I  started this blog post July 24th, while  Stan and John have been at the farm,
   I've been busy with sewing projects and Debbie hasn't been able to make it over for school, So I've thrown together some quick school lessons, sending a quick prayer for what to have them do???
I have been reading John 15 and feeling a bit of nudging from the Lord to study the word "Abiding " and how that is such an important part of being a Christian! If we truly understand and "abide in Him" we will have joy, and true rest!!   I shared that with the kids introducing a new word to study and to challenge them with. Then I had the older kids write Psalm 23 and locate and identify all the nouns and verbs, the younger kids I had them write their memory verse and identify each vowel and how many time it was used, reviewing the vowel sounds, We then had a littte math game breaking into teams and challenged each other with addition and multiplication problems on Wed. the winner overall was Paroad and on Thursday we played again using division and subtraction. and the winner was Sok. The special champion prize was one of my coveted chocolates with carmel! They seemed to really enjoy the game!! getting all loud and silly!! Thursday we repeated our verses from Wed but the older kids had to find and identify the adjectives and the younger ones worked on finding and counting all the consonants. I also had found some other worksheets to do that reviewed the concepts that I was trying to teach.. I don't know, I'm not a trained teacher so I just do what comes to my brain in the few minutes I had to prepare!! And when school is finished its back to the sewing room with another group of kids who in all reality just really like to cut up and create whatever!
   Friday I made homemade ice cream with Fresh coconut chopped up into it, for the ladies bible study group.. Sreylin hacked open a coconut for it!! hard work!!
  The last few days (which to date is still happening going on 2 weeks now) there has been loud weird music and so I went out to investigate since it was right outside the gate... the monks are trying to raise money so they have boys dress up like a chinese type dragon and tall men and go around to peoples homes scarying them into giving money?? anyway its seemed a bit strange I just had to get some pictures...

Saturday afternoon fun time in the yard with the kids:) 

These two were loving the picture taking, ready with another pose! 

A few pictures of the yard, its really looking nice! as the tree's and flowers grow up the transformation will be fun to watch! 

Mom's & kids sharing a snack

Strawberry plants from home, starting to take hold & make some new leaves!!

  While at the farm, Stan and John decided a Ripper was a necessary implement that was needed immediately! So Last Saturday soon as they got back from the farm Stan and Tonet ran into PP to get steel. Monday (yesterday) morning sharp they began the process of welding up the pile into a "Ripper" who knows maybe it will be something that will be marketable??

On Sunday we were blessed with a visit from Mandie and the kids! :) We had a very nice visit, After the morning Outreach Service, we walked to the market for a little breakfast and coffee with Mandie, Thoen, Sopeak and Peak joined us while we were there. Then after church time Stan and I went into Phnom Penh for lunch with Mandie & Gabi. Wandered around the Sorya Mall for a little while then headed back to Sovanapoom, was a relaxing Sunday:) spent with friends talking about all the Lord is doing in Cambodia :)
    This is our last full week here, and can't end it any other way than, fill it UP!! Stan and the boys are working hard building the Ripper and Tomorrow (Wednesday Stan and John will haul what they have built to the farm to finish it there.

  I am hosting a homemade ice cream party for my sewing groups. So each afternoon I have a different group of 5 or more kids come for ice cream, then we go and sew.. whoever has projects to finish and then we have some of the older ones wanting to sew...... I already have lists of what they want to sew when I come back!!  The kids are pretty excited about it, they are always coming up to me to tell me what day they get to have Ice cream:)  
   Next Monday Stan and I have been invited to the Headmaster of the Khmer School"s home for lunch. Looking forward to our visit with them.. hopefully we can communicate at least a little....We are praying for their Salvation.
 When Stan gets back from the farm will do a "farm update''

Wow, time is flying by! Monday. Sarah and Phil Oste, from Australia stopped by for a visit, it was nice catching up with them, and the kids enjoyed seeing them again! The guys worked on building trusses this week, they got alot done and the new roof will be up soon. giving more shelter from the rains and shade to work under :)

welding up trusses ( Already a bigger sidewalk to work on and shade!!) 

My mornings are spent busy mending kids clothes, or getting sewing projects ready for the afternoon classes.
I went to the market Monday morning with Ra and purchased some ingredients to make some fresh salsa. Also enjoyed making fresh banana and pineapple smoothies with my blender :) taking advantage of the fruit here! At 1:00pm Debbie came to teach english class and I helped her out, once the kids that are finished with school then they can go to sewing class.
  Wednesday evening  I was working on making ice-cream to take to John and Tess's home to enjoy fellowship together... As I was opening the can of milk with a knife I kinda missed the can and stabbed between my thumb and finger... quite deeply, hitting a vein, I had blood pouring everywhere! Holding it tightly, we went a bit early to John's house so Tess could help me get it stopped! I held pressure on my hand while Stan finished up the ice-cream. After enjoying our ice-ceam ( Yes, Stan can make ice-cream too) it turned out good :) Tess bandaged my hand up  keeping pressure on it.. Its healing up nicely, I must have got into the muscle a bit because my thumb and 1/2 my hand is all purple. still kinda hurts.

 I took it a bit easier on Thursday morning since I didn't get much sleep the night before.  Stan has been busy with helping the boys and learning language whenever he can, the headmaster enjoys sitting with him and giving him lessons:)
Saturday we went back over to Phnom Penh and restocked up on sewing supplies for new projects. and  enjoyed a stop at "Bloom" for a cupcake and smoothy for lunch. I know not to much nutrition in that... but they are beautiful cupcakes!! those of you who have been here, know what I mean:)

  Today is Tuesday the 24th, Stan & John left for the farm this morning, Stan just called and they arrived safely, Stan said boys are doing good. Will hear more when he return. Pray that they don't get bit by any "bad Mosquito's" it seems to be prime malaria/ whatever else the mozzie's carry around season..... Tonite, I had a little visitor stop by for hair combing and snuggles:) love it:) (since Papa Stan wasn't here)
  If you find errors in this update , its because my critique wasn't here to proof read for me..sorry

Friday evening the arrival of noodles for Sunday, and supplies

Beautiful Girls!

   Hasn't been to rainy, this week... Ra said the river looked like it was "down".
Here is a beautiful evening sky:) See the rainbow?
God's creation, a constant reminder of who HE IS!!

       We have completed our 1st full week here at Sovanapoom Care Center.... I have feel that we have settled back in our routines, such as they were, the kids were asking from the minute I arrived to sew! So Tuesday morning Sreylin and I headed to Phnom penh to get sewing supplies. hurrying to be back for lunch and sewing class.
   Tonet and Stan went into town to get a pump and hose for pumping out the drains to prepare for the rainy season. Stan was the guy holding a large roll 3" hose on the back of the moto.....They also purchased steel for building more trusses for more roof. The guys spent a couple days pumping the drains it looked like a nasty job..:( but necessary.
   This week was worming week, so everyone got the "pills", I saw first hand why it is necessary to keep on schedule, a few days after taking the pills one or more kids passed some very big worms, the one I saw was at least 6" long! ... keep taking those pill!!
Sewing Projects started; Monday class was group of girls starting dolls,  Tuesday class of the oldest boys are making zipper jackets or vests some with hoods and some with collars. the Wed. boys class some of the boys are making Big Foot Pillows and a couple are making shorts with a fly zipper.. (not my specialty :( ) Thurs older girls class, starting dress or skirt and shirt outfit. Friday was a group of 4 first time sewers, small boys they made Super Hero Capes :) ( Thank you Kim for the idea I used Jaxons for the pattern:) ) the boys were thrilled with them! I don't think they have taken them off yet! A big thank you to Seena and Bopar and Samson for helping  me! Stan took a great video of the "Super hero play battle in action.. if I could figure out how to attach a video I would :).... Friday at 2pm "Betty" has started having a Bible Study for the ladies that work here at Sovanapoom and anyone they would like to invite, they seem excited about it, during the week several of them mentioned it to me :) so at 2pm sharp I made sure the kids had a school project to work on and joined the other ladies, Betty led a study on Prayer. Please pray that these women would gain a deep understanding of the God they are serving and become knit together as servants and women of God!


Saturday Stan and I had to take a couple machines to be repaired, one of the tension knobs had to be replaced on one  and belts replaced on another one for a total cost of $3.00 repair. and packet of needles.. I do like the prices here. Also needed another batch of fabric & large bags of stuffing, hopefully it will stay under control!!
   Our trip in town had some added excitement with witnessing a moto accident ( A dump truck ran into a moto with 2 guys on it, they were hurt pretty bad, I'm sure they had broken legs for sure!) Our moto driver stayed parked beside them sheltering them from the traffic until some people helped them off the road,  The truck that hit them backed up and took off!!  Then as were heading back down the main road a tuk-tuk,  flew by us with a lady standing up in the back yelling!!! Our driver said someone stole something from her?? not sure...  reminders us of the reality of life.
Back again for Saturday sewing class of first time sewer's 4 small girls. They had an audience at the window the whole time:)

 A very big grasshopper makes a great friend to play with, we have even had them help with school work :)

 Sunday, we invited Ra and her daughter and Tonet and family and Bong over for homemade ice-cream Ra helped me make it and was quite intrigued :) by the machine.:) A fun afternoon treat:)

    When it rains here it is serious about raining, in a matter of a few minutes there will be standing water every where, but the nice thing is shortly after it done raining it will be absorbed by the soil. You could tell we were newcomers to the rain. Thursday at lunch time, it was Really RAINING, I thought I should go make sure the windows to the sewing room were shut... so Stan had to video me heading out with the umbrella ... they probably think we are a bit strange! we ended up having a lot of water come in our house between not getting the windows shut soon enough and opening to door to watch the rain! spent the evening mopping up water....

This frog was outside our kitchen window looks like he got himself up high on the brick wall and can't figure out how to get down..... He was there since early this am. by afternoon I thought he was a goner cuz he wasn't making much effort to help himself. I thought he was dying, (He was looking pretty dried out compared to what he looked like in the am.) but of course Stan knew best said he was just lazy.... Tonite when it began to get dark and cooled down he got down.
Update: The boy that was sick at the farm is much better! Thank You all for your prayers..
Prayer request: There has been recent child kidnappings taking place, even in this village... one of the little girls that comes on Sunday mornings almost got kidnapped on Saturday, but her mom saw in time and got her back!! The locals are saying bad people from Vietnam are stealing them to sell for body parts:( .....

    Life......what an adventure when you are trying to do what God wants!! 5 years ago I would have never dreamed that I would be have had the opportunity to come to Cambodia once let alone 5 times! God is good and He knows our hearts desires even more than we do ourselves! We are very grateful for this opportunity to return to Cambodia, sooner than we would have thought possible... They also are so very glad, thank you to all those who have helped make this trip possible!

    We flew out the night of the 4th of July and arrived in Phnom Penh on July 6th about 11:35am, it was nice to be able to see the country as we were flying in, usually we arrive close to midnight and we can't enjoy the sights!  SO wished my camera had been ready... it was amazing seeing the country from the air, the extremely muddy very big river was quite impressive! when we leave I am defiantly going to have my camera with me! Dave Hall met us at the airport and kindly took us and all our stuff to our hotel , than to the phone store and off to the Russian Market to pick up a Mosquito net and a blender, Mosquito nets are necessary item this time of year, just last month over 45 people died from mosquito bites, Some strange thing going around.... John was emphasizing strongly this morning for the everyone to be sure they have a good Mozzi net over their bed! One of the boys at the farm has been sick with a high fever and went to the little hospital up near the farm, we are waiting to hear how he is doing.
  Saturday July 7th we  had a Tuk Tuk driver we used on our last visit, come over and pick us up at the hotel and bring us to Sovanapoom,, packing it all in the TUk TUk along with ourselves was a bit of a project BUT we got everything to fit along with us and Stan's long legs.
when we arrived at Sovanapoom we were greeted with many hugs!! I spent part of the day unpacking and settling back in and then helping in the kitchen. By 7pm it was off to bed jet lag catches up with you..
    Sunday, up early... Outreach Ministry was a full house! got a chance to catch up with Sopeak, meet "Teacher Pam" an Australian lady who spent a lot of time here at Sovanapoom teaching english several years ago and came back to visit.  I am sad that she was leaving Sunday afternoon ( I could have learned so much from her!!) between services the kids were all about just hanging out with us wanting to be close.. hugs and snuggles:) After church Stan and I went over to Phnom Penh to have lunch with The Halls. enjoyed a nice lunch and a chance to visit get to know their family and what God is doing in their lives here in Cambodia. at 4pm we went to the Shalom church with them and enjoyed fellowship with a group of missionaries and other Christian workers. Dave and his family offered to drive us back, but near the Independance Monument the road was closed due to festivities? way to much traffic!! So Stan and I walked to the ferry from there, and NO Stan didn't have the proper walking shoes!! soon as we got to the ferry the rain started!! Stan kinda panicked about how he was going to walk up the muddy hill in flip flops .... in the dark... But our God is good and sent a couple angel moto dops to offer us a ride up the hill on their moto's:) ) John was at the top waiting to pick us up. Thankfully. Note to self when going out always bring a rain coat or poncho .. you never know when it will rain!
Monday morning, off to market with Ra and Betty,  had a nice time catching up with the ladies:) Then helping in the kitchen and planning sewing projects and school with Debbie in the afternoon.

Ra buying chicken for lunch

early morning at the local market