Saying goodbye March 12, 2010

Well, tonight is our last night in the “Kingdom of Wonder.”  Tomorrow afternoon (Friday) we start our long day of traveling – we are scheduled to arrive back in NZ late Saturday night (after layovers in Kuala Lumpur and the Australian Gold Coast).

As we say goodbye to Cambodia tomorrow, we also say goodbye to Seang, our Cambodian outreach leader who has become a very good friend to each of us.  Because he holds a Cambodian passport, he was unable to get a visa to return to New Zealand  for the last week of DTS.    This goodbye is going to hurt – please pray for God to give each of us strength and joy as we pass through tomorrow into the next step.

Finishing up outreach March 6, 2010

I’m writing this on the afternoon of Thursday, March 4, sitting on the upstairs porch of a house in the city of Banlung in Rattanakiri province.  After just over two months in Cambodia, our outreach ministry time is finished.  Tomorrow we’ll take the 10-hour van ride to Phnom Penh, and the next day we’ll leave for Sihanoukville, where we’ll spend our 5-day debrief time before heading back to New Zealand.

The last two weeks have been a dramatic change from our time in Battambang.  We arrived in Rattanakiri province on Sunday, February 21, and our two-ish weeks here have been alternating between relaxing and intense.  The first couple of days, we spent most of our time getting acquainted with our host, Bi, a missionary from Thailand, as well as Gordon, a missionary from Australia, who has been doing relief work with NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) in the area.  The two of them have been working on a project that helps villages of indigenous people start dry-season gardens – this is to help the people recover from a flood that wiped out their whole rice crop.  Our task here was to interview the people involved with the project and write up a report.

For three days and two nights of our first week here we stayed in Kate Village, a remote village about an hour-and-a-half drive from Banlung.  While we were there, we interviewed leaders from Kate, as well as two other nearby villages and visited their gardens.  In each interview, we had to go through two different translators (English to Khmer, and Khmer to the local language).  We stayed in the home of one of the Christian families (there were two or three Christian families of the 23 families in Kate).  We got a small taste of village life – we slept under mosquito nets on woven plastic mats on the wooden floor of the house, which was raised up over the open kitchen area below (you could look down and see the kitchen through the spaces between the floor slats).  Our “bathroom” was the area around the outside of the village, among bushes, trees, pigs, and chickens.  We bathed in the river and drank boiled river water when the drinking water we brought with us ran out.  We had electricity for approximately two hours each night, and only because we brought diesel for the generator owned by one of the neighbors.  It was intense.  I can’t say I enjoyed every bit of the time, but looking back on it I’m thankful for the opportunity to experience life in such a different way.  It was very interesting talking to the villagers and learning about their way of life, not just by hearing about it but also by seeing, feeling, smelling and tasting it.

We’ve been staying in Bi’s house in Banlung the rest of our time here.  It’s a cute little house with an upstairs porch area that we spend most of our time on.  Bi cooks for us and there is even a washing machine for our laundry – a treat we haven’t had in a very long time!  The windows don’t have screens, so we sleep under mosquito nets.  It’s blazing hot during the day, but it cools down at night so most of us sleep pretty comfortably.  The scenery around the house is beautiful – rolling hills mostly covered in trees.  I love looking up from my morning devotions to such a beautiful view.

After we arrived “home” (Bi’s house) from the village last weekend, we had a free day (during which I tried to get on the internet, but was unsuccessful in the attempt because the electricity was out in the whole city) and then spent the next couple of days working on the report, spending time in prayer, and relaxing.  On Monday, Anna, Seang and I put in a drip line at the house of a man who lives nearby, and on Tuesday morning a group of us went to another village to observe a garden there.  Wednesday we had a fun day visiting the sights of Rattanakiri – we saw two beautiful waterfalls in the morning and spent the afternoon at a lake that formed where a volcano used to be.

Today (Thursday) we had intercession for Bi and Gordon, tied up loose ends with our report writing, and got all packed up for tomorrow – we leave at 6 am.  I’m looking forward to some much-needed relaxing on the beaches of Sihanoukville.  We have a lot to process from the last two and a half months of outreach in Bali and Cambodia, and a lot to celebrate as well.  God is at work in Southeast Asia.  We’ve seen it, and we’ve even had the privilege of joining in for a season.  I just can’t believe we’ve come to the end of this time.

Short break February 20, 2010

This has been a busy week of traveling and goodbyes and sight-seeing and, of course, lots of love.

Our week started on Sunday – Valentine’s Day – with a special treat from the two guys on our team.  They surprised us girls with muesli, milk, fruit, and roses for each of us on Valentine’s Day morning.  It was really sweet.  Later that day we said our final goodbyes at the Youth Center party.  Several of the students made valentines for several of us, which was pretty special.  We finished our work at the orphanage and said tearful goodbyes there, as well, this week.

We left Battambang on Wednesday morning and headed for Siem Reap for a short break before Rattanakiri.  We rode on a nice, air-conditioned bus and stayed in a guest house that had nice, air-conditioned rooms for two nights.  We watched the sun rise over Angkor Wat and saw lots and lots of foreigners.  The touristy atmosphere of Siem Reap was quite the contrast to Battambang.  I found it strange.

Yesterday we left Siem Reap and arrived in Phnom Penh.  We’ll stay here in Phnom Penh (no air conditioning in this guest house – that was a short-lived treat) for one more night and then we’ll make the 10-hour trip to Rattanakiri tomorrow.  We don’t have all our ministries set up yet, so please pray for direction there.

I’m thankful to have had the short break before our next stop.  Please keep our team in your prayers as we have yet another new beginning.

Saying Goodbye in Battambang February 13, 2010

This has been an exhausting week, mentally and physically. The weather just keeps getting hotter and we’ve been working hard to finish the projects we’ve started.  We’re preparing to move on to Rattanakiri, which means saying goodbye to our friends in Battambang.

On Sunday we had a great time at the orphanage church. I gave the message about the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), then we planted seeds with the kids in bags of good soil, which we’ll transplant into their garden once we’ve finished all the preparations.

Monday we went to the YWAM base for worship, then the work began. We’re planning to build a water tank there, so we had to dig a trench for the pipe connecting the tank to the Rus pump we’ll have in the pond, and finish building the base for the tank. We got more help from our Philippino friend Regie with mixing the concrete – his help and advice on technique was very useful. On Monday evening Barbara – the lady who actually lives in the house we’re staying in – arrived from her vacation at home in the US.  It’s been nice getting to know her this week.

On Tuesday we had apples for breakfast, which was very exciting. Most of us hadn’t eaten apples since we left New Zealand … we used up almost a whole container of peanut butter that morning! The non-Americans on our team like to laugh at our obsession with peanut butter. We had more HOT work at the orphanage in the morning. It’s really cool how the children greet us when they get home from school – each of them comes up to each of us and greets us in a very respectful, traditional way. They are so very polite and sweet.

I did a devotion on Tuesday afternoon using the proof of the Pythagorean Theorem! It was so fun for me – especially since I got to use my compass (yes, I brought a compass) to help draw the triangles. I talked about how the trick to the proof is looking at a figure in two different ways, and using those two ways to look at the same thing to derive this really important formula. I tied in some scripture about many parts in the one body of Christ and loving each other and working together (1 Cor 12: 12-20, Col 3:12-14, John 13:34-35).

Our group split up on Wednesday – some did some prep work for our big Thursday at the orphanage, and the rest went to the YWAM base where we got the tank and pipes set up and part of Rus pump all ready.

Thursday was a hot, memorable day. Our friends, the team from the Philippines, joined us in our work at the orphanage – what a blessing!!  We were working on leveling the giant pile of dirt (yes, we’re still working on that) when some of the people digging found a snake … but not just any snake – a cobra that was about a meter long! About half of us ran in terror and the other half stood there staring in shock. But praise the Lord for Seang – the only one who came running toward the snake.  He came to our rescue and killed the thing, which the kids later cooked and ate.  It’s times like these when it really hits me that I’m not in Kansas anymore.

Thursday afternoon we put on a kids carnival at orphanage – we had party hat making, fingernail painting, game playing, a fish pond, musical lily pads, pin the tail on the scorpion – an exhausting afternoon after an exhausting morning … but quite fun.

On Friday I woke up exhausted and not at all ready for the day, but God spoke to me through a scripture:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

Armed with my new refreshment from the Lord, I went with half of the team to the orphanage (the other half went to the YWAM base).  That day, God gave us supernatural strength and joy – we worked really hard, and by the time we left the fence was almost finished and the ground was level. The kids and the pastor were still working on the fence, but they were making fast progress and seemed to be pretty excited about it. We’ll be all ready to start spreading manure and planting next time we go, and maybe get a water tank built, too.

We started saying goodbye to our friends at the Youth Center Friday afternoon – this was the last time we’d attend classes there.  Kunthea, the teacher in the first class that Anna and I attend, gave Anna and me a big bag of green bananas from her house to thank us for helping out in the class.  It was so sweet of her – we were really touched.  It wasn’t quite a final goodbye, because we’ll see the staff and hopefully lots of the students at the Youth Center party on Sunday.

We heard from Rus and Made in Bali, and they said that the people in the villages are still talking about the Christmas play we performed there.  That was pretty exciting to hear.  We’ve also gotten word from the rest of our Oxford family – the backpackers are back in New Zealand about to have their DTS graduation.  We’re quite proud of them, but sad that we can’t all be together for graduation.

So next week we’re off to Siem Reap for a couple of days, Phnom Penh for a night, then Rattanikiri for the next two weeks.  We’re sad to leave the new friends we’ve made, but excited about the next leg of our trip.

I read another scripture this morning that came at just the right time.  I hope you can also find encouragement in this -

“May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.
Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
O Lord, save the king!
Answer us when we call!”
Psalm 20

Hot days, hard work, good times February 6, 2010

This has been a week of early mornings. It’s my week to help buy and set up breakfast so I’ve been getting up around 5:30 every morning to try to get my quiet time with the Lord in before we start our day. We’ve been having early breakfasts and leaving the house as soon as we can to try to get to work before it gets too hot outside … and boy is it hot!

This week we finished preparing the beds for planting and saw some newborn piglets at the orphanage. We prepared the ground, raised beds, set up drip lines, and planted corn and beans at a village called Phnom Kol just outside of Battambang. We also set up drip lines at the garden the Khmer Earth Care students have planted near the YWAM base. We built the foundation for a water tank we’ll build at the YWAM base (with some unexpected help from a guy named Regie who’s here on outreach with a team from the Philippines), and I almost fell in a pond. It’s been a hot, busy week of hard work, but it’s also been really good.

We’ve had lots of nice treats this week, too. The hot weather has made most of us quite keen on running to the shop down the street and around the corner from our house for ice cream any time we have some time to spare for it. Some of the girls have also taken advantage of leftover rice and made delicious banana rice pudding (and they are very sweet to always set some aside for me without bananas) a couple of times this week.

The Blakelys (Rob, Jenny, Rachel, Johanna, Jonathan, and Susie) left on Wednesday morning, and we certainly miss them. They had to go for the good of Rob’s health. We were sad to see them go, but we all respect their decision to do what they need to do as a family. Most of us will see them again when we’re back in New Zealand next month, but it was a sad good-bye because the day they left was the last time during this DTS that our whole outreach team would be together.

Thursday was “God Day” at the youth center and Anna and I shared a little testimony/teaching in the two classes we go to. We talked about hearing from God. We believe that God is already speaking to the students who aren’t Christians and calling them to himself. We told the stories of how we each heard the call from God to come here, and gave the students time to ask questions. They have very good questions. It’s so cool that they are so open to learning about Jesus. The youth center is an amazing place. Several of the teachers used to be students there themselves and came to know Christ during that time.

We have just about a week and a half left in Battambang. We’ll spend a few days in Siem Reap (and probably visit Angkor Wat) and then head on to Rattanakiri (a province in the east of Cambodia) for about two weeks for some more ministry there. After that we have a few days of “debrief” time in Cambodia, then it’s back to NZ. Our time is getting short here. Please pray that we will make good use of our last few weeks of outreach. I would also appreciate your prayers that I would be able to focus on my time here and not dwell on how sad it’s going to be to say good-bye. One more prayer request – I’m sharing in church on Sunday and I don’t have it worked out what to say yet. Please ask God to speak through me and give me the right words at the right time.

I’ve added a link to the Earth Care DTS Team blog. Feel free to visit the page to see updates on things we’ve been doing here from others’ perspectives.

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“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Titus 2:3-5a



Hard at Work January 30, 2010

After weeks of discussions about cow poo, we finally got to use it this week!

We spent most of Monday praying about how to spend the rest of our time here (we only have a few weeks left in Battambang), and Tuesday morning we started putting plans into action. We went to the Four Square orphanage and started moving a mountain of dirt to raise the ground where we plan to help the kids start a garden. We did this by shoveling dirt from the huge pile into small piles on top of sacks, then carrying the sacks (little dirt hammocks, if you will) to drop the dirt where we wanted it. This plot of land currently floods during the rainy season, but I think we’ll have the beds raised enough so that won’t be a problem this year. The soil is not very good, so before we plant anything we’ll use ash to help soften up the dirt, and animal manure to give it some much-needed nutrients. We worked there Tuesday and Thursday morning, and got most of the mountain broken down and moved (and a lot of trash picked out of the dirt). While we worked, the kids taught us Khmer words by pointing at things and saying the words (they taught me the words for trash, banana tree, mango tree, leaf, and candy) and they were also a huge help with the work. We had fun just playing around with them while we all worked – making funny noises together and just being silly at times. It was hard work, but great fun at the same time. We also spent Sunday morning (for church) and part of Thursday afternoon (we do a VBS-style program for the kids once a week) at the orphanage.

Wednesday and Friday morning we went to Seang’s house to finish the work we started there a week or so ago. We got the ground all prepared (which is a huge job, it turns out!) by chopping up the dirt and adding ash and … yup, you guessed it … COW POO! We planted snake beans and corn and morning glory and set up drip lines so the family doesn’t have to use watering cans. The drip lines will be much less work and will use much less water – which is a huge deal in the dry season. We’re pretty excited to see it working.

We went to the Youth Center every afternoon this week to hang out with the students and help out with the English classes. Anna and I have started building some nice relationships in a level 2 class that we go to and really enjoy. The students and teachers are so kind and welcoming. And many of the students are genuinely interested in learning about Jesus, so that’s pretty exciting. We started the week with a party on Sunday afternoon at the Youth Center where we performed our skit to “Where is the Love?” I gave a little talk afterward – I’ve never stood up in front of a group of people like that and “preached the gospel” before.  It was very cool.

Please continue to pray for me and for our whole team. The Blakelys are headed back to New Zealand this week and that’s going to be challenging for everyone – for the family that has to go, and for the rest of us who will miss them a lot. Many of us are also having some trouble hearing from God. Please pray that we will be able to set aside the distractions and focus on why we’re really here – to share the love of God with word and action; to do his will in Cambodia.

Genesis 2:15 – “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

Healthy again! January 23, 2010

Hello friends,

I’m happy to say that all the students in our group are healthy today!  This is the first free day that has happened since we arrived in Battambang!

I had recovered from my stomach issues last weekend by Sunday and was able to join the group at the church service at the Four-Square Orphanage.  Liz gave a great message about God’s love and we got to hang out with the kids after the service was over.  Oddly enough, at one point it turned into a big dance party, something that happened often with our family back in Oxford – I couldn’t help but think, as I danced around with the kids, that the backpackers would have been proud of us.  We also spent Thursday afternoon at the orphanage.  We did a teaching on the Prodigal Son parable (Luke 15:11-32) with a craft and some games.  I think the kids really enjoyed it … we certainly did.

We had more Earth Care teaching with the Khmer Earth Care students (Pisith, Sath, Channoeun, and Lan) in the mornings this week.  We learned about grafting fruit trees and went out to look at several nearby gardens – a very successful one, and some not-so-successful ones.  Thursday we all piled into what was sort of like a giant Tuk Tuk (a cart pulled by a motorcycle) to see some gardens farther away.  There were about 25 of us in all and we must have looked pretty silly all squished into that cart, because we got lots of smiles as we passed by the locals, and at one point there was a group of western-looking tourists who laughed and took pictures of us!

We spent more time at the youth center run by the Battambang YWAM base in the afternoons this week.  I’ve found a couple of classes where I feel like I fit.  I sit in and help the students and the teacher when they need it.  My favorite part this week was standing in front of a level 2 class buzzing like a bee to try to help them say the “z” sound (and differentiate between “z” and “s”).  They laughed at me – go figure – but I think it helped.

I went to the doctor about my persistent cough yesterday and got some medicine – I think it’s helping already.  I’ve already laughed twice today without going into a coughing fit!

Tomorrow we’re going to a party at the youth center and our group is performing a skit that goes along with the song “Where is the Love?” by Black-Eyed Peas.  I’m giving a little talk after it’s over to explain it – please pray for us!

God is doing great work in Cambodia.  I’m so glad to have the opportunity to join in.

Lots of sick people January 16, 2010

Hello!  I have very little time right now, but I wanted to post a quick update.  This week we’ve been having lectures with some Khmer students at the YWAM Battambang base about Earth Care principles.  It’s been really interesting.  Next week we’ll do some practical things (not just lecture, I mean) together.

Our team has also been helping out at YWAM Battambang’s youth center, where they teach free English classes.  Anna and I took a class on “God day” and shared about how we met.  Our main points were that friendship is a gift from God, and while our friendship is great, it’s nothing compared to our friendship with God.  God wants to be our friend and that is so cool.  We’ve been hanging around talking to students on other days, and that’s been fun.

Lots of people on our team have been ill on and off, so please keep us in your prayers.  I had my turn last Sunday, then again last night.  I’m feeling better, but still a little weak.  Regardless of that, I am so glad I’m here.  God is good!

Settled in Battambang January 9, 2010

Hello Everyone!

A very belated “Selmat Naptal & Tahun Barut” to you all!  (That’s Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Indonesian.)  Our team has made it safely to Battambang, Cambodia, and we’re getting settled in and figuring out what our roles will be here.

We spent almost three weeks in Bali, Indonesia, with Rus and Made Alit at BATI (Bali Appropriate Technology Institute).  We had a very refreshing time of learning, serving, and rejuvinating ourselves and each other in a beautiful place.  We helped people in the nearby villages with several projects – carrying rocks up from the river to build a bridge over an eroded part of a road, constructing a large above-ground water storage tank, and carrying sand and other supplies to help with another road project.  It was fun to get to know people a little bit and have a good time, even across the language barrier.

On Christmas Eve we went to a western-style carol service in the large city of Denpassar.  We had a team celebration on Christmas day with food, music, games, and a secret-santa gift exchange of hand-crafted gifts.  The day after Christmas (the evening of Christmas day in Kansas) we went to a Christian Balinese village on the west coast of Bali and joined a church service during which 29 people were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ – very cool!

On New Year’s Eve we performed a Christmas play for people from the villages near BATI.  It was part of a Christmas service that Rus and Made hosted – few of the attendees were Christians, but I think everyone had a good time and I think they enjoyed our play.  They especially enjoyed that we had a Balinese baby to play baby Jesus, if you can judge by the camera flashes and exclamations of “aaaw!” coming from the audience when we brought him out.  The celebration ended, of course, with a feast.  We are eating very well on this DTS!!

We went back to Denpassar on Jan. 1 and had a delicious fish dinner on the beach, and left our hotel at 3 a.m. the next day to catch our flight to Cambodia.  We got here with no trouble on any of our flights.  We spent a few days in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, and then we took a bus to Battambang, where we are now.  We’ll be here until around the middle of February before we head to our next location. 

Our team is doing pretty well – we have our ups and downs.  Several people haven’t been feeling well for the last day or so.  I’ve been feeling OK, but I have a very annoying cough that can be painful at times – but usually only when I laugh (and those of you who know me well know how often that happens).  It’s also a little difficult emotionally, but we’re staying strong and charging along.  Please pray for us; it isn’t easy.

We’ve spent some time playing with the neighborhood kids on the street of the house we’re staying in here in Battambang.  That was fun and strenuous – these kids are craving love.  They just adore attention from loving adults.  We also spent time at an orphanage yesterday playing games and having fun with some other kids.  It was a fun time.  We also visited the home of Seang – our Cambodian leader/translator/friend.  It was very cool meeting his family and seeing the things he’s done to nurture a garden around his family’s property.

We’re still working out and setting up the things we’ll be doing here.  It’s going to be a exciting road ahead.  I’m looking forward to it, and I’ll try to keep you posted.

“Put on your backpack …” December 13, 2009

Our time in Oxford is coming to a close. We put on our backpacks and head to the airport tomorrow morning at 3 a.m. (8 a.m. on Sunday morning for you US Central Time folks).  Our flight to Bali leaves around 7 (with a short layover in Melbourne, Australia).

We’ll be in Bali until Jan. 2, learning lots – about tropical farming and agriculture techniques, as well as building water tanks and filters – and making new friends.  We’ll be helping out with a Christmas celebration around New Year’s time, too.  We’ll be without internet access during this time, so don’t worry about me when you don’t hear from me.

We head to Cambodia in January.  After a couple of days in the capital, Phnom Penh, we’ll be in Battambang (NW Cambodia) for most of our time (we’re hoping to have internet access about once a week here).  Feb. 14 through March 6 we’ll be in Ratanakiri in the east in a more rural area.

Our debrief time is the following week (location TBA), then we head back to Oxford, NZ, March 12, arriving late in the evening of March 13.  We spend the next week in Oxford, and Anna and I have plane tickets to go home March 22.

That’s the next three months in a nutshell!  In case you’re curious, Cambodia is 6 hours behind NZ in time, and 13 hours ahead of US Central Time. So for example if it’s 5 p.m. Sunday in NZ (that would be 10 p.m. Saturday in Kansas), it’s 11 a.m. Sunday in Cambodia.

I want to wish all of my family and friends a very Merry Christmas!  It’s been strange listening to my Christmas music during the summertime here in NZ.  It won’t be the same celebrating Christmas without my family … in the hot climate of the tropics … but it will be good.  Christmas isn’t about shopping or snow or even family or music.  It’s a celebration of love.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).  I miss my family – so much!! – but Christmas is still Christmas.

You’ll hear from me again in January!