Grant - Day 13

Apparently the rainy season in Cambodia began about 3:00 am this morning with loud cracks of thunder and a huge downpour of rain. I lay awake in bed wondering what that would mean for our plans to paint the walls a Hagar School today - outside walls. Well at 6:30 it was still raining so the morning of painting at Hagar had to be cancelled. A number of us went shopping at the new Daughters' Store - another organization that works with abused women - we were some of the first to purchase something at this little shop that is supporting such great work.

The afternoon would hold one of the real highlights of this trip - a visit to NewSong. The Rahab's House team had the honour of visiting NS and that honour was again offered to this team. It was a joy to return to this place where you can see lives being transformed from despair to very real hope. Every once in a while my mind would flip to think, "These kids shouldn't have to be here" (a cry that they should never have been abused in the first place) but then reality would again take hold, they had been abused and it is great that they are here. At NewSong theses girls, as young as 9 years old, know unconditional love, compassion and hope. You can't help but be filled with joy as you see how God is remaking these kids' lives. Don Brewster is clear that it is totally a miracle of God. He is equally clear that you, through your support with prayer and finances and advocacy are participating in God's miracles.

There is so much to say and I don't seem to be able to find words for any of it. We saw some art done by a couple of different girls; we saw a very intense volleyball game between The Apples and The Mangos; we saw such wonderful smiles; we saw amazing staff people; we saw...hope because these girls see hope.

We have hope because these girls have hope.

Grant