#43 - The Unexpected

This week, Cambodia is celebrating one of their most important festival, Pchum Ben. Traditionally, it is a 15-day festival and they spent this time to remember and pay respects to deceased relatives. Although all our students are Christians and do not observe the Buddhist’s religious act, they all returned to their hometown to be with their families.

We also had 3 days of public holidays this week so we, including Gryphon and Joelle, took this unique opportunity to travel to their hometown and visited each of the students in their homes.  The students were happy and “worry” at the same time when we told them we are going to visit each of them at their homes and meet their parents.  Gryphon and Joelle were very excited for the trip as we told them we will be going to see the students’ home and farm and we stayed in a “Khmer chalet” (wooden house) with no air-con and no private bathroom.

It took us 4.5hours to get there due to the holiday traffic
and extremely bad road conditions

HEAD-ON COLLISION -- A white van is coming straight at us on the highway.
This is part of the main highway from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
and have been under construction for the last 2-3 years and it never ends.  

Sand Storm -- Very dusty, rocky and uneven road almost the entire road
from Phnom Penh to our students' hometown.  Imagine if you are riding on a motorcycle.

Scene on the way (notice the sandy road -- it is actually a highway)

Scene on the way

Scene on the way

The day before the trip, our 9 years old car suddenly overheated.  We immediately brought it to the garage, hoping it is an isolated incident.  They realized the coolant is mixing with the engine oil (see the pinkish jelly substances in photo) and the engine gasket needs to be replaced.  They explained to us it is a 2-3 days job and all the workers were getting ready to leave the next morning so the repair cannot be done until after the holiday.  So we reluctantly told our dorm leader that we needed to cancel the trip.  It was a great disappointment.  After a few hours of struggle, disappointment and prayers, a Pastor and a good friend offered their cars and drivers to give me a ride to the province and return to the city. Praise God for He knows what’s best!!  If our car did not break down the day before the trip, it would be disastrous to overheat on our way and waiting for help in the middle of nowhere with two children in the car.

Fruitful trip --- We got to meet all of our students’ families and see their homes and the environment they grow up in.  It helps us understand our students' background and worldview.   We also had a fellowship meeting with some of the high-school graduates who are hoping to come to Phnom Penh for universities.  We attended the Sunday service at two churches and meet their church members especially a lot of the youth. The trip is tough because the road condition was extremely bad and it took us 4.5hours to get there and 3 hours to return.

This pig lives under one of our students' house

One of the student's family and house (the pig is behind us)

Another student's family.  Grandma (sitting in the middle) has become blind recently.

Worship at a village church

Visited one of the satellite churches of the main church.

Children attending Sunday worship

All of us were standing and singing praises together 

Several youth are presenting a worship song with a few traditional dance move for the festival.

Pastor Kea is encouraging the believers to stand firm, be bold and faithful.

This is a typical village church (no door no windows)

A small house where the church leader lives along with about 6 boys
who are either orphans or lives far away from any school and church.
The red color roof building is where they have worship and English classes.

Talking to the church leader who is responsible for this satellite church and the boys living there.

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Main Church

The main church building, which is recently completed.

This is an open area behind the main church building where they host English class during the week
and various fellowship and Sunday schools.

Although it maybe ill-equipped in our eyes, the church uses it for daily English classes,
Sunday school for children & youth and many other fellowship activities. 

The church only has funding to build wall around half of the church land.
They are praying for more funding to complete it.

Meeting with high-school graduates from the main church

Meeting with high school students from the village

Introduce the discipleship program in Phnom Penh

Prayer Requests:
1. Scholarship fund is needed for potential high-school graduates to have a chance to attend university
2. God’s presence to be with us every day as we teach and share God's word with the students and we do not fall into the temptation to rely on ourselves but rely on God alone. 
3. Holy Spirit to guide us daily when we disciple and care for these young Christian university students in our dorm
4. Our family's health and safety in Cambodia

Thank you for your prayers and support!

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