a few gifts and munchies to be had, lunch, a board game and family movie time, all in all it was a very pleasant day.

It seemed more strange than usual, that we were celebrating Jesus, while so many in this country do not know him. Strange too, to see monks wondering the streets and being given offerings on Christmas morning.

There is a growing awareness in Phnom Penh of Christmas, however this seems to be largely driven by commercialism. Christmas trees, tinsel and santa could be found in malls, but no nativity that I could see.

We look forward to enjoying the rest of our break before launching into semester 2 at school.

We hope that you have all enjoyed a blessed Christmas and have a fruitful new year.

Fiona

Hospital Visits - Chalk and Cheese

The Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital - post water festival tragedy.

In response to the water festival tragedy, our school took up a collection of money to be used to support people who had been injured. Even a few weeks after the tragedy there were many people still in hospital. While the government had promised to cover hospital costs, hospitals do not provide food here, so representatives from our school bought food and water, packed them into parcels, and I went along to aid in the distribution.

Visiting the hospital was shocking. The rooms for patients opened into an outdoor corridor. The patients slept on thin mats on simple cots, sometimes 4 side by side in a small room. There was no sense of hygiene, no toilet facilities obvious, no cooling, no equipment, no nurses station. The above girl was fortunate enough to have a piece of furniture near her, which her family used, as her mother slept in the room also, to look after her. I saw some shocking injuries as we moved from room to room, not all water festival related. I also witnessed very poor standards of care, due to lack of funds.

Royal Rattanak Hospital - Nathan's appendectomy

Within two weeks of visiting the Khmer Soviet Friendship hospital it was necessary to visit yet another hospital. This time with a medical emergency in our own family. Nathan developed appendicitis and upon referral from our family doctor, was admitted to Royal Rattanak hospital where he had immediate tests and then surgery. This hospital, only two years old, is a private hospital for those with medical insurance primarily.

Nathan's was given a private room, with ensuite. There were kitchen facilities (no food provided), and a day bed/sofa (where I slept to look after him). The room had air conditioning, a plasma tv and wifi. Nathan's bed was remote controlled in it's adjustments as in the west. There was a button to summon a nurse from the nurses station.

The room above was the first one they put Nathan in, before transferring him to another similar room. But you can get a good idea of the facilities.

It is now a week since Nathan's surgery, he was in hospital for three nights. He has yet to regain his energy and is glad soccer season is on hold for the Christmas break.

November and December certainly opened my eyes to the plight of our Cambodian neighbours spiritually and physically. Yet I still have so much to learn. I look at the Khmer Soviet Hospital and gasp in horror, there is an immediate shock and disbelief. However the Khmer people have lived with standards even below this for many years and are very resilient. My knee-jerk reactions are not necessarily a good yard stick for action. Khmer personal urgencies/needs may be vastly different than that which I would choose to represent briefly here. That is not to say that the conditions which so much of the community here endure are acceptable. But I do ask for prayer for discernment as to the most pressing needs in my local community and how best to support the work of missions here in my role within my community, church and employment.

Blessings

Fiona.

Water tragedy testimony

Testimonies are emerging as to the graciousness and faithfulness of God and opportunities to the share the gospel.

Revelation 12:11 declares the triumph of our brothers and sisters over the evil one by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony.

Here is a testimony from a dear friend of mine.

(I asked her if I could share what I recalled with you)

Cambodian Harvest.
Marion needed to call a new contact for her organization which operates here in Phnom Penh
She was given the number and dialed it.
Unbeknown to her, she had entered the numbers incorrectly.
A Khmer voice answered, he did not know what she was talking about.
She handed the phone to her Khmer co-worker so he could explain who they were hoping to talk to.
(Still unaware they had dialed the wrong number)
Instead of dialing a new contact she had dialed a moto dop here in Phnom Penh.
"No" he said, he did not know the person they were after nor the organization they were after,
but neither could he ask his wife, for she was in hospital after being crushed on the bridge.
The Khmer worker chatted for some time with the man.
They arranged to go and visit the man's wife in hospital.
They went to the hospital to bless the family and pray for the wife.
When they said Amen the moto dop asked her if they knew Jesus.
Yes my friend replied, before asking if the man and his wife new Jesus. No, they did not know Jesus. Someone had come to their village and showed the Jesus film and so he had heard the word Amen before and thus made the connection.
Marion and her friend were able to share briefly about Jesus and gave the man some Khmer bible tracts.
They also gave the family their contact details so they could contact them if they needed anything or had questions.

What a blessing to hear of God's mercy and grace in the wake of such tragedy.

Please pray for ongoing opportunities for the gospel to be shared Cambodian people.

Water Festival Tragedy Supersititions

The Water Festival Tragedy of Nov 22 taught me more than I could imagine about the religious spirit at work in Cambodia, blinding the Khmer people to the truth of Christ. The Khmer are gravely supersititious and the fear among the people was clearly evident in the week following the tragedy.

Here are some of the supersititions that have circulated associated with the tragedy:

• A comet was seen in the sky 2 or 3 months ago. It was a portent of disaster and some monks said so at the time. The tragedy at Koh Pich was the fulfillment of that prophesy.

• The bridge at Koh Pich was never properly blessed by monks after construction leaving it open to bad luck and mischievous spirits. The tragedy at Koh Pich is the result.

• There was an abnormally orange sky at the time of the tragedy, indicating some higher involvement.

• Monks warned the government 3 days before the Water Festival that there were supernatural signs of impending disaster. The government warned the people to be careful and be on the look-out. They thought that perhaps it would be a bomb or a terrorist attack. When a young boy drowned on the first day of the Water Festival, they thought this was the prophesied ill-event and let down their guard.

• Koh Pich means Diamond Island. The island is like a giant diamond. It is too big. Giants eat people. The deaths on the bridge were, in a metaphorical sense, this giant diamond eating people.

• Phnom Penh is now overwhelmed with spirits of the recent dead, wandering the edges of the city, many lost and unsure where to go. Children are in particular danger of possession by these spirits and should not be allowed outside after dark. In fact, due to these spirits, it is unwise for anybody to go out after dark.

• Koh Pich (Diamond Island) is a name like Koh Dach. Dach is close to the word and phrase 'dach dong heurm' which means 'to not breath' or 'to be unable to breath,' which is what happened to the people who died on the bridge.

• People must assemble special offerings to display in front of their house. The offering should include bananas, salt, rice, water, incense and other ingredients. Some say there must be 7 items in the collection. Some suggest there should be some sort of blood offering included, presumably to satiate the tiger. (This is the year of the tiger.)

Indeed the price of bananas rose from about 60c as kilo to $7.50 a kilo, a regular puchase on Thursdays, it was not to be that week.

Please pray that the Khmer people can be freed from the strongholds of superstition.

Blessings

Fiona

Water Festival Tragedy - updated

Many of you may have already heard about the tragedy that occurred on the night of 22th November 2010 with the deaths of 347 Cambodians and hundreds more injured. ( The death toll was revised down from 456 to 347 on Thur 25th)

During the last evening of Water Festival many people were killed in what appears to have been a stampede on a walking bridge possibly caused by panic about the stability of the bridge when it became overloaded. Apparently there were 7 or 8 thousand on the bridge with a million in the area during an evening music festival.

At this stage we do not appear to have had any of our fellow staff or their families caught up in this tragedy. Though one of our previous staff members was on site and assisting the Red Cross on the night and is likely to have been affected emotionally as she assisted the injured. Please pray for her as she grieves and processes the situation.

On Saturday 20th we did go as a family to watch the boat racing on the river. This was a time of conflicting cultures as we first sat upstairs in the Kiwi Bakery (overlooking the river and racing) enjoying fellowship and food with a few fellow staff from school. We also wondered the Riverside amongst thousands of Khmer and Tourists, and found ourselves sitting like kings and queens (well special guests) under a marquee.

The organisation and security of the days events seemed effective. There were roads closed and patrolled to allow more public thoroughfares and a big police presence on the promenade. To enter the foreign visitor seating area we had to walk through a metal detector booth. Fiona was carrying her camera with her largest lens attached. She was stopped and had her gear checked. She even had to take a photo and show the security official so he could be sure it was a camera and not a weapon.

This little girl was playing on some concrete stairs that lead to the water while her mother collected recycling along the waterfront to earn money. It was a hot day, so we bought her a bottle of cold water from a passing vendor.

Whenever her mother returned she tried to cover the girl with the cloth to keep the sun off her, but she would continue to skip and play once she had gone again.

Please pray for the many families affected by this huge tragedy. There seems to be an air of

disbelief about the people today. At this stage I am unsure about the specific needs of the Country, however pray that appropriate support will be offered by the Government and also by other countries able to assist.

On a brighter note we are on holiday for the rest of this week returning to work Monday next week. This is a week of much needed rest after a 14 week term with only a few days break to celebrate the Kings Birthday.

Graham and Fiona

Photos from my phone

I have been meaning to upload some photos that I have taken on my phone as I wonder out and about.

A simple procedure of bluetoothing to my PC, shrinking in size and posting...

But a time consuming process because when I have internet access I usually don't have bluetooth available and vice versa.

Anyway I have achieved my outcome. So here is an odd collection of photos from life in Phnom Penh.

Heading to School ( Don't you love our "Front Door").

Nathan Heading Home from School during flash flooding.

Our School during flash flooding.

One way to keep dry when it rains.

(The traffic is slow - the speed limit is 40kmphr but not reached often especially during peak hour)

I just thought that these two were funny.

Graham's Birthday

It's Graham's birthday today!
Not only is he turning another 40-something, but, turning 40-something for the third time in Cambodia. Milestones such as birthdays are keen reminders that time has not stood still.
While we serve in Cambodia happily, it is with the knowledge that together, yourselves and ourselves, have each sacrificed time together. Earthly time that cannot be recovered. Our nephews and nieces have grown without aunty and uncle time, and so have yours etc.

However the great I AM, who is the same today, yesterday and forever, is bigger than the thousands of miles between us. If we had not left family, friends and home to serve in Cambodia, then we would not be in the centre of God's Will for us at this time in our lives.
The incredible sense of purpose here, the ministry opportunities and the gifting that God has given each member of our family have all worked together for good, an eternal good.

So thank you all for your sacrifice, your patience and your support. We really value your friendship. We are currently due to go home in June / July, however we are not certain that God has finished with us here just yet? So please pray for our future, that we would clearly hear what God's plan is for us and for the financial where-with-all to undertake His plans, wherever that might be. God usually speaks to me in dreams. I have had many while we have been in Cambodia. Dreams that entertain our role here but also our calling since before we were married to accommodate christian workers on holidays/furlough. Please pray for confirmation in the weeks and months to come.

I wish I could explain just how much we have learned here, about God, ourselves, human society. Being in Cambodia has certainly broadened our horizons, deepened our faith, filled our hearts with compassion and mind with possibilities. I encourage you, if you think that God is calling you to serve overseas for a time, to seek confirmation and trust him to carry you through. It seemed such a big decision back home, but now we are here, we realise that it was easier than we thought. We praise God that we did not just put the idea ignorantly in the too hard basket and miss this life-changing opportunity. How to share God's work in our lives and in Cambodia, with yourselves, our all important support from home, is something that I have yet to master. But please know, that without your support, we could not continue to serve here.

As Gray's birthday meets it's half way mark, it is time to stop reflecting and to instead share lunch with Gray and our year 7 pastoral class (who wanted to have a party for him..awwh this age is still so cute!)

Blessings
Fiona

Via Facebook to BlogSpot

School reports, Nathan's Birthday, Flooding in Phnom Penh.

I have commented on some of these things on Facebook, so I thought I would move some of those comments across to here and maybe expand somewhat.

I am not naturally the most excited fan of facebook, but it is quick and easy, and people do respond to my comments regularly. Our blog post however.. well it only has 3 people listed as followers, and I can't remember the last time someone posted a comment, so forgive me for being discouraged, even slack.

BUSY LIVING
Facebook OCT 5.
Have to finish mid semester reports, work on Building Hope logo, modify photos for website, few classes to deliver, couple of clubs to run. Almost at the top of the hill! Then relaxation at Elephant Blanc for two nights with family, a pool, a bible and journal, iced coffee and finally wake up to Nathan's 12th birthday on Saturday.
An exciting week unfolding, hope i don't run out of steam too soon.

- Well we made it through the week and had a lovely time at Elephant Blanc. It is only 7km away, but makes you feel like you are a million miles away. It has a shapely pool, wifi, restaurant and pool table. The rooms are $25 a night though an extra $5 each for the kids. Imagine that in Australia!!! But it does bring home to me how important our dream of having a mission guest house is. When you are in ministry full time a break is so necessary..yet so out of financial reach. $35 might not sound like much, but by the time we stayed for two nights, and shared meals, there went most of my monthly wage. Thankfully Graham earns quite a bit more than I do. As for our gift for Nathan. Well he enjoyed a jar of olives and a stick of pepperoni. Two treats that are too expensive to buy in Cambodia...so an excellent surprise for a birthday. He has been rationing these out carefully. We also bought him an alarm clock...he has hit puberty and now understands sleeping in, whereas before he was bright as a button at 6am every morning.

FLOODING
Facebook Oct 12.
We came home to a flooded top floor, for the fourth time in two years. The balcony drain couldn't keep up with the rain. It had also soaked down into our bedroom. Once again the whole family chipped in for an afternoon of mopping

- The flooding is the worst I have seen it. We have been so fortunate that our house is raised slightly. Phnom Penh is so very flat.. I must admit that we took it all of as a bit of a novelty. But the next day it was all to clear that our neighborhood had suffered. We have seen people with flooded houses unable to bail water out because the whole neighborhood is below water. Then I heard from a friend the story of one of her Khmer staff, so I posted this on October 17.

Facebook Oct 17.
Well imagine your neighborhood is flooded. Your own dwelling has water up to the base of the slats on which you and your family all sleep on the same mat. You go to bed with fear for your 18 month old. Concerned that the water will rise during the night. Or that in the darkness your child will climb off the bed into the water.

POVERTY
Facebook OCT 16.
I cradled the most beautiful though tiny and malnourished infant yesterday and her heart still hurts today.

- My class and I have been considering hunger and poverty in our Christian Perspective class. It has really been a profound week in this respect for me, as I consider the hunger and poverty that has been so confronting to us here in Cambodia. I shared some of the discussion with Naomi and Nathan. Which too, was powerful. Then on Friday a friend - who rescues neglected and abandoned children, introduced me to a little 7 month old boy. I cradled this boy, who looked more like a 1 or 2 month old, in my arms for so long. He was so weak that he could not hold up his own head. He was upset, so I gently massaged his head and sang him a song I wrote for Naomi and Nathan at that age. He settled in my arms and my heart was wrenched within me. I wish I could show you a photo, he was indeed the sweetest little baby you could ever see. But privacy policy prevents me...and understandably so.

Please pray for the wet, the hungry and the impoverished.

Blessings

Fiona

FLAG Week 2010

One of the highlights of our school week is FLAGWeek.

To me it is a bit like summer camp meets school day. We get speakers into the school to give talks to the High School students each morning (or afternoon for Junior School). I merrily went along and joined the organising committee and participated in planning the worship and designing this years banner. I have attached a copy of it here. The banners is 2metres high by 1.1 wide. I designed it full size on my computer for maximum quality when they printed it on the vinyl. The lower picture is of it on the wall and of our guest speaker.

We didn't show him the banner before he came, so it came as a lovely surprise to see he used similar imagery in his presentation.

Please pray that as the students are challenged about their walk with Christ and they may make positive steps in their faith.

Fiona

Home sweet Khmai Home

I guess some of you may have wondered as some time what our living conditions are like in Cambodia. Well they are reasonable. We live in a tall narrow town house (called a ptaya lavan in Khmai), the bottom floor hosts a kitchen, toilet(which just fits a washing machine) and a loungeroom. Here are a couple of pics.

Kitchen

We cook on a gas two burner stove, have a small electric oven and use 'ant' cupboards for our food and for our silverware and china (hmmm I mean cutlery and plates).

Our kitchen is larger than most I have seen in other similar dwellings.

Loungeroom

Most of our furniture is cane, which I am not overly fond of,

(but which I have grown to appreciate because it is a renewable source).

It may look modest to you, or maybe it looks flash, however compared to the neighbours who run the recyling depo and live in a two room house, it is luxury.

We thank God for a comfortable place to live!

Aji children

We live next to an Aji Depo ( a recycling depo ). The Aji of the neighbourhood - those who collect cardboard, cans and bottles, push their finds in wooden carts to the depot and exchange their lot for money to buy food.

Small children are often involved in the process, either collecting items themselves, or tagging along with a parent - usually a mother. While the parent sorts and sells their items we end up, invariably, with an array of small children playing on the 'car park'size space outside our door. This could be at any time of the day. Sometimes the parents wash their children under our front tap ( in their own home they may not have running water).

Inevitably their depo visit coincides with us being home. Then beautiful little scruffy children push their nose up to the glass in our door, gaze inside and call hello. We have come to recognise a faithful band of about 6 children who accompany a parent and then play outside our door. We see them about once a fortnight, usually not together, but sometimes they all happen to be visiting the depo at the same time. One of us might then rummage through the panty for some crackers and head outside and join the children. Giving them a treat, chatting and then pop back inside.

Yesterday I gave these two little girls (the younger able to stand, but not walk) a Vietnamese pancake each (part of our dinner). A more significant treat than usual, and most welcome.

Although I do not usually see the parents, I have come to recognise some of them. At such times we have given them a treat too.

I was hesitant when we first gave a treat here or there, presuming we would end up with a steady stream of children at our door. But this has not happened.

These children would be amongst the poorest of the poor in Phnom Penh. There would be days that they go without food. I don't know what impact we are having in their lives, But God does know, and will continue to work out His Will through us, in such seemingly small acts of kindness.

Please pray for these children. Pray that God will have touched them through our care and that this might be the catalyst for seeking Him in the future.

Fiona

Random day at school

Hope School is settling down into the new school year with a delightful sense of Christian community, good work ethic, and the odd random fun event.

Today is "Wear something on your head day"...just because... So here I am with my bee and flowers.

It is great that in this small community that the influence of peers is so encouraging. With the simple lifestyle here, little things can be a cause to celebrate and unite us rather than divide. Creative expression is encouraged, not teased. I thank God that my children are growing up in Hope School and coming to a sense of who they are in Christ so naturally and freely. Graham and I are blessed to be here, to be able to be ourselves and know we are appreciated for we bring to the school.

Fiona

Hope School art class - with a difference

Although there is a lot we do not have in Cambodia, there are some pretty unique opportunities that are not commonly found in western nations. Mrs Rachel Saunders organised for a tuk tuk to come into school so the children could draw it in art class. Here we have the year 7 and year 1 class working on drawings. Just imagine the world these children are growing up in and the impact this will have on their faith and sense of purpose.

Our visit to Australia

What would it be like being in Australia after 2 years abroad?

• would I be so glad to be back in Australia that I would be disappointed that we had signed up for another season in Cambodia?
• would I be too critical of western materialism and compare everything to Cambodia.
• would I just be confused the whole time.
• would everyone lives have moved on so quickly that we meant little to them anymore?

It might sound weird, but I was worried about coming home to Australia. It was a new experience and I had nothing to compare it too. So I decided not to think about it. Just to plan a few things and see how these unfolded. That waiting time was hard because I was very anxious.

So what is it like to visit your home country after two years.

Well it was a holiday. A fabulous holiday where we met up with family and over a hundred friends. A time to share our story with family and friends and a couple of churches. A time to relax with God, to read new books and drink nice coffee.

Nathan, Naomi and my Dad waiting for the ferry.

I did plenty of reflecting on God's call and came to realise that I had not returned home, so much as visited Australia. Cambodia was home, for now, and that that was okay. This time was an end in itself, not just a means to an end. I could allow myself to enjoy Australia and not feel bitter about having to leave it again, nor angry that it was so comparatively expensive and inward focussed.

It was indeed much easier to leave Australia the second time than the first. The great unknown of two years prior, was no longer unknown. I knew I would make it through and that Mum and Dad would too.

The kids and I did however, have to leave Graham behind for a few weeks, while he finished some university obligations. But that separation too, is something that, with all of Graham's camp work away from home in 2007/8, we had experienced before and knew we could make through again.

So thank you everyone for a remarkable time in Australia. We would have liked to have caught up with even more special people if we had had the time. Just as being in Cambodia has been a precious time of growth for each of us spiritually and personally, so returning to Australia was a time of growth. A time that, before I visited, I never appreciated would be so formative also.

Please pray for our second term in Cambodia. I know this is where we are called to be, as strange as that sounds, even to me when I say it sometimes.

God Bless

Love Fiona

Local Traffic

The road we live on would only be about 6 metres wide. Just enough room one would think, to get a 4 metre gate down on the back of a 3 foot trailer towed by a motor bike.

The traffic jam that ensued should have been a clue that, perhaps they did not pick the best time of day to attempt this though.

I am not sure why they did not come up with the second solution earlier..

The gate did have wheels on it.. and as such could be considered a vehicle in it's own right.

lol

Being a pedestrian or on a push bike is sometimes the fastest way to get around.

Cheers

Fiona

The April School Holidays

In case you didn't know, this is the HOT dry season. So when April school holidays came around, we headed North... away from the equator.

Graham's brother Martin, and his wife Fran came to visit from Australia. Fran has a brother in Lao, so this seemed the logical place to head for. To the right is a photo of Naomi and Amy. Amy is Fran's brother's daughter, ie Naomi's Cousin's Cousin.

Lao is a beautiful and affordable country to visit. The mountains and limestone karsts in the North seem endless. The people are friendly and hospitable.

As we drove slowly on long windy mountain roads through small thatch and mud walled villages I pictured myself living amongst the locals and sharing the gospel and found myself praying for the villages. But the reality is that Lao is a closed country, closed to Christianity that is. Christians are often persecuted in Lao, imprisoned or forced from their homes. How difficult it must be to be a Christian in Lao. We have so much freedom in Cambodia to praise the Lord, I wonder how we would cope if Cambodia too was closed?

Breakfast Cereal

Cereal, something that we took for granted in Australia. But unfortunately not here in Cambodia. When a small box of Special K is $6.80, well, you just don't buy it.

Our cereal of choice is Weet-Bix. The 1 kilo box has 68 'biscuits' in it, rationed to 2 per child and 2.5 per adult a day, a whole box 'should' last a week.

So what's the problem, sourcing it! It is rarely to be found. Never in the main supermarket at all, only in the international ones on the other side of the city. Further there is no consistency in price. A kilo may be $7 one month and then out of stock till 4 months later when it is $4.90.

Needless to say, die hard Aussie's stock up! as you can well see.

You might think it odd to have a blog on breakfast cereal, but that may only be, perhaps, because it is something that you too, have come to take for granted.

Hehe

Fiona

Our Cambodian Journey will Continue.

Cambodia: hot, dusty, smelly, noisy, dirty and busy yet in some respects..home - if home is defined as where God has called you to be at a particular point in time. We did not anticipate as we embarked upon this journey to teach at Hope School for two years, that the path may take a longer than this time-frame to tread. But here we are almost two years down the track, considering the future and we realise that God 'aint' finished with us here just yet.

We will return to Australia for a break between Mid June and August, and then return to Cambodia for the 2010/2011 school year, with a 'final' return to Australia in June 2011.

Naomi and Nathan are so excited, they enjoy the simple life in Cambodia, although it does mean very simple at times. While we do have a television, we do not have the internet at home, nor a dishwasher, microwave oven, food processor (or coffee machine). There are no local grass playing fields, playgrounds, cinema's or attractions to visit. though we do have a local pool. They have become used to simple meals and having to wait for us to afford things."All of which will do them well" I can hear you say. They adore the school here and have many friends who live not too far away. They have developed a deep appreciation for activities such as playing board games, reading, creative arts and playing music.

We will continue to support the mission field in Cambodia through our teaching with Hope International School. (Our school serves families from over 25 countries in their work for the Lord here in Cambodia.) We also will continue our direct involvement through our church's various projects, such as the rubbish dump ministry.

Thank you for your ongoing prayers. Cambodia is a dark country and does present supernatural challenges at times for the believer. It is a reminder to us also, to continue to pray for you. We do hear of some amazing testimonies, and this is a blessing that motivates us all.

I hope to continue to keep you somewhat up to date with life in Cambodia through our blog. We look forward to catching up with many of you in July this year and also welcome you to visit and stay with us in Phnom Penh.

God Bless

Fiona

School Camp - Naomi and Fiona

A couple of weeks ago we held our school camps. The junior students went to a place called Kirriom, Year 8 and 9 to Koh Kong and year 10 and above to Kep. ( Not that those place names mean anything to you.) However it did mean that Naomi and I were on camp together. We even had to share a room, as there were not enough rooms otherwise. Thankfully she was not perturbed by this in the slightest.

I directed this particular camp, which was masses upon masses of work... and that was after Graham (the camps coordinator) had set up the basic outline of the dates and made contact with the venues and service providers. It is very hard to find venues that will fit 40 people, and then even more difficult to afford them. The process involves going around in circles enough times to make you motion sick as you haggle, explain and querying over rooms, water quality, food, transport.... etc etc.

On our camp we visited a small safari world, waterfall, mangroves and the beach. I had organised a sand sculpture competition. In groups the students worked for over an hour on their designs. Naomi's group produced one of the finest entries I have ever seen. And the picture of this is below.

Camp is an important part of Hope School, it strengthens the school community and also gives students opportunities to undertake activities that they do not have access to, or could not usually afford. I really enjoyed seeing many students excited about seeing dolphins for the first time during our visit to the Koh Kong Safari World.

Fiona

Sports Carnival- Hope Style

Our annual Sports Carnival recently. It was an interesting day as land large enough to hold a carnival on is hard to find so we had to travel 40minutes away to an outlying Technical College.

Naomi and Nathan both did very well. Me, I was the photographer for the day and Graham helped organise the carnival and provided first aid.

It was an incredibly hot day, so we started the carnival at 7;30am and finished at lunch time.

This was a good opportunity for the school population to mix with our home school unit and together compete for their house colour in a range of usual and unusual events. It brings to focus the need for missionaries to know there are practical, quality and affordable options for their children's education in this country and the role of Hope School in addressing this need.

Please pray for the various missionary children living throughout Cambodia making sense of the world in a very different environment to their home countries....and as far as I have observed, almost without exception absolutely loving it!

Fiona

I feel like I have come full circle

In 2006 Graham and I came with Nowra Anglican College to Cambodia to undertake housebuilding with the Tabitha Foundation. While we were visiting the floating villages near Siem Reap on the Ton Le Sap we took many photos of the people begging. At this particular time I took one of my favourite ever photos, one that impacted me then and continues to now. That of the above woman begging with her two children.

We had her picture as our desktop background for the two years before we came back to Cambodia. I often wondered who she was, if her children were still alive and so on. I searched other peoples online photo posts from the area to see if I could identify her in other peoples photos.

Since living in Cambodia I have returned to Siem Reap 3 times. The first two times I revisited the floating villages I did not see her, but did wonder after her. So in January when I took Sarah (my niece) to Siem Reap, I also took along the photo of her. When we reached the floating souvenir shop / crocodile farm I showed a few people her picture. Most of the people I asked knew her, but could just say that she was Vietnamese and very poor, no more about her. Then yes one of the begger boys in a tub knew her well, he would go and get her for me... and he did.

We chatted for about half an hour, in Khmai, (which she and I both speak a little of) and with an interpreter. I blessed her in the name of Jesus, gave her a gift, and thanked her before we left. She may never understand what she meant to me, and I may never understand what she was thinking of a woman with a photo of her, asking after her, blessing her, meant to her. But I did get a sense that I have come full circle and that both of us have been blessed from meeting each other in a unique way.

The child on the right of her is the girl who was in her arms in the original photo. Her older son was not with her, nor her husband. The baby is her third child. The boys in the back are onlookers.

Operation Christmas Child

For all of you who have ever packed a shoe box for operation Christmas child you can imagine how surreal it would be to be on the other end of the process watching children being allocated boxes.

We attended a Khmer Church at Christmas time, the service was completely in Khmai so it was not easy to follow. But the fellowship was warm and we enjoyed a shared meal afterwards. The evening concluded with Operation Christmas Child Boxes being given to the children.

I knew that Samaritan's Purse (who developed the program) are here in Cambodia and know one of the families who work with them, but had not asked to be involved in the presenting of boxes.

From what I have heard expat participation is not overly advised as the giving of boxes is not about making the giver feel good, but about the children who receive the gifts.

However we did happen to be at the church on this occasion as boxes from Australia were distributed to children and were excited to see the childrens faces light up.