Hello all. Sorry for the wait on the blog post. This is Joey Canepa posting on our final night in Cambodia before flying out tomorrow evening! Some things we have done in the past week are going to church at a village after a night stay there, staying at another village overnight and visiting and sharing with the people there, visiting an orphanage and playing and helping the kids with their English, going to a worship service at battambang friends church and spending time with the youth there, visiting temples with monkeys running about, swimming, and going to church at battambang friends yesterday. We also had some awesome dance parties with e kids at the orphanage and the youth at the church :). After church yesterday we set off for Phnom Penh which is where we are now.
This past week has been awesome for me. I had the honor of preaching at the village church service we went to last week and playing a small hand drum I bought in town with the worship team at battambang friends church service yesterday. I shared some passages from the book of Matthew and the book of Ephesians which described some ways we should live and function as Christians in my sermonette. The temple with the monkeys was a big highlight for me being the nature enthusiast I am. This trip has had a great affect on me and expanded worldview hugely and I am very happy with my experiences here :). I will share more when we get back on Wednesday! See you guys then!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Thoughts from Kelsey
Hey all! Sorry we've been so slow at doing blog posts, but we had a busy weekend and have had a lot to talk and think about.
Last week on Thursday we spent some time with members of Battambang Friends Church, first visiting the man who was going to be our guide here in Cambodia until he was in a motorcycle accident and lost one of his sons and his leg. We visited his house for a brief Khmer language lesson and to encourage him in this tragic situation. It was amazing to me how someone could withstand that much pain and sadness, and still be a gracious host to a bunch of foreigners. We spent some time in prayer for him and his family, and are continuing to keep him in our thoughts and prayers. Thursday evening we spent time with the youth at the church, sharing songs and Bible passages. The youth here in Cambodia like to use English songs translated into Khmer, so we often know them and can sing along in English, although we only remember the first verse of "How Great Thou Art" and so end up singing it multiple times. (But the Cambodians don't know that.)
On Friday we spent more time with the youth, first doing a photo scavenger hunt around Battambang and then visiting some ruins on the outside of town in the afternoon. The scavenger hunt was a blast! We rushed around Battambang in tuk tuks in groups of 4 or 5, with some of the Cambodian youth helping us. Jered and I won by about 15 minutes thanks to our knowledgeable Cambodian friends. Then in the afternoon we hiked up a steep and seemingly endless stone staircase to the top of a hill that had a ruined Buddhist temple on it. The cross country runners in the group scaled the stairs with much more ease than Jesse and I. Playing intramurals in college has really done nothing for my fitness. Once at the top we had time to take pictures and rest, then we hiked down a trail on the other side of the hill to some caves in the rock. We climbed inside and saw huge rooms with bats on the ceiling and more Buddhist holy sites with incense burning. It was a rather sweaty affair for some of us, which gave everyone a good laugh and made the showering experience even more enjoyable later. That evening we had dinner at Gary and Christine Colfax's house, where we ate delicious ribs, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and plenty of fruit that looked like it arrived from an alien planet. (I've never seen anything quite like the fruit in Cambodia - it is alternately furry, covered with scales, impossibly colorful, or gigantic.) We also got to light off fireworks and play with sparklers as a sort of delayed 4th of July celebration.
On Saturday we journeyed about an hour to Pray Svay to help with some projects at the church there. We spent the day tearing up old bamboo off a structure behind the church, then pulling out the nails and nailing new pieces of bamboo down. It was a long, hot, at times trying day, and so we were very tired that night when we laid down to sleep at one of the church member's homes. We were woken up early the next morning for a breakfast of noodles and then church. Joey did an excellent job of sharing during the church service, and the pastor spoke on Matthew 5:13 - a passage that is a favorite to several of us, me included. That afternoon we came back to the hotel in Battambang and spent time relaxing and resting. We ended the day with a longer time of devotions, which helped us work through some of the challenges that had come up during our village stay. The experience made us feel closer as a group, and prepared us a little better for our village visit the next day. But I'll let someone else comment on that.
For now, we're slowing down a little, taking time to process what we've already seen and to get to know each other even better. We get to spend some time with kids at an orphanage run by a friend of the Colfaxes, and to help the Battambang youth with another project or two. Just under 6 days left in Cambodia, and it feels like there's so much left to see and do!
Last week on Thursday we spent some time with members of Battambang Friends Church, first visiting the man who was going to be our guide here in Cambodia until he was in a motorcycle accident and lost one of his sons and his leg. We visited his house for a brief Khmer language lesson and to encourage him in this tragic situation. It was amazing to me how someone could withstand that much pain and sadness, and still be a gracious host to a bunch of foreigners. We spent some time in prayer for him and his family, and are continuing to keep him in our thoughts and prayers. Thursday evening we spent time with the youth at the church, sharing songs and Bible passages. The youth here in Cambodia like to use English songs translated into Khmer, so we often know them and can sing along in English, although we only remember the first verse of "How Great Thou Art" and so end up singing it multiple times. (But the Cambodians don't know that.)
On Friday we spent more time with the youth, first doing a photo scavenger hunt around Battambang and then visiting some ruins on the outside of town in the afternoon. The scavenger hunt was a blast! We rushed around Battambang in tuk tuks in groups of 4 or 5, with some of the Cambodian youth helping us. Jered and I won by about 15 minutes thanks to our knowledgeable Cambodian friends. Then in the afternoon we hiked up a steep and seemingly endless stone staircase to the top of a hill that had a ruined Buddhist temple on it. The cross country runners in the group scaled the stairs with much more ease than Jesse and I. Playing intramurals in college has really done nothing for my fitness. Once at the top we had time to take pictures and rest, then we hiked down a trail on the other side of the hill to some caves in the rock. We climbed inside and saw huge rooms with bats on the ceiling and more Buddhist holy sites with incense burning. It was a rather sweaty affair for some of us, which gave everyone a good laugh and made the showering experience even more enjoyable later. That evening we had dinner at Gary and Christine Colfax's house, where we ate delicious ribs, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and plenty of fruit that looked like it arrived from an alien planet. (I've never seen anything quite like the fruit in Cambodia - it is alternately furry, covered with scales, impossibly colorful, or gigantic.) We also got to light off fireworks and play with sparklers as a sort of delayed 4th of July celebration.
On Saturday we journeyed about an hour to Pray Svay to help with some projects at the church there. We spent the day tearing up old bamboo off a structure behind the church, then pulling out the nails and nailing new pieces of bamboo down. It was a long, hot, at times trying day, and so we were very tired that night when we laid down to sleep at one of the church member's homes. We were woken up early the next morning for a breakfast of noodles and then church. Joey did an excellent job of sharing during the church service, and the pastor spoke on Matthew 5:13 - a passage that is a favorite to several of us, me included. That afternoon we came back to the hotel in Battambang and spent time relaxing and resting. We ended the day with a longer time of devotions, which helped us work through some of the challenges that had come up during our village stay. The experience made us feel closer as a group, and prepared us a little better for our village visit the next day. But I'll let someone else comment on that.
For now, we're slowing down a little, taking time to process what we've already seen and to get to know each other even better. We get to spend some time with kids at an orphanage run by a friend of the Colfaxes, and to help the Battambang youth with another project or two. Just under 6 days left in Cambodia, and it feels like there's so much left to see and do!
A post from Jered.
Well, here we are. We have made it to the home stretch and the group is full of mixed feelings about coming home. Sorry that we have not had many blog posts lately, I believe that there is another one planned for this afternoon. I just wanted to let you all know that we are alive and well and having a blast. We have been doing village visits and hanging out with youth here in Battambang. It turned out that the english camp that we had planned for this week is not happening. We are not sure if we should be relieved or disappointed, but we are getting all sorts of practice at being flexible, so we know it will work out.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Aarons post
Today Gary Colfax, Kelsey, Janna, Jared, and myself went to Phnom Bassaac to visit some families in the small villages there. Gary drove the car, and for most of the way the dirt roads were jam packed with pot holes and bumps, but we were lucky that we didn't get monsooned on and that the roads weren't a complete mud hole.
The first place we stopped was a family who had a plow for Gary to pick up and bring to Mr. Jim with whom we spent most of our day. After Jerry-rigging the plow onto the front of Garys car and driving for another 45 minuets or so we got to Mr. Jim's house where we ate lunch and hung out with his family for awhile. None of the families we visited spoke English so it was nice to have Gary there to translate. A little while after we were done with lunch, we said our goodbyes in Cambodian and went to visit another family of Christians about a kilometer or so from Mr. Jim's house (Mr. Jim has done a lot of evangelizing out in the villages and he knows most of the people out there.) At the second family's house we visited for awhile and chatted with Gary translating, and then we shared some bible verses and sang some songs (the 22 year old daughter said it was the first time she had ever hear a white person sing.) After that we prayed, and then Mr. Jim offered to take us swimming in the pond he had built. I was the only one that went swimming aside from Mr. Jim, but he had built a shack where all the others hung out. It was really nice cooling off in the water, and especially so because there weren't any leeches because it was an isolated water source, but there were a lot of fish, and after swimming around I noticed a cast net hanging near the shack and asked Gary if he could ask Mr. Jim to show me how to use it. I watched him throw it and then I retrieved it, and then he guided me through setting it up to throw. We didn't catch any fish, but I picked up on it quickly and had a lot of fun throwing it out and then going and finding the tiny blue tag in the middle when the net was in the murky water, and Mr. Jim told Gary after watching me that I almost looked like I knew what I was doing. I feel great that I was able to kind of connect with someone through learning about how he supports his family and start build that kind of friendship and sense of being one family in Christ despite the language barriers.
After an hour or so there we headed back to Battambang on the long and bumpy dirt road, and made two short stops at some other believers houses and now we are at the hotel waiting until we are going to have dinner at the sunrise cafe just a block from the hotel (they have really good food there, and its really cheap)
The first place we stopped was a family who had a plow for Gary to pick up and bring to Mr. Jim with whom we spent most of our day. After Jerry-rigging the plow onto the front of Garys car and driving for another 45 minuets or so we got to Mr. Jim's house where we ate lunch and hung out with his family for awhile. None of the families we visited spoke English so it was nice to have Gary there to translate. A little while after we were done with lunch, we said our goodbyes in Cambodian and went to visit another family of Christians about a kilometer or so from Mr. Jim's house (Mr. Jim has done a lot of evangelizing out in the villages and he knows most of the people out there.) At the second family's house we visited for awhile and chatted with Gary translating, and then we shared some bible verses and sang some songs (the 22 year old daughter said it was the first time she had ever hear a white person sing.) After that we prayed, and then Mr. Jim offered to take us swimming in the pond he had built. I was the only one that went swimming aside from Mr. Jim, but he had built a shack where all the others hung out. It was really nice cooling off in the water, and especially so because there weren't any leeches because it was an isolated water source, but there were a lot of fish, and after swimming around I noticed a cast net hanging near the shack and asked Gary if he could ask Mr. Jim to show me how to use it. I watched him throw it and then I retrieved it, and then he guided me through setting it up to throw. We didn't catch any fish, but I picked up on it quickly and had a lot of fun throwing it out and then going and finding the tiny blue tag in the middle when the net was in the murky water, and Mr. Jim told Gary after watching me that I almost looked like I knew what I was doing. I feel great that I was able to kind of connect with someone through learning about how he supports his family and start build that kind of friendship and sense of being one family in Christ despite the language barriers.
After an hour or so there we headed back to Battambang on the long and bumpy dirt road, and made two short stops at some other believers houses and now we are at the hotel waiting until we are going to have dinner at the sunrise cafe just a block from the hotel (they have really good food there, and its really cheap)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The Untitled Adventures of YCEW 2011
Hello friends and family! This is Natalie, Jered, Katie, and Janna.
It has been a crazy couple of days! We are all having a great time. Since you last heard from us we've visited the temples of Angkor, toured Siem Reap, attended a local church service, gone to a silk farm, and we just returned from an overnight trip to a village on the Thai Cambodian border. It's only been a few days, but it seems like we've been here for months!
The Angkor temples were beautiful! We visited four of them, including Angkor Wat itself and Ta Prohm, the two most famous temples of Angkor. The temples were used for thousands of years by Cambodian people. They switched back and forth between Hindu and Buddhist beliefs as the kings changed the national religion. The sheer size of each temple was overwhelming and breathtaking. The intricate detail of the temples was incredible to see. There were carvings on every wall explaining the history, culture, and religion of Cambodia. The craftsmanship of the temples easily rivals that of the Incans, Mayans, and Egyptians. We're constantly astounded that there are aspects of this country that we never learn about back at home. One cool ministry we saw at the temples was the bands that were made up of landmine victims, allowing them to earn a steady income instead of begging on the streets.
On Sunday we started out by going to a church service in Siem Reap. The language barrier made it difficult to understand what was going on, but it was still obvious that the people were worshiping the same God that we do. We all felt welcomed and comfortable. One of the songs the youth led was "Shout to the Lord," and we all joined in English. Hiknee translated for Natalie during the sermon and testimonies, which was very helpful. One woman gave a testimony about her life as a Buddhist Nun and her constant searching for something more in life. It was really encouraging to hear about how she finally came to Christ, and learn about the trials she's been through and the strong faith she has maintained throughout everything.
We got to do a lot of touring on Sunday as well. We went to a silk farm, which is a factory where youth and young women are trained to make, dye, and weave silk. One novelty experience that we got to "enjoy" was a fish massage. We dunked our feet in a large tank of hungry fish, and for twenty five minutes they chewed the dead skin off our feet. It was an interesting experience, especially for those of us who are extremely ticklish, but our feet felt very smooth afterward! Later that day we explored the market and ate at a fancy restaurant.
Yesterday (Monday) morning we got up early and headed to a village near Battambang. After five hours of bumpy roads, dust, and beautiful scenery, we arrived. We stayed at the home of some believers in the community. There were so many cute kids running around, and the girls really enjoyed getting to play with them. We visited several other houses of believers in the village. A woman with young-adult aged children lived in one house, and a newly married couple in another. At both of the houses that we visited, the believers' spouses were non-Christians. After visiting these homes, we all gathered at the original house for a time of worship. The Cambodian believers and our team took turns singing songs in our own languages and then we had a time of testimonies. Katie and Jered both shared a verse and the personal meaning that it held for them. After that, Jesse gave his personal testimony and Hiknee translated. While we were there, four people accepted Christ into their lives, which was very exciting to us. However, Hiknee shared with us that it is possible that they only were interested because there were white foreigners present and that they might not be very serious about the commitment. Either way, they were still exposed to these Christ-like believers and were willing to go through the process, so we find that to be encouraging. After that we ate a very yummy dinner that they generously made for us. Then the girls slept upstairs, and the boys slept outside, on mats and hammocks.
Today, after various experiences in the hammocks and on the floor, we drove from the small village to Battambang. Leaving was both exciting and emotional, as we had to leave the children and the families who had been so hospitable to us. The drive was a difficult one as the roads we were traveling on were still under construction and made of dirt. It was exciting driving to an entirely new place as well. We arrived in Battambang, and were amazed by the quality of the hotel where we will be staying for the next week or so. Another exciting discovery was the coffee shop and restaurant ministry down the street and around the corner. The little shop was started as an outreach to widowed mothers in Battambang and has now spread throughout the country and to many other people. It trains them in cooking and restaurant management as well as gives them a step up in finding work.
We are excited, but not entirely clear on what is coming our way during the next few days. We appreciate all of your prayers and thoughts as the trip progresses. We are blessed to be traveling with this group of people, and are thankful for leaders as thoughtful as Jesse and Kelsey.
We can't wait to tell you more about our experiences in the days to come.
-Jered, Katie, Janna, Natalie.
It has been a crazy couple of days! We are all having a great time. Since you last heard from us we've visited the temples of Angkor, toured Siem Reap, attended a local church service, gone to a silk farm, and we just returned from an overnight trip to a village on the Thai Cambodian border. It's only been a few days, but it seems like we've been here for months!
The Angkor temples were beautiful! We visited four of them, including Angkor Wat itself and Ta Prohm, the two most famous temples of Angkor. The temples were used for thousands of years by Cambodian people. They switched back and forth between Hindu and Buddhist beliefs as the kings changed the national religion. The sheer size of each temple was overwhelming and breathtaking. The intricate detail of the temples was incredible to see. There were carvings on every wall explaining the history, culture, and religion of Cambodia. The craftsmanship of the temples easily rivals that of the Incans, Mayans, and Egyptians. We're constantly astounded that there are aspects of this country that we never learn about back at home. One cool ministry we saw at the temples was the bands that were made up of landmine victims, allowing them to earn a steady income instead of begging on the streets.
On Sunday we started out by going to a church service in Siem Reap. The language barrier made it difficult to understand what was going on, but it was still obvious that the people were worshiping the same God that we do. We all felt welcomed and comfortable. One of the songs the youth led was "Shout to the Lord," and we all joined in English. Hiknee translated for Natalie during the sermon and testimonies, which was very helpful. One woman gave a testimony about her life as a Buddhist Nun and her constant searching for something more in life. It was really encouraging to hear about how she finally came to Christ, and learn about the trials she's been through and the strong faith she has maintained throughout everything.
We got to do a lot of touring on Sunday as well. We went to a silk farm, which is a factory where youth and young women are trained to make, dye, and weave silk. One novelty experience that we got to "enjoy" was a fish massage. We dunked our feet in a large tank of hungry fish, and for twenty five minutes they chewed the dead skin off our feet. It was an interesting experience, especially for those of us who are extremely ticklish, but our feet felt very smooth afterward! Later that day we explored the market and ate at a fancy restaurant.
Yesterday (Monday) morning we got up early and headed to a village near Battambang. After five hours of bumpy roads, dust, and beautiful scenery, we arrived. We stayed at the home of some believers in the community. There were so many cute kids running around, and the girls really enjoyed getting to play with them. We visited several other houses of believers in the village. A woman with young-adult aged children lived in one house, and a newly married couple in another. At both of the houses that we visited, the believers' spouses were non-Christians. After visiting these homes, we all gathered at the original house for a time of worship. The Cambodian believers and our team took turns singing songs in our own languages and then we had a time of testimonies. Katie and Jered both shared a verse and the personal meaning that it held for them. After that, Jesse gave his personal testimony and Hiknee translated. While we were there, four people accepted Christ into their lives, which was very exciting to us. However, Hiknee shared with us that it is possible that they only were interested because there were white foreigners present and that they might not be very serious about the commitment. Either way, they were still exposed to these Christ-like believers and were willing to go through the process, so we find that to be encouraging. After that we ate a very yummy dinner that they generously made for us. Then the girls slept upstairs, and the boys slept outside, on mats and hammocks.
Today, after various experiences in the hammocks and on the floor, we drove from the small village to Battambang. Leaving was both exciting and emotional, as we had to leave the children and the families who had been so hospitable to us. The drive was a difficult one as the roads we were traveling on were still under construction and made of dirt. It was exciting driving to an entirely new place as well. We arrived in Battambang, and were amazed by the quality of the hotel where we will be staying for the next week or so. Another exciting discovery was the coffee shop and restaurant ministry down the street and around the corner. The little shop was started as an outreach to widowed mothers in Battambang and has now spread throughout the country and to many other people. It trains them in cooking and restaurant management as well as gives them a step up in finding work.
We are excited, but not entirely clear on what is coming our way during the next few days. We appreciate all of your prayers and thoughts as the trip progresses. We are blessed to be traveling with this group of people, and are thankful for leaders as thoughtful as Jesse and Kelsey.
We can't wait to tell you more about our experiences in the days to come.
-Jered, Katie, Janna, Natalie.
Anna's Update, a few days late.
The following was a post that Anna wrote for the blog a few days ago. But due to shady internet service, it was never posted.
Yesterday, we drove from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. There was a lot of deliriously exhausted sentiment in the air, which resulted in approximately five hours of laughing and tired silence. Although it was a joy to spend time together, it was also impossible not to notice the poverty that surrounded us for the duration of the drive. At one point, we stopped at a fruit stand along the road to use the restroom, and were immediately bombarded by little kids, eager to sell us something to support their families. We also see countless beggars, many of whom are handicapped as a result of hidden land mines. Personally, it has been hard for me to look these people in the eyes. Back in Oregon, we think of our own lives as full of potential, and the types of things that we plan to achieve are unhampered by the goal of meeting basic needs.
Everyone here has an equal right to lead a fulfilling life. This raises the question--what obligation do we have, having witnessed this poverty? To witness isn't enough. Christ gives us this sense of empathy so that, ultimately, we might be driven to acts of kindness. It must to amount to more than a mental snack or a power point presentation when we get back.
Today in Siemp Reap, we visited Angkor Wat. We had an extremely helpful guide, who was full of answers, and full of tolerance for our undoubtedly trying American-ness. The highlight for me was ascending the final set of stairs, to the highest point (the fourth tier) of temple. The view was amazing, especially as there was a fast-approaching thunderstorm in the distance.
The significance of the temple as a place of Buddhist worship didn't escape anyone, although I'm sure we all had different reactions to it. For now, I will just say that it is fascinating to see how others worship.
That's all for now. I hope all you parents are surviving :)
Yesterday, we drove from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. There was a lot of deliriously exhausted sentiment in the air, which resulted in approximately five hours of laughing and tired silence. Although it was a joy to spend time together, it was also impossible not to notice the poverty that surrounded us for the duration of the drive. At one point, we stopped at a fruit stand along the road to use the restroom, and were immediately bombarded by little kids, eager to sell us something to support their families. We also see countless beggars, many of whom are handicapped as a result of hidden land mines. Personally, it has been hard for me to look these people in the eyes. Back in Oregon, we think of our own lives as full of potential, and the types of things that we plan to achieve are unhampered by the goal of meeting basic needs.
Everyone here has an equal right to lead a fulfilling life. This raises the question--what obligation do we have, having witnessed this poverty? To witness isn't enough. Christ gives us this sense of empathy so that, ultimately, we might be driven to acts of kindness. It must to amount to more than a mental snack or a power point presentation when we get back.
Today in Siemp Reap, we visited Angkor Wat. We had an extremely helpful guide, who was full of answers, and full of tolerance for our undoubtedly trying American-ness. The highlight for me was ascending the final set of stairs, to the highest point (the fourth tier) of temple. The view was amazing, especially as there was a fast-approaching thunderstorm in the distance.
The significance of the temple as a place of Buddhist worship didn't escape anyone, although I'm sure we all had different reactions to it. For now, I will just say that it is fascinating to see how others worship.
That's all for now. I hope all you parents are surviving :)
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Holiday in Cambodia!
8:00 AM, July 1
Yesterday morning we got up early and had a hearty breakfast along with many cups of coffee before we met with Diane and Fede Hernandez. They are Friends missionaries here in the capitol of Cambodia, Phnom Penh - they are fantastic hosts and have two beautiful children. Fede and our guide, Hitnee took us to the Genocide museum, which was very heartbreaking and somewhat depressing. It was very important to experience this early in the trip, as it gave us all a better idea of the countries history and how the horrific events have helped shape and mold the evolving culture here.
Back at the hotel (with AC!) we cleaned up and rested before going out to dinner with the the Hernandez family. We went to a place called Divine Pizza and Ribs - a place owned by a missionary who does missions through business, providing jobs to Cambodians seeking the Lord. The pizza was fantastic, and although we wanted to experience more local cuisine, it was nice to have one last Western meal before heading deeper into the heart of the country. We shared so many laughs, and are really bonding as a team. Fede and Diane really made us feel comfortable and at home as we ate and talked into the evening.
Back at the hotel we all went to bed early, enjoying the break from the hot humid weather in our air conditioned rooms. This morning we will head west to Siem Reap - a 5 hour drive to the city build around the famous Angkor Temple complex. We get to do a few more touristy things in the upcoming days before we dive into the English language camps to teach some basic classes to Cambodians who know some English, but just need to converse in English to practice.
I am so blessed to be here leading with Kelsey, and I could not ask for a better team of young adults to share this experience with.
- Jesse
Yesterday morning we got up early and had a hearty breakfast along with many cups of coffee before we met with Diane and Fede Hernandez. They are Friends missionaries here in the capitol of Cambodia, Phnom Penh - they are fantastic hosts and have two beautiful children. Fede and our guide, Hitnee took us to the Genocide museum, which was very heartbreaking and somewhat depressing. It was very important to experience this early in the trip, as it gave us all a better idea of the countries history and how the horrific events have helped shape and mold the evolving culture here.
Back at the hotel (with AC!) we cleaned up and rested before going out to dinner with the the Hernandez family. We went to a place called Divine Pizza and Ribs - a place owned by a missionary who does missions through business, providing jobs to Cambodians seeking the Lord. The pizza was fantastic, and although we wanted to experience more local cuisine, it was nice to have one last Western meal before heading deeper into the heart of the country. We shared so many laughs, and are really bonding as a team. Fede and Diane really made us feel comfortable and at home as we ate and talked into the evening.
Back at the hotel we all went to bed early, enjoying the break from the hot humid weather in our air conditioned rooms. This morning we will head west to Siem Reap - a 5 hour drive to the city build around the famous Angkor Temple complex. We get to do a few more touristy things in the upcoming days before we dive into the English language camps to teach some basic classes to Cambodians who know some English, but just need to converse in English to practice.
I am so blessed to be here leading with Kelsey, and I could not ask for a better team of young adults to share this experience with.
- Jesse
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