Day Two of Women's Conference

I get to be Bobbi's secretary again today as she is at the women's conference. She had a tough day yesterday with the 11 hours in a hot room sitting on a hard folding chair. She said the catered Cambodian lunch was great! Her talk went well, she felt it was a bit too formal and not her usual spontaneous style.

Today, she was working with a young woman interpreter who I have worked with before; she is really very good. So, Bobbi decided to bag her "prepared" speech and go with her heart. (The interpreter had no idea where she was going so was interpreting on the fly; she did an excellent job!) The talk went well and she looked more comfortable with it. There is a lot of good feedback; I'm sure she will be blessed, after she unwinds.

I have had a little more opportunity to visit the student centers, one of the big reasons that I come to Cambodia. Those students are bright, energetic, and passionate in all they do. I KNOW that I will read the news someday about a leader in Cambodia and will be able to say, "I know that man/woman". It is simply indescribable what it is like to sit and listen to their stories and answer their multitude of questions.

I had them laughing uproariously yesterday as they were giving me a Khmer (language) lesson. They howled as I tried to say certain sounds, totally unable to perform. Laughter is good medicine for them. They have a difficult life; little sleep, broad performance expectations, worry over money for food or continued schooling, chronic fatigue, and much more. But, they are doing it, and doing it well. It is a moving thing to watch.

Did Bobbi tell you about the traffic? Really it is more like a real-life dodge 'em ride! Remarkably, there are few accidents and cooperation prevails. There is NO road rage here. Sure a lot different from Metropolitan US driving! Traffic lights are for colorful decoration of intersections, STOP signs are for hitting as you turn the corner tightly to move forward, the white and yellow lines in the road are to keep city employees on the payroll, and much else. In the last year they have actually erected centerline barricades in the major thoroughfares in order to keep cars on "their" side of the road@!

Well, it is off to the market for some last minute shopping. We look forward to the Sabbath and maybe a little rest??? Hmmm.... we'll see.

Thanks for your support! Sure would love to persuade some of you to join us one time. More later...

TGIF

Greetings!
Bobbi is spending the day at the women's conference and will probably not blog today. I went to the conference in the AM to listen to her. She did a great job! The audience is difficult to read, but I heard many positive comments! It will be fun to hear her debrief tonight. It will be a long day -- 6 A to 6 P in non-A/C building with 600 women! Keep praying!

I did errands -- bought immunization, emailed, visited the mission clinic to say goodbye to the head doc, and missed lunch. Bobbi continues tomorrow and will likely be pretty "high" but washed out. I have some last minute shopping to do.

Weather and health are holding out, no doubt due in great part to your prayers! Thanks.

Chum Rip Lea.

Back In PP

Greetings, All! We have returned to PP from Battambang (Wed afternoon). We drove 5 hours on Monday to BB; I miss the old 45 minute flight which they discontinued. Nothing like a flight on a Russian airliner with Russian pilots over the Cambodian countryside. Anyway we got to the orphanage in BB -- the reason Bobbi and I initially became involved with Asia's Hope. Bobbi has said that the only reason she even considered making the trip was the orphans, and now says the only reason she will ever consider making it again is the orphans! It was a great visit; wonderful smiling kids cared for by loving (also smiling) staff. I updated their shots and put out a few fires; basically they are very healthy!

BB is a country "town"and thus quite different than PP. More green, very fertile, but just as busy with traffic, markets, motos, and pedestrians, including the dog and cow. Traffic yields to the cows; hamburger on your grill is discouraged in Cambodia!

I had to come back to PP a day early due to the things which must be accomplished in PP. The rest of the team is off to Siem Reap tomorrow (and Angor Wat) and will return to PP on Friday. Bobbi will be involved in the Women's Conference Friday and Saturday as a speaker! Pray for her.

We are having a sensory-fulfilling time and are being richly blessed. Our health has been sustained and we are fellowshipping with lovely, humble, faithful, servant-minded people. There is simply no way to put some of it into words! (I have told Bobbi in the past that you "just have to be there" -- she didn't like that response, but I think she is beginning to understand!)

Thanks for your prayers and encouragements - keep them coming! More later ...

TGIF

Not really. I hate to see time fly here! Thursday I spent the morning at the CSI Clinic (a mission clinic) acting as a teacher for the Cambodian docs. It was a great experience and fun to better get to know them. A good friend, Dr. Modich, one of the docs, has spent hours helping me to arrange to get immunizations from the government. That is set up; turns out we qualify for little and will end up purchasing what we can. The actual giving of them will be a tight schedule operation!

We are still a bit jet-lagged, but that is improving. Today, I plan a morning of figuring shots and purchasing. Bobbi has enjoyed her time at the school and orphanage. The food is good, we have not gotten TOO adventuresome however.

Thanks to all who have written and posted comments -- it is a great encouragement! I wish I had a laptop to write these notes; the access is slow and the keyboards cumbersome. Another spoiled American complaining!

We will do our best to keep you up to date. Thanks, again.

Wednesday

Well, we all feel a bunch better after a good night's sleep! I spent the day working a clinic for Asia's Hope people working with a Cambodian doctor. He then drove me all around town to meet governmental people to arrange for immunizations which the government will provide. It looks as though we can get limited ones from them, and will have to work out how much more we should/can afford to give. More paperwork! For those in the know, Rozlynn Rogers has been a great help as well. After we get this all scheduled,we will need to really put the pedal to the metal to get it done!!

Bobbi was out doing either a little sightseeing or visiting the Christian school. Then they were to go to visit the new Phnom Penh orphanage. She'll be ecstatic after that visit! I'm sure she will have more to say.

We remain healthy -- please continue your prayers for that. We have much to do in so little time. We appreciate all your encouragements and prayers!

More later ...

The Charter Class!

This is what it is all about! 

Here it is -- the brand new orphanage in Phnom Penh! As of this week, we now have 14 new residents -- 7 boys and 7 girls. We are excited to meet them and oversee their health! (AND ... to play with them!)

Packing

It is Wednesday night, and Bobbi and I have had our first chance to start packing! What an ordeal. I wonder why my back hurts every time I go to Cambodia?

This is the first time that both parents have gone on an extended trip and left the rest of the family to their own pursuits. It takes some extra thinking and readying -- especially for a Mom.

We will try to keep a commentary going for those who wish to read it. More later ...

Let's See How This Works ...

Greetings! We are starting to get ready to consider, thinking, about maybe, starting a list of things to pack, and then consider packing. Packing ... one of our favorite pasttimes! Ah, well, in a week we'll be on Phnom Penh and packing will be long behind. Stay tuned for periodic updates of our adventures.

Here we go

Hello.

I'm John. But not Dr. John. I'm a friend of his, and I'm helping him set up his blog. Please follow along as he and various other Campbells wend their way through the world on their upcoming trip to Cambodia.

Peace.