{"id":946,"date":"2025-10-12T05:27:03","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T05:27:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/?p=946"},"modified":"2025-10-12T05:53:29","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T05:53:29","slug":"rethinking-our-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/2025\/10\/12\/rethinking-our-future\/","title":{"rendered":"RETHINKING OUR FUTURE"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"864\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0251-1-864x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-952\" style=\"width:727px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0251-1-864x1024.jpg 864w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0251-1-253x300.jpg 253w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0251-1-768x910.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0251-1.jpg 1032w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It is good to be back in Cambodia, reuniting with Watopotian Alumni and making plans for the future of the SAHAKA FOUNDATION. Some come alone from distant provinces just to say hello&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0223-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-949\" style=\"width:728px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0223-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0223-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0223-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0223-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0223-1-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Others who are living and working in Phnom Penh bring their partners along with an evening meal,<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"903\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/re1-903x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-950\" style=\"width:738px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/re1-903x1024.jpg 903w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/re1-264x300.jpg 264w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/re1-768x871.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/re1-1354x1536.jpg 1354w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/re1-1805x2048.jpg 1805w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 903px) 100vw, 903px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">While others living in my neighborhood bring over the grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0257-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-954\" style=\"width:746px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0257-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0257-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0257-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0257-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0257-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Yesterday, JOSH and SCOTT came with Dara and me to check on some of the SAHAKA kids (former Watopotians). Notice our new (used) van that Dara had to purchase after being stranded in the middle of the road when our old van broke down.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3353-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-955\" style=\"width:766px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3353-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3353-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3353-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3353-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3353-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3353-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The children in the village noted that I had not lost any weight since my last visit, and some took advantage of it.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3379-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-958\" style=\"width:784px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3379-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3379-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3379-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3379-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3379-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">After rounding them all up, we took them to a local restaurant for lunch. The staff was not prepared for such a large group, but the extra time it took to make the meal allowed us to renew our relationships with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3389-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-960\" style=\"width:790px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3389-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3389-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3389-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3389-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3389-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">After lunch, we returned to Wat Opot, a place we all once called home. It was sad to see the place in ruins. We were told that the Wat has regained control of the land and that the community has plans to build a fence to separate the Temple land from the private land. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3515-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-961\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3515-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3515-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3515-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3515-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3515-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3515-scaled.jpg 1706w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Seeing the children playing together again and hearing their laughter while on the swings brought back so many memories of days gone by and rekindled that deep-down desire to bring our home back to life again.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3472-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-962\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3472-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3472-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3472-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3472-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3472-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SRP3472-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Would that even be a possibility? I suppose that will all depend on how we choose to look at things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sahaka.org\/en\/donate\">The&nbsp;SAHAKA donation&nbsp;page<\/a> is up to date for those who may want to help us in this coming year with a tax-deductible donation. If you live in Cambodia, you can make a QR donation to the SAHAKA FOUNDATION bank account.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"566\" height=\"807\" src=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-881\" style=\"width:300px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image.png 566w, https:\/\/watopotians.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-210x300.png 210w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We are very appreciative of the support we have already received. Without it, we could not make these life-changing opportunities available for the children dependant on our support<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\">NAMASTE<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is good to be back in Cambodia, reuniting with Watopotian Alumni and making plans for the future of the SAHAKA FOUNDATION. Some come alone from distant provinces just to say hello&#8230; Others who are living and working in Phnom Penh bring their partners along with an evening meal, While others living in my neighborhood&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":962,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/946"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=946"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":966,"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/946\/revisions\/966"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watopotians.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}