It is good to be back on the road, with nothing planned and an open mind to the future. The only problem is that getting out of one’s comfort zone can get pretty uncomfortable. Living a carefree comfortable life for three months in the States convinced me that I was not ready for retirement, however, returning to the heat and confusion of Cambodia did nothing to assure me that I was ready to take on a new project either and I was beginning to feel there was no place left for me.
A few days after I arrived, Dara invited me to visit his new project in Prey Veng with Josh. It is a long ride and as we crossed the new bridge in Neak Loeung I was reminded of the excitement I felt some 27 years ago when I first crossed the Mighty Mekong River on a ferry, just a short distance from this bridge. The needs were so evident back then, and I was so eager to help. So much has changed since those days, or so I thought… but arriving at the SAHAKA FOUNDATION pre-school I saw the children in a different light than I had before.
They were eager learners, grateful for someone willing to teach them. They were no different than the children I had seen before, and I realized that maybe things hadn’t changed… perhaps it was just that I had become indifferent. On our way back to Phnom Penh we discussed the possibility of doing something with the children who had been reintegrated from Wat Opot and decided to bring them “Home” for the Holiday break. Mr. Vandin permitted us to use the campus since there would not be any staff there.
We had a nice time together but I learned from them that not everything was good and that, although they were no longer under my care, they still needed my love and support. I was disappointed when I learned that those now living in “Christian” homes are being taught that Buddhism and Khmer culture are heathen practices. I realized this when some of them refused to do the Buddhist chant during meditation, so I asked them: “What comes out of the ground when you use the pump at the Wat?” They responded “Tuk”. I told them that they were wrong because WATER is what comes out of the pump. They laughed and said, “But Tuk and Water are the same thing.” Then I added, “What did Jesus tell us we must do?” “Love each other.” they responded. “and what did the Buddha tell us we must do?’ I asked. “Love each other.” they responded again. “So if they both said the same thing, don’t you think they got it from the same place?” I am not sure how well they understood my message but they no longer hesitated to say our traditional chant to The Buddha and to Jesus.
On Sunday, one of our Alumni requested money to help him get a driver’s license, which he needed to get a better position at his workplace. We are always happy to help our kids improve their living conditions, and we are pleased to report that he has now taken the test and is awaiting his license.
On Monday, while driving out of Wat Opot we were stopped by Sitha, a former employee, who told us about a handicapped man with five children. who desperately needed food. We were able to give her $100.00 to ration out over the next few weeks until we can conduct a more thorough evaluation of the family.
I am spending this week at Prey Veng again with Dara, teaching his English class while he and his family work on building a new bathroom.
This is the area where the new bathrooms will be built. There is another bathroom available elsewhere on the property, but it is not close to the rooms and for old people like me it is not very convenient. We hope soon to attract foreign volunteers to the Prey Veng site and for that reason, we need to get it done now.
Srey Nith and Srey Ty both took their final exams on Tuesday and must now await the results. Both are planning to enroll in University this coming year if they pass and The Sahaka Foundation will cover their tuition and other expenses if needed.
These are just a few of the people The Sahaka Foundation is working with today but with your support, we could do much more. If I have learned anything in these past few days it is that the needs are just as great today as they were when I first arrived in Cambodia and I still have work to do.
If you are interested in Volunteering or would like to offer financial assistance please contact Mr. Dara at: 096-644-4474 or E-mail: phanlimdara@gmail.com
