Just Another Pleasurable Evening in the Kingdom of Wonder

So...picture this...

Relaxed Saturday evening, 7 p.m

Totally open top floor of a concrete building

Rain pouring down all around you

Lightning lighting of the black sky every couple minutes, thunder in the distance

Geckos enjoying an evening meal of bugs all over the wall in front of you.  The wall on which you are watching the movie "BUDDHA'S LOST CHILDREN" from a projector.  Oh, the best part, the geckos running up the wall and bonking into the ceiling...multiple times.  (headache?)

Last but not least, bats flying above your head...FOCUS on the movie, focus... :)

Don't ask me how Mar made it through 96 minutes, but she did :)   I tried to tell her they were big dragonflies, but...no go.  I forgot dragonflies don't make a chirping, squeaking sound.  My bad.

About the movie, it was awesome, watch it if you get a chance :) ...

Buddha's Lost Children

 

In the borderlands of Thailand's Golden Triangle, known for drug smuggling and hill tribes, one man devotes himself to the welfare of the region's poorest children. A former Thai boxer, turned Buddhist monk, travels widely on horseback, fearlessly dispensing prayers, health care, education and tough love to villagers far from the protection and support of the outside world. With his Golden Horse Temple he's built an orphanage, a school and a clinic. Stunning cinematography, intimate filmmaking and a compelling story make Mark Verkerk's film BUDDHA'S LOST CHILDREN an extraordinary experience of a hidden realm.

Teehee, no point in this.  Just wanted to share a memorable evening with you all.  I have never watched a movie with all of this going on around me :)  I must say, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Love...

Dora boy :)

Visiting Villages South of Phnom Penh

Yesterday Mar and I went with a small organization that has been working here for about seven years.  They are very small, but making a difference!  Southwest of Phnom Penh there are some small villages (dirty huts on the side of a muddy road) of displaced people that are living on government land (squatters technically). They can be kicked off at anytime if the road gets expanded (paved) or if anything develops in these areas. Currently these villages are surrounded by rice paddies, but the villagers do not work at the rice paddies. Or anywhere. There is no place for them to work and they have no bicycles or motos or any way to get somewhere else for work.  It's just an impossible situation.  I'm sure you know that there are no 'government handouts' here.  There are really no options for these people, there is nowhere for them to go.

THE RESULT:   No food, no medical care, no sanitation or clean drinking water, no education (thats right, not even kindergarten).   These people are just getting along, day by day, living off of the rice that this organization is bringing them every week.  Recently one of the women had twin babies and was unable to breastfeed them (because she was malnourished) so the organization brought formula for the babies but it was too late for one of them.  There are many, many stories and many perfect faces that go with the stories.  Just letting you know to keep them in your thoughts and in your hearts.

I know that these stories are endless, but Mar and I both know that we want to do everything we can to help, even if it is just one person.  Please be in prayer with us that we will each know the best way to support and help these precious people.

Every Sunday the organization rents a mini bus and goes to these villages bringing them rice and food and sometimes doctors who help with problems and people to play with the children and teach them. The organization has hired a Khmer teacher so they can at least begin to get a basic education. I am not sure where he lives but I think he is teaching the children (all ages) Monday through Friday.  There is not a school, but obviously that isn't what matters :)   At this point they just need the basics!

P.S. Some pics (the lighting wasn't that great so didn't get many photos) on Onelifephotos on facebook.