Hey Everyone!
I just want to apologize for not giving an update for many weeks now. We have had one of those months where everything happens all at the same time, and it seems like you don't even have time to breath... on top of that, my computer got some crazy Chinese virus that would not allow me to get on the internet--note to self, do not leave computer on all night long, apparently that is how I got the virus. That being said, I do have lots to tell you about.We had Kelsi’s parents
come for a visit (Which now feels like ages ago), started a new school system, took a three day trip to Siem
Reap, and have just generally been having really full days!
Visit
Like I said, we had Kelsi’s parents come for a visit, which
was really awesome and just the right cure for homesickness. Skype is nice and
I can’t imagine how homesick we would be without it, but it is nice to have
flesh and blood sitting at the dinner table and speaking face to face. They
arrived on Tuesday the 9th and stayed through until the next
Saturday (the 20th). It was really nice having them here for tons of
reasons—including help with projects that David’s handy man skills
accomplished, and Kerri’s extra hands with big shopping trips with Kelsi… not
to mention, I didn’t have to do dishes basically the entire time they were
here… one word: Awesome. It was also nice to have them around, because Kelsi
and I got to do some tourist things that we had not taken the opportunity to do
since we arrived in Phnom Penh. It is funny the way things work, when you are
going to be somewhere for a long time—you tell yourself, “the next time I am at
Toul Tom Pong I will take pictures of the meat and stores” but then next time
comes and you forget, and eventually, it is the norm… why would I take a
picture of the grocery store? With Kerri, David, and their camera, we got
pictures of all the things that we have wanted pictures of and, at the end of
their stay, go to one of the seventh ancient wonders of the world (more on that
next). Something else that is nice about Grandparents coming to visit was the
extra help with the girls. Although I would like to say that Kels and I are
perfect parents and need no help, we are new with parenting, and have two
daughters—one of which is an ornery three year old. The help was amazing. I
mentioned that David helped out with things around the house, so I want to brag
on him for a minute. While here, he put three shelves in—one in our kitchen
above our kitchen counter and doubled our counter space (THANK YOU!), and the
other two in the Benz’s kitchen. He also helped me carry the girls’ new bed to
the house (that was down four flights of stairs, and then back up five flights
of stairs, and then back down one). On the note of carrying things, he helped
me carry a sofa from the bottom level of the house to Kels and I’s living room
(I am sitting on it now, and it is oh so much more comfy than the wicker one we
had). Also, I think that I need to add that we had to take the door off to get
the couch into the living room… this is a note to anyone who ever wants to get
it out, because it is impossible to get it in the door without doing so… I
mentioned the girls’ bed, so I should add that Kerri spray painted it pink and
added bows and lights to it to make it awesomely cute. Also while David was
here, he mounted a fan in our kitchen because the one we had was hugely
intrusive—he mentioned that it was in the way and immediately came up with the
solution. I joked at one point that the work that they did was what most
college students do on short term missions trips, and college students would
have taken time to sight see also, so this was really a short term mission
trip. In reality, that is just how Kerri and David are—always wanting to pitch in
and do work even while on “vacation.” We did do something very vacationy while
they were here, however.
Siem Reap
Siem Reap: The home of one of the seventh ancient wonders of
the world… Khmer temples… the most famous of all, Angkor Wat. Because I have
been teaching the kids Khmer history, I knew a little of the background of
these temples. We only had one day to visit, so we hit three temples of
interest: Angkor Wat (of course), Bayon, and Ta Prohm. Highlights of Angkor
Wat: palm juice, hundreds of feet of murals, and swimming pool. As we
approached the temple, there were guys selling palm juice… if you ever visit,
drink the juice and let me know what you think, because David and I both tasted
a burnt, smoky flavor… mmmm. I love for my juice to taste like it has been
taken out of a smoker. What I was amazed by the most was not how big the temple
was, because anyone can make something really big, it was the detail of
everything. The walls all had murals from the ground to the ceiling—not
paintings, carved into the stone. I thought I caught a pattern of one of them
that was recreated, but then there was enough difference that I couldn’t
convince myself that it was duplicated over and over again, like a copy past
job… I guess you couldn’t copy and paste into stone… it was pretty magnificent.
And then there was the two swimming pools in the temple… I’m not exactly sure
if they were swimming pools, but Abby and Lily were both convinced that they
were, because they really wanted to jump in, even with no water. In one word, I
will describe the highlight of Bayon: Elephant Ride… ok that was two words, but
we road elephants around the temple. The guy steering the elephant had a place
on the back of his shirt that read “TIPS” and had a five dollar bill sticking
out of it. The last temple, I did not have a good look at, because I am now a
father, and my daughter Abby had to “Chinome” or in English: Potty. I ran out
of the temple looking for a bathroom. We made it back to the van and I asked
one of the store owners where the bathroom was… they pointed to the woods
behind the stores J
My thought, “THERE WERE WOODS WHERE I CAME FROM!” The reason we stopped at that
temple was because I had said that I wanted to see the old trees that grew
through the temples… apparently they were awesome… the people in my group
obviously didn’t know the rules about when someone misses something, because
they all came back like, “That was the best temple of all. After you left we
turned a corner and everything was more awesome than anything we have ever seen…
oh but we couldn’t take any pictures, because they said that anybody not
willing to come to see it was too lame to see it in it’s pure
awesomeness.” Ok. The last part was made
up, but the first two sentences actually came out of my wife’s mouth! On a side
note, I love being a dad, and I would trade any Hindu temple with trees growing
through it for my daughter any day. Also, the fact that a temple dedicated to a
Hindu god was completely desecrated by our God’s creation is totally great.
That is the last thing that I want to add about the temples. While we were
there, they had little places to burn incense and bow down and pray to a golden
image of someone, maybe Budda (but that would be weird, since they are Hindu
temples). I have been reading the old testament lately, specifically in the
history books (1 and 2 Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles). All the kings of Israel
that were evil in God’s eyes were the ones who erected temples to other gods. I
don’t think that these structures are “wonders” in God’s eyes. I think that He
would love nothing better than to see them torn down. I had a hard time being
in awe of them for this reason, but I did have a nice anecdote to add to my
Bible study with the boys about hating sin like God does in an attempt to live
holier lives… Although the architecture was magnificent, what these temples
stand for is the breaking of the first and second of ten great commandments
that God has given us. If you say, “No, they are just buildings now,” you are
wrong… I watched countless people bowing down in these temples to worship
something that is not our one true God. (Soap box returned). We also took a boat ride, while in Siem Reap, that was awesome! Houses in the water up on poles. The people living there on the water just like a neighborhood, and everyone getting in boats to go from one place to another... really neat.
School Changes
Lastly, I will discuss the new school system. If you would
like to hear more about the history of the kids schooling, you can visit
Rhonda’s blog and read about it. I will simply state that the kids have begun
Khmer school—not just the three boys you knew about form previous blogs, but
all of them. The thing about Khmer school is that it is in the morning one
month and then switches to the afternoon the next… so, we have one group of
kids in the morning and a different set in the afternoon. This actually is
better, because we have even less students and can work better with the fewer
numbers at a time. Also, with the less students, Kelsi has been able to take on
the kindergarten and get the students prepared for PACE books. It worked out
really well, because her kindergarten students are on the same schedule as my
older boys, who are easier to keep on task. I have been able to start a reading
group with the older boys, and try to really improve their English skills. This
is the reason for being more busy, though. Our new schedule takes us from eight
in the morning until four in the afternoon with a two hour break from eleven to
one to get Abby and Lily fed and put down for naps. I also have Bible study at
four still… which directly afterwards is preparation for dinner, followed by
bath time, and an hour to thirty minutes before baby bed time… whew, it is very
tiring, but we are not here on vacation. We are here to work, and I have never
liked people who complain about how much they have to do: Jesus took His rest
time to pray, and even then was pulled away to His ministry. The thing that is
difficult is that I used to get the blog ready in the afternoons while watching
the school room with kids on computer programs like typing and Microsoft, which
are student directed mostly, and I am not needed as much as with PACE books. I
want to keep everyone updated, but it is definitely something that has to be
worked on now. There I go complaining. I will keep the updates coming and you
guys keep praying for us as we continue the work. I was reading my Bible today
and a verse came up, “Do not grow weary in well doing” I don’t remember where
it is found, but that is the aim. Refreshment through time in God’s word and
prayer, and we will keep on keeping on.
At this point I would like to explain some financial things
that have come up. With all the kids going to Khmer school, there is a new
monthly cost added to the Benz’s already tight budget. The boys and I did the
math the other day, and it is around $220 every month, just to give the kids
the bare essentials. Also, with Kelsi doing the kindergarten, there is an
additional cost of $20 a month towards daily snacks… oh kindergartener’s and
their snacks. If you feel compelled to help with these financial needs, let me
know and I can get you the information you need. I know how things are right
now in the States with the election and poor economic times, so I pray that God
will lead the giving. That it will not be compulsive, but that it will be
obedience. All I ask is that you pray about it, and see what God would have you
do. Thanks!
Here are some pictures of us at Siem Reap and of the girls in their new bed :)
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