... Community Care International's Chairman Vic Stolar heard about our projects in Cambodia and decided to give us a call.



After arriving in the country, Vic called to organise a meeting where we discussed various aspects of mission life and projects.

Mark & Jo's monthly forum topic was 'Partnerships' and we were delighted to receive an invitation to speak on our experience with partnerships.

Prior to our session the participants enjoyed morning tea where Mark was in discussion with Vuthy...



... while Jo chatted wtih Juko and Marion.





Patrick took time out to catch up with our 'dear Aussie mate' Frank ...



Then we presented our session...



... followed by Q&A's. Our interpreter did a great job. However, I did confuse him with two words - 'Momentum' and 'Catapult'.





Connect Cambodia is a ministry of Christian City Church Whitehorse (CCCW), with a three-fold vision to:

1. Assist Cambodian pastors build self-sustainable churches through a range of economic development efforts.

2. Provide leadership training relevant to Cambodian pastors and church leaders to enable them to build strong, growing churches in Cambodia

3. Bring the hope of Christ through social development projects that seek to improve the quality of life (spiritual, physical and emotional well-being) of the marginalised, poor and disadvantaged in Cambodian society.

Excellent!

... and the town of Chhouk has it's bridges.





We had to take a detour around a bridge on our way back to Phnom Penh ...



... as a section had collapsed since we crossed it earlier in the week.

Watching the traffic kept this group of kids amused.

How can we best listen to people?



How about using 'Listening with Empathy?! So many misunderstandings could have been averted, if only people listened to what the other person was trying to tell them. This topic ties in so nicely with understanding people in context.

Kimhong ...



... and Sophorn did a great job of interpreting for us ...





... and Sambath did a great job of looking after the visual side of things.





Sheila and Patrick took the opportunity to cool down and chat! Sheila does an excellent job in her role as Internal Advisor to the EFC CC team.



There were plenty of laughs to be had during the skits, which provided some relief from the serious side of the study.





While one more day of 'Celebrating Children' training remained, our final session had come to an end. But not before the team presented us with a lovely 'Thank You' gift. Sweet!

... we headed back to the guest house to work on other projects.



The 'Birthday Boy' was 'pleasantly interrupted' by phone calls from family, friends and colleagues calling with best wishes for his special day.



As the sun set ...



... we joined the EFC CC team ...



... for a meal to celebrate Patrick's birthday.



EFC's CC team are an entertaining group of people, so we all had plenty of laughs whenever we gathered together!

Patrick presented his session on the 'Responsibility of Churches in Cambodia' in a very fitting venue - the Chhouk Church.







Afternoon training sessions in 'warm temperatures' can always do with a good 'Ice-Breaker'.



And the local version of 'Chinese Whispers' caused a few laughs!

I am passionate about people understanding people, so I love presenting this topic!

It describes in great detail how we need to get through a number of layers in order to get to the core of a person and the importance of doing so without any pre-conceived ideas and perceptions we may have. All judgement needs to be eliminated. Too often, our perceptions of people are wrong and this creates unnecessary issues associated with our dealings with them.

What a difference it makes when we take the time to 'walk in someone's shoes' and somehow try to comprehend their situation and the impact of circumstances on them.

The 'Celebrating Children' training always includes pair and group work, as well as drama.

... training, was presented in Chhouk, so we headed 150+ kms south to the province of Kampot. As it's not on the bus route, we opted to travel with Sokun.



The first evening, we enjoyed a meal with the team at one of the local restaurants. First of all we had a Khmer BBQ ...



... followed by soup. Just what you need on a hot night - fires burning on the table!

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, 'Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over.''

I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. 'I will come next Tuesday', I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house, I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

'Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!'

My daughter smiled calmly and said, ' We drive in this all the time, Mother.'

'Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!' I assured her.

'But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks,' Carolyn said. 'I'll drive. I'm used to this.'

'Carolyn,' I said sternly, 'Please turn around.'

'It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.'

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, 'Daffodil Garden.'

We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.



It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

'Who did this?' I asked Carolyn.

'Just one woman,' Carolyn answered. 'She lives on the property. That's her home.' Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. 'Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking', was the headline.

The first answer was a simple one. '50,000 bulbs,' it read.

The second answer was, 'One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain.'

The third answer was, 'Began in 1958.'

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived.

One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.



That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time, often just one baby-step at a time and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world …

'It makes me sad in a way,' I admitted to Carolyn. ' What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? 'Just think what I might have been able to achieve!'

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. 'Start tomorrow,' she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, 'How can I put this to use today?'

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....

Until your car or home is paid off
Until you get a new car or home
Until your kids leave the house
Until you go back to school
Until you finish school
Until you clean the house
Until you organize the garage
Until you clean off your desk
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you get a divorce
Until you have kids
Until the kids go to school
Until you retire
Until summer
Until spring
Until winter
Until fall
Until you die...

There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So work like you don't need money. Love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching.

Beautiful! Thanks, Dad & Mum.

Easter Blessings.

... Sam, Sara and Mayn joined us for a last cuppa and meeting.



We pray Sam manages to have a time of refreshing in addition to having a great time with family and friends.

We will miss Sam and look forward to her return!

... were on the cutting room floor at this session...



... while the finishing touches were added to the bags at the table.

... with little Samnang, we were asked if he was our adopted son.

... on our study door and it was Samnang with a gift for us. How cute!



Our friends never wait for a special occasion to bless us.

... to meet Bophal and the kids. Some of the kids were enjoying lunch.



Hong and Lout were there.





Some relaxed...



... while others entertained Jo - or maybe Jo entertained the kids.



It doesn't matter what they are doing - they are always cute!



Paul and Ruth had a tour of the orphanage...





... and Patrick checked out Deat's knee after his operation and two week stay in hospital.



Then we moved onto lunch where we talked about Paul & Ruth's passion for diving and Paul's underwater photography skill. Unfortunately, Phnom Penh can only offer Paul lakes and rivers, none of which we would recommend they dive in. The mere thought of that could be enough to make anyone sick!

... (Melbourne) are in town with Mark & Jo, so they joined us for the morning. First stop - 'The Village' ...



... where everyone always receives a nice warm welcome.

It was time for the kids to enjoy the nutritional snack which Pastor Sara handed out.



This family are struggling to make ends meet at the moment, and we can't have that, so we delivered some basic needs to keep them going and will do so until they get back on their feet.



Sam returns to Australian at the end of the week and will be missed!



The boys always know how to have a good time...



... and so do Mark and Jo.





Then it was time to have a look around the children's centre construction site...





... which is a hive of activity.







Everyone joined in prayer and thankgiving.





We trust you will join us in the following Prayer Points for the centre...

* children - who are waiting patiently
* team working on the project
* selection of the new staff to be appointed
* as well as funding for the centre.

We give thanks for Louise and her passion to fundraise in order to see the children's centre established.

We sure do have a lot to be grateful for!

... is over, so it was great to have the opportunity to meet and share a meal together 'Down By the Riverside'.

... and Becc having now moved to Phnom Penh to begin her role as a Missionary...



... it was time for another meeting regarding government documentation and liaisons.

... were in town and we enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea with Patrick, Linda, Christine and Wayman. We also received a gift of Maple Tea, which we look forward to savouring.



I met Patrick on my visit to Vancouver last year, so it was great to see him again and introduce him to my Patrick!

We enjoyed sharing details of our ministry and discussing Khmer culture, government and the realities of 'doing ministry' here in Cambodia.

... are always ready to assist us when we deliver goods of any description to the orphanage. So when we arrived with the Nutrition Packs, the boys came out to do the lifting.



Sam has given us great little reports from the village kids in regards to their nutritional program, such as:-

* Now I can drink the whole carton of milk at one time.
* I am sure I have put on weight.

That's sweet!

... than usual here in Phnom Penh, as the Politicians gear up for elections. And this time we're feeling the effects.

A few weeks ago my purse was taken from my bag in the market - unfortunately, we had recently been to the bank.

Late this afternoon, I was in the lounge room and noticed a stranger come in through the front gate and he headed straight for the motor bike. By the time I got to open the front door, the alarm on the bike went off at the same time and he rushed out through the gate where he had a mate waiting on a bike for a quick getaway!

Cambodia Rejects U.S. Human Rights Assessment

Cambodia has dismissed a U.S. report on the country's human rights record, saying that the annual report to the U.S. congress entirely contradicts the true reality in the country, the Cambodia Daily newspaper reported Friday.

The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement in response of the U.S. report, saying "we have found that many of the accusations contained in this report do not even exist or are simply over exaggerated."

"We certainly recognize that human rights in Cambodia are not perfect. But is there any perfect human rights situation anywhere in the world?" the statement said, adding that the report relied too heavily on the views of anti-government NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) and appeared timed to coincide with the national election.

Cambodia fully does not believe that the country will ever receive a good mark unless the Cambodian government has "affectionate" relations with the United States, the statement said.

The annual report, release by the U.S. State Department on Wednesday, said an array of human rights guarantees were lacking in Cambodia and that the country's human rights record "remained poor."

Interesting!

... enjoyed their family picnic at Peace Water Park.





The kids had a great time...





... and there was plenty of food to enjoy.







John shares about the pending birth of his 10th child (and there's only one set of twins in their family).



For some it was a little too much.



It was also a time to formally farewell Chuk Phol on his retirement.



Patrick presented Phol with a plaque on behalf of the Board.

... members gathered for a photo at a recent meeting.



The Teen Challenge facility will be dedicated in June. What a difference that will make in the lives of those suffering from substance abuse and addiction!

We have been visiting the dump for a few years now and recently viewed a news bulletin on the Australian Network reporting on the number of children still working on the dump.





The Cambodian government was told to sort the issue out more than 10 years ago but after five years the report was the same and continues to this day. No wonder the dump is also known as "Hell on Earth."

So we did a recky to gauge just what the current situation is and certainly didn't notice any improvement.



These young guys collect scrap metal and earn 1,000 riel (US 0.25) per kilo.



There's no shortage of markets in Cambodia, so it's no surprise that the dump site has it's very own, which gave us the opportunity to buy some drinks to cool a few people down. Well, at least on the inside.





The trucks keep rolling in...



... and out...





... with kids riding on the top of them.



What's a beautiful young girl doing in a dump like this?!







You know how the burden for some things never leaves you?! Well for us, the dump is one of them.

... is a real pleasure and we look forward to assisting Ayling ...



... and her team at Morning Star centre with operations and training.

It may have been 1.5 hours until the afternoon session commenced, but that didn't stop these kids queuing at the door.

... when we met with Pastor Sara and Sam, one of the items included on the Community Relocation & Development Project agenda, was the timeline for interviewing and appointing staff members for the new Tarsha's Legacy Centre (TLC).



With the amount of interest people are already showing in joining the team, it's highly unlikely that we will even have to advertise, so that's great!

... were handed over to Katja and Sonai to train their students in Leadership.



Since we last met, Sonai and Katja have been interviewing more students for the project.



It's such an excellent project which equips and empowers the poor children through education and we are blessed to be a part of it. Awesome!

... do you get to walk 'for miles' to your destination when they close down street after street for their big marquee parties, which blocks off vehicle access.



By the time we got to the Mccaul's household, we were like the Pied Piper with a group of people following us.

At Pastor Jesse and Soar's home, we enjoyed an nice meal, complete with the Colonel's KFC - yes, we now have KFC in the heart of Phnom Penh, with everyone queuing to get their share.

After dinner it was time for a 'strategic board game' where Patrick teamed up with Jo, Jesse with Mark and Soar with me. I must admit it was a little addicitive, to say the least.

I wonder how we will go next time when there's to be no 'table talk'. A quiet night, maybe!

... are settling into their new positions in PP and getting ready to move from the Bonnevie's to their new apartment.

With an acronym like TLC (which could also stand for Tender Loving Care) 'Tarsha's Legacy Centre' is bound to equip, empower and enrich the lives of Cambodian children in a loving, caring environment.

As the centre will officially open on the 1st May 2008 ...



... and the fact that we don't have any set up or ongoing operating funding at this stage, budgets have been released. If you would like to receive one, please go to the contact page on our web site and email us your interest.

A separate blog to Samantha's and ours with regular updates on the children and activities at the centre, will be available for those who partner with us or simply have an interest in this project.

Tarsha may have lived a short life, but she certainly lived it for something bigger!

For those of you who may have missed our previous post on Tarsha, we have included it below.

***********************************************************************************************

'Life's too short to not live for something bigger.'
by
Natarsha Louise Charlesworth
2nd March 1985 - 7th October 2007

One of our first projects this year that we are especially excited about - establishing a purpose built children's educational centre with Pastor Sara and Sam - has come about as a result of a tragic white water rafting accident, in which Natarsha was killed.

Natarsha was training to be a teacher and thanks to Natarsha's Aunty Louise, who has raised the funds to build the centre, Natarsha's memory will live on.

The loss of a young women's life has given poor children in Cambodia, a great hope for the future.

What an amazing legacy!

... is in Phnom Penh on a recky for the upcoming June-July 'Teen Mania' team visit.

We were delighted when Ingrid contacted us to arrange a meeting in order for us to assist in the scheduling of visits to children's centres.



70+ teenagers will visit children's centres during that period.

Last year we had the pleasure of scheduling the team visits with Christina.

... a nutrition program order ...



... for Craig & Dee to make their last delivery before flying out to Penang.



It has been great having Craig & Dee here to share in our ministry and we trust they enjoy a well earned rest during their final week of holidays relaxing in Penang. Bon Voyage, guys!

The ladies from the sewing project spent a morning together in our training room cutting out patterns...





... for bags which have been ordered by Heague & Moran in Australia.

... with Graham & Sandra and the kids

... with Craig & Dee on 'Paris One' after lunch was a great way to spend an hour.





This is Cambodia calling Australia from the Mekong!

We presented the first of our monthly training sessions to the NLF management team which we had prepared especially for them, at the request of Pastor Jesse.







Patrick was most surprised that the Compliance Manager worked out his '9 Dot' exercise.



There was a time for individual reflection activities ...



... followed by group activities ...







... and a break ...





... and an exercise circuit to break up the 3.5 hour session.



Pastor Jesse was there to translate to ensure that everyone comprehended the session.





The 20+ team members enjoyed the training and so did we!

We were delighted to be invited to meet with Joyce Meyer Ministries Asia - Director, Reverend Scott Norling, on his flying visit to Cambodia.



We last saw Scott at the end of JMM 30 Days of Hope and it was great to hear all about the ongoing JMM plans to impact and change the lives of the Cambodian people. How exciting!

... was taken up by Craig ...



... during our time 'without power'. The Landlord insists that there is not a problem with the power to the house, so the fuse continues to 'blow' on a daily basis. That coupled with general power black outs in our district means that the torch is always strategically placed for our convenience and easy access in the evenings.

The 'training expert' and her husband, aka Dee & Craig, collated our training material.

While Kim & Sue are in Australia or 'Kiwi Land', there's a hive of activity going on behind their Cambodian home.



So this ones for you, Kim & Sue.

... is a great place for a group to gather to enjoy a tasty meal, so that is where Craig & Dee arranged to treat Sam, Sochea and Sara and us, of course!

Dee has ordered a couple of items from Sopha, so that's great!



Sopha has proved to be a great asset to our sewing project.

... but we have all been thinking of her as the initial nutrition program commenced.

Sam and Pastor Sara were in charge of distribution in the village.



This little one was happy with his snack ...



... and so were these kids.







This little girl is wearing a new jumper she received yesterday, which was given to us at a presentation in Palmyra.



This mother is happy that her child is getting extra nutrition.







The small carton of milk was a bit much all at once, so the kids had to take a break before finishing it.







Then it was time to distribute the daily supply to Centre of Peace.



Craig & Dee also had a tour.





This little guy loves visitors.



Who can resist this little one?!

Dee loves camping, so she seized the opportunity to get the torch out and take over the cooking by candle and torch light when the power went out.



For weeks now, we have experienced power failures almost on a daily basis.

... when they set her up in small business.



Davi is now waiting on her new 'Corn Cart', which Pastor Sara has organised.

... were ready to head out to the village...



... to meet the families ...



... and present them with the packs that Sam and Sochea so kindly packed...







... and they had a great time doing so!



The kids enjoyed the toys ...









... and everyone loved the baby doll.





... while the parents were happy to receive the gift packs for their families.

The packs included clothes, toys, baby blankets, bags, shorts and tops which were made especially for the kids by ladies in Perth. Thank you to everyone who donated. You made their day!

Every insurance 'expert' that comes to Phnom Penh gets asked the same question. "What rate would you give the market?" So this time, Craig was asked the question...



... and he is still thinking about the answer. Of course, the answer always depends on whether it's coming from an Underwriter or Broker! So far we have had input from Ian, Phil and Lissa. Oh, and of course, Patrick!

Even though Sam didn't know about the 'rate', she knows the Toul Tom Poung market, well.

I wish you sunshine on your path and
storms to season your journey.
I wish you peace - in the world in which you live
and in the smallest corner of the heart where truth is kept.
I wish you faith - to help define your
living and your life.
More I cannot wish you
- except perhaps love -
to make all the rest worthwhile.

Robert A. Ward

We took the Tuk Tuk to Church...



... and after a great message from Pastor Jesse, enjoyed lunch at the 'Deli' at the Intercon...



... before heading home in time for the arrival of Sam and Sochea ...



... who came over to do the packing for the distribution at the village - after we had the lamingtons that the girls brought over.





Dee packed the medical resources to be stored until the children's educational centre opens.

It's great to have our partners, Craig and Dee, here in Cambodia to serve with us for a week.