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Last day in Cambodia

1/20/2015

 
Time has really really flown! I can't believe it's my last day here!  But God is perfect! I mean absolutely perfect! Everything He does is incredible and good and His timing never ceases to amaze me.  This trip was just what I needed. I think it's so easy to get stuck in in the structured way of doing things, but once again God has shown me that I have to go with the flow and let Him lead and put my plans and good desires aside.  Like yesterday, I really wanted to take this girl to get a massage as she has never had one and my heart was just saying do it.  I emailed her and she said yes and then I found it the timing wasn't going to work, but Michael made it happen! Of course I already had promised someone that time, but that feeling wouldn't go, so I said ok, let's do it.  And it was perfect.  I got to share with her about God and it was great but coming back - 3-3.5  hours later than planned I asked Michael to go via the beer gardens and slow down as we get there so I can take pictures.  Well, we slowed down and for some reason Michael had taken his helmet off.  I thought this was not a good idea cause I didn't want anyone to recognize him for later and cause trouble, but because he did it, B - our old student saw him and recognized him and approached him.   I was sooo happy to see one of my old favorite students!!! So he is now working at a beer garden as the head usher or manager or something - all dressed up in a suit.  Of course I am sad he stopped studying because he is soooo smart and so nice and sweet, I wanted to give him a scholarship to medical school in the future, but... BUT we talked to him and he is going to talk to the 60 girls who work there and see if they want to come to english class! YAY!!!! is God good or what.  The one thing that has made me sad on my return is that the center is no longer there.  Michael's classes consist of poor people but not of the girls that I so want to reach.  Mary and her sister are the last ones.  Part of me was just sad that that whole thing has died and I was trying to convince myself maybe it is time for something new, but that sadness wouldn't go away. Then last week I got to talk to this man who works at the rhea's center and he said he and his wife would be interested in helping and they could maybe get other women to help as well!  So YAY! God put together the team and now it looks like He is going to provide the people again as well! And with the Rhea's starting the work they are, then we can train them for jobs as well! All together! God is perfect in all that He does!
Also the research project that Michael wants to do... We met someone, a friend of Deelan's and he said it's a great idea and he will get us into the homes of the girls so we can talk to them and interview them! YAY! God is perfect in all that He does! 
So my trip here was wonderful and fantastic! I am just soooo happy! :) For all of you who pray for us and support us even by thinking about us, thank you soooo much for helping us help these women.
Oh, also, I did my video shoot with Javier yesterday and so we are going to get a donation video! and with the center starting, maybe he can shoot some stuff there as well! YAY! 

Cambodia day 8

1/12/2015

 
God is sooo good and each and everyday He just works His wonderful works and I think we miss so much of it in daily life, but when we stop to see what He is doing, it's simply amazing and wonderful, how even the smallest thing is under God's control.  hehe! So this morning I went to take a shower and thought, I think it's time to wash my towel. I guess I'll do it in a few days since I did the laundry yesterday.  Well, I walk into the bathroom and my towel is missing and when I go to the towel closet, there it is, washed and ready to be used fresh by me! Is God good or what.  Yesterday also, I could just see God's sovereignty at work down to little details.  I wanted to meet with one of my former medical students. He's one of my favorites and he has had to stop working with us because he needs to take care of his family.  But since I love him I wanted to see him.  So it was great cause I messaged him in the morning yesterday and he messaged me right back, saying yes. Apparently he had decided to come and meet me that day just before he saw my message! I love how God works! His timing is sooo perfect. we had such a great talk and since it was just one on one he actually spoke a lot and I loved just being able to listen.  While we were talking Dr. Dale came by and talked to us.  I had been encouraging him to come to the medical talks at gateway and he was reluctant but when Dr. Dale came and talked to us he felt so comfortable after that that he wants to come the following week! YAY! It's interesting how the quiet people have so much drive and passion. He's all set to open a huge hospital in the future! 
So the last few days have been so amazingly good. I could just live here forever, but I know that's not God's plan.
The day we came back I went to talk Mary about the scholarship. I think she was stunned.  Then went off with michael to find out how to make his dream a reality. After that we had time to even go and talk to Mary's future school.  you know that for less than 2000 dollars a person can get a 4 year degree here! you can change a life for just that much! That is incredible! Kind of has me wondering if the center wants to just offer scholarships instead and it might actually do a lot of good :) Lot's to pray and think about.
Anyways came back and Rithy had asked me to meet his doctor and so I I went with him, super tired, but went. I had thought it was a one on one, but as I was going I heard it was a group teaching.  Oh well, I was ready to sit through a medical talk, but instead it ended up being a bible study! BIBLE STUDY! and both Rithy and vasna have been going for months now because they want to know about the bible. Rithy even brought a friend.  What I had wanted to do, is being done.  As I listened to the bible study I just thought, wow, it's so simple, but it's impacting lives. And how God uses the entire body of christ.  My desire is to have christian medical camps - where we pray and see people come to God, but with my head medical students being nonchristian, I haven't been able to do that.  But here God is already working on that! He is soooo good! :0 I really wanted to cry. I love cambodia and everyone working here.
At night I made it back just in time to take Mr. Rhea to the airport. I had been hoping I would make it back but since I am not in control of my time, it was left to God and God never disappoints :)  So we all went, even his students and it was great.  I had been wanting dessert and we were all treated to dq heheh! God even takes care of the smallest desires.  
I see one of the other girls bonding as well. I love her cause she's soooo awesome and just have been telling her that and although she apparently doesn't like anyone touching her, she came and held my hand and walked with me.  I am so glad to be here for all these girls and just love them cause they are sooo special.  She wants a one on one time now too :) 
As for the other special girl :) she is getting better day by day.  Yesterday she even said she was happy :) I'm so glad God is working in her heart. She wants to be a doctor again.  I think she is going to be a great doctor and lover of people.  We even started bible study 2 days ago and have read two chapters. yesterday we read one on the stairs at midnight so as not to disturb everyone.
Speaking of yesterday, it was a busy busy day.  got up and had an 11 oclock meeting with 2 girls who want to volunteer.  Didn't really know what to expect but as we pitched our new idea they actually have contacts to make it happen! I am so excited! and so are they.  had lunch with kimmy and as always we spent the whole time laughing.  As I left she said she always enjoys talking to me cause she forgets all her worries.  I enjoy it too!  It's amazing how God knits hearts together and friendships that last forever and start so strangely -  in an orphanage talking about indian movies instead of playing with the kids
After lunch we met another potential volunteer. She quit her admin job in vietnam to come to cambodia to volunteer.  She has been volunteering at a school and now is here and wants to volunteer.  talked to her for a bit and I think she may be a great fit for Mrs. Rhea, also gave her the name of an organization that may connect her to other groups. I feel we aren't the best fit for her but she is always welcome to work with us.  Got to pray with her and she was touched.
Came home exhausted with 30 minutes prior to the next appt.  But praise God He was late and I got to eat and rest a bit so that when Rang sey came I was ready to talk.  AFter meeting with him I wasn't tired at all.  I had been thinking of grapes for some reason and guess what he brought me as a gift, grapes!
we went to gateway and Matt was there. Apparently we had to move out of there when he wasn't there, but he said they are open to us being there forever now! I loved seeing him.  Theary, a nursing student who I used to teach bible study to was happy to see me and wants me to come to do outreach next monday! :) so I might just do that.  Dr Dale was there too. it was great! i got to see everyone!
came back and the girls were watching tv so we all hung out and watched.  It was great. One by one almost all of them came down. The house was so peaceful and it was perfect. 
This morning I got a message from grace. I messaged her yesterday. She apparently leaves tomorrow so we get to meet today! Again, God's perfect timing! I love Him
Gosh, i just have to say, if you ever have had doubts or are worried about following God, don't be, it's the best thing in the world!

Cambodia day 6

1/11/2015

 
God is good and I just love how He works everything out so wonderfully! So on day four here, I was trying to arrange my schedule and facebooking a local friend to see if he was coming to pp over the weekend only to find that he wasn't.  I told him I wanted to visit his place in mondulkiri and he said come tomorrow, i will be there! So michael and I booked van tickets and off we went early the next morning.  It was wonderful.  I thought I would be in an overcrowded van sitting uncomfortably for 5 hours or more, but the van ride was seated and airconditioned.  Michael and I talked business the whole ride there.  One of my main issues in my relationship with Michael has always been lack of communication.  But now it's so easy, he shares his thoughts so clearly and it's so wonderful to be able to understand and work on things on the same page :) So we have a new project in mind (he does I will try to support it the best I can).
We arrived early and so decided to eat.  We went to a couple of shops and I was starting to think I wouldn't be able to eat anything in Mondulkiri, but there we found a bakery! And it had the tastiest non egg breads - a taro stuffed and a coconut stuffed. Next we went to eat where Michael could eat and while sitting there I saw people leaving with glasses of sugar can juice! YAY! I have been wanting it for over a year and got to have my glass of sugar cane juice.  Scoped out the city after that  and then Tharanga arrived.  We went to an old tribal village and then off to his house.  So when I lived here he went to mondulkiri for a forced vacation and when he arrived he didn't have a place to stay so he ended up staying with a tourguide.  His mother was sick and tharanga saw her and soon the whole village showed up.  So he started going regularly and they asked why he doesn't just build a house.  He said he didn't know how and they said they would build it for him! :) So he has a house on the top of a mountain! :) I heard about it on my last visit and just wanted to go see it!
We drew water from the well, watched the sun set, admired the 360 degree view and then had dinner with the tour guide. Apparently there are different prices for dinner for the locals and tourists but since he picked it up from the city we got the cheap price.  He shared about the village, culture and his life.  He grew up here but has always been different, blessed with foresight.  He used to walk 1 hour one way to get get to school everyday, but despite that he wanted to continue his education after his father wanted to pull him out of school after primary school and have him work as a farmer with him.  So he ran away from school and went studied and eventually did two years of studying as a teacher as well, where he met his wife.  Now he has come back and is slowly trying to educate his people in a different way of life.  
There is elephant trekking here where you can ride an elephant for 3-4 hours.  What he shared with us is that by riding the elephant as a tourist we are actually shortening the elephant's life - they apparently live for nearly 120 years but because of the tourism there life spans are decreasing to 60 years.  Also this culture doesn't breed their elephants because they believe the elephant must be married prior to breeding, but marriages cost so much they can't afford it.  So in another 60 years this people group will lose their major source of income :( unless they are able to understand what is happening.  They have a unique system of beliefs that is unfortunately based on fear and makes them poor.  Every marriage you must sacrifice animals for each family that comes.  If you don't sacrifice and something happens to them, then they blame you.  So even this man's mom initially refused to come to his wedding because he wouldn't sacrifice a cow for 1000 dollars.  In terms of health, they have a traditional healer who asks for animal sacrifice for their healing. He blames the animal for going to someone's house and bringing back an evil spirit and so it has to be killed and eaten by the family and himself.  If someone goes to visit you while you are sick, you are required to kill an animal and sacrifice it for them.  People lose so much money with all this sacrificing and can't stop it because of the fear and lack of education.  so it's great to have a local there who can see and work with his community to help bring change. And it's amazing to see how tharanga ended up out of all the people in the world, at his house! :)

So we were setting up for the night and I was thinking, no running water, slight mess from the construction, it' going to be a slightly uncomfortable night.  I would like to stay in a 7-12 dollar hotel, but it would be rude to ask.  And guess what! the phone rings and it's a friend of his who is there with her husband's retreat (a group of government officials) who rented out an entire hotel and they have 3 extra rooms that they want to give us for free! So are we blessed or what! :) 
We went there after dinner. The roads were pitch black.  And for the first time in my life, we had an accident and fell.  I have to say it was the perfect accident. The motorcycle was almost stopped when i fell. First me, then the motorcycle and michael on top.  But we were all ok :) I have to say, God is sooo good! I hadn't taken the motorcylce helmet with me, but God is sooo good! :)


Cambodia day 3

1/8/2015

 
I just love being back.  I had forgotten how friendly the cambodians are.  It's so peaceful here and everyone is always smiling.  No worries about anything at all (besides the usual - having your purse snatched while you are on a moving motorcycle, having your house broken into and being robbed from the 3rd floor, bats in the air conditionings hehe) So I moved out of the hotel to move in with the rheas at their request.  It's been good. I love their new house.  It's one of those places that is peaceful, you walk in and just like it.  It used to be another missionary's house that I knew from my last visit and I remember visiting them once and commenting on how much I loved their house.  I guess this is what people feel when they enter our house in seattle and comment on it - God's peace is truly wonderful.  
So my schedule is not my own.  I just go with the flow. I had no phone yesterday and internet was hit or miss.  So I showed up at the first place late, then the 2nd and so on, but yet everything is always perfect! :)  So I arrived at the meeting with the medical students 1/2 hour late and although i felt horrible about it at the same time, it wasn't in my control as I had to wait for my ride.  Well, God quickly put any worry on my part to rest as the 3rd medical student arrived at the same time as me :) so God and his perfect timing :)  We had a long productive meeting and I have to say, I am soooo impressed with the students :)  We now have 10 trained volunteers just itching to help! 
Afterwards we got a sim for me and I am set :) now I can communicate with all my friends easily.  It's so humbling to be so dependent on everyone and yet have everyone help you so much. Keeps you grounded.
Came home and rekindled friendships with everyone. It's so great to be gone for 2 years from someone's life and for it to feel like you never really left at all.  I used to think that happened only with family, but God has shown me it's just a heart connection that connects you to everyone.  Was up till past 1 having serious talks and now everything is perfect.  I realized last night that its so important to always think and do for others and not get focussed on yourself.  i got so busy with my life the last two years that I didn't make the time for someone here and that little girl got so hurt.  So hurt that she didn't want to even see me (as much as she was dying to see me) but as I gave everyone a hug when I arrived and she kept her head down not wanting to even make eye contact, my accidentally jabbed her with my 2 nails in the head so she was forced to look up hehe! and so the next day we were able to talk and she was able to share her heart and everything is right in the world again.  
Today I got to wake up and just have time to reflect, pray and read my bible and talk to paula and paul - locals who live and work at the rhea household.  Everyone is gone to field day.  God is good! Just what I needed, before I go to my afternoon appt.  
Please pray for the people of cambodia, they are soooooo awesome! :)

First day back in cambodia

1/7/2015

 
It's so good to be back. I just see God's hand working so clearly.  Leaving today in the morning was bad.  The fog was so bad in places that you couldn't see at all.  I thought we would be late but arrived earlier than even anticipated.
As I was coming over I was thinking about various things.  I would need a helmet.  I decided I would buy one, but as I was leaving the rhea's house, Mrs Rhea asked if I needed a helmet cause she had an extra one! Praise God.  Also I was thinking about my tithe money and what to do with it.  While in India my older sister had asked my younger sister if there was a hard working child who needed money for a college education.  I remember thinking when my sister named a child, that I would like to do something like that.  As Michael and I were driving to dinner we were catching up on various people and one of our best students I found out is in need of a scholarship for college.  She apparently passed a national test that only 20% of the student who took it passed and she did it without the extra coaching/classes that most kids can afford.  Seems like a worth kid to me and I know she is hard working and intelligent from personal experience.  God is sooo good! :) 

Back to Cambodia

1/5/2015

 
I'm going back to Cambodia tomorrow! Excited to see what has been happening in person.  The medical students have been pushing forward and we are now almost official in every way in the country.  I feel so blessed by God in all that He is doing there.  I remember how stressful it was to go to Cambodia and try to figure things out on my own, not knowing the system and what was best.  The perfectionist in me got the best of me, but God always guides and leads and it was wonderful to see how following His leading as always proved to be the best.  For the first few months I thought forming a nonprofit first before starting anything was the way to go, but God said no.  So I gave up the idea and it was after that that things started to happen and the medical students on their own decided to take up the ngo/npo idea and they have managed to do it so well and since they are in the driver's seat, it's so much easier! God is sooo good.  We have a three year plan now to reach out into the surrounding provinces/states and slowly expand with time.
They just came back from a conference in Laos and so we will get to see if we are expanding there.  Let's see what God has in mind.  There is a lot up in the air right now, but a lot of good things.  In talks with people in the philippines to expand work there.  We should be starting the first of our medical camps in vietnam in the fall and I already have 2 potential medical volunteers! God is sooo good!

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