Wonderful Greeters

Just a short month ago we arrived back to US soil for some quality family time and to get new passports.

The whole idea at the time of our arrival was “mom, go slow, be the last one, I have to get from school to the airport to pick you two up with all your luggage. It’s M’s last day of school and I need to finish up there first.”

Got it!

The other two older grandchildren were still in school at that time, in fact, they had school until the 21st of June. Nope, they couldn’t make it either. Or so we thought.  Surprise !

The sixth grandchildren is just shy of 2 and lives out of state. We assumed that she wouldn’t be there either as she can’t travel by herself. Surprise #2.

Well, you can see from the attached picture if you count correctly, that there are indeed 6 very excited grandchildren (well, maybe 5 excited and one who clung to daddy) who greeted us as we came thru those ‘magic’ doors, leaving no-mans land behind. (Anyone being on either side of such doors understands the ‘feeling’ of those doors.)

We came thru the doors to the usual plethora of people and signs around the roped area. Initially we couldn’t begin to figure out ‘where’ the (three) grandchildren were in the midst of it all. Ah ! To my left I see jumping beans of hair flying, arms waving, hollering, all over the place SIX little ones trying to get our attention. How we could have missed that bundle of excitement first off must have been due to jet lag cloudiness of sorts. But that was soon dissipated as those kiddos gathered in to welcome us (with parents in the wings). Hugs and “I Love You” knows no boundaries. Skin to skin stuff, just what God ordered.

As was mentioned before, this had been the most difficult deployment ever of any of them. The grandkids were older. They were more vocal, more engaging, more involved in our lives than ever before. We had a deep relationship with them that knew no boundaries and yet was strained by the loss of their presence on a regular basis, except over the internet (not always cooperative) in our lives. The loss was more in the front lines in many ways in our minds.

As I said it’s been shy of a month since we departed Cambodia. We have spent hours of catchup time with each of the six now with their parents and can now settle in for a few months of usual as we await the return of our passports ~ new and spanking clean. It is also summertime here and the usual school restraints are not there for a bit, though it will come all too soon. In the meantime, we will enjoy the time given to us with each of them to strengthen that bond that God has put there for us to nurture.

Then we will do this another time one more time ~ something not to think about at the moment. No thanks!

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The Eagle Has Landed

Immanuel Lutheran Church has invested faithfully in us for many years, beginning way back in our days on the campus of Universitas Pelita Harapan in Jakarta, Indonesia to our now current deployment in Cambodia. As we look back, we could easily cite many small steps that were taken at those strategic moments along the journey. God seemed to glue us together again and again, even when the boat was rocky or the road very bumpy. I guess ministry goes that way, even though we would wish otherwise. Even the early church we’ve read about we can identify some parallel moments when they too had ‘their’ moments. But God remained faithful. And so did His people.

It is not the easiest thing to live in a culture so unlike our own, more noticeable by us as the years go by. The language hasn’t been any easier to learn, and the weather hasn’t been kind either. But the unfeathered heartfelt attachment to all of this hasn’t been shaken out of us in spite of this. We can’t tell you why or how, but we know it’s there.

One of our steadfast ongoing prayers has been for people who knew us and were our partners would venture across the pond to see what God is doing thru His people here in this country. One team came from our son’s locale during our last deployment.

And then ~ Just a mere three weeks ago God sent us an energized, organized, passionate and godly fivesome to see His work here in this country. The eagle had landed, bringing to us five hearty souls from Immanuel Palatine to share Jesus with their hands and feet (and all the energy they could muster). As we gather in the final tally and regroup all of those photos and videos (7.7 GB) into a firm resting place, we can look back with sheer awe and wonder of it all. Like did we really pack that much up in those mere 14 days we were blessed to share time with them? Yup, we did. And it was beyond good! We couldn’t have been more proud of their efforts to engage Snor and Svei villages under the leadership of Pastor Samuel and four translators who stood strong with each of the team as was needed. They kept us on the move ~ that was good.

Do we, as local in country staff know the results of their time here?  Nope. But our Father does. Do we, as local staff, realize the impact that could have happened in this time and this place? Absolutely. The love and encouragement were abundantly seen during all of those strenuously challenging days shared forward in the villages with each person that was sent their way, all the way from the eyeglass clinics to church services to coloring and playing games and all that in between. Somewhere along the way even we, as hosts for this team, fell in love one more time with these people. God always tugs at the heart of His people for the very souls he longs to call his own.

Immanuel, thank you for sharing your time, yourselves, and your resources with the people of this country ~ half a world away from you. We love you!

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See More Clearly (by the Immanuel team)

The following links are to three of the four services (all different) of the Immanuel Lutheran Church Palatine, IL short term team post interview done during church services this past Sunday. I did not do links to any of them, so please do a cut/paste to view them yourself (unless it does it magically without my help.). Each of the discussions is during the sermon time, about 25 minutes or so into the complete service format.

We are grateful beyond words for the Immanuel team fivesome who came across the big pond of water to come and see how God is working amongst His people here.

May 22 / 10:45 – Seeing More Clearly In Cambodia – Contemporary Lutheran Worship video

May 22 / 9:15 – Seeing More Clearly In Cambodia – Blended Lutheran Worship video

May 21 / 5:00 – Seeing More Clearly In Cambodia – Sat Blended Lutheran Worship video

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Khmer Khronicle June 2016

KK June 2016

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“We Want to Learn More” ~ Part 2 Soap making

So today’s class, the last one at least for now, converged in the office this morning to learn how to use a thermometer correctly (our American Imperial system doesn’t roll over into their metric learning) and for the girls to do everything on their own. There was an obvious intense discussion for a bit about the ‘future’ of soap making in the villages and how to do it there, with some excitement in the air. But then the process began one more time, and George and I were only observers now as the three soap gals measured their container, calculated the amounts of oils and lye/water to fit into it, and finally put it all together. New items for the day included the scent of lavender and the color of turmeric. The weather has changed somewhat since our last soap date, and this time the gals used a cardboard lined box instead of a silicone loaf pan. Those are a lot of exchanges in a new learning curve. We hope they understand this curve will continue to move further out with each time they try something new in this craft, and we hope that they do try new things.

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Khmer Khronicle May 2016

KK May 2016

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It’s Simple As Soap

Late last summer and early fall, I had the privilege to get out with our eldest daughter as she engaged in the local bazaar community to feel out the market for a clean option of selling soaps, lotions, and such for all members of a family. As I was rounding up my time in the US at that point, she offered up a few samples of her efforts to bring to Cambodia and to use in whatever way I’d like to do that.

We arrived the first of November here and were soon into the Christmas season, traveling for a good chunk of six weeks prior, first to peruse the current church projects and stations to get a lay of the land, then we moved on to the season of Christmas celebrations in many of the small church communities where we, in each location, shared a meal with the community and then encouraged the church families during their programs. I must admit that, in each location all across this country, not any one was like another. Each had its own flavor of presentation, but each spoke clearly of the meaning of Christmas.

So getting back and settled in after the actual Christmas date meant that our gifts to our family/friends here were delayed for a while longer as we recouped from travel exhaustion.

But then the word was out that I was sharing forward ‘soap’ as a gift and each recipient eagerly accepted our gift, asking questions, feeling the texture, and of course smelling the fragrance. But then the real test came and they tried the soap.

Fast forward to sometime in March, probably early in the month, when comes this text to my phone ~ “Teacher, can you show me how to make the soap you gave me please?” (I’m always called teacher by this wonderful lady since the first day we met).

OH BOY! Was my fast reaction to the text. I thought to myself, how much had I listened to those previous months in the US as soap was made and was this even possible to do here came across my brain. Well, to no one’s surprise I might imagine, the challenge was taken forward and we began the process of breaking down our unknowing about this ancient process, but also incorporating someone else who knew far more than all of us together on this side of the pond.

Thank you God for the internet at this point. This is one time it is more than a blessing. Even in the midst of a crazy 12 hour difference and navigating lives totally of their own on both sides, and a very unstable internet full of delays and more slowness than pouring honey out of a jar, the process of learning this has slowly come around with all of us working as a team sharing our knowledge, our reading, and our memories of this ancient trade, while in Chicago sits one dedicated daughter who has engineered classes (with hubby as copilot) with notes and websites and down to earth advice, passion, and a vision to share forward what she herself has found to be a ministry platform in itself. Welcome to the 21^st century of learning!

This whole process is now beginning to show adequate signs of becoming a country wide ministry platform to share in the villages, not only the soap making process, but

also health and hygiene advocacies being reinforced along side. We are still working out the differences between here and there in soap making, realizing that each has its areas that are expensive here and maybe not there, and that here villagers know how to do things we could never have imagined. Their resources are so different from ours. As an example is the use of lye. I would go to the store to get it for making soap. In the village they will dry the banana peel, then cook it over a fire, and then process it (somehow) into their own type of lye. They will have colors and flowers that are home to Asia in itself. They have little to no money to spend on the investment of this, but their knowledge and their time may be their greatest asset by far.

So oft times we think of ministry ‘in a box’ sort of thing ~ in each of our own boxes most likely. There we are comfortable and content to think that God has all the details worked out for each of us in that way. But then the box opens in such a pleasant way that we don’t even realize how we are being used way back in the beginning (like when I was helping at the fall bazaars) to get to a point where God is taking us. He doesn’t ever plan for us to be content where our feet are planted today, or yesterday for that matter. He is looking ahead way to a tomorrow, or many tomorrows down the road, when all those yesterdays are glorified in ways we had not imagined.

Immanuel Lutheran Church is in the midst of a platform entitled “Stronger Together.” I’m thinking as I close this out that the soap making idea wasn’t in their list when they were strategizing their efforts to go into the community. While we as individuals may think of community being that around the church property itself, I can see that sometimes the property ‘around the church’ is perhaps stretched a bit in ways not even remotely considered. This is one of them. Thank you Father for such being such a wonderful pilot of the community in which we all live, yours and yours alone. Thank you for showing us what we can do with the resources and talents you have given each one of us in building a community, half a world apart ~ together.

Yup, God is so good ~ as always ~ again.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Photo 1: Facetime class teaching

Photo 2: First time soap making

Photo 3: Finished first product

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First Fruits

This year, 2016, Easter was celebrated on Sunday, March 27^th. Since none of us were there for the resurrection of Christ, and we will not see those that were there until the second coming of Christ, it is impossible to know exactly when the Resurrection of Christ occurred. But today, Resurrection Sunday or Easter is defined as the first Sunday after the first full moon, after the spring equinox. Since the spring equinox, the time when the sun apparently crosses the equator, is always March 21^st, the earliest that Easter could every be is March 22^nd. This year, the first spring moon occurred on March 23^rd which then put Easter on March 27^th.

But, as we studied the bible, we realized that Christ’s institution of the eucharist occurred at the end of the Passover meal. As this is written, we are approaching Ascension Day and Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian church when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and the early members of the Christian church in the form of tongues of fire per Acts 2. But, this year Resurrection Sunday came very early, and Passover was not celebrated until April 22^nd -30^th. Our curiosity was getting the best of us.

As we studied further, we found that Pentecost and the Jewish holiday of Shavuot should theoretically fall at the same time. Pentecost is supposedly 49 days after Easter. Shavuot, the Festival of First Fruits, is 50 days after the Passover. Shavuot celebrates the giving of the law, Resurrection Sunday is the fulfillment of the law, and Pentecost is the spreading of the salvation from Christ’s resurrection to the rest of us, the Gentiles. The penalty for violating the laws of God is eternal separation from God, but because of the shedding of Christ’s blood and the work of the Holy Spirit, we never have to face an eternal death that should be ours. Thanks be to God.

All I(Shary) asked was what Shavuot was as I have been reading a series of books on biblical history and this came up and I had no idea what it was, in spite of the fact that I grew up with a Jewish family next door and they would invite me to their celebrations. This one I missed somewhere.

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When There Is No Water

If you have been following our blogs of recent events here in Cambodia, you may realize that the temperature has exceeded 100^oF almost every day here in the city. The rest of the country has been about the same, and at times, even experiencing higher numbers than we have here.

But, what do you do when there is no source of clean and safe drinking water, or any water at all for that matter?

While we were deployed here in 2013, we took a trip down to the province of Kampot to meet with several pastors. We sat outside a beautiful white church in the shade of the palm trees to get away from the heat. It was near the end of the dry season and after we had sat for several hours of discussion, we were preparing to leave when the pastors asked if Shary would take time to visit with the wife of Pastor Nop Sean. The poor lady was in abdominal pain with a swelling that had been with her for some time. Shary asked what had been done for her and they had sold the family cow in order to raise money for her to be treated at the local clinic, but the clinic had been unable to help.

Shary suggested that she be taken to Phnom Penh for further diagnosis and treatment, but there was no money available in the community to help. Thanks to the generosity of some donors from Colorado, money was made available for a donation and it was possible for Pastor Nop’s wife to be brought to a hospital in Phnom Penh. Because hospitals here require prepayment as treatment is done, Shary paid several visits to see her laying in a bed with her family sleeping beneath the bed to care for her,making payments as treatments were done.

Unfortunately. it seemed that the cause of her illness was the consumption of unsafe drinking water which had destroyed her body inside. As we asked more questions, we were told that 78% of the people in Kampot Province were at end of the dry season without safe drinking water. In order to survive, these people drank whatever water they could find, many times only to end up in the hospital.

It appears that women and children are most affected by the drought. When there is no water, the children will frequently get diarrhea and succumb to complications quite quickly from it.

This year, it is even worse. Last week, the Phnom Penh Post, reported that this has been one of the driest dry seasons in Kompot ever recorded.(and elsewhere too) Actual temperatures in many areas are as high as 115^o F on a regular basis. The government is hauling in water to sustain the people. But it isn’t just in Kompot, but also is happening in Siem Reap. The Post reported that the barays (reservoirs) were at the lowest point ever recorded. These barays have been around for 600 years and make Siem Reap part of the bread basket of Cambodia. The banks of the Tonle Sap are also very dry and the water level remarkably low. And the forecast for the monsoon rains which refill all these reservoirs and wells is that they will probably not occur until June, at least rain on a regular basis, that is so needed.

Certainly drinking water is the water of life. But, this need also opens the door to talk about the water of Life and baptism. Concordia Welfare and Educational Foundation and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cambodia work together to provide wells and water filters for those needing the water of life. But, these physical sources of water also provide the opportunity to talk with the recipients about the water of Eternal Life in Jesus Christ. We are thankful for their passion to share both of these needs in their work, and welcome anyone else who would like to do so, to partner along in this life saving agenda.

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The Peace Above the Stress Factor

The months of March and April have been topsy turvy for me. Things that had not been on my ‘to do’ list were now occupying a number there, which seemed to be in a somewhat constant state of flux. I had presumed my life was going to be smooth sailing as preparation for the Immanuel short term team entered its final preparations. Not so much.

First off, we have had some staff who have been quite ill, which when your staff is small in numbers, can make a huge impact. Additionally, when your language skills are not up to the level of the locals, it means that we have to rely on them at some point to be sure we are doing the best we can with/for them.

That being said, when the office translator took seriously ill and up till now has been in the hospital four times, it truly impacts everyone, including this wonderful man whose heart is to share the gospel to the youth (and he has a youth ministry offsite). If he is in the hospital he cannot work, and if he is not able to work, he cannot pay for his medical care. He can’t buy food to eat, pay for his rent, medication, his whole life is upside down. The church, as fragile as it is till now, can only help so much.

He was also our second option for our Immanuel team as our team translator for the time that they are here with us in Siem Reap. Our first option is also dealing with some unknown illness, not yet figured out with the local medical people. Sigh! Neither one will be with us.

In steps our next option, a very gracious young guy whose roll here is IT on staff. His english skills are ramping up at breakneck speed as we continually cross cultures and language to figure out how to do all of the prep work. I can’t begin to count how many trips to the printer he has made in the past three weeks to get samples, price quote, and copies (coloring pages and bookmarks as an example.) Sometimes I wondered if I had spoken correctly of what needed to be made up. Gratefully God’s example of patience and forgiveness has gone around a few times. He is learning to ask more than enough questions and when I hear “I got it” then I am able to breathe out that he indeed understands. Mind you, he still has his other responsibilities to do as well, so he’s gone way beyond the call of duty at this point in my book.

In the midst of all of those needs, comes along a request to gather in a Christian day school curriculum and do a Sunday School seminar. AND I am in the midst of a gargantuan Sunday School translation project graciously shared from a wonderful church who had exhausted their use of the materials sent our way to initiate an ‘official’ program.

And I am a nurse by profession. I don’t think that in any of those classes did I learn about these topics?

Have I lost any of you readers yet?

Well, here’s the catch. NOTHING has gone as planned. And as you all know my crazy detail oriented mind for a ‘perfect’ result didn’t ever happen. Only this time I realized I was so far out of my comfort zone that there was no way I could do it on my own nor did I have to stress out over it. It just wasn’t going to work out. God is smiling and said “Well, are you going to let ME help you this time.?”

Oh, did I mention that it’s Khmer New Year next week the 13-15 timeline. The country literally shuts down those days ~ and cruises along a few days before and after too. That means that no one will be available to complete the list I talked about above.

Today, as I write this the following has happened:

1-three pastors have come forward and are sharing in the translation that would be beneficial for the team to have in Snor Village at the end of the month. Each has / is taking some of what remained undone and are even working over the New Year holiday on their own time. Wow!

2-A dear friend in the US, a retired Lutheran elementary school teacher, has graciously stepped up to help me roll out the beginnings of a platform for the Garuna Christian Schools. Amen!

3-The Sunday School seminar is completed, thanks to the encouragement and prayers from our eldest daughter, who sat in the back row of the classroom waving at me (on my phone no less) as I stood in front, sharing the mission, structure, and ministry of Sunday school across all age levels over a two day time span. When the translation wasn’t completed due to illness as noted above, plan R came into action ~ make English copies and translate it ‘on the spot.’ Good way for the locals to get an English lesson in along the way free of charge. Even George was able to step forward and give a ‘story telling’ of one of the Bible events just as if he was talking to a group of children (older ones). Surprise, surprise, I don’t think the staff had a clue that was one of his favorite things to do in ministry.)

4- Additionally, I’m now understanding that starting in June, these 18 books will begin their translation process with the ultimate goal of 100 copies to be distributed for teaching to the village congregations. Wow, wow~

5-Early English and other Sunday School materials gathered in for a DVD for distribution to strategic persons to use in the start of the new school year coming forth is done.

And to give credit where credit is due, whose been doing the laundry, cleaning the two rooms we occupy, and running for groceries and meals while I worked. George. He’s the one who has stomped on the heat index as he has marched outside to do all of those things while I was in another cloud frame. And he also continued In his own projects too. Thank you!

You know what, God is good. He has had His mighty hand in all of this, and whatever goes, is going to be just fine. It’s kinda nice to let him drive the car once in a while actually, knowing that at the end of the journey you know you’re going to get there. Gotta do that more often I guess.

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” -Deuteronomy 31:8

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