Who Cares?

This is the one opportunity that I will have to write from Cambodia.  Yes!  I made it!  I almost feel like I know what I am doing now - almost.  I did navigate the bus and taxi with no problem.  The airport only had one kink - the weight of my luggage.  The information on the e-ticket was incorrect.  It cost a few baht, but I was just glad that was the only problem.

My friends were waiting for me at the airport - Praise God!   

We stayed overnight in a very nice guesthouse.  It didn't feel right.  The place was surrounded by people in ramshackled (sp?) huts with many dirty , half clothed children roaming around.

Our drive out to the country was beyond description, but I will try.  The first leg of the two hour trip was by tuk-tuk (sounds and looks almost the same as Thai version).   A couple of times I was tempted to close my eyes.  It was very hard for one who has taught driving to witness!  Whatever I said about Thailand, multiply it by a hundred.  Every kind of vehicle was coming from every direction with no traffic lights to slow anything down.  Our driver just wove in and out of traffic and a couple of times I wondered if he was visually impaired!  In the heart of the city of Phnom Penh we transferred to a taxi.  The way it works here is they pile eight people into a five seat vehicle: four in the back, two in the front passenger seat and TWO in the DRIVER'S seat!!  You pay by destination per person.  We paid for two extras, so that the three of us, my very large backpack and my laptop could have the back to ourselves and the driver could have his seat to himself also.  Of this last fact I was very glad!

As we drove, I couldn't help but compare this (new to me) land to the one I just left.  Some words that come to mind are abandoned, devastated, poor, dirty, hopeless, sad, deserted and hot.  My friend, Heather, said that by all rights Cambodia should be on par with Thailand, however, they have never recovered from the war.  It seems that those who the people should be able to look to for help are not concerned.  The good news is that there are those from the outside who do care.

The one place where you see any progress and where there is a measure of wealth is Phnom Penh itself.  Unfortunately, the land in the city, which is the most expensive in the world (!), has been sold to foreigners and any prosperity never leaves the city.

Arriving at the Rural Ministry Training Center was to come to an oasis in the midst of barrenness.  I cannot wait to share pictures and the stories of what is happening here.  I do not have time to do that now, as I am working on limited electric and internet.  There are others who need to be able to use both.  The vision for this ministry is becoming reality.  What they have done, briefly, is to build a miniature village where the students can learn how to plant a sustainable food source, have a healthful water supply and preach the gospel!  There are many challenges in this educational process, but all surmountable!

They are in the center of a village and are developing good relationships with their neighbors.  We were not feeling very neighborly to one family last night.  There was a wedding, since that is when the astrologists recommended to be the best date to marry.  The celebration went from sunset to sunrise.  The very loud music that was amplified was interspersed with the Buddhist monk chanting.  My ipod came in very handy until the battery ran out!

On another note, the house I am staying in makes me feeling like I am living out the story of the Swiss Family Robinson - It is a house on stilts with a few of its walls missing.  Washing is done in a sarong at the well and, of course, I have found myself face-to-face with squatty potties again!

Wednesday afternoon I am heading to another village with Ayra, who is a coworker of Rebecca Stinson's.  We will spend Thursday and Friday in clinics and I will be able to better see what Rebecca has shared with many of us.

Sunday evening I head back to Thailand and hope to get on line the following.  Until then, please keep praying.