Finally we made it to Phnom Penh (pronounced P - Nom - Pen). The city is another bustling metropolis. Riding in the streets there are cars, SUV's tuk-tuks, bicycles, food carts, and a bazillion scooters (yes, bazillion, I think there is one scooter per person age 12 and up). We didn't see many people walking at all since scooters are so cheap, plus the sidewalks were taken up by either parked cars or some other vehicle.
Anyhow, during our visit to Cambodia we wanted to spend a good deal of time volunteering. We knew that HOPE Worldwide had a few things going on in Phnom Penh so we went to check them out. First we went to the Sihanouk Hospital. The Hospital provides medical care to the disadvantaged and poor. Many patients receive free care, or they pay on a sliding scale depending on their ability to pay. Those able to pay are also welcome to come, and many do because they get quality healthcare and also doctors from all over the world volunteer at the hospital. Not having any medical training in our background we wouldn't be able to volunteer there, but we did take a tour around the facility. It was pretty awesome to see the care being provided to so many who could not get care otherwise. We met the staff and learned a lot about the history of the hospital. (If you have a heart to serve the needy and have a medical background the hospital may be a good fit for you, check out their website for more information: http://www.sihosp.org)
The day after touring the hospital we went to another HOPE site. This one is a school that provides education to grades 1 to 11 (grade 12 will be added next year) called the Goldstone School of HOPE Worldwide. At this school additional school subjects are provided that go above and beyond the standard classes that public schools are required to teach (Khmer Language, Science, Math and Social Studies). The additional classes are English, Computers and Christian Moral Teachings (CMT).
We had planned to help with teaching English. However, when we got to the school and found out their needs, we volunteered to do two things... teach CMT and assist in coordinating other volunteers who would be visiting the same week we were. (The 9th to 11th grade English teacher, Tiffany, had been doing double duty coordinating volunteers.) It was great. Muthoni and I split up the elementary CMT classes, grades 1 to 5. We sang songs with them, taught them Biblical principles, engaged their creativity through drawing, and prayed with them. Though most of the kids spoke limited English, the message still seemed to get across.
Outside of the classroom Muthoni and I got to help organize a group of high school students from Hong Kong who came to volunteer for 3 days through an organization called Asian Hope. They brought along their guitars, break dance moves, artistic talent and a whole lot of heart. It was so refreshing to see younger people giving of themselves to serve others. With their help we got a lot accomplished for the beautification of the school, but more than that, the school students were encouraged.
On another day we participated in a toilet building project out in one of the provinces (villages), about 2 hours outside of Phnom Penh. The government had seized land from some residents in Phnom Penh to make way for business and other uses for realestate. The displaced families were moved out of the city into undeveloped areas to begin a new life. The site we visited is now home to about 300 families thanks to help from organizations like Habitat for Humanity. Our job for the day was to assist in building walls for the toilets on the ground floor of the stilted houses (see the pics). On a previous week, staff from the Sihanouk Hospital and other members of the Phnom Penh Church of Christ spent the weekend digging holes for the toilets. After that the toilets were installed (pit latrines). So it was our job to enclose them. This was exciting for me as I really enjoy using my hands to put things together. So Mu and I helped build one of them. Later we were told that our help was needed in digging another hole at another house. The hole was to be 1 meter wide, long, and deep. Initially it sounded like a simple thing.... it took us 4 hours and then hands of about 8 people to dig that hole because of rocks, basic tools, high humidity and a few painful blisters. We thought we'd do a lot more that day, but we had to get going so we wouldn't miss our bus later that evening (see the next blog for where we went). We grabbed some lunch at a cool restaurant which had hammocks for guests to sleep after enjoying tasty comestibles.
The rest of the time we spent in Phnom Penh was great. We spent time with the church... so refreshing to be around people who aren't trying to scam you :) We really enjoyed hanging with everyone. After service on one Sunday we joined the singles and campus ministry on a riverboat ride on the Mekong River. We prayed together, sang together, ate some great food and got completely drenched by the rain... it was glorious! :) Also while in Phnom Penh I celebrated my 31st birthday. Mu planned a surprise party at Don and Cindy Fetherman's place (I thought it was just dinner). It turned out great, they made my favorite dish, spaghetti (delicious), baked a chocolate/chocolate pudding cake (Grace - it was soooooo good!), sang happy birthday and just encouraged the heck out of me. (My wife is awesome! I am so blessed to have her in my life!)
Outside of those things we just toured around the city, trying to avoid eye contact with Tuk-Tuk drivers ... TUK-TUK, Sir? TUK-TUK? ... from every corner of Phnom Penh you can hear them... I can still hear them now... But yeah, we walked to the National Museum, passed by the Royal Palace, took pictures of a number of monuments, enjoyed the night market and, our favorite, took night time strolls along the lively waterfront boardwalk.
Stay tuned for the next update!
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| Welcome to Phnom Penh |
Anyhow, during our visit to Cambodia we wanted to spend a good deal of time volunteering. We knew that HOPE Worldwide had a few things going on in Phnom Penh so we went to check them out. First we went to the Sihanouk Hospital. The Hospital provides medical care to the disadvantaged and poor. Many patients receive free care, or they pay on a sliding scale depending on their ability to pay. Those able to pay are also welcome to come, and many do because they get quality healthcare and also doctors from all over the world volunteer at the hospital. Not having any medical training in our background we wouldn't be able to volunteer there, but we did take a tour around the facility. It was pretty awesome to see the care being provided to so many who could not get care otherwise. We met the staff and learned a lot about the history of the hospital. (If you have a heart to serve the needy and have a medical background the hospital may be a good fit for you, check out their website for more information: http://www.sihosp.org)
The day after touring the hospital we went to another HOPE site. This one is a school that provides education to grades 1 to 11 (grade 12 will be added next year) called the Goldstone School of HOPE Worldwide. At this school additional school subjects are provided that go above and beyond the standard classes that public schools are required to teach (Khmer Language, Science, Math and Social Studies). The additional classes are English, Computers and Christian Moral Teachings (CMT).
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| At Goldstone. Vernon trying to keep up with the kids. |
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| 4th graders |
We had planned to help with teaching English. However, when we got to the school and found out their needs, we volunteered to do two things... teach CMT and assist in coordinating other volunteers who would be visiting the same week we were. (The 9th to 11th grade English teacher, Tiffany, had been doing double duty coordinating volunteers.) It was great. Muthoni and I split up the elementary CMT classes, grades 1 to 5. We sang songs with them, taught them Biblical principles, engaged their creativity through drawing, and prayed with them. Though most of the kids spoke limited English, the message still seemed to get across.
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| It was wonderful teaching these kids (also see the hard work in the background of creating a mural) |
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| Teaching 9th graders |
Outside of the classroom Muthoni and I got to help organize a group of high school students from Hong Kong who came to volunteer for 3 days through an organization called Asian Hope. They brought along their guitars, break dance moves, artistic talent and a whole lot of heart. It was so refreshing to see younger people giving of themselves to serve others. With their help we got a lot accomplished for the beautification of the school, but more than that, the school students were encouraged.
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| Volunteers from Hong Kong |
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| There was a group of volunteers from Hong Kong who came and shared their music and art talents with the kids. |
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| We also helped paint part of the school fence. |
On another day we participated in a toilet building project out in one of the provinces (villages), about 2 hours outside of Phnom Penh. The government had seized land from some residents in Phnom Penh to make way for business and other uses for realestate. The displaced families were moved out of the city into undeveloped areas to begin a new life. The site we visited is now home to about 300 families thanks to help from organizations like Habitat for Humanity. Our job for the day was to assist in building walls for the toilets on the ground floor of the stilted houses (see the pics). On a previous week, staff from the Sihanouk Hospital and other members of the Phnom Penh Church of Christ spent the weekend digging holes for the toilets. After that the toilets were installed (pit latrines). So it was our job to enclose them. This was exciting for me as I really enjoy using my hands to put things together. So Mu and I helped build one of them. Later we were told that our help was needed in digging another hole at another house. The hole was to be 1 meter wide, long, and deep. Initially it sounded like a simple thing.... it took us 4 hours and then hands of about 8 people to dig that hole because of rocks, basic tools, high humidity and a few painful blisters. We thought we'd do a lot more that day, but we had to get going so we wouldn't miss our bus later that evening (see the next blog for where we went). We grabbed some lunch at a cool restaurant which had hammocks for guests to sleep after enjoying tasty comestibles.
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| We participated in a Habitat build. |
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| Gerlinda and Vernon hard at work - or are they? |
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| Part of the team |
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| Lunch break....mmmm bring it on. |
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| After lunch we caught the 'itis |
The rest of the time we spent in Phnom Penh was great. We spent time with the church... so refreshing to be around people who aren't trying to scam you :) We really enjoyed hanging with everyone. After service on one Sunday we joined the singles and campus ministry on a riverboat ride on the Mekong River. We prayed together, sang together, ate some great food and got completely drenched by the rain... it was glorious! :) Also while in Phnom Penh I celebrated my 31st birthday. Mu planned a surprise party at Don and Cindy Fetherman's place (I thought it was just dinner). It turned out great, they made my favorite dish, spaghetti (delicious), baked a chocolate/chocolate pudding cake (Grace - it was soooooo good!), sang happy birthday and just encouraged the heck out of me. (My wife is awesome! I am so blessed to have her in my life!)
Outside of those things we just toured around the city, trying to avoid eye contact with Tuk-Tuk drivers ... TUK-TUK, Sir? TUK-TUK? ... from every corner of Phnom Penh you can hear them... I can still hear them now... But yeah, we walked to the National Museum, passed by the Royal Palace, took pictures of a number of monuments, enjoyed the night market and, our favorite, took night time strolls along the lively waterfront boardwalk.
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| Independence monument in Phnom Penh. Around the time we arrived P.P the King was celebrating his birthday. This means that Cambodian's get a national holiday for 3 days! |
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| Outside the Royal Palace. Vernon chasing birds. |
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| A section of the Royal Palace |
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| Visiting the National Museum which held a lot of history on Buddhism. |
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| View of Phnom Penh. At this small park, there were lots of people exercising around 6pm, just like in Bangkok. |
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| A lot of people use scooters and motorbikes. It's not uncommon to see a woman sitting with one or two children on the scooter. The amazing thing is how balanced she is. The scooters move pretty fast and she gracefully rides along. |
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| You would think these are for sale, but noooo...these are people's scooters parked outside a strip mall. |
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| Boat ride on the Mekong River |
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| Sunday boat ride with friends from singles and campus ministry |
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| Mmmm...yummy snacks on the boat |
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| We got together in groups and prayed |
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| Fun times! |
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| I'm loving the PP night market. |
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| Loads of food stalls to choose from. Most of them make stir fry |
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| Best juice ever. Fresh sugarcane juice with lemon and ice. I'll be starting this business on my return home. |
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| HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!!! |
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| Vernon had a memorable birthday thanks to Don and Cindy. In the picture - Grace and Grace. lol! |
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| Cornelia and Tiffany |
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| He looks a year older. |
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| Hanging with Briana, Gerlinda and Jennifer |
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| With Cesar and Jennifer Lopez |
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| Don and Cindy - thank you for your love |
Our overall impression of Phnom Penh after 17 days was that, despite some its annoyances, we really enjoyed being in the city. We felt safe, we felt life all around us, we felt loved by all the disciples we met, and we knew that God was taking care of us.
Stay tuned for the next update!
Hey, this is so cool! I am a campus disciple from Toronto, ON Canada who is considering going to Cambodia for up to 4 weeks this May. How did you co-ordinate this trip and get involved in the different volunteer projects? Would love to get some feedback. My email is: meagan.shantz@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks!