Moto v1

It has been another great day in Phnom Penh. After waking up at 4:15 and having morning devotionals I donned my headlamp and went for a run in the dark at 5:45. It is interesting running in the dark in Phnom Penh. There are many places where the pavement is missing or when running on the sidewalk (in the few places where there is sidewalk) the pavers are often uneven and/or loose. But these conditions make me pay more attention and it is a great way to start the day. After breakfast I had my first moto ride. With my hips as tight as they are this was interesting. I went to one of the cafes that Daughters operates called Spice Garden. It is the place that I wrote about earlier that when you approach the door and walk in you immediately feel surrounded by and surrendered to God's love and peace. I am really going to miss Spice Garden. They also make the best vanilla latte I have ever had. I spent the morning there working on job descriptions, the finance workshop on saving, and the message for church service on Feb 8. I also went upstairs of Spice Garden to the House of Prayer - the most tranquil place to pray and to be refreshed. I had lunch at Spice Garden and engaged in a couple of "philosophical debates" with Jenny and she declared herself the winner. Does anyone know how humbling it is for me to lose a debate about the meaning of life to someone who is half my age? I can't remember exactly how the debate went, but I think it has something to do with trees making noise even when people aren't around. After Skyping my niece and nephew (so great to see them!) I got on the back of Jenny's moto and we went to tour SHE. (This was Jenny's first time giving someone a ride on her moto and she did great!) SHE, which stands for "Shaping Her Earth and Shaping Her Eternity" provides safe housing for girls 5 - 16 who have been sexually trafficked, prostituted, raped, and/or who are significantly at-risk to be. SHE helps these young girls to safely and successfully reintegrate back into their families/extended families and communities. They utilize a holistic approach in working with the girls and their families, also partnering with other agencies in Phnom Penh. SHE also supports a micro-enterprise practice that helps these young girls and their families to successfully leave poverty. www.sherescuehome.org

Spice Garden (view of kid's play area)

Spice Garden (one of the upstairs tables)

My lunch at Spice Garden

The entrance to Spice Garden