This chapter is almost at the end

About a month ago now we did a mission to reinstate a cross on the side of the road on ‘Ian’s Corner’. Levi, Sam, Rattana and I got on the road early, drove for over two hours, where after one hour I realised I hadn’t brought enough money for fuel, so we gathered up Sam and Rattana’s contents of their wallets to add to our minimal cash and thank the good Lord we made it there and back! Once in the Preah Vihear province and past Kuleaen we found the closest village to the accident site and found the village chief. Rattana used all of his skills to ask permission for us to put the cross up, explaining how it is common to do in New Zealand even if you are not a Christian but to remember the person and to remind people to keep safe on the road. The chief was happy as long as we asked the land owner, people own land right up to road over here which could be why our last cross was taken down, that or it is a strong Buddhist area and they don’t like the symbol of a cross. We then found and talked to a ‘Jungle policeman’ who made a million phone calls and asked the land owner who said Yes! I am so happy and thankful to everyone who helped that day. Its so satisfying to put a cross up again and I hope it lasts longer or forever (if it doesn’t ill just try again next time we are here). I also got Samai to write in Khmer (said Khmai) that it is in memory of Ian so hopefully this helps.

Now it is closing time of this chapter for us here in Cambodia.

We are both approaching this time with a realisation that we are going to miss the people we have been working with, and Cambodia itself more then we have in the past trips. Its like a black hole, Stung Treng drew us in, once we arrived here we quickly began to understand the reasons why Dad loved it here.

I don’t know if we will leave much of an impression on everyone here, nor have we changed this town for the greater good, not that we were trying to do either of these things. We feel a sort of accomplishment of why we felt to come here in the first place, which was to volunteer some of our time to build relationships and help keep a project going that was close to Dad’s heart. The training centre has been our thing at the AOC farm, as well as hosting teams and helping out everywhere we can but painting the exterior of the building has definitely been my thang (say that with a twang it sounds kooler). We have become close and I will miss that giant structure.

Painting, engineering, masonry, agriculture, pig vet nurse, semi project manager, volleyball and avid table tennis enthusiast are a few of our highlight jobs since coming here. The things we wish we could bring home include Fried Ginger with pork- Levi’s all time favourite from the market, cooking with cassava four- I just love the consistency it gives bread, Coconut Lassi’s from Ponika’s Palace, the rest are of course people. If we named them one by one it would take all day but lets just say the team at AOC ST!!

What was your best part you may ask, well there are a million physical reasons to love Cambodia but what I can also share with you is my new way to look at relationships.

Relationships, such an easy word to throw around but such an enormous part of why we will miss this place. At the start it feels like its going to be hard to be part of the Khmai team with the language barriers being the largest obstacle, but it hasn’t stopped either of us from forming relationships with people here. Whether we get to know someone for an afternoon or the entire time we have been here, ALWAYS everyone is so easy to form a bond with. With limited English we feel like we have made relationships with people closer and faster then we are able to in the western world. You do not even need to talk a lot or about deep and meaningful subjects just asking after their health family and ‘nice hat’ goes such a long way. Now I know Levi and I are quite the friendly Kiwi type who love meeting new people, which could have influenced this ‘closer and faster’ business, but it is crazy to think it has only been three month. It is magnificent to feel like we are welcomed so warmly into this team at AOST.

Why it sometimes feels harder to connect with people in the western world rather then here is not something I have thought about long, but maybe it’s a trust thing or a personal preference of privacy that people have, I don’t know. I have indeed become inspired though, inspired to trust my gut, to talk to more people more often, to build relationships faster to enjoy relationships longer. I know, I know, I already talk SO much how could I possibly talk more?! Well what I really mean is when making the polite ‘chit chat’ I plan to stop and take a few minutes more and genuinely ask and listen to everyone. Importantly asking without making one feel like I am just asking for the hell of it cause that’s what we do in western society. I love people and supporting people faster through relationship is totally a lifetime goal for me. Why else would God have given me this ‘gift of talking’. Sooo yeah that’s something I have picked up here in Cambodia.

Lastly I have to say that being here hasn’t always been bright fun times, see my previous post, but a problem arose a few weeks ago and would have made our time here unbearable if it was not for the support from a few certain friends and family members back home (you know who you are!!). We just feel so loved and want to say THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE!!

(just a little night time hobby of mine)

Peace

F&J