August 28, 2012
Khmer Phrases with Micah and Kelsi! (August 28th)
August 22, 2012
Laser Tag, Birthday Party, Sewing Class, Short-Staffed, Khmer Lessons... (August 18th-22nd)
Hey People everywhere!
I know it has been a little over a week, since we posted last, so I wanted to give you an update of what has been happening in Phnom Penh J
There is a video with all of the pictures in it, because Blogger is not photo friendly, and it is easier to put them in the video. If you prefer the other (completely more inconvenient way), let me know and I will do it that way the next time.
Laser Tag
Well it has been
nine weeks of school and lots and lots of hard work. The students completed 165
PACE books! We had a poster that they had to fill up to go play Laser Tag—most of
them had never heard of it before. I made it with 200 slots, but everybody
knows that YOU HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE. That goal was WAY too high. Each and every
one of the kids worked their butts off (pardon my language), so we went anyway!
When doing things in another country, I find myself setting my expectations
really low… when I was told that we had laser tag, I did this. I showed the
kids a video so they could see what it was like, but was very clear that I have
never been to laser tag in Cambodia. The whole time we were building towards
laser tag, I was praying, “please, God, make this a good time. Cause it could
be a stinker, and I would feel horrible.” The day finally came, and we called
two tuk tuks… for seventeen people. I thought Mark was crazy, but we could have
fit like ten more people on those tuk tuks. It makes me laugh when I think
about all of the safety regulations in the states, and I see a baby in her
mother’s arms on the back of a moto on the road, or three children and a mother
and father on one moto… Speed is the key… no one drives faster than forty miles
an hour, so everyone is usually safe. Back to laser tag, though. We get to the
place, and it is next to a gas station. Boo, our driver, pulls over to call,
because he is lost, and Mark and I are pointing to it (it was hilarious!). We
go inside and it is full of random artwork and black lights (you know it is a
good sign, when you see black lights at laser tag). We signed everyone in on
teams, and unfortunately there were only fourteen positions for the laser tag
game—we had fourteen kids, so that worked out, but I didn’t get to play with
them. I think that you have reached true adulthood, when you find out that you
don’t get to play laser tag and you aren’t upset, because you know the kids
will have fun… yeah, I really wish that I was to that point… who has two thumbs
and is not a true adult: this guy right here. I did get to run around in the
game with the kids and video tape, and take pictures, so that was a plus (there
were multiple signs that said, no cameras, but the guy let me anyway). I keep
saying that the kids loved it, but even our oldest Peroom enjoyed it, and he is
19 years old! It was a truly great experience, and afterwards we stopped on the
side of the road and bought seventeen cold water bottles for two dollars…
crazy! Thank you to our supporters for making this happen. The kids really do
not get the opportunity to do these things everyday and it was really a great
blessing to be able to give them such an amazing reward for all their hard work
in school.
Chantee and Sol Chea’s
Birthday Party
Right after laser
tag, we had a birthday party for Chantee and Sol Chea. Nobody knew about it
until we got home, because Kels and Rhonda decorated while we were gone. The
birthday cake was a soccer field, and Chantee loved it. He said, “Mr. Micah,
can you please get a picture of the cake for me.” And he got a cell phone,
which he has been wanting for a while now. He turned fifteen, and he is one of
the most mature and godly young men I know. I cannot wait to see what God has
in store for this awesome young man! Also, if you spoke with Chantee, you would
never guess that he was fifteen. Sol Chea turned sixteen. He has been with Mark
and Rhonda for a while, and has been learning a lot through our afternoon
computer class. Mark wrote a blog about him a while back, and I have recently
taken over the afternoon class and found out what a great boy Sol Chea is. His
sense of humor is great. You go up to him and try to click something with the
mouse and he says, “no.” and pushes your hand away, and then turns his head away
and smiles to himself. He is beginning to learn his abc’s and colors through a
program on line called starfall. He is a joy to have with us, and I know that
he enjoyed his birthday, and the cake especially (see picture in video).
Sewing Class
I (Kelsi) started a
sewing class a few weeks ago. I had two
classes, one with Chantal and Mary (the Benz girls) and the other with Srey
Heng, Mekarah, and by her own request, Srey Ruah (one of the BYKOTA
staff). We started slow and I told the
girls that if they would just stay for the first 5 lessons they could choose
whether or not they wanted to continue.
The first 4 lessons we just sewed on paper and practiced making straight
lines, pivoting, and making curved lines.
We finished up by making a small purse out of a Cambodian scarf. The whole time I was thinking they weren’t
liking it and that it was just another thing they had to do. It turns out that they actually did like
it! The oldest, Mekarah and Srey Ruah,
even asked for a sewing machine at their house so they could make more purses
for gifts and to sell! I am very happy
that they like it so much, and I am very excited about all the things we will
be making in the future! I have a long
list of things we can make but I have decided that our next project will be PJ
pants! J I’ll post our “fashion show” pictures when we
are done. J
Short Staffed
This past week, Srey
Ruah (one of the staff at BYKOTA house) found out that her mother was abused
and had bad head injuries. She left to go to province, and would not be back
all week--this became a dilemma, because we have just taken in three new BYKOTA
kids, and were already short-staffed. Kels and I gladly said that we could take
some of the kids during the day, and were able to take care of Srey Roat and
Srey Niet. We had a blast. Srey Roat is hilarious and wants to be chased all
day long. She is three years old and bites at you, if you make her laugh (you
can see it in the dish washing video a little). Srey Niet is just eighteen
months old, and cries over everything—I think she is a little spoiled because
she is the baby of the house. I told Kelsi, after trying to put her down for a
nap for thirty minutes, that Niet was a professional sleep fighter (did you
catch the play-on words there J).
We only took care of them for a couple days, but here is what I learned about Niet:
She must eat right after school, or she cries. After she is finished eating,
she will cry to let you know that she is done. If you want her to go for a nap,
you have to stand in front of the fan in the kitchen until she falls asleep—never,
ever, ever take her into the nap room before she is fully asleep. Once you have
her asleep, you must sit on the bed until she is back into “fully asleep mode,”
which coming down the stairs disturbs. After she has gone into “fully asleep
mode,” you may lay her down on the bed for the nap, but by no means let her
have the falling sensation or she will wake up, cry, and you will have to start
the process over again in the kitchen. As soon as she wakes up from the nap,
you have to give her a snack… or… she cries. Her crying is adorable, though. “MING!
MING! MIIIIIINNNNGGG!” And she looks at you with her deep eyes like you should know
what she wants… which I do, because Ming is the word for aunt in Khmer: aka, “I
DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT TAKE ME BACK TO MY AUNT!” Aunt is what you call
anyone who is a girl, so she was probably asking for the staff that takes care
of her usually—just like we call our tuk tuk driver, BOO, even though this
means uncle… still have yet to figure out his real name…
Khmer Lessons
Kels and I have
begun taking Khmer lessons from one of the students, Mekarah. It has been going
really well. We are learning a lot more of the language, and I can now tell our
tuk tuk driver where I want to go, and have a very superficial conversation
with a stranger in which I ask them for: their name, their age, and how they
are doing. We have also learned the Khmer consonants, which has already proved to be helpful,
because when we don’t know a word, Mekarah will show us the letter and sound to
make.
On a final note, I
have been sick with a head cold the last two days, and our power was out all
day today, again J
Gotta love Cambodia. God has been really faithful during our time here, and I
am so excited to see what other things He will teach us as the months go on. We
are continually grateful for everyone’s support and we love you guys bunches!
That is all for now!
BecauseHeLives,
Micah and Kelsi.
August 10, 2012
PACE BOOK MONSTER and Party for the Kids
The students of School of the Nations earned a party by filling up their "Behavior/Goals Thermometer." They were very excited about it. Kelsi and I planed a few things for the day. Firstly, they got a day off school, for the party. Secondly, we made a pinata out of their finished PACE Books and filled it with candy. Kelsi also put together a balloon drop raffle that was awesome! We watched a movie, and practiced our memory verse for the last time before testing next week over it. Kelsi also made a turtle watermelon fruit tray--pictured below. It was fun and the kids really loved it. I think it will be a great motivator for the next nine weeks. Also, is it crazy to think that we have been here almost two and a half months!? Time goes so fast. We are continually grateful for everyone who supports us both in prayer and financially. Hope you enjoy the video! :)
BecauseHeLives,
Micah and Kelsi :)
August 9, 2012
What Happens When the Power Goes Out in Phnom Penh?
Hello everyone! This
week’s blog is going to be under the heading: what happens when the power goes
out in Phnom Penh? This update would be a very short one, if the answer to that
question was “life stops and we all cry—we would curl up in a ball, if it didn’t
make you super hot.” However, in Cambodia, much like the rain, power outage is
a much more common occurrence, and although it is not an everyday burden for
the power to go out (like the rain), it is much more common place here than in
the states; therefore, life goes on. Here is how life went on the past two
days—in categories of course, but this time by day.
Day One
I can remember it like it was two days
ago… :D we had started our day like normal, and school went on like normal (I
love that even teaching in another country eventually becomes a normality—how
we love our routines). It was about three-fifteen in the afternoon, and we were
about to have the little kids over to play on Starfall (an education website
for young children), when suddenly, fans are off, computers black screened,
lights out. We have a lot of brown outs in Cambodia, so it wasn’t something we
worried about, we simply told the kids to wait at the house until the lights
came back on, then to come over… but then they didn’t come back on. My Bible
study (now meeting at four) did our study outside on the carousel in the
courtyard, because our normal room was hot and dark. Six o’clock came around,
and we were getting ready for internet café, just in case the power decided to
come on, but nothing. At some point, the power came back on, and we rejoiced!
And then two minutes later went back off… We played Pinochle with Mark and
Rhonda--as is our almost nightly tradition to do: I apologize if you are
offended by card playing, but I don’t recall ever reading about them in the
Bible, so we play :) We did not get very far into the second hand, before we
could no longer see. I have to say the thing that is worst about power outages
is not the lack of lights, but the lack of air movement! At night the
mosquitoes are really bad and carry horrible deadly diseases, so we have to
close all the doors and windows… absolutely no God made breeze—hot hot hot and
stuffy. We made the most out of it: lots of hand held fans and flashlights. We
had a great time of worship in the evening from seven to nine, and it was
fantastic. Tha and Yea (our elderly guards) said that the neighbors sat out on
the street listening and asked them what was going on upstairs. The only bad
part about the worship night was that I leaned my guitar up against a chair and
it fell—hard. NOTE TO ALL GUITAR PLAYERS: My tuning key for my D string snapped
off. There are guitar shops here in Cambodia, but I had a hard time finding one
in the states the last time my B string tuning key broke off. I have asked
Rhonda about Ebay and she said that shipping from those sites to here is very
difficult, but I could look into it. Thankfully, I monstered a guitar together
for Mekarah—one of the BYKOTA girls who is wanting to learn how to play—out of
the three Mark and Rhonda had in storage. When I mention playing a guitar
later, it is this one. As we lay in bed thinking about how long the night was
going to be, I had these thoughts that proved to be ridiculous: “Since I can’t
sleep, I think I will play my guitar for a while… oh, broken.” “Since I can’t
sleep, I will just read my Bible/book for a while… oh wait, there is no light,
and my Ipod is dead.” “Since I can’t sleep, I think I will just pray.” This
last one ended up not being ridiculous, because I prayed that God would bring
the electricity back, and then BANG the lights all came on. I tried very hard
to continue praying after this, because I didn’t want to fall into the trap
that so many (including myself) fall into of praying for something and once it
has happened forgetting to thank God for it or simply forgetting that a
relationship with God is more than just asking Him for things.
Day Two
The next morning started out normal.
Kels and I got out of bed and started getting ready for school. The electricity
went out while I was in the shower at eight o’clock. We finished getting ready
and went down stairs. The part of yesterday that made no electricity
aggravating: we had school, we had a group coming in from Singapore to help
with school, we had small group that evening, and finally the group was cooking
food for the evening and our water purifier uses electricity. School went well,
the group that came in had four ladies from different countries, and they all
shared about their country for our geography lesson—awesome! With no lights and
no fans to make the air move, however, we had to let the kids leave early—the
conditions were just too sleepy, and most of their heads were hitting the desk
in front of them. One of the ladies from the group had some experience in eye
conditions, and we have a three year old girl Roat with an eye problem—she was
in our last post. For this reason, Kels, Rhonda, and Vallory headed to the eye
doctor. The first doctor simply took some blood (I say simply, but all that were
involved would tell you that it was not). Roat said the first words that Kelsi
has ever heard her say, “Ott Chjeng! Kinome ott chjeng!” Which translated is “No
want! I no want!” A better translation would be, “I don’t want this! Why are
you doing this!?” We were afraid that she couldn’t speak at all, so this was a
praise God moment… After getting home, Rhonda called an eye specialist and
asked for an appointment—which was for the same day. Roat has been found to be
blind in her right eye, and the specialist says that she will always be blind
in that eye. “The doctors saved her eye, but it won’t ever be used to see,” he
said. Now, he may be right, but I also see this as an opportunity to see what
God wants. God may want Roat to be blind in that eye, so that He can use it to
bring glory to His name—like He did with the boy who was born blind (John 9).
She may bare that burden her whole life so that she can be a comfort to others.
However, Jesus brought glory to God’s name by healing the boy, also. That is what
I am praying will happen. God has the power to heal Roat’s eye—we all agree to
that. If it is God’s will, then it will happen, and I pray for God’s will and
for the healing of Roat’s eye. As the day progressed, the electricity was still
off—cooking still happened in the kitchen with a little burnt rice from not
having the rice cooker. As the group from Singapore set everything out to serve
dinner to everyone before small group, the lights came back on! The rest of the
night was fantastic, as three of the group members shared their testimony and
performed a “skit” for the kids. We worshiped at the end, and it was
wonderful—God used the monstered guitar and His people from all different
nations to bring glory to His name. After the team left we all retreated to our
bedrooms to sit and relax for a while… and that is when we found out what a
puppy does for hours, when he is locked in a room with no light… Muggy
completely trashed the room. I walked in and found that he did not go to the
bathroom where he was supposed to, he had gotten our clothes out and chewed on
them, he pulled the trash out of the trash can, and he had chewed up one of our
towels… I just stopped and said, “Muggy!? Where are you?” I looked all around
the room, and then found him sleeping in our clothing hamper—which was “hidden”
behind a table supposedly to keep away from him. I wish I had taken a picture
of his face! It was pure ignorant innocence. He just looked up at me like he
wanted to say, “Oh, you’re back. I thought you were gone forever. That’s why I
took ownership of the room.” We will never forget about him again. We
understand that he should have never been left alone for that long of a period,
but we did have a lot on our plate ;) I guess that is all for now. We will be
coming out with another update shortly. Thank you guys for all your support,
and we will keep you posted on everything that is happening here in Cambodia!
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| Roat at Doctor Gloria's |
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| Roat at the eye specialist |
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| Dalin |
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| David |
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| Niet |
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| Thomas, Niet, Beau |
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| Thomas |
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| Heng Boy, Beau |
Micah and Kelsi :)
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