Orphanage Visit then Homeward Bound

Kirsten plays with one of the children

Today we visited the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage in Phnom Penh. This is a place for very toung children (pre-school age). Students had the opportunity to cuddle and play with the children. Our students brought along toys, cricket bats and soccer balls for the older children. 

The students' fundraising also provided ten 50kg bags of rice which will be used to help feed the children as well as support dozens of poor families who live nearby. The fundraising was also able to provide almost $300 to help the sisters in their charity work.

Emily and Georgina with one of the babies

The students were very affected by the visit. While we were there we met a 21 year old British student from aid institution Project Abroad who was just beginning her month long stay in the orphanage to help with occupational therapy.

We then headed back to the hotel for some lunch and final packing and then off to Phnom Penh airport to begin the long trip home.

Josh

Mr Jones with a matching dude

Mr Swibel plays iPhone Doodle Buddy with two brothers

Aiden has a cuddle

Alyssa

Mark

Jenny

Khmer Cookers

Learning to cook Fish Amok

Today we set of on the bus to visit the National Museum of Cambodia. It was a great place and there was a lot of old artifacts to be seen. After looking around the museum for a while we decided to leave and we went for a second visit to the Russian Markets. Later on we travelled to the slums where we could see a lot of the poverty that was happening in Cambodia. We visited David Bryce's T-shirt printing business (Just Tees) where David has given the kids job opportunities to get out of drugs and crime and earn money to continue their schooling.

One lucky group of students and three teachers went to the Cambodia Cooking Class for the morning. Our instructor, Heng, was a great guy - good english-speaking and funny. After a full immersion sensory experience buying ingredients in the local food market, we then worked together to make Chaio Yor (Fried Spring Rolls), Fresh Spring Rolls and Amok Fish (Red curry steamed in a banana-leaf cup). It was great to sit down and eat what we had cooked - the best Amok curry in Cambodia!

We then spent some time this evening reflecting on our devotions times throughout the trip. Everyone has been changed in some way; changed for the better.

Tonight we went to Romdeng restaurant. It is a training place for young street people. One of their specialties is fried tarantula! Some students and teachers ( Mr Swibel, Dr Skillen and Mr Williams) had one each.

Tomorrow is our last day. A long journey ahead of us; we will treasure our time in Cambodia.

National Museum

Just Tees Factory

Georgia with some Vietnamese children in the slums near Just Tees

 

 

 

 

Dr Skillen eats a fried tarantula at dinner

Josh about to eat his spider at Romdeng Restaurant

Killing Fields

Stupa Memorial at the Killing Fields

The Killing Fields were a confronting experience. There were 129 mass graves, some of which were roped off, and others we literally stepped over, with the remains unexcavated bones and clothing protruding from the ground. It was a disturbing experince for many people. Our tour guide also gave us a recount of his own personal experience during the Khmer Rouge, where he lost his father and two sisters. It was incredible to think that everyone over 35 years in Cambodia experienced the same hardships and trauma.
After our lunch at a restaurant of choice, we visited the Central Markets. The markets were a very diffrent experience to the markets we previously visited. It was alot more professional and had a positive vibe. The shopkeepers were more personal as they delved into fluent conversation. 

Sumet our guide retells his own family's horror of the Khmer Rouge

As our time to shop came to an end we met back at the enterance were we were surrounded by many beggars of an incredibly young age. Some of the children cradled babies in their arms as they reached out towards us. This was very confronting for many people and brought up discussion amongst the group on our moral responsibility and ways to react towards the situation.

One of the 126 mass graves

Before dinner, we met David Bryce, a missionary living in the slums who runs a T-shirt business for the poor. He talked about his life story, and showed us samples of T-shirts for us to order when we visit his factory tomorrow. He also mentioned that we could submit designs that we thought would be appropiate.
Today we ate at a restaraunt called 'Friends'. This establishment was open to give children from the streets the opportunity to learn a trade which teaches them important life skills. The service of the chefs and the quality of the food was prepared and served at a very high standard. They served a wide variety of delicious food.

After dinner we all returned to the hotel where we were briefed on tomorrow's activities which includes a Khmer cooking class, the National Museum and David's t-shirt factory in the slums. This factory raises awareness of social amd economical issues while helping keep young Cambodian men in school and teaching them life skills.

View from the roof og the hotel - food markets

Child beggars outside the markets

Tamika and Georgina outside the Central Markets

David Bryce leads devotion

Food markets near the hotel

House Building Completed!

Dr Bailey treats one of many villagers

Today started with an early 7am departure from the hotel to the village where the building continued from the previous day. With our experience from the first day each group felt confident in its building ability and had developed strong teamwork skills. This enabled us to complete the remaining 12 houses by lunch time. The period after the completion of the building was very rewarding and proved to be a great opportunity for us to interact with the local people. We played duck-duck-goose and the hokey pokey with the children who joined in energetically while the rest of the village watched smiling.

Dr Bailey dresses this little boy's badly cut foot

After an emotional house handover ceremony and a group photo, we returned to the hotel at about 1pm. We then had free time until 3pm which many people took as an opportunity to catch up on some sleep or relax and enjoy the hotel’s sauna and pool.
 

The building complete - time for some fun with the locals

It was then off to the large bustling Russian Markets filled with overwhelming smells, sounds and goods to purchase, all seemingly for “One Dollar!”. After exploring the labyrinthine passages of countless stalls, and haggling with the unrelenting owners over prices for an hour or so we returned to the hotel. We then had our daily devotion in which we contemplated the effects of our house building endeavor. It seemed that the community was very appreciative of our efforts. 

The experience has also challenged us all physically and mentally, as well as our perspective on what we wish to achieve in our lives and the incredible fulfillment and satisfaction that can be found in helping others.

Duck-duck-goose

For the rest of the night we were able to go out in groups to explore the immediate area next to our hotel and eat at a restaurant of our choosing. We also checked out the impressive break dancing circle with some locals displaying their amazing talents to hip-hop beats. This was an extremely enjoyable and worthwhile day and has left us all exhausted but happy.

By Matt Francis

Hokey Pokey

Each house family receives a blanket as a special gift

The final handover - 34 houses complete!

House Building

Today was sooo much fun. It was an early start but it was worth it. The building started at around 9am. The weather was no too bad, it was a bit hot but the slight breeze was nice. 

We all got split into our groups and headed off to go build our first house. Most of us all found the first house rather difficult to complete, but once we all got to our second house it was much easier and much quicker. 

Most of us finished the first house in around 2 hours. Which was expected at first, but we all eventually got the hang of it. We all finished at least 2 houses by 3pm. In total today we built 22 houses! 

 

Once we finished we had a small handing over ceremony for the house we built today to the families that would be living in them. It was quite a good, fun time and it was very rewarding for us all. 

We then got back onto the buses and headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest and a swim or shower. 

Dinner tonight was at a Vietnamese and Khmer restaurant. The food was very delicious but a bit spicy with some dishes. After dinner we headed back to the hotel for devotions. We talked about the juxtaposition of S-21 yesterday and the house building today. Yesterday was very confronting and emotionally draining, whereas today was rewarding but physically draining.

Tomorrow we head back to the village to finished off the last houses and to do the final handing over ceremony.

By Kimberley Keft SAS