Cambodia Mission Trip

We're home!

2005-07-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

For those of you who haven't heard, we're home! We had a safe trip home and it was good to see family and friends over the weekend! Shane and I are very thankful for your prayers and support and we are working on getting our pictures organized into a slide show to share with all of you!

Thanks again for your support!

Love, Mary and Shane

Day 15

2005-06-28T02:31:00.000-05:00

To our dear friends and family,

Well this will be our last Blog from Cambodia. We're living out our last day here and enjoying it thus far! The Guest House is quite full now that the second team has arrived, so I (yes, just me...no Shane) have decided to compose our last Blog to all of you faithful readers while at the same time escaping the chaos in the house!

Last night we were able to lead our last Bible Study at the three student centers. Kaley and I planned a special lesson on Purity, which is very important to us both! We had a really great conversation with the girls and we could tell that it was a meaningful time for them as well! After our study we headed back to the house for a team meeting. It was a really great time of discussion about what to expect when we go home, how to handle those things, and what we have learned while we have been here. It was really great! We also took time to go around to every team member and tell them what we had learned about them or from them! It was a great encouragement to me, I know, and Shane as well! We had a SUPER late night, so we were all a bit tired this morning!

Today we were at the school by 9 and taught all three Kindergartens as well as Grade 1 and 2 and were finished by 11. We were ablt to take a short break between the Kindergarten and Grade 1 and 2 and were invited to eat some Cambodian Cake. We were all so interested in the look of it and honestly a bit afraid to eat it. I think we missed hearing everything that it is made of, but I think I caught that it was made of the sweet nectar of the palm tree and sticky rice. It was a yellow ball half wrapped in some kind of a leaf. You didn't eat the leaf, but peeled it off and ate just the yellow cake. Now yellow cake with Chocolate frosting is Shane's favorite, but I could quickly tell that even if we would have had chocolate frosting....this wasn't going to be his favorite cake! The cake was so sticky and almost gummy. It didn't taste that bad, but it was hard for any of us to finish it. We were grateful when they brought out the fresh watermelon! (yesterday's fruit that they offered us had already been cut for a while and was being devoured by ants by the time we got to it!...we still ate some!) . The teachers there at the school are all so kind and so excited to talk to us! They arranged all of the children in rows and we all stood in the back for one big group shot. Kaley and I wore the Khmer T-Shirts that they gave us and they were wearing the scarves that we bought them at the market! Shane and I had memory cards that were full (they have been for days, which doesn't please me much, but our techy guy is doing what he can to empty them!). Kaley, praise the Lord, had two pics left on her film! We're all sure tha't we'll be swapping pictures back and forth for a while!

After saying goodbye at the school, we came back to the guest house to finish packing our things before the rest of the team came. Kaley and I headed to the market again--it's like WalMart...you just never remember EVERYTHING in the first trip! We got back and Shane finished packing and we all (as well as Scott) were able to make our way back to Jars of Clay...our favorite "Western" restaurant! We filled up on good stuff and even had room for some dessert!! By the time that we got back to the house, the other team had arrived, and like I mentioned earlier...there are boxes everywhere, luggage sitting all around, and people occupying all three bathrooms --it's shower time for those stinky travelers!

So I'm here and we've been informed that we're headed to the orphanage one last time at 3:30. I know that tonight we're having a Welcome/Goodbye party at one of the student centers with all team members and all college students! It should be pretty fun and pretty full too! Tonight Shane, Scott, Kaley, and I head to the Paradise Hotel. I have a feeling that it sounds better than it is, but we've been kicked out of our rooms by the new people, so we have no choice! We're still working on our arrangements for LA and are excited at the idea of going to the beach, though it's still not a "for sure" thing!

Please pray that we will have safe travels (we leave about 11pm Tues. your time....and will get to you by 2:30pm Thurs!) Our specific prayer, of course, is for safety but also that we will be able to sit together (at least Shane and I ) for the long flight! It sure makes it nicer for us! We all plan on taking some sleeping medication and will do our best to get on track with Ohio Time....but we're still sure that we'll all be pretty tired when we do land in Cleveland!

Again, thank you so very much for your prayers and your interest in what God is doing in our lives and here in Cambodia! We don't fully realize yet how significantly we have changed due to what God has been teaching us here! Praise the Lord for his never-ending love for ALL people! Praise the Lord for His omnipresence and the work that he does in the hearts of people on the other side of the world!

We have been blessed to be a part of Asia's Hope and are so thankful to all of you who have supported us through prayer, encouragement, and even financially! We have such EXCITING news for all of you about how that money has been used ---even over and above paying for our two trips, we have been able to help in some EXCITING ways! Just yesterday we were able to hand Dave Atkins the exact amount of money that he needed to complete the new orphanage in Thailand! We even have an itemized list of where the money will be used specifically! It is amazing how God knew how much we had to give and it was the exact amount that the director in Thailand requested from Dave!! All of that money was from you, our supportors and fellow servants for Christ! Thank you in His Name! We will soon be sent pictures of the completed orphanage so that we can share them with you as well! Praise God! What an obvious miracle!!

Thanks again for your love!

Love, Mary and Shane

Dad--I"ll see you THursday! The info that I hung on the fridge before I left should have the flight number for you! I will be charging my phone tonight and then attempting to call from LA tomorrow as soon as I can! Thanks for your willingness to come get us! I"m sure we will be so excited to see you and I hope we have the energy to express it! love you!

Day 13 and 14

2005-06-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hello again and we want to apologize for not Blogging yesterday, but the schedule just wouldn't allow it! We had a great time at the Korean Church. Those brothers and sisters sure praise the Lord in such an energetic way! The worship leader seemed really enthusiastic and since nearly all of the church is made up of young people, we sang a lot of high-energy worship songs! Our team even got to go up front and sing two (unrehearsed!). The service was given in Khmer, so due to our lack of understanding the language, most of us took that time to catch up on some Bible reading! They were generous enough to share some watermelon and candy with us after the service!

After church we headed back to the house. Kaley and I went to the market for some more shopping--it seems like that's something we like to do! We had our lunch and then were on the road to the Kang Klang (spelled wrong, I"m sure) orphanage. This is the state-run orphanage. It wasn't as nice of a facility (actually pretty dirty) as those run by Asia's Hope, but the children were just as cute! I think we could sense sadness in most of them though. We know that not all of them are Christians, but it is exciting to know that our friend Pecktay leads a Bible study there once a week for the children! We had a chance to pass out witnessing bracelets and necklaces to the children. Each color stands for a part of the salvation message. Pektay translated the meaning and it sure seemed as if the children were thankful for the colorful gifts! There were a few very silly boys and some sweet girls that sang to us and with us! We had a short tour given to us of the orphanage grounds, which ended in a room with beautiful paintings. We were told that one of the children--he was 18--was the artist. The paintings were for sale and so Shane and I picked one that we liked! We even got our picture with him, so you all will be seeing him soon! It will surely remind us of the boy, but also of our experiences here in Cambodia! The young man took us up to his bedroom. THe building reminded me of an old, run-down dorm. There were rooms on either side of the hall, no windows, and dirty conditions. He was a very nice guy and was able to speak some good English with us, explaining that he had been a Christian for a year and that he is able to stay at the orphanage even past his 18th birthday because he is still in school. He plans to attend the university and study English. I think he'll do great!

After the orphanage, we drove to a spot where we met many of the college students from the STudent Centers for a boat ride. I'm not sure how to explain the boat ---it surely wasn't a Carnival Cruise---but it had a lower level with chairs and tables and an upper level to sit or walk on. I got a little fearful up there, so decided to stay on the bottom level. Asia's Hope provided bags and bags of Cambodian fruit for everyone to share! I really enjoyed the Makot and SowMau. I took pictures so you all can see them! Shane was able to talk and have fun with many of the guys and I visited with the girls. He even got to play a little on someone's guitar, which was nice! The ride lasted about 2 hours and we were able to see the sun as it was setting. It was a beautiful picture!! We were also thankful to be out of the crowded city with semi-fresh air blowing on our faces! By the time the ride was over we were starving and excited for the Pizza we were about to eat!

Across the street from the Makong (spelling?) River was the pizza shop. There were children coming in and out of the restaurant with their items to sell--books, flowers, shoe-shining services--. We thought that was a bit interesting being interrupted even while we began to eat. One of our team members, Jim, bought all of us girls a rose and Trevor bought one for his loved one, Shane, as well! We had a good laugh at that one! Those two are so silly together, but have great talks about the Lord. Trevor is from Canada and a pastoral student. He's 24 as well. Shane and Trevor have a hard time getting to sleep at night because they're always giggling like two of my second grade boys! We're sure thankful for him on this trip! At the restaurant there was even an older man there who was selling books and had a pet tarantula (oh man...I really forgot how to spell everything here!) I think I almost cried watching him take it out, let it crawl on his neck and then posing for pictures with it crawling on his mouth. Dad---I know that just makes you want to quiver too!! The pizza was a WONDERFUL thing and we were thankful for full bellies, but tired after a long day!

The evening ended with showers and then bed, again....

MONDAY, JUNE 27th.

Today we headed to the school to teach our lessons on short vowels. We each were separated into the three Kindergarten classes (Shane, Mary, Kaley) and taught. I think I ended up with the lowest level and afterwards said a quick prayer thanking the Lord for my SECOND GRADE position at Kingsway! ha! After this Kaley and I taught an extended version of the same lesson to the second grade and Shane taught the first grade! The students were fun to teach, but it sure was harder than teaching American students!

We left there around 11 and came home to run out to shop at the market again. WE wanted to be sure to get the teachers at the school a small thank-you gift! (They gave each one of us a Cambodia t-shirt this morning!). After the market we had spaghetti again --thanks to Jim--and relaxed a bit! We quickly turned around to be at the school again at 2pm. This meeting was a small seminar-type time with the teachers. We showed them the learning activities that we brought and demonstrated them to the teachers as well. I also attempted to explain Kingsway's Phonics program to the teachers, using a page from my curriculum that taught 6 easy steps to reading. I think the teachers really were glad to hear about it and sat so quietly drinking in everything that I was teaching to them. Please be praying that we can work things out when we get home to raise money to purchase the curriculum for those teachers. It would be so great for them! Tonight I have a tape recorder and hope to say all of the special sounds on tape so that they can get the correct pronunciation!

Now we need to head back to the house for dinner and will have Bible Study at the student centers again for our last time. Kaley and I really enjoy the girls and I know that Shane loves the guys too!

Tomorrow we have planned to teach again in the morning and the afternoon we will meet the second Asia's Hope team as they join us. It will be a busy day, but we hope to Blog on our last day. We will be leaving here around 12:30 pm here on Wednesday, stopping in Teipei, and then landing in LA around 4pm Wednesday. (that sure makes for a LONG Wednesday!). We have plans to meet one of Pastor Dave's friends (who we met in LA on our way out here) and he will take us to Venice Beach, maybe some dinner, and then even to a Hotel for the evening! It will be a short night of sleep because our flight leaves LA at 7am. We will land in Cleveland at 2:39pm on Thursday. I"m sure we'll be tired, but very excited to be home!

Thanks again for your love and prayers and interest in our trip! We are glad as well that we have Blogged, as we will be printing these emails as our journals!

Mom and Dad--Love to you. I hope the info I gave was sufficient. I believe we will be flying Continental and will have to check that flight number for you again. I can give you a call from my cell from LA, I believe. You can park in temp parking and meet us at baggage claim, or you can just circle around and we'll look for "Big Red" to pick us up on the curb. Let me know what you think is best.

Liz--Thanks for the long note. I loved it. We loved it! We're glad that you didnt have any distractions there! I guess it makes us feel good to think that things aren't the same without us. That wouldn't be good if you didnt miss having us around! We are glad to hear that the bachelor/bachelorette things went well and can't wait to hear about them! I"m sure that SHane will want some time with Joe as well before the wedding! We love you and will be wanting to spend time with you all for sure!!!

Tracy--We love you too! We're glad that you enjoy our Blogs and just hope that our experiences here not only bless us, but that God uses them to bless you, the people here, and anyone else that thinks to pray for Cambodia because of what they have heard from us!

Jim and Brenda--Are most of your children back in Ohio with you? We hope that Dave had a good time at camp and are wondering if Mark is home yet? We'll be sure to come over for watermelon or something when we get home....if that's okay with you! We love you!

Love to all, Mary and Shane!

Day 12

2005-06-25T08:19:00.000-05:00

Hey all! It's just Mary here! Shane opted out of the late-night trip to the Internet Cafe. I thought I would mention that and give him a little grief--also because the other team members said I should....but honestly I told him it would be okay this once!

Today was Saturday, which meant we got to sleep in just a little! That sure was nice. People on the team are slowly getting better and I"m sure glad about that. Praise the Lord that I haven't been sick and have faith that I won't!! ha!

After breakfast we headed to the Killing Fields--about 40 minutes from the guest house. I think they said that there were nearly 9000 people tortured, killed, and buried there. It was a very solemn experience and difficult to imagine. It sure was hot out there today, so with the sad experience and the heat, I think we were all pretty tired when we got back!

For lunch we headed to Jars of Clay--a Christian restaurant with western food! I had a loaded baked potato and it sure tasted good! It was a cute little coffe-shop type place and I asked and yes....Kari Keefer...they'll hire you when you come next year! ha! It was great food and I even got a few cool gifts there made by AIDS patients and another christian ministry.

After lunch Pastor Dave changed plans and allowed us to take a short nap instead of going to the orphanage. It was just too hot and I"m sure we would not have had the energy we needed for the College Outreach that we had tonight. Kaley and I ventured to the Russian Market to get a few more gifts for friends and family....we didn't do that much bartering, but did talk them down a $1 on a few items!

We headed to the College Outreach around 5 and had a great time singing along with the worship leaders. Shane was pretty interested in the band's jam sesson before they started and tried talking guitars with the band members, but I"m not sure how successful he was. The songs that they sang were mostly in English, so it was nice to sing along....otherwise we just clapped a lot! Pastor Dave sang a few songs and then our Canadian friend, Trevor, shared a quick testimony. It was great to hear what the Lord has done in his life--and the students seemed to be interested too (we had a translator!). Shane and Trevor get along very well and have a fun time talking about music and laughing about Shane's strange sleep-walking/talking behaviors (Joe, we know that you would just hold him and Andy--we know that you're familar with these odd behaviors as well. Cockrills....you understand, I"m sure!!) After Trevor's testimony the pastor of the church spoke for a while and prayed (I assume he shared the Gospel, but your guess is as good as mine! I just haven't learned enough Khmer!) The college students sang a few more songs and played a few games and then they all went outside to eat fruit, provided by Asia's Hope!! (my favorite is the SowMau--it''s red, spikey stuff that's white and kind of slimy on the inside, but reminds me of a big, peeled grape with a big seed in the middle!) The outreach was great and we just heard that 57 students accepted Christ and that 102 students want to know more about Jesus Christ! Praise God! What an amazing miracle He did in front of us tonight! There was no alter call, which seemed weird, but I guess the message was taken and seeds were planted! Thanks so much for your prayers!

We got back to the guest house and a new team member--Jim from Columbus joined us yesterday--made us spaghetti, bless his heart!! So that was our day! It's 8:30 pm here and we're all winding down for the evening!

Tomorrow we plan on going to a Korean church service, then to the state-run orphanage, then on a boat ride down the river with some college students, and finally we will have our small group Bible studies at the three Student Centers!!

We have had such a good time here in Cambodia, but are getting very excited to come home again and share with you our pictures and experiences! We're also going to enjoy our own beds and pillows (the pillows at the guest house are thick and HARD!), brushing our teeth with the water in the sink, and seeing all of you!!

We love you and appreciate you all!

Randy--Thanks for the good encouraging words and advice! I"ll have Shane read the comment you sent when we come tomorrow! You had some good insight!

Dearest Friends(Liz, Joe, Ryan, Greg)-- What a blessing to hear from you! Shane will be jealous that I heard from you first! Sure sounds like you're having a good time together and I'm sad that we're missing it! Liz, I"m sure the smores weren't as good without me, your sidekick, to help with the perfect placement of the crackers and chocolate! Ryan....I thought that Lindsey was already home....I bet you'll be glad to see her! About the ring thing...other people do it in the airport...I think you should do it somewhere unique. I'll counsel you on that when I get home! Joe...sorry to hear about Clagget..they don't know what they're missing, but I"m sure God has something better. It's interesting how He works things out. We love you! Liz.....Jackson? I forgot that was even a possibility!? Please let me know as soon as you find out. Sure wish my cell worked here in Cambodia. I miss checking in on you. I wish so bad that I could be there for the pre-wedding stuff. Please consider me your full-time assistant the minute that I step off of the plane!! Thanks so much for the offer to pick us up, but my Dad has already asked the afternoon off and I think Sarah is coming with him! Sure will be glad to see you when we get home, though! I"ll call you when we get off the plane! We love you all so much! Greg...what up G-Money? THanks for hosting Bible study. Get the theater all warmed up for when we return! We are both sad (but understand the situation) that we will not be participating in the bachelor/bachelorette festivities! Liz--we'll do our own thing with wheat thins, pizza, and movies when I get back.....leave a small spot in your schedule for quality time with Mary!! We love you all!!

European Clan--Super! I keep wondering how it's going with you and am so glad to hear that you're having fun. I sure hope that you're taking lots of pictures! I heard that it was hot in Italy a few days ago, but I"m not sure what that means for Germany/France area. I know Sarah melts just thinking about being out in too much sun! Can't wait to see you girlies soon! Sarah...just come with Dad to the airport! Love you!

Dad--YOu're right again. I'll keep trying to focus on the the good that has been done in the Lord's name instead of the little bit of worry that I have about what hasn't been done! I'm always doing that. An over-acheiver at times, right?! I love you both and will be excited to see you Dad at the airport with Sarah and will be waiting for mom to get home from work! Thanks for Jeremy's shoe size, but you might be right about the differences in size and the merchants say (with wide eyes) that they don't have anything bigger than a 10. I'll have to think of something else for him.

Love to everyone! We love you and appreciate you! I might say that every day, but every day I mean it! Really. We can't wait to see you!

Love, Mary and Shane (in spirit, not in body!)

Day 11

2005-06-24T07:02:00.000-05:00

Thanks again for your comments and prayers! We have had another full day here in Phnom Penh! My friend Kaley (the only other female on the trip) woke up sick and there are two others that are getting colds and other sicknesses. We're thankful that God has healed Shane (for the most part) and that I have been healthy as well! Please continue your prayers in this area of our trip!

This morning we headed back to the school and talked with the principal there about some things that we observed in her class as well as another teacher's English class. We were impressed by what they do with the materials that they have. I also introduced to Borany the Rainbow Tally System loved by all (especially my students I am sure) at Kingsway. She seemed pretty interested in it, though it sounds like she has a difficult time with parental support at her school. That made me EXTRA thankful for the parents that I get to encounter at Kingsway!

After a couple of hours at the school we headed back to the house, had some lunch, and then ventured to the Russian Market. We got some good deals and dodged the rain (mostly). It sure was humid in amongst all of those stores so tightly packed together under a rusty roof. (Which made for a loud rain!) Once the puddles got the best of us on the inside we gave in and walked through a sprinkle back to the house.

Shane and I headed back to the school at 3pm to gather more materials together for lessons that we will be teaching the students on Monday and Tuesday. The principal asked that we teach all of the grades (three Kindergarten classes, a first grade, and a second grade) an English lesson for the day. I think we have decided to focus on short vowel sounds because she said that they have not reviewed those. So we'll plan on teaching and playing some cool games to help the children learn.

Once we got back to the guest house we did some more planning with Kaley and then had dinner and here we are! Sure sounds like we didn't do much today, but it was still a busy day! I feel better after having at least talked about discipline with Borany. I think a lot of her questions should be direced to Mr. Williams, though....I'm not so familiar with administrative decisions (I prefer second grade!).

Oh!!--Last night we did get to go to the orphanage! The kids were great, we painted nails, Shane attempted to teach the kids how to play "Knock-Out", and we drew pictures with chalk on the cement. It was a quick visit because their English teacher showed up for a lesson for the children.

We also went to the three student centers last night. Shane and Scott to one, Kaley and I to the women's center, and some of our other male teammates to another male center. We all taught about confidence, using a lesson Pastor Dave provided. It was a nice time to be in smaller groups, though I don't think that the students feel comfortable enough with us or with their English skills to comment or answer questions. Still....it was a nice time. We're actually headed back to the house now to review our lesson on Joy for tonight's meeting!!

Thanks again for your love and prayers! We so enjoy hearing from you!

Mom and Dad--Good. Thanks for the guarantee that you won't leave us stranded. We don't want you, Dad, to have to take off work, though. If Sarah can do it, that's fine. I guess it's up to you.

Annie and Ryan--You're super. We'll show you those cake-covered pictures when we get home. I"ll call you Annie and maybe head over to your house.

Eakins and Harmons--Thanks so much for your encouragement! We are glad to be God's servants and, yes, are very excited for the revival tomorrow night. Pastor Dave says he expects 400-500 students to be there!

Hewitts--Please tell Blainer that I have been telling the children exactly as he instructed me to!! I know how to say I love Jesus in Khmer so I say that a lot to the kids because I don't know much else--they try to teach me, but I just can't remember it all! Thanks again for your prayers and concern! Sure hope that Lori is feeling well....I was wondering about that.

Brother Jeremy- Just for fun...what size shoes do you wear? Mom and Dad....if you know, let me know please!

Cockrill Clan--We love you all! Sure hope that you are doing great!

Love to all, Mary and Shane

Day 10?

2005-06-23T02:41:00.000-05:00

I think that we are losing track of time!! I keep forgetting how many days that we have been here. The days go by so very quickly for us! We headed back to the orphanage on Tuesday evening for our last visit. We knew it would be hard to leave those little kids and even some of the older ones. The children ate their dinner again and then right after they were done eating we had a cake made for all of them to celebrate all of their birthdays! The director of the orphanage said he thought this would be the first taste of cake for many of them! The ladies cut the cake and delivered massive pieces to groups of about 6 kids to share! It sure was fun to watch them eat the frosting first and then dig in! They usually have great manners while they eat, but all was thrown out the window with the cake! We got pictures of their faces as they ate and ate! We all made bets that they would be sick that night! After the cake we sat around and sang songs and played games until dark and then before any of us were ready, it was time to go. I know that I had a hard time saying goodbye and seeing their faces as they found out that we would not be back-or at least we didn't know when we would be back. They all lined up on either side of the driveway and waved and waved until we were out of sight. Our van was pretty quiet for quite a while. I still see their faces and feel like I learned a lot from them! I know that Shane feels the same way. After the orphanage we had a late dinner at a local restaurant and Shane played some pool with our driver, Solpeep---at least that's phonetically spelled. The owner was a christian so we listened to some cool christian music while we ate.

On Wednesday we were up and out on the road by 7:30 headed to Seim Reap. The first hour was fine, but then the pavement just stopped and we were left with a BUMPY dirt road for nearly 3 hours or so. When I say BUMPY.....I don't think I can even explain how bumpy it was. Shane and I were in the back seat hitting our heads on the ceiling several times and squashing our guts with each big crater in the road. It was amazing. Shane ended up toward the front of the van and I moved to the middle. It was wild. I think we were both grateful for the motion sickness medicine that we took. I kept my eyes shut for most of the trip. We're pretty sure we never went any faster than 25 mph. Ugh. We all cheered when we finally hit pavement again, though it was a little bumpy too! When we arrived in Seim Reap we checked into the hotel and then headed out for lunch. I know the drowsiness from the medicine was taking over, but we ate anyway without falling asleep in our plates. Can you believe that with all the travelling that we have done here in Cambodia--we have not seen one single McDonalds or WalMart?!!! Seems impossible, I know.

After we ate we headed straight to the temples of Angkor Tom and Angkor Wat. I think the tour guide we had said that they were built around the year 800AD. It was amazing to see the detailed carvings on nearly ever surface of the sandstone. THe guide told us that they used elephants to carry the stone over 150 miles to get it to the temple site. Angkor Tom took 20 years to build and Angkor Wat took 30. It was nearly overwhelming as we climbed the very steep stairs and looked at all the carved stories and heard more about the history of Cambodia. I suppose you'll just all have to wait to see the pictures in order to understand! Oh, we also climbed a small mountain to the temple at the top. YOu could see for miles around! Needless to say we were all very warm and sweaty by the end of the tour, though we were thankful for the clouds in the sky. It could have been much worse as far as the heat is concerned.

We had 15 minutes to freshen up before we had to be ready to go to dinner. Just so you know...both Kaley and I got a shower in that time....shouldn't that be recorded in the Guiness Book for two women?? We ended up eating at a pretty fancy restaurant ($12 a person) and enjoyed watching traditional Khmer dancers on stage as we ate!! It was pretty cool!! I'm not sure that we would all choose to see it over and over, but it was pretty neat!! We got home from dinner and another day was over.

Today we were up and on the road again by 7:30 and made our way home--thank the Lord we travelled home to Phnom Penh far away from the bumpy road we experienced before!! The trip took about 5 hours and now we have had lunch and finally got to the internet cafe to send you all a quick blog. We know that we're headed to the orphanage here in about an hour. We'll write more tomorrow!!

Jodi---We're so proud of you sending us your very own comment! You did great and I know the pumpkin bread, pineapple, and steak sounds great to us both! Shane is still getting better and better and we're thankful for your prayers and will have hugs for you when we get home!

Andy and Jordan--Thanks for your quick note and we will be handing out even more gum possibly tonight! See you July 9th!

Annie and Ryan--So glad to hear that you're not too bored by our Blogs and I sure will be glad to see you again at church and talk and talk about whatever. I can't believe that you're so close to being a married woman Annie! That's great! Remember what I said....whatever you need, I'll do it. We'll talk more about what time i need my hair done for the wedding when i get home. Love you lots.

Renee--You've got to see my little buddy Vana. Oh man, was he cute! I can't believe that you listened to that song! It is just what I had been meaning to tell you about! Every time i hear it I think about you!

Mom and Dad--Maybe you could do me a favor and ask Sarah when she gets home if she will pick us up at the airport on Thursday at 2:30pm?? We'll get more details, but it sure would be nice if she could do that. love you.

Thanks again for your notes, we look forward to seeing who commented and what you said! It sure is a treat for us to read notes of encouragement from home! We are having a good time, but will still be glad to get home and show you all our pictures and smell the fresh country breezes!! Love to you all!

Love, Mary and Shane

Day Eight

2005-06-21T03:34:00.000-05:00

We've already passed our one week mark and are looking forward to another week here (we will be leaving here on Wednesday sometime). It's Tuesday afternoon here, but I don't think that we had the chance to tell you about Monday either. We had a good night's rest and Shane continues to feel better--thanks so much for your prayers. On Monday we got to the orphanage around 11am just as the older ones were returning for their afternoon break from school. We found that they get home around 11 and must go back around or something like that. The kids are great and we had such a good time with them! I had the chance to actually be the doctor's assistant filling syringes with Tetanus and then he administered them to all of the children. We also gave some Hep B shots. I think that's the closest that I'll ever get to being a nurse, that is until (if) the Lord blesses me with children of my own! It was pretty cool and I kept thinking about you, Mom!! Shane taught a group of kids how to play Tic Tac Toe and just held all sorts of different children and showed them love! We got back here to the hotel for a late lunch and then headed for the local jewelry store which Pastor Dave uses quite often. We looked for a while and then Shane let me pick out a ring!! It's not a diamond ring--we had the diamond replaced with a lime-greenish stone...though I"m not sure what that's called. Just so you all know. It was a birthday present and I love it!! Before too long we went right back to the orphanage where we played again and another group of missions workers from the States came along to play too! It was nice to give all of the kids such individualized attention. I have one little guy that follows me everywhere I go....I have a special place in my heart for him because he reminds me of either Daniel or Sammy Hansel--just the Cambodian version! We played until after dark and we were totally worn out! It's amazing how God gives us the energy that we don't think we have--due to the heat and humidity-- when we look into the eyes of those little ones!! We were back here for dinner and then showered and went straight to bed. A full day of playing sure wears us out!

Today we have had basically the same schedule. I was able to paint nearly every finger and toe with nailpolish this morning and Shane was taught a few new games and in return he taught them a few as well! It's funny how when he sits down there's almost immediately three little ones that plop themselves near him or on him---that's true for all of us!! We had a late lunch at a different local restaurant and then went to pick up my ring at the jeweler!! It is pretty great! We're planning on heading back to the orphanage again in a little bit and will be sad to have to say goodbye for the last time tonight! It's amazing how much love we're all feeling for these little ones so quickly. This is our last evening with the children because tomorrow morning most of us leave for Seim Reap to see Angkor Wat--the 7th century temples. We will be tourists tomorrow and stay the night in a hotel there, then head back to Phnom Penh on Thursday. We know that there are some cool things coming up this weekend--like a college revival at the church. Pastor Dave says that we usually see half of the young people accept Christ that evening! We're sure this will be a highlight for us!!

The weather here remains dry and hot, but we're just fine! The breeze here in Battambang is pretty nice and there are grass pavillions for us to sit under at the orphanage. Our group is really a great group and we all get along really great. It's cool to see the different personalities that God chose for this team and we are learning more and more from them!

OH--I almost forgot!! During our break yesterday we drove a moto for the first time! Shane had a quick lesson and then we were off to our friend Pecktay's (I never remember how to spell her name) house!! We got to meet her parents and see her house, which is very typically "Cambodian." It was very clean, though very primitive. Her parents are Christians and we had a good short talk with them! The moto ride sure was fun!!

So that's about all that I remember for now. I would like to head back up to the room for a 10 min nap in the air conditioning before we head out again!

Eakins--Thanks for the quick note and encouragement!

Barb, Deb, and Jim--Sure glad that you are enjoying our Blogs and hope that you REALLY enjoy them as you sit in your soft chairs and in the air conditioning! Just kidding! I appreciate your prayers so much!

Harmons--We surely are being changed for life and are so happy to hear from you! Please thank Mally for her prayers! You all are so special!

Alissa--Glad to hear the taping is done for the film, but we're even more excited to actually see it on the "big screen!" Enjoy your time as an only child this week, because we'll all be back next week! We are so excited to see you again too and to talk to you about what we have learned!

Mom and Dad--I love you. Sure would be cool if you could be here with me. I know that you would love the kids!! It's hard to explain the feeling that we all get inside when we are with them! We'll do our best to take some good video clips so that you might have some kind of an idea of what we have been experiencing!

Jim and Brenda--Thanks again for your commitment to prayer for us! We are moved by the Spirit in some small way every day! We love you.

Love to all and blessings as well!!

Love, Mary and Shane

Day Seven?

2005-06-19T21:49:00.000-05:00

Hi again! We're here in Battambang! Yesterday we went to church early --7am--because having the service at any "regular" time would be bad because it would be way too hot by then! The church is the biggest Christian church in Cambodia with nearly 700 members coming each Sunday. Shane was able to teach a young professionals group again about the Holy Spirit, which seemed to go over really well! His translator did a good job trying to express things the same way that he did, which made it funny for the Cambodians! After he finished we opened up to any questions, but we soon found out what they really wanted was for us to sing them a song! So....hesitantly....Shane and I sang a song--Shout to the Lord! We don't consider ourselves "singers", but the people there enjoyed it and even joined in, which made it easier!

After church we got in the van and headed here to Battambang. It was about a 4 hour trip in the not-so-wonderfully-air-conditioned van! We tried to position ourselves under the vents to get some kind of cool air! For lunch we ate at Lucky Burger. It was just like McDonalds, though I can testify that I'm not too sure about the chicken. It was weird. The fries were great though....I know....my family is surprised, but I did eat FRIES and even drank Sprite!! I think my habits are out the window here in Cambodia! We saw SOO many different things on our trip here. The highway was a two-lane road with several obstacles like a few skinny cows crossing the street, stopped vehicles, motos, and even big delivery trucks. It seemed like we were always passing someone. The homes that were built along the road were made of bamboo, straw, and whatever other pieces of wood or metal that the people could find. Some of the homes were nicer than others, but most of them were very sad. I kept thinking that I had seen everything now. There were people walking, farmers in the rice patties, naked children, and other sorts of people working and playing alongside the road. The drive was beautiful though. At times we would drive through wide open fields and the ground was so flat that we could see mountains in the distance and even see rain coming from far away. There were nearly a million palm trees and those other trees that you see in pictures of Africa with the flat look to them. When the rain came, the air cooled off significantly and we were grateful!

Once we arrived here, we checked into our hotel where over 50 other American missionaries are staying now. They're young people from all over the country so it is sure funny to see other Westerners and actually be able to understand their conversations as you walk by! The hotel is really nice, though! I am sure it is nicer than some that we have stayed in while in America! The floors and walls are tiled and really nice and clean and their is.....praise the Lord....air conditioning!!!

After checking in we headed to the Battambang orphanage. We drove through little villages surrounded by trees and bumpy roads. For those of you who have been to Rosedale, it was very similar!! Once again the children were absolutely beautiful! We didn't think that we had the energy to visit, but once we saw their faces, I think we fell in love! Shane and I got the chance to teach some of the older children how to play UNO (using our Cambodian friend Pheakdey--sounds like Pecktay-- for translating purposes). The kids caught on very quickly and it sure was fun! After this we played nearly a million more games and sang songs. I took video of SHane playing Cambodian volleyball (no net, just a bamboo frame to bump the ball over!). We stayed until after their dinner, got a tour of the orphanage, and were touched again by the love that these children have for us "strangers". We will have to take video of our departure as they all crowd the van, tell us that they love us, and wave until we're out of the drive. It's wonderful.

We got back here and ate in the restaurant of our hotel--an open-aired room--and then took showers and headed to bed. We did find some English-speaking TV stations and Shane was excited to watch an Animal Planet special on sharks---he's such a boy. The sleep was well and we're here this morning having already eaten breakfast--and watched some of the NBA finals on tv---and we're getting ready to head to the orphanage again today. After that we may do some shopping or someone mentioned something about hiking up to a mountain Pegoda (a temple of sorts). It's already pretty warm here, but we're getting used to sweating, so it's no big deal.

Shane is feeling better today, so Praise the Lord and thank you so much for your prayers! The doctor looked at his plugged ear last night and determined that he has bubbles stuck behind his eardrum, causing his ear problems, but it is not infected, which is good. The congestion is MUCH better, though he's still blowing his nose. The most frustrating part is that he hasn't had the energy to do as much as he would like, but I really think the Lord gives it to him when we're around the children, because he's great with them! Thanks again for your prayers in this area!! He's going to be just fine!

Caskeys--Thanks for the quick comment and I sure hope all goes well for you Nathan at church camp! I'm sure that you'll have fun and I know that everyone will really like you because you're such a neat kid!!

Cockrills--Shane has been yelling weird things out at night, but I haven't heard of him trying to escape at all. I think last night he was just totally out and there were no weird occurences! Everyone is quickly learning not to get scared when he expresses himself at night! ha! Concerning teaching materials...I guess I have to say that I just feel quite frustrated. We had not nearly enough time in the school and have not been able to do much besides share a few ideas and observe. I'm praying we can do more when we get back. Thanks for asking.

Mom and Dad--Sure love you too.

Thanks again for your prayers.....we know that they are being answered every day, maybe even more than we realize!

much love,
Mary and Shane

day five

2005-06-18T07:36:00.000-05:00

Here we are again. This time it's just Mary. Shane is pretty sick. We had another full day of activity and now he's pretty tired and opted out of joining me on the trek to the internet cafe. NO worries.....Kaley and I still had 2 guys from the team escort us to the cafe. It is later than usual and not safe for us to be out on the street alone. Shane's nose is still congested...though better than yesterday, but now his ears are pretty clogged as well. He had a fairly good night's sleep last night, but we're sure praying for another because tomorrow after church we leave for Battambang--a five hour drive. We will be away from Phnom Penh until next Friday. We will be in Battambang until Wednesday, then we will head to Siem Reap (spelling?) to see Angor Wat. 'We're excited about this trip, but sure hope that Shane begins to feel better --it's pretty hard to have our regular energy anyway because of the heat and on top of that he's sick with other things!~

Today was Saturday, so we did not go to the school, but instead went with the entire team to the Toul Sleng prison where over 20,000 were killed during the genocide. It was very sad and we were all pretty quiet as we looked at all of the pictures taken of the prisoners just before they were killed from 75-79. It was awful and by the end of our trip through the high school buildings full of pictures and items from this terrible time in Cambodia, we were exhausted physically and emotionally.

A good cure for this was an immediate trip out of the city to the orphanage, where Shane and i have not been since the evening that we arrived here! The kids are SOO CUTE and so great. We were able to hand out several of the packs of gum given to us by our dear friends, Andy and JOrdan...hey guys....I took pictures of the kids eating your gum! Seriously....they unwrapped each piece in the small pack and started taking bites of the entire stack as if it were taffy!! It was so fun to be there with them! We played Simon Says and threw frisbees and jumped rope! They all call us "Daddy"and Mommy" and tell us how much they love us and that they'll miss us when we leave! They are just so beautiful!! It sure was hot there as we played and I think all of my pores are sufficiently cleansed!! It''s not worth taking a shower until right before bed, though because it's almost a guarantee that you'll soak through your clothes again!

After the orphanage we had a late lunch of SPAGHETTI (what a treat! The Cambodian girls there with us were sure excited to learn how to make it from Kaley and I and were even more excited to taste it! --though one of them skipped adding the sauce to her noodles and chose ketchup instead with a little sugar on top. She says that all American food requires Ketchup.!!)

We had planned to head back to the Russian Market--this time with Shane--but we had only an hour and it had started to rain REALLY hard! Though the market is inside, we chose not to get soaked on our walk there. We played some good old-fashioned UNO and then Shane went to take a 2 hour nap. We just had our dinner delivered again from the same church member who has been providing it all week. I guess we've got a standing order for dinner every night. Shane did come down to eat a little rice and he needs to pack for our trip and prepare a short lesson for the college students for tomorrow morning at church. (Church starts at 7am!) I'm here writing you all and so glad to hear from all of you! I hope that we aren't sharing TOO much info, but we'll sure be glad to print these BLOGS as our journals to read years from now!

I have heard that there is an internet cafe in Battambang, but I don't know how easy it is for us to get to. We will, of course, use the cafe if we are able to!!

To Dad and Randy: We both wanted to say Happy Father's Day and remind you that we love you both!! We so appreciate all that you have done for us!!

Mom and Dad-Thanks for sharing our Blogs with everyone. It will sure make it easier to come home and not have to tell all of our story to everyone just to get them caught up!!

Liz W.--HOw many days are we at today? Sure hope that you're taking time to have FUN before the wedding. I may need to pay the extra cash for a good pedicure....my feet are taking a terrible beating!! ha!

God is still good and still amazing us every day in some sort of a way. It is great to see others that love Him in such a faraway place. I am sure that even after we are back we will realize more and more what He is teaching us! Today I read Isaiah 61:1. It sure fits our situation now.

Love to all and Happy Fathers Day to all of you fathers that are reading! We know it's only Sat. morning for you, but it's Sat. evening here and we are wanting to be sure to wish you all the best for your Sunday!

Much love!!!
Love, Mary and Shane

Day Four

2005-06-17T06:32:00.000-05:00

Hello again! We're so glad to see that our BIG blog went through okay! Today has been another QUICK day. We''re actually realizing how QUICK two and a half weeks really is! We keep so busy throughout the day and know that it just won't be enough time at the school. This morning we headed to the school and were able to observe different classrooms. MOstly they were teaching in Khmer, but you were able to tell what they were doing with the children--mostly. Shane had a sore throat yesterday, which seems to have turned into some sort of a sinus infection or upper respiratory "ick". NOt to worry....we have a doctor with us and Shane has medicine so we are just waiting for it all to take effect. He blows his nose a lot and carries his drops with him, but I think he's going to make it. NOthing like not feeling well so far from home though. If you remember, please pray that he will feel better soon.

After our observation at the school we headed back to the Guest House for lunch and then Shane was able to take a nap while I went to the Russian Market down the street with three other team members and made a few purchases. Mom and Dad--it was a HUGE flea market, though maybe not your type. There were COUNTLESS merchants there --some sleeping, some eating..--all of them wanted just a bit of your business and your attention. YOu had to be careful who you made eye contact with. There were young boys following us around and fanning us. They also helped Kaley and I to keep track of Clint and Scott--the other team members who were not so interested in the "girly" things that we were!! We ended up giving them a little money for their efforts before we left. It was sure sad to see the mothers and their children begging. They would follow you around and tap on your shoulder, pleading for just a little money. That is hard to see.

We all headed back to the school at 3pm to observe their English lessons, all the while taking notes. The most fun was after the English class when the children all met in the courtyard to teach us their native dance. I attempted to learn, but quickly found out that those children are MUCH more advanced than I . I wish that you all could see the faces of these children, though. Shane and I can't stop commenting on how beautiful they are! Their faces are so full of light and they have such beautiful smiles! We can't wait to show you our pictures and video clips!

We've had dinner (Shane was sure glad for BEEF and fresh pineapple!...along with RICE again of course!). We'll be heading to the student center again. Shane did a great job last night discussing the importance of the HOly Spirit in our lives. I think he may actually be teaching again tonight--about the BOdy of Christ. It is hard for him though because he has to work through a translater. The Khmer language is so different that one short sentence in English translates into like 5 minutes of conversation in Khmer. ha! I did get a video clip of his lesson, so we'll have to show you when we get home!

The heat seemed better at times today, but we are sure thankful for the airconditioning and fans right there at the Guest House. It is amazing how warm the sun can be this close to the equator! We are constantly suprised and interested in the "city life"here in Phnom Penh. I wish that we could really capture the activity of the streets for you in words, but you'll just have to wait for the pictures!

Ching Ching--Tell Jonathan that I am sure he likes those eggs just fine, but I'm not too sure Miss Senften is brave enough to try them!

Rodocker--glad to hear that you're having fun with Joe. I am sure SHane wishes that he could have been there cheering on the Indians with you! uh...yeah...couldn't figure out your code. You might have to let us in on the message.

Mom and Dad--thanks for letting me know about Sarah. I'm sure she's having the time of her life! I tried accessing my email tonight, but was unsuccessful. I'll try again tomorrow, but it sure is hot now and Shane needs to get somewhere where air is moving. love you.

Renee--Thanks for the reply! I love you too! Sounds like you're as busy as usual! I"m glad to hear that Joe is headed out on the mission field himself and will be praying that Bethany's interview goes well!

Tracy--I"m working on that elephant ride. We head to Battambang on Sunday after church and I think that's the place where we'll get the chance!

Berens Crew--Thanks so much for your words of encouragement! What a blessing!

Thanks again for all of your prayers!

love, Mary and SHane

day three

2005-06-16T07:01:00.001-05:00

I think we just lost the HUGE Blog that we wrote you all. It had tons of details and cool stuff. That stinks. The day was good. We were blessed again. The school was fun, but overwhelming. Shane had a Bible study with three government officials and the Pastor, and I was able to visit the Royal Palace. We love you all. We are sorry that we lost the Blog. This is so sad for us. We will try to write more later, but for now we have to head back to the Guest House so that Shane can prepare for his lesson on the HOly Spirit that he will be doing tonight for the college students.

Liz--I miss you so much too. I can't wait to see you.

Families--We love you and are so thankful for you!

Jim and Brenda-Thank you for your faithful prayers!

Kevin--Don't mention Whoppers again to us. It's just not nice. Also...Shane was able to shoot a few jumpers with a soccer ball the other night at the orphanage so he might be a little off on his shot when he gets back!

We love you all!

day three

2005-06-16T07:01:00.000-05:00

Day Three

2005-06-16T06:24:00.000-05:00

Thanks again for your comments and prayers and expressions of love! We sure are glad for this quick form of communication! It is really encouraging for us to know that you are praying for us each day! Kevin---Shane did get to shoot a few jumpers at the orphanage a few nights ago--though it was done with a soccer ball---so he might be a little off when he gets home! Liz and Joe---we love you too and are so happy to hear that Joe is FINALLY home...the wedding is SO close and we are so excited! Jim and Brenda--thanks so much for your faithful prayers and encouragement...God is definitly bigger in our eyes now that we have seen such a place as Cambodia. I think we just feel smaller knowing how big His creation is! Wé're struck with the fact that people are just people and kids are just kids. We all laugh and we all cry and we all desire to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ--whether everyone realizes that or not!

Since we wrote last we were able to worship again with the College students at the Student Center. That seems as if it will be a daily activity. It's cool to see the young people singing their hearts out in a totally different language. They do sing some in English too, so it is nice to join in!! It is also fun to get to know them and to try to pronounce and REMEMBER their names. I (Mary) do a lot of writing in a notebook so that I can remember.

Today we spent more time at the school with Borany and the students. We first showed the DVD that was made introducing Kingsway to Cambodia. The photographer with us was also taking school pictures at the same time, which caused some confusion and lack of attention....but you'll have that I suppose! After that we sat down with Borany and started to show her the different things that we brought for her school. I felt very inadequate and overwhelmed after our conversation, knowing that there is so much to be communicated and implemented within the school and yet not knowing where to start. Please continue to pray that Shane, Kaley, and I could communicate to the teachers what they are needing in order to effectively teach English.

After our time at the school we had lunch at the Guest House and then Shane was able to go to a Bible study with Pastor Dave in the Cambodian Defense Department. The men there were Cambodian army officials--a general, a major, and a colonel (how do you spell that?!). Working with a translator who heads up Campus Crusade in this area, Pastor Dave was able to speak to these officials about prayer. These men just recently accepted Christ!! It was an awesome thing for Shane to see government officials desiring to know more about the Lord--what a big step in making changes in Cambodia! It was also really awesome for Shane to share his thoughts with these people who have such important positions in the government. The men were even highlighting verses in their Khmer Bibles! Shane had a good conversation with the Campus Crusade guy (Narin Chey) and learned that he and his family were all in Cambodia during Pol Pot's reign. He remembers being 5 yrs old and standing in line at the Killing Fields to be executed and then after two hours of standing the Commander stopped the killing. His family was safe. During those four years his family lived off of a bowl of porridge a day. Knowing this, his testimony is very encouraging!

While Shane did this I was able to head to the Royal Palace with a majority of the rest of the team. I was struck by the beautiful architecture and floored by the emptiness of Buddhism. There were countless Buddhas around the palace grounds and you could see the burnt incense around them where people had come to give offerings and worship. It was sad to see the emphasis of such a religion on the ornate Buddhas and temples while there were beggers just outside the gate. It sure didn't make much sense to me.

We've eaten dinner and will head back to the guest house for a while before we go again to the Student Center. Tonight Shane will have the chance to share with the students about the HOly Spirit. The days have gone by quickly and we are always tired by the time that we meet with the students, but they sure have a way of bringing some life back into us as we worship with them and visit!

To our Parents: We are doing fine! We are so thankful for the way that you brought us up and the way that you have shown us love. We are sure that your influences are helping us even now.

Liz--I miss you too. I can't wait to see you when we get home and tell you all about the trip and get excited for the wedding!

Jodi--there is a little girl at the school that SHane says looks just like Lauren. He loves to pinch her big cheeks!

Mom and Dad--Did Sarah get to Europe okay? Just wondered if you had heard anything.

Jeremy and Liz--How's my baby Luke? I bet he misses me! I miss him too! I love you all!

Rodocker--I got to tell some of the girls last night about things that we do with our friends....one of them was laughing....I told them that we were mostly laughing because of our friend Ryan!!

Kingsway--Thanks again for this opportunity!

Until tomorrow....God bless and we love you!

--Mary and Shane

Day two

2005-06-15T06:36:00.000-05:00

Hello again! Last night we were able to go to the orphanage here in Phenom Penh. When we arrived all of the 50 orphans came running to the van. When we got out we were received by tiny hands and arms wrapping around us! Each person was surrounded by at least six orphans wanting their attention. It sure made us all feel good and was very overwhelming (mom and alissa you would have loved it). It seemed as if the orphans could not get close enough. We were there for around an hour singing songs, and listening to them say their names in Khmer. After that we headed for the student center. There we had a great time singing songs to the Lord and talking with the students. The toilet I--Shane --used was a hole in the floor. To flush you have to pour a bucket of water in the hole. It was great to see the 45 students worshiping the Lord. You could sense the sincerity of their hearts as they sang. We were all so very tired and though Pastor Dave had a great message, I am sure, but it was nearly impossible not to nod off as he spoke and another Cambodian student translated to the rest. We were all glad to head back to the Guest House and head strait to bed.

Wed, June 15th......We woke to an all-American breakfast (Frosted Flakes and Peanut Butter toast) though we both agreed there was a bit of a different taste to it.) After a short team meeting a small group of us headed to the school where we will be training teachers. We were able to meet the principal, Borany, and she gave us a tour of the 4 classrooms at her school (k-2). Each classroom performed a song of some sort for us in loud and confident voices, practicing their English. Afterwards, we joined the students in their "meeting room" for a combined birthday party for 4 different students. We sang, blew out the candles, and the children even had shoe-box birthday presents donated by a school in Ohio. We all sat down as the children went out to play and talked with the principal for over an hour hearing her testimony of God's work in her life. (We were also given the opportunity to taste some sort of rice cake--cake made of rice...gooey and sticky....Jodi would sure be proud of Shane for trying it with a smile on his face!)

After the school our team met at a restaurant where we ate rice....is anyone surprised by that?! It definitly is a staple food here in Cambodia! We were glad to order CHICKEN with our rice, knowing full well that there were eels swimming in a tank not 10 feet from us just waiting to be eaten by some other hungry customer!! ewwww....

After lunch Shane and Kaley and I along with two of our Cambodian friends sorted through boxes and boxes of school supplies, toys, and medical supplies. We split these items equally three ways for the three orphanages and set aside things for the school as well.

We have eaten dinner and we're getting ready to head back to the Guest House for those long-awaited showers we so desperately need! After this we will head back to the student center with the college students and sing, visit, and worship.

Thanks so much to those of you who commented! It sure was nice to hear from you! Annie--thanks for scheduling me in for July 9th and I think Shane might want a manicure instead of getting his hair done....could you do that? Thanks. Mom and Dad....Randy and Jodi...Barb....thanks so much for your interest and your love! We love you.

Love, Mary and Shane

We're Here in Cambodia!

2005-06-14T02:13:00.000-05:00

Praise the Lord! He has already shown Himself faithful to our prayers and yours! After HOURS and HOURS on several different planes, we have made it safely here in Cambodia and the VERY FIRST thing that we have chosen to do (even before showers!) is to let you all know that we are safe and it is HOT here! We started with the flight from Cleveland to LA. We made it safely there after a 5 hour flight. Even though none of us were able to sit together, it still went fine, though we were glad when it was over! We sat there in LA for 6 hours waiting for our LONG flight to Taipei. There in LAX we met up with another team member, Clint, from Denver (a real nice guy and professional photographer--which will be nice for Asia's Hope's purposes!). PRAISE THE LORD--we were able to get our seats together for the 13 hour flight from LA to Taipei, (at least Shane and I) and even got seated next to the emergency exit, which means MUCH more leg room and comfort! We were able to get plenty of sleep on the plane, watched movies, and listened to music. We met a few really nice people and enjoyed the flight attendents very much--all of them were from Taiwan themselves and very friendly. I (Mary) chose not to partake in much of the food that was offered due to a very strange and unsettling smell coming from the food! This flight, surprisingly, wasn't as terrible as we had imagined! It seemed to go fairly fast and before we knew it, we were landing in Taipei at 6am (their time). The weather was cloudy and a bit dark when we arrived, but after just a few hours the sun was beginning to shine. Shane and I were able to visit a small store there at the airport where they were selling many different kinds of "fish jerky" (and some beef jerky) and other very interesting snacks (preserved eggs that were actually black, dried vegetables, and other things that we could only guess on!). FINALLY...the flight from Taipei to Phnom Penh lasted 3 hours (Again with Shane and I together in one row with our team member Kaley) and another "interesting" meal. (for those who know us...it sure is odd to have Mary being so picky and not Shane!) It was neat to meet people throughout the trip!! Shane met another recent college graduate, Nelson, aboard our final flight and was able to talk to him about our visit to Cambodia as well as his. He told us that his siblings and grandparents were actually killed during the genocide in this country and his mother escaped by travelling through the jungles and created for herself a new identity. It was exciting for us to be able to share with others the fact that we were coming to Cambodia to share with others about our Lord! It just feels good to be able to plant seeds even in these small ways!

When we landed in Phnom Penh, we could already feel the heat seething into the airplane!! The airport is a very nice place and it was good to see Pastor Dave waving to us on the other side of the gate! We collected our MANY bags of luggage and made our way out into the Cambodian sunshine! There were at least 6 college students from the Student Center there waiting on us and greeting us with such warm smiles and excitement! I don't think that any of us on the team really knew what to say...we just smiled and laughed thinking that we were finally here! We immediately got into a van and were driven to the Guest House where we will be living for the next 2 weeks. The drive was eye-opening and NOTHING like we could have imagined. We wound our way through the BUSY city streets several times nearly side-swiping a few motos with up to 4 passengers on just ONE (though this is the normal flow of traffic)! There were hundreds of small stores and shops lining the street. It's almost like if you have a cart or a table that you can set up a store along the roadside to sell just about ANYTHING. We saw vendors selling things like fruit, moto parts, dresses, and MORE! We were surprised at how many people there were everywhere we looked. The streets are filled with trash and dust. Young, old, man, woman, EVERYONE seems to be out and about in this city.

We finally made it to our guest house only a little over 2 hours ago. The house, though right alongside these busy streets, is VERY nice and clean and we are impressed! The bottom floor is for meeting and lounging with a dining area and kitchen, the secon floor has the womens quarters and a small bath (get this....the shower is just stuck to the side of the wall right there next to the toilet and sink....there is no separate space to shower so we have to be careful where to point the showerhead so as not to soak the toilet paper!) The guys have bunk beds on the third floor with a bathroom of their own as well!

Plans have been made for us for the evening (visiting the student center and ordering in some food), but for now we wanted to get our first thoughts of the Cambodian trip down and sent to you. We realize that you are all sleeping at this time, but here in Cambodia the world is spinning with activity. Our goal is to finish this note and head back to the Guest House for a long-awaited shower!

We love you all and so appreciate your prayers! We will continue to update our Blog as often as possible (the internet cafe is only a few minutes walking distance from the house) and would love to hear your comments!

We're on our way!

2005-06-09T16:59:00.000-05:00

Hi again! For those who have been praying for our trip to Cambodia--we're just a few days away! As of now we are getting more and more anxious for the trip with our flight leaving this Sunday, June 12th!! We have spent a lot of time gathering useful information for the Cambodian teachers and Shane has worked hard preparing Bible studies for the college students that we will be meeting as well! We have ALMOST all of our medication for the trip--though we have not resorted to sorting our pills into those special pill organizers with one section for each day of the week! These last few days will be full of many wardrobe decisions, creative packing plans, and continuous prayers! We ask that you join us in praying for safe travels--of course--as well as peace in our hearts and wisdom as we enter a VERY unknown world. God bless you all for your prayers and interest! We appreciate you and what you have done and given to the Father through our trip!

--Mary and Shane

Cambodia 2005

2005-05-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

Hello All!

Here is a quick and easy way to find out what is happening throughout our Mission Trip in Cambodia. We will attempt to update you as frequently as possible and share with you what God is doing!! We are excited about our trip and humbled by God's blessings already!

Please keep us in your prayers as we will be departing from Cleveland on Sunday, June 12th and arriving home on Thursday, June 30th.

Keep checking this site for furthur updates!!

--Mary and Shane