A SAD-SAD REALITY

I received a Telegram message with this picture earlier today, asking why the gates were closed. The message was from a young man whose mother had died some years ago while the hospice was still open. He was just a child then and it was several years before he was able to come and visit…

I HAVE RETURNED

I left the cold and freezing weather in Michigan on the 31st of March taking off my jacket for the first time in 3 months as I traveled to the airport. I arrived at the airport in Phnom Penh on the 2nd of April and was greeted by 100 degrees of heat and humidity. Hopefully,…

END OF AN ERA

This was the final group picture of the children living at Wat Opot. A few days later Mr. Dara and the reintegration team would begin taking children back to their homeland to live with their families or relatives. For some, the change will be good, for they will have the opportunity to use, what they…

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

It was inevitable I suppose… nothing lasts forever and at some point, there has to be an ending. That is what is happening right now at the Wat Opot Community. Mr. Dara and representatives of the Social Services of Cambodia have begun the process of home evaluations so that the children can be reintegrated with…

MEMORIAL

Fear not the darkness… កុំខ្លាចភាពងងឹត for it is only in the darkest of times ព្រោះវាស្ថិតនៅក្នុងគ្រាដ៏ងងឹតបំផុត that we find ourselves standing at the Threshold ដែលយើងឃើញខ្លួនយើងឈរនៅកន្លែងមួយ of an Awakening to Truth ការភ្ញាក់ដឹងខ្លួនចំពោះការពិត and the Transformation of ignorance និងការផ្លាស់ប្តូរភាពល្ងង់ខ្លៅ into Wisdom and Compassion. នៅក្នុងប្រាជ្ញានិងការអាណិតអាសូរ។ Wayne Dale Matthysse Although this website is meant to have a positive effect on…

LOSING OUR HOME

This was not how I had planned it when we started out some years ago. Wat Opot was to be a permanent home for its residents, and me. Things don’t always go as planned, however. and although I am disappointed in losing Wat Opot as our home, I am also very grateful for the many…

THE CLOSING OF WAT OPOT

2001 to 2024 It is with great sadness that I inform you of the changes at the Wat Opot Children’s Community (WOCC). Due to illness and advanced age, I have had to return to the States and can not be certain that I will be able to return to Cambodia for full-time work. For that…