The temples are amazing considering they were created by hand about 1300 AD. They are beginning to crumble and the Germans and Indians have their students working on projects to restore them as part of the world heritage work. It would really be a shame to loose these amazing treasure. They have already been damaged through the years of occupation and deprivation. Many of the heads of the statues are missing because they were removed and sold in the market by some enterprising thief who needed to eat.
They are restoring the creation myth story that is carved into the wall. The walls are damaged by time and it will take much more work but they are trying to preserve it. The influences in the myth are hindu and buddist. The current conqueror would just impose his new belief set on the people and lay out new creation myth saying they were descendents from the gods. The Cambodian people have been invaded many times by despots. They struggle to get what they need to rule themselves.
All of the temples that we saw were proceeded by libraries along the entrance way. I think this is very interesting. It demonstrates the place of learning since very early times for this society. They went into the temples through the libraries because they had to learn how to act before the gods. The Cambodians have a very sincere desire to do things appropiately.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Market Place
The fish sold in the market is very fresh. There is no refrigeration here so they pull it out of the lake and sell it that day. In the provinces things are very fresh because of this nothing can be kept because of the heat. They have smoking methods, and salt things. I have seen smoked fish hanging on lines here at the restaurants.
There are many fruits here that we do not have in our produce sections. I have seen several varieties of Lychees, dragon fruit, and other fruits that I can't identify. But do have photos.
When we were eating the fish and frogs in Svey Reing Restaurant they were simply prepared and never had a fishy taste. The fish and frogs that we have eaten in Siem Reap has been fishy tasting and I don't understand it. Preparation was more sophisticated but still a fishy taste.
There are many fruits here that we do not have in our produce sections. I have seen several varieties of Lychees, dragon fruit, and other fruits that I can't identify. But do have photos.
When we were eating the fish and frogs in Svey Reing Restaurant they were simply prepared and never had a fishy taste. The fish and frogs that we have eaten in Siem Reap has been fishy tasting and I don't understand it. Preparation was more sophisticated but still a fishy taste.
Tonle Sap Lake Floating Village
Tonle Sap is a large inland lake that swells after the rainy season and then shrinks to about 1/3 of its size through the year. There are people living on it. They live in a floating village that moves from year to year. These people are Cambodian, Korean, and Vietnamese. They have lived this way for centuries. They can't afford the land and have learned how to make a living on the lake fishing.
In the dry season when the lake is down they collect the firewood and sell it in the market. So somehow they make a living from the lake. I have pictures that I will add later because this internet connection is to slow to upload them.
The lake is in the northern part of the country close to the border of Thailand. The terrain doesn't change much across the country side. Still low and very wet.
In the dry season when the lake is down they collect the firewood and sell it in the market. So somehow they make a living from the lake. I have pictures that I will add later because this internet connection is to slow to upload them.
The lake is in the northern part of the country close to the border of Thailand. The terrain doesn't change much across the country side. Still low and very wet.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Living Conditions Health Concerns
The Khmer Rouge destroyed everything in this country. The economy, the educational system, the respect for the law, and other institutions that had existed previously. There is no longer a public education system that is free. There is no sewer or public works water system and the roads are marginal.
The team has had to push the van out of the mud on several occasions on the road to the village. Their drinking water will be whatever standing body of water is next to their house, a loose term for their bamboo hut. They wash their clothes and their dishes in this water with detergent, their animals use this water, it is standing not moving so it is not healthy. So even if they bring the water in and boil it there is still the detergent chemicals in it. So there are many who complain of stomach pains and headaches. The whole family is drinking and cooking with this water.
The only well in the village of Doun Lep is the one at the church. The only toilet at the village is the one at the church. They eat very little meat. They have 3 meals of a thin rice porridge every day. They are very thin and frail. Most of the children are thin and have bad teeth.
In the city of Phnom Phen families string their hammocks between trees on the street corners and live on the street selling what they can and begging for the rest of their marginal living. Garbage is along the streets and the men urinate in public. We saw them gambling not far from the royal palace.The youth have no education and no place to work because their industry was destroyed. They need to be encourage by ideas that use their resources. The night we arrived we saw about 100 youth get on the plane for South Korea looking for work, hoping to find jobs that will send money home to their families. Any education they get they have to pay for, so if they are able to go to school they have to pay their teachers and buy their supplies when they do get there. This kind of ignorance is very hard for us to imagine.
Yesterday during the conference for the adults, many of the prayer requests were for education about sanitation so that they could have better health for their villages and themselves. They want to learn English, the currency of trade is the dollar, everything is priced in dollars here.
Today we go to Siem Reap to see Joseph Chan's agriculture and technical trade facility. He has a mission there that we are looking forward to seeing.
We have been in the south close to the Vietnam border so we go to the north to see how the country side changes around the great inland lake. We are supposed to meet the boat people and we are all looking forward to that meeting.
When we come back through Phnom Phen to catch our flight home, we will meet what is known as the dump families. There are 10000 families who live at the dump sifting through the garbage to find what they can to make a living. I will report on that later.
Stay tuned
The team has had to push the van out of the mud on several occasions on the road to the village. Their drinking water will be whatever standing body of water is next to their house, a loose term for their bamboo hut. They wash their clothes and their dishes in this water with detergent, their animals use this water, it is standing not moving so it is not healthy. So even if they bring the water in and boil it there is still the detergent chemicals in it. So there are many who complain of stomach pains and headaches. The whole family is drinking and cooking with this water.
The only well in the village of Doun Lep is the one at the church. The only toilet at the village is the one at the church. They eat very little meat. They have 3 meals of a thin rice porridge every day. They are very thin and frail. Most of the children are thin and have bad teeth.
In the city of Phnom Phen families string their hammocks between trees on the street corners and live on the street selling what they can and begging for the rest of their marginal living. Garbage is along the streets and the men urinate in public. We saw them gambling not far from the royal palace.The youth have no education and no place to work because their industry was destroyed. They need to be encourage by ideas that use their resources. The night we arrived we saw about 100 youth get on the plane for South Korea looking for work, hoping to find jobs that will send money home to their families. Any education they get they have to pay for, so if they are able to go to school they have to pay their teachers and buy their supplies when they do get there. This kind of ignorance is very hard for us to imagine.
Yesterday during the conference for the adults, many of the prayer requests were for education about sanitation so that they could have better health for their villages and themselves. They want to learn English, the currency of trade is the dollar, everything is priced in dollars here.
Today we go to Siem Reap to see Joseph Chan's agriculture and technical trade facility. He has a mission there that we are looking forward to seeing.
We have been in the south close to the Vietnam border so we go to the north to see how the country side changes around the great inland lake. We are supposed to meet the boat people and we are all looking forward to that meeting.
When we come back through Phnom Phen to catch our flight home, we will meet what is known as the dump families. There are 10000 families who live at the dump sifting through the garbage to find what they can to make a living. I will report on that later.
Stay tuned
FINALLY.......
Hello! Sorry to everyone I sent this blog address to that it's taken me this long to get on. We have had some technical difficulties and our internet contact is very limited! What an awesome trip God has brought us on! I am completely blown away by the love of these beautiful people!!! God laid out the plan for us a long time back and what a joy it is to serve His people! There are so many hearts full of joy and love here and we are treated like royalty!!! I miss my family dearly and I think that has been the only difficult part of my trip! We have seen so many sad places and we are the saddest. The people in the midst of it are so happy and on fire for God!!! We head to Siem Reap tomorrow and then our trip is near the end. I have had such a wonderful time here and am truly blessed that God called me on this mission! We have tried our best to bring honor and glory to Him in every step, every hug, every song! We have enjoyed it so much that we are planning our next trip before we leave. Christmas break 2011, here we come! Don't tell my family yet! = ) It's a bit early to ask permission to come again! Next time I'll bring my Kaileigh girl with me and that will help a bunch! Love and miss you all!!! Please continue to lift us up in prayer! We can feel God's love surround us and it feels awesome!!!
TP
TP
Adult Conference-Conflict Resolution
Today I watched Pastor Dave preach for 3 sessions on conflict resolution. He was hoarse when he finished. The adults were church leaders and this was a leadership training conference. The Cambodians are very serious about learning about Christ and the Gospel. The Board of Global Ministries personnal is handling the development of churches here correctly. The Svay Rieng District is made up of 14 churches in this province. They have a definition of what constitutes a church that they are very diligent about meeting. They are developing pastors for these churches and the parsonage that we built gives them the opportunity to move the pastors around. They will move the current pastor to a new place and move a younger less experienced pastor in his place.
Doun Lep received the parsonage and new church because their church blew down. They requested help after building a bamboo shed with the roof and the wind was beginning to damage the shed. The people of the village were so determined to have a church that when the board of missions was given a gift the village had the land and built the new church for this village. The pastor was in the position of living in a shed and that is when they asked our church for the money to build the parsonage. It makes this little village attractive as a training church for new bible students. I have wonderful pictures of the parsonage inside and out but this internet connection is challanging picture posting
Everyone in Cambodia who is Christian is hungry for testimonies, witness, prayers, visits, and they need other types of resources. God is going to do a great work in Cambodia and we are priviledged to be called to be a part of it.
They do not have many written materials in Khmer. Many of the bible concepts do not translate into their language. For example: a prophet is a witch doctor. It will take time to develop the materials they need and for now the oral works best.
Pastor Dave was amazing. I know he was tired from the previous week of work and he was mesmerizing as he lead them thru a 3 session training on identifying types of conflict, looking at solutions for conflict and being yoked with Christ.
The adults were so grateful to have us there, speaking to them. It was amazing.
Doun Lep received the parsonage and new church because their church blew down. They requested help after building a bamboo shed with the roof and the wind was beginning to damage the shed. The people of the village were so determined to have a church that when the board of missions was given a gift the village had the land and built the new church for this village. The pastor was in the position of living in a shed and that is when they asked our church for the money to build the parsonage. It makes this little village attractive as a training church for new bible students. I have wonderful pictures of the parsonage inside and out but this internet connection is challanging picture posting
Everyone in Cambodia who is Christian is hungry for testimonies, witness, prayers, visits, and they need other types of resources. God is going to do a great work in Cambodia and we are priviledged to be called to be a part of it.
They do not have many written materials in Khmer. Many of the bible concepts do not translate into their language. For example: a prophet is a witch doctor. It will take time to develop the materials they need and for now the oral works best.
Pastor Dave was amazing. I know he was tired from the previous week of work and he was mesmerizing as he lead them thru a 3 session training on identifying types of conflict, looking at solutions for conflict and being yoked with Christ.
The adults were so grateful to have us there, speaking to them. It was amazing.
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