We had Christmas music ,kids special songs, an evangelistic sermon and showed an  Cambodian outreach video, while we feed them with  Khmer noodles with fish.

Overall it was quite interesting.

Setting up

Practicing the music

Sochea leading the kids ,in practice, for the special music.

They sang “this is the day that the Lord has made” in Khmer. The kids are not Christians and are from Sochea’s English class

Watch out a guy with a food cart wants to pass.

Church gals prep the food(the U-90 paint buckets are only used for water- I think

They can’t wait for the service to start

The sound was blasting with these speakers.

The seats are filling up

Some arrive on tuk- tuks

The singers Borey ,Navi  and Sochea

We had 110 chairs .

It is getting more crowded now.

Casey and Micah just arrived actually on time the place filled up early

Joanie,Casey’s mom looks like she is praying?

Evan sitting on a water pot

Markus preaching the Good News

After the message , food is served

Most people stayed to eat and watch the Christian video.

Saying goodbye

Let’s take a moto ride, hopefully Evan ,in the back isn’t sleeping already.

Jordan’s class was the first class to ever visit  them ,as a field trip. They played games with the kids and listened as Marie gave a talk to them. The Logos  kids actually prayed for Marie which was a great blessing.

A rice field near the Place of Rescue

Just arriving

Marie Ens and Shirley Purcell , Jordan’s teacher

Playing “duck duck ,goose” with the Kids

Kids from the place of rescue.

Casey chatting with another classmates’ mom.

Marie sharing to the class.

The class praying for Marie and the ministry.

A mom with her baby.

Miss Soporean ,Jordie’s teacher assistant, with one of the grannies.

Jordie’s class.

Jordie and Marie Ens.

The sign in Khmer reads” save people without hope  ” which really means rescue.

That’s what they are doing there , giving hope to the hopeless and needy.

At the top of this mountain ,or really a hill ,is a few Stupas, which hold sacred objects of worship for Buddhists. It is here that money, Joss sticks(incense), and prayers are offered to the spirits. There are fortune tellers and astrology charts at the top here, to consult.

A view of Oudong in the distance.

There is much water around due to the rainy season.

Walking up the 400 steps to the top. Beggers, money changers(so you can give small change to idols and beggers), and sellers are there to greet you. This is to gain merit.

The view from the top was great. But believe me, it is hot.

View of religious buildings from up top.

Oh, to see green again. Living in Phnom Penh is a concrete ,dirt jungle. It’s been almost three months since we have seen beautiful landscape. It does the soul good.

A worship and offering area. Not quite sure what is going on. Lots of joss sticks, flowers, and candles. Cambodia has a mix bag of beliefs. Animism, Theravada Buddhism,  fortune telling, Chinese beliefs and a little mix of Hinduism.

These guys are getting their fortune read from the fortune teller who would pick pages from  a book to determine  their future.

Some would leave money for the astrological signs.

Very nice carvings.

Jordie looks happy.

Even more people on the way down. I think because it is after lunch.

Rice field with Oudong Mountain in background

There are currently two house church groups. One meets Sunday morning at Sochea’s place and the other meets Sunday afternoon  in a church member’s home. Sochea’s is in small area called Pniet ,the other group is  in a home over some very  dirty water and quite poor.They are about a half mile apart.

We are involved mostly in the Sunday morning group.

Both groups have about four Khmer attending each Sunday.

The entrance to the area, Stung Meanchey.

One of the house churches meets near here.

A large wat (pagoda) is in Stung Meanchey.

On the road to Sochea’s house.

This is Sochea’s house or really just a room.

Casey with Ming (left), Markus , Tanoot, and Sovanna .

School picture.

Class picture.

During chapel a play about Jesus.

Jordie with  friend Gabby.

Karate class.

Doing square dancing.

Jordie with classmates.

A view of the Central  Market.

The Mekong River is in the background.

Matt,Jordan and Micah say “hi”.

   She has played on a middle school volleyball and soccer teams. They play against three other international school here in Phnom Penh.

School picture

Class picture

Homeroom class with Miss Harris

On the bus to a field trip to a sword factory.

Some classmates with the principal of Logos ,Dan Hein.

The handles  were made with water buffalo horn and sting ray skin.

They make  different collectable swords at the factory.

Hanging out after the visit to the factory.

They are playing ISPP on a field borrowed from a Cambodian school.

Micah and the team(she is the only sixth grader on the team).

They also play on  a covered concrete basketball court.

Here they are playing Hope school.

Here is the team.

Volleyball team

Micah had to dress and clean the school as a child laborer, for a few hours one day to see what it would be like, to be a child laborer ,which she was studying about in social studies class.

  It rained  heavy for a over an hour and the streets flooded with thunder and lightening .Micah  had to wait fro the rain to pass  to get home from school.

In side the house ,it averages 87-91 Fahrenheit (30.5-32-5 Celsius) with 70% humidity.

This is about the hottest it would get. (it is around 104 degrees  Fahrenheit)

The girls enjoying the water.

This is in front of our house.

It is hard to ride the moto in the water.

Jordie wants to go for a swim.

This is rain water not sewage.

  The service was conducted in both Khmer and English for the the foreigners. It was held at our kids school, Logos International School.The songs were sung in both Khmer and English at the same time.Darren Beck from Action Cambodia shared a encouraging message on the results of Jesus’ resurrection. Plenty of food  was eaten and many games were played after  the service .

The service was held on the covered basketball court.

Khmer traditional dancing to a hymn.

A group of girls singing.

Darren Beck teaching.

Plenty of tasty food.

In this game ,you try to bite and eat the apple as it swings about.

Here, you hit a hanging pot filled with water ,powder or candy, like a piñata.

Jordie with her friend, Cameron

We will continue to study Khmer at the OMF center with language tutors.We have put most of our learning into reading and writing . Speaking is another story.It is definitely more difficult to actually talk to a person than, to engage a book.Especially when Khmer is spoken a little bit  different from the written Khmer. But we are plodding along in our studies.

In front of the university.

The campus, we live a ten minute bike ride from here.

Our teacher, Lok Kru Vannarith

Casey hard at work taking notes.

We had a little party the last day of class.

The class gave the Lok Kru Vannarith  a gift of two shirts.

One classmate brought a nice  cake ,that said “Teacher,  thank you for teaching us”

Matt with Hong, a friend we made from class, drinking rice milk tea.