Have you ever come away from serving someone and felt awful or down? We don't believe that is possible! This is the 'Why' of our travels.... serving and meeting the locals. We like making a difference wherever we can and in doing so, it changes us for the better. For each trip we plan at least one or more opportunities for service.
While in Australia I did much asking around to see what opportunities there would be for us in Cambodia and Thailand. We found the 'Rock Foundation http://rockfoundationcambodia.webs.com/'. The founder, a christian man from the USA, heard that many of the 'undesirables' from Phnom Phen were rounded up by the government and taken 3 hours outside the city and dropped off. No housing, no food, no water, and no way to make a living... these people and their families were destined to die.
He decided to start this foundation to help get their houses built up high so the floods wouldn't ruin what shacks they may have built, to help put in a well so they could have clean water (which was just put in a few weeks before our arrival), to build a simple structure where they could go to school and have church services, find a way for them to make a little $, put in a garden area (they had the land but needed $ for the seeds so they could plant), amongst other things. Which included also bringing some food once a week until they were self sustaining.
We traveled almost 3 hours outside of Phnom Penh in a tuk tuk, which was an adventure in itself with Isaac and another great guy who both help out the Rock Foundation Cambodia.
We brought treats for the kids but even the adults asked for some... you can guess why Dale is so popular.
This is Dale's favorite photo from our village trip. Look at the sweet face of this little boy.
This cute thing is trying really hard to pray while keeping her lollipop in!
They asked if we would talk at their church service about Faith and God... we felt honored that they asked. Afterwards Dale, Marissa and I sang, "I am a Child of God". They didn't seem to mind that we were not really always on key but they just sat and smiled at us.
Marissa and Dale listening to some Cambodian stories!
The beautiful kids from the village.
Here are a few of their houses that have been upgrades to withstand the floods. They are proud of what they have built out of nothing... and they should be.
Here is the Mayor in front of his village.
The people from the village were dragging the bags of rice off the tuk tuk to start cooking it in the big community pot, even before we could get out of the tuk tuk. In the photo above you can see the pot setting over the cooking hole in the ground. They were cooking the rice we brought for everyone. In this photo is our great guide Isaac who works with the Rock Foundation and rode with us to the Village. Isaac told us that they are always hungry because they never have enough food so they are THRILLED even when they only have plain rice because most of the time they don't have anything.
We were lucky enough to get a photo with Isaac and the Mayor of this little village ... with the rice bags we brought.
The kids were hiding from Dale, then laughing and laughing when they were caught!
The founder of the RFC has 'adopted' this sweet lady as his grandmother. Whenever anyone comes to see the village he has his friends make a special visit to see if there is anything she needs.
Saying our good-byes after a long, hot BUT wonderful day!
The Rock Foundation Cambodia could use any donations you can send their way. Also they are helping a man from the village who is in a wheelchair to sell his soap to make a living. You can check both of these sites out below:
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