Friday, January 22
Thursday, January 21
Wednesday, January 20
Sunday, January 17
Like every day over the last 11 days, we don't have electricity. Luckily there is a slight breeze every so often. I just finished washing my second “load” of clothes in my sink and laying them on the fence to dry, and I just finished my language lesson, so I have a minute (finally!) to type out my latest goings on (into Word and will upload it as soon as we have internet again). They're widening and paving the main road, and transferring all of the power lines to the new poles.
From my front stoop I can still here the music from the 'bon' – funeral – down the road. Sua and Yien's gramma passed away after struggling with a broken hip and general old age. I think I can describe it best as a wake, although I've never been to one of those either – people show up and sit and eat for as long as the family wants to keep preparing and supplying food. Last night was a mushroom dish, rice porridge this morning, duck soup for lunch, and then porridge again for dinner and breakfast. There is a massive colorful tent spanning across 2 yards, and a constructed pagoda of sorts where they will cremate her. (see below)
I smiled a lot and held the hands of the little girls that always latch onto me, but my spirit was awkward. There was nothing familiar or what I would consider comforting about the situation. Cambodians don't show emotion in public or hug, there's obviously no slide show or a remembrance of a life like I've grown to expect in the States, no pastors or monks speaking or offering condolences... “Ghosts” hung from trees and poles to ward off evil spirits while the hospitality of the family attempts to obtain her enough favor to enter into a higher level. This is how I understand it from the way my new friend DeeNah described it.
If you're the type of person that prays, please remember the Yan family in their time of loss.
This past week was full of catching up on some much needed cleaning, laundry, and language lessons (and early nights since we haven't had electric!) after being out with the 21 volunteers from Louisville the previous 2 weeks.
The week right after Christmas we operated from here and did work in schools and with arsenic testing. On our way to Livia Ime we saw the most horrific house fire. There was nothing anyone could do and the neighboring houses were grabbing their stuff as quickly as possible, knowing it would soon spread to theirs. On our way back we saw that it had taken out at least 3 homes, and it broke my heart... to have to work as hard as they do for so little anyway and then lose everything.
The following week we took the ferry across the Mekong to work, and stayed for 4 days! We built a water retention tank at a school, sampled for arsenic, taught hygiene in 3 schools, slept on cots under mosquito nets, bathed in the river, and used the restroom... well... never mind that part. We were the first white people the area had ever seen. Its my understanding that the next team (from FL) arriving this weekend is doing something similar in that same village to continue the work!
Language is still going slowly but surely. I'm finding that I live in a more rural area than I thought b/c they aren't speaking like I'm learning to speak. I've been disheartened that I don't understand more, but this week I discovered some abbreviations and colloquialisms, and its making so much more sense! And I've turned a corner with comprehending my text book's British author's phonetics as well, so we're rollin!
I found a loop on my bike that goes through the most gorgeous rice and soybean fields and makes for a great quiet time, so I'm meeting new people and getting a good work out. For those of you who have been here, you go to the end of the road and turn right before the wooden bridge – it circles around and crosses the bridge from the other side. I had a flat tire on Friday though so after Yien and Ron fixed it I haven't gone as far... just to be sure of Cambodian mechanics... :)
I'm trying to be more conscious of the things that are blessings that we sometimes don't even notice... I'm thankful for good breeze that isn't always present, I'm thankful that I found a good quiet spot by the old fish tank farm that I can frequent without being disturbed, and I'm thankful that it seems I am liked in the village b/c I get teased and invited to things on a daily basis. They must be related to Dennis Raleigh, 'if I didn't like ya I'd leave ya alone'. :)
Several people asked me this week why I'm here, and I told them as best I could. Its cool - I have a burden for these peoples, but more recently as I engage them, I truly love them, and that creates an even better passion. If you look at just a few of the things the lord mentions are important – caring for the widows and orphans, fighting for the oppressed – this province, this world, need so many more people to do that.
(funeral, Livea Ime, testing home wells for arsenic)
From my front stoop I can still here the music from the 'bon' – funeral – down the road. Sua and Yien's gramma passed away after struggling with a broken hip and general old age. I think I can describe it best as a wake, although I've never been to one of those either – people show up and sit and eat for as long as the family wants to keep preparing and supplying food. Last night was a mushroom dish, rice porridge this morning, duck soup for lunch, and then porridge again for dinner and breakfast. There is a massive colorful tent spanning across 2 yards, and a constructed pagoda of sorts where they will cremate her. (see below)
I smiled a lot and held the hands of the little girls that always latch onto me, but my spirit was awkward. There was nothing familiar or what I would consider comforting about the situation. Cambodians don't show emotion in public or hug, there's obviously no slide show or a remembrance of a life like I've grown to expect in the States, no pastors or monks speaking or offering condolences... “Ghosts” hung from trees and poles to ward off evil spirits while the hospitality of the family attempts to obtain her enough favor to enter into a higher level. This is how I understand it from the way my new friend DeeNah described it.
If you're the type of person that prays, please remember the Yan family in their time of loss.
This past week was full of catching up on some much needed cleaning, laundry, and language lessons (and early nights since we haven't had electric!) after being out with the 21 volunteers from Louisville the previous 2 weeks.
The week right after Christmas we operated from here and did work in schools and with arsenic testing. On our way to Livia Ime we saw the most horrific house fire. There was nothing anyone could do and the neighboring houses were grabbing their stuff as quickly as possible, knowing it would soon spread to theirs. On our way back we saw that it had taken out at least 3 homes, and it broke my heart... to have to work as hard as they do for so little anyway and then lose everything.
The following week we took the ferry across the Mekong to work, and stayed for 4 days! We built a water retention tank at a school, sampled for arsenic, taught hygiene in 3 schools, slept on cots under mosquito nets, bathed in the river, and used the restroom... well... never mind that part. We were the first white people the area had ever seen. Its my understanding that the next team (from FL) arriving this weekend is doing something similar in that same village to continue the work!
Language is still going slowly but surely. I'm finding that I live in a more rural area than I thought b/c they aren't speaking like I'm learning to speak. I've been disheartened that I don't understand more, but this week I discovered some abbreviations and colloquialisms, and its making so much more sense! And I've turned a corner with comprehending my text book's British author's phonetics as well, so we're rollin!
I found a loop on my bike that goes through the most gorgeous rice and soybean fields and makes for a great quiet time, so I'm meeting new people and getting a good work out. For those of you who have been here, you go to the end of the road and turn right before the wooden bridge – it circles around and crosses the bridge from the other side. I had a flat tire on Friday though so after Yien and Ron fixed it I haven't gone as far... just to be sure of Cambodian mechanics... :)
I'm trying to be more conscious of the things that are blessings that we sometimes don't even notice... I'm thankful for good breeze that isn't always present, I'm thankful that I found a good quiet spot by the old fish tank farm that I can frequent without being disturbed, and I'm thankful that it seems I am liked in the village b/c I get teased and invited to things on a daily basis. They must be related to Dennis Raleigh, 'if I didn't like ya I'd leave ya alone'. :)
Several people asked me this week why I'm here, and I told them as best I could. Its cool - I have a burden for these peoples, but more recently as I engage them, I truly love them, and that creates an even better passion. If you look at just a few of the things the lord mentions are important – caring for the widows and orphans, fighting for the oppressed – this province, this world, need so many more people to do that.
(funeral, Livea Ime, testing home wells for arsenic)
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