Oh, Squirrel, Sledge, Tom!, Nature Boy, Moky, Poly, Gabe and Just-a-Sip, and our entire FPC Home team (and the rest of the world)...
You would not have BELIEVED this morning. There we were, at the 0730 worship service at Rahab's HOuse. (Yes, this means, we had breakfast at 6:30 and were on the road by seven, heading out to Svay Pak via tuk-tuk). I thought of you so many times during that service... the entire place was packed as was the anteroom; there was a choir of beautiful young people; there was a sermon (and another); we all had to introduce ourselves (I think we were pretty repetitive, but we meant every word we said).... there was a communion service with 'goldfish' and red Tang... another group of lovely young singer/dancers...it was wonderful and it was over 2 hours long! The place emanated with joy. It was hard to stay dry-eyed. I kept remembering the hell hole we walked into 2 years ago, with the cemented-up door to keep little girls from escaping, the filthy cells where the girls were raped, abused, harmed.... and today, this!
I have not seen many of the kids from last time. Perhaps they have been trafficked. Harvest is just over, and many families leave en masse to work as labourers.... I am hoping that accounts for their absence. But it is disturbing to see so few familiar faces, and thrilling to see so many NEW faces....
RH looks a bit shabby, because it has been so well used - needs a team from FPC to come and repaint. The stairs look wonderful, Marty, and their significance is not lost on us. Pastor Chanta, his wife, their adorable small son and Mrs. Chanta's parents all live in the two rooms upstairs. No one is afraid to look 'up' any more.
Then back to Phnom Penh, a lovely light lunch at Yejj, a cafe that trains young women to have a marketable trade in restaurant/hospitality. A quick blast through the market, and then back into tuk tuks to go to A Place of Rescue. A visit full of joy - so great to see little orphans and the elderly grannies who would otherwise be living on the street and reduced to begging actually having not only shelter but a real home. Marie looks well, and is brimming with love for her three hundred grandchildren.
Dinner in a restaurant near the hotel with Brian and Louise and their kids. Great to see them again!
A great day. Others will want to blog about this day too, so I will not say more.
Thanks for your love, your emails, your words of encouragement and for your prayers.
Love back to you
Kit
I have a facebook and Twitter account in another language but they are of no help here. All I can send is my blessings and love and hope and admiration for all you and your friends are doing! Shalom! (I am using S Abi's acct if she does not mind, lol)
ReplyDeleteZippy! JG sends her love and says she will figure "this comment on blog thing yet" (Probably by the time you are home.)