Showing posts with label G.R.O.W.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label G.R.O.W.. Show all posts

Monday, July 25, 2011

Sunday, July 24

Sunday morning was a delight as we joined the Battambang homes for church services.  All the home participate in the service which is awesome. Savorn spoke since he drove up for the weekend. 
 
Afterwards Zac jumped up to the drums and the kids gathered around as he played.  Back to Grace Place we went for last minute massages and hugs from the kids. 
 
Final massage
We finally had to begin the process of saying goodbye. And believe me when I say process.  It only took 1/2 an hour this time to tear ourselves away from the crying children. This is the most difficult part of the trip for us because your heart just breaks and wants to stay and love on these kids some more. It would be easier to never come, some may say. A part of you is left behind, ripped out of your chest.  You are never again the same. But it is more than worth it. "At least we have more children to look forward to," says my kids. "It makes leaving a little bit easier."
 
We drove back to Phnom Penh, rode around in a tuk tuk with Pkeakdey, had pizza down by the river, started to pack for our trip tomorrow to Thailand. Tomorrow we see Faa and the GROW children and Tutu. And now, I say goodnight!
 
So hard to say goodbye
Gifts from Wooster Grace to Vannak & Home Directors
 

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Saturday, July 23

Who is that on the menu from Apple Creek?
Well it is Sunday night here and a lot has happened this weekend.  We had such a wonderful time with the children at Grace Place: Battambang. They are all doing so well. I had to take a picture at the restaurant where we had breakfast because the Richardsons are on the front cover of the menu at a place coalled "Cold Night" 
After breakfast Saturday morning we headed out with Pkeakdey and her father again to visit three more possible children for the up and coming GROW Cambodia home. 
Two of the girls are 5 year old twins and the other is three. The girls looked like they were 3 years old because they don't get enough food to eat. Their father died in an accident and their mother has some mental illness that comes and goes.  The family eats when neighbors in their village give them some food like a tomato or something.  
GROW Cambodia orphan rescue candidates
We spent quite awhile talking with the mother and her friend whom she was staying with in Battambang while she brought her daughter to the hospital.  We gave the girls some beanie babies the Roselers gave us and the mother some money to buy some food for her daughters and self. She began to cry as I, Pheakdey and her father all handed her some cash. She was overwhelmed by the love we were sharing with her.
We then headed to Grace Place to pile all 40 kids, the staff and us into 2 vans.  Yep, that's a lot of people in a small space, but we did it! The kids had so much fun at the waterpark.  We pretty much had the entire place to ourselves.  For hours we went up stairs and down slides, played Keep a Way and splashed (see more photos below). 
After dropping the kids off, and changing, we met the staff of our home at a BBQ and buffet restaurant as way of thanking them for what they do for these children and to give them a night off..  At first we weren't sure we were going to eat at all because everything was raw (meat and fish).  Then we learned that we cook it at our table on these little grills in the middle of our tables. It was quite an experience. Vannak and another staff member kept bringing us new foods to try. You may not wish to know what all we ate, but it was pretty good, never mind we all felt a little queezy in the stomach and bowels later. Yikes. But better now!
We returned to play with the kids some more of course.  By this time my kids are wanting to stay here and never leave. It is that or hide 40 kids in our suitcases! We Skpyed with Pastor Ivanildo and the older kids who are doing very well in English, spoke with him.  I will say I do not think I will do that again because Nga began crying after speaking with him.  She held onto me for 15 minutes or so crying about how much she missed him and wanted him to come back.  This began a domino effect as about 5 other girls joined in holdiong on to me.  I was able to convince all but Nga to join the others dancing and having fun.  I passed Nga off to Tim and she help on to him most of the rest of the evening crying.
Sokha
Sokret

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

14 people who deserve a Grammy for doing social good

At 2:30 am tomorrow morning we intend to send 14 people from our church to minister in SE Asia.  All seek to serve in SE Asia together:
  • to help, encourage, and serve with missionary partners like Kevin & Jill Kane in Battambang, CAMBODIA.
  • to love, hug, and play with rescued orphan children in our Grace Place home in Battambang, CAMBODIA.
  • to be with, lay hands on in prayer, and encourage our house parents (like Yun Vannak) and their families in each Grace Place home.
  • to meet and to learn more about White Doves Ministries who rescues women from the sex trade industry in NW Cambodia. You can see a video of their ministry here.
  • to expand awareness of the culture and history of Cambodia by visiting the (links here may contain pictures of graphic nature) Killing Fields, Toul Sleng prison, and to visit a state run orphanage.
  • to stay with and to work on small projects for the G.R.O.W. home in Chiang Mai, THAILAND where Faa and the rescued at-risk children live. You can follow them on Facebook too.
  • to love, hug, and play with rescued orphan children at Grace Place Thailand in Wieng Pa Pao.  
  • to travel to a Hill Tribe village and to understand what challenges face the Hill Tribe peoples.
Their 30-hour journey begins early tomorrow morning. Please take a moment to pray for the team: Ask God for health, safety, Holy Spirit empowerment to love, serve, and maintain unity, and for open hearts to consider what each could do when they get back to walk more closely with God and to do something to help those that they meet.  You can follow them via their blog updates.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Wooster Grace sends team to SE Asia

This morning we commission a team to go minister to Cambodia & Thailand. Our mission is to develop all people into fully devoted followers of Christ. We empower and send people to minister on our behalf in places all around the world. Through the faithful giving of our people, we can REACH the world for Christ.

The team will travel to Cambodia & Thailand to minister to many people.  They will visit our missionary partners, Kevin & Jill Kane in Battambang. They will be with our rescued orphan homes with Asia's Hope in Battambang, Cambodia, and Weing Pa Pao, Thailand. Likewise they will visit our emerging G.R.O.W. home in Chiang Mai, Thailand and encourage Faa.  More things are listed but these are the highlights.

Please pray for the team:
  • Health & travel safety for team members
  • Team will be able to love & encourage the children and orphan home staff.
  • Open hearts for teammates to understand and address the needs of poverty in a global economy.
You can follow their travels on their blog: www.woostercar.blogspot.com