Cambodian Humor

In Khmer, you ask someone their name by saying, "chewmoe eye?" Recently, we interviewed a young man named "Sayha" and afterwards we joked that the conversation could have gone like this:

"Suell sadai bong (hello), Chewmoe eye? (what is your name?)"

"Sayha"

"OK, 'ha'. Chewmoe eye?"

"Sayha"

"Again? OK, ha. Chewmoe eye?"

Forty Years

Forty years is a long time. Many of my friends have not even been alive that long and for them it is hard to conceptualize how long forty years is, but forty years is a long time. Moses was called by God to lead his people to the Promised Land and for forty years they wandered in the desert and wilderness. The people grew impatient and doubted. But Moses held to the promise that God had given him and with hope before him he remained faithful.   

It has been forty years since the end of the war in Cambodia and like Moses and his people the people of Cambodia have been living for forty years in the desert and wilderness. Besieged by poverty, corruption, and oppression the people of Cambodia have not yet been delivered to the life that they hope for. I pray that they will remain faithful; remain hopeful; remain patient; and that they will not turn to graven and idle gods and images. Most of all, I pray that they will know the love that God has for them and the forgiveness and grace of Jesus Christ. I pray that this truth will be their hope, and their source of strength and wisdom.

Men will let us down through failed leadership, weakness, and greed. Even the best of men will make mistakes, but God is forever faithful to deliver on every promise He makes.

Laugh for the Day

Sometimes our language mix-ups end up being really funny and today one of the Khmer staff ESC has been working with got the words "kitchen" and "chicken" mixed up. The Head Chef ( who is Malaysian) was asking her where her co-workers were and she said that they went to the market to get things to clean the chicken with. What she meant to say was to clean the kitchen and so the Head Chef became very confused wondering what we needed to clean the chickens with. The conversation that ensued and the Head Chef's expressions and physical demonstrations he did trying to get clarification were hilarious. It ended up with him demonstrating what looked like him holding a chicken and using it to clean a grill. It was too funny!

I also Skyped my family this morning. It was such a heart-warming time for me. I think that the most difficult part about living in Cambodia is not the food, the weather, or the cultural differences; it is the distance and separation from family and friends. I guess that I am maybe a little homesick. It will be good to be back home for three weeks in August.

Cambodia Rainy Season

Cambodia's Rainy Season has arrived a little early this year. I could tell that it was about to rain this afternoon and so I tried to get out of the office a little early to avoid getting caught in it, but I missed my window of opportunity and this is what I stepped out to see.


Street 63 in BKK district of Phnom Penh

I still tried to get home by moto (barefoot - not advisable on a moto) and halfway down the street my moto engine quit. So, now I am hunkered down like a wet rat in Digby's Café waiting for the rain to stop and the water to recede. I have a tennis match scheduled in an hour that I think will have to be rescheduled. It is funny to think that just this morning I was thinking that it was still way too hot (Khmer "kdaaw") here. That is no longer the case.

New Life Fellowship, Life Band Live CD Recording

Tonight the Life Band at New Life Fellowship Church had a live recording of a CD of worship and praise songs written by band members. It was an amazing evening of worship and my heart was full to overflowing with the Holy Spirit this evening.

In Cambodia less than 1% of the 15 million population is Christian. But New Life Fellowship is part of an amazing redemption that is taking place in Cambodia.

It is hard to imagine as an American, but what if just 40 years ago we would have suffered the slaughter of 25% of our country's population (mostly those living in cities and those with higher education)? That happened in Cambodia. What if America had to essentially restart our whole education system? Cambodia had to. What if more than 50% of America's population was under the age of 25? That is true in Cambodia. What if the vast majority of Americans were forced to live on less than a dollar per day? What kind of hope would we have? How might this change the way we plan? Here in Cambodia, most people do not make long-term plans. I no longer wonder why. Most people in Cambodia greet you with the question, "have you eaten rice yet?" because they are concerned about the next meal and because rice is affordable. But amidst all of these hardships there is a beautiful spirit and a perseverance in the Cambodian people that is absolutely remarkable.

The Gospel is bringing to Cambodian people a message of hope; a reason to hope. A message of unconditional love, grace, and forgiveness. To hear their love for God expressed in the beautiful songs of worship and praise that they have written moves my heart in ways that I cannot describe.

Brother Neth

Golf Resurgence

Se Ri Pak has been experiencing a wonderful resurgence in her professional golf career. I have to wonder if it has anything to do with her new sponsor. What do you think?

On another note...here are my career updates. ESC has been really blessed and continues to grow in contracts. Neth and I are really learning a lot and we see that ESC is making a difference in the lives of many workers and in many businesses. In addition to working full time for ESC, I have been working half time for the CIA FIRST International School as a Communications Specialist, but I have started transitioning into a new role as Career Counselor. In September I will begin work as an adjunct professor at American University of Phnom Penh - teaching a law course. I am very blessed and very busy.

Cambodian Mail Service

I have been in Cambodia for over 9 months now and just yesterday received my very first piece of mail. Every day I check my mail box, hoping to find something from my family or friends, but until yesterday there has never been anything in it. I know that my family sent me a Christmas card nearly 6 months ago and that a friend sent me a letter a few months ago, but yesterday I received my first letter from a friend in Phoenix. It was postmarked on my birthday and so it only took 1 1/2 months to get here. That is actually pretty remarkable considering that there is only one post office to serve the entire country of Cambodia. And the addresses are notoriously difficult to decipher and do not always make sense. For example, three houses in a row may be numbered: 3, 9, 5. But yesterday I received the high school graduation announcement and pictures from my friend, Robin, for her daughter, Skylar. I almost didn't know what to do. It made me so happy to handle an actual letter for the first time in nearly a year. I felt like I should frame it. But this morning, my business partner, Neth, saw it on my desk and asked what it was. He seemed curious about it and so I opened it. Thank you Robin! Way to go Cambodian Postal Service!