Friday

We left Svay Pak with our feelings unsettled and our work unfinished. We walked out of the village to the main road, and climbed into the van there, instead of our usual ride out. We had said our farewells. We joined the new team at lunch and no doubt horrified them. They all looked so CLEAN. At Rahab's House we arrived for lunch looking the way we have every day - filthy, sweaty, and covered in paint. Since I spent most of the last two weeks on the floor I was once again covered in a layer of red dust as well. We greeted our team mates (whom we'd met briefly at the Sanctuary earlier in the day) and then we dove into the food like a plague of locusts. What they must have thought.... (but were far too gracious to comment on...).

The plan was that we would arise at some unspeakable hour, have a quick worship time and a quick breakfast and then hed out to a new school to paint our brains out for a few hours before heading back to the hotel, cleaning up and going to New
Song for lunch. This was to be out door work - but a great big thunderstorm overnight ended those plans, so instead we had a nice little devotional time, a leisurely breakfast and we went shopping! We went to Daughters, a store that sells products made by women coming out of the sex trade and learning marketable skills. It is a great little shop and when you are in Cambodia....

And then New Song. Lots of stuff that we cannot comment on for security reasons, but oh my, what a place. This was my second visit. All the girls who are being housed, counselled, educated, loved, rehabilitated, respected, cared for, have been rescued from hideous child brothels, some in that same village we have come to know. So many little girls....teens too. They offered us lunch, gave us a tour, painted our nails (you should see me, I am not the Kit you remember) and then we became spectators in one of the most aggressive volleyball games I have seen. These gals play to win, and the ones who are not playing cheer and scream for their team. The love of the older ones to the little ones is very touching. The staff are amazing - heroes,angels, saints. Don and Bridget are wonderful and Bridget is a new friend. (I thought she was about 37 - but she has a 34 year old son, three other adult children and elven grandchildren, a heart of gold and sense of humour as wacky as mine...I loved her the moment I met her, and you know how reserved and cautious I am about people).

Okay, in a rush....so then we went to Bloom, a wonderful first class little cake shop where all the cakes are made by New Song girls who are learning the skills of running the place as well. Please trust me on these - these cakes are just first class little gems.

And now I have to go and come back later - off to a Ratanak dinner.... with my new fingernails and all. Oh dear.
Am I loving every moment of today?...Every.Single. Moment.

Love to you all
Kit