Monday was another great day with the kids. For breakfast we bought a bunch of pastries, bananas and water and headed back to the beach. Right after breakfast kids were off into the water. If they are lucky, they get to swim and water play time once a year. I played soccer with the kids along with Mike ..it was 5 a side and we Americans got wooped bad by a bunch of 12 and 15 year olds. We had had another good lunch on the beach. They beach vendors had prepared shrimp, crabs and squid with white rice. You can really see in their faces how much they enjoyed lunch..it's was really a big treat them. They daily meal is usually a small piece of chicken and soup ...with of course plenty of rice to fill them up. Food network was right about memorable meals..and this was one of them.
The bus ride to Bantey Meanchey from the beach was an interesting one. It's been quite a while since I rode in a bus ride and for sure not a 11 hrs ride! The highway was pretty much one of the better ones in Cambodia. It's was shared with cows (cow crossing), sometime dogs, hundreds of people on mopeds, trucks and pedestrians. A lot of potholes too. There were plenty of rice fields everywhere. This area is the rice bowl of Cambodia. We saw 3 factories..workers leaving home for the day..all standing and piled up like sardines on large pickup trucks. The coutry is very poor with 60 percent of folks working the fields. Garments and shoes are the main exports. We also saw several large Buddhist temples on hill tops..they looked very majestic from a distance. All i can think of are the stark differences between Buddhism and Christianity...But i just know for sure our god is the one and only true god!
Kids sang and danced in the bus sometimes in English and sometimes in khemer. Lots of praise songs. Its just amazing how lively and full of spirits these kids where. We played some games on the bus..they were real competitive to say the least. Rain slowed us some as it's right in the middle of the monsoon season. We finally got into Bantey Meanchey at about 11pm or so....David
Hello Rainbow Squadron!
ReplyDeleteSo glad there was a super great day at the beach!!
That meal must be something those kiddos really look forward to considering their usual diet.
As I read about the rice fields and the workers packed like sardines in trucks, it made me wonder about the future of the children you are caring for this week.
I pray that they all get a sponsor for their education so that they will have opportunities to be able to move out of that 'future' and into something that fulfills them every day.
My husband and I saw a rainbow at a very special time this past Sunday.
We felt strongly that it was God sending us a message. You all are truly a blessing to these children and a rainbow of hope to them as well.
Keep up the good work! Fill yourselves up with all the love they have to give!!
Hope you are taking some pictures!
Hugs to all.... please give special hugs and kisses to Candy and Mike for me.
Love,
Momma Ann