Hello friends and family. It seems another month has slipped away. As always we find ourselves quite busy. It has been quite an adjustment to life here in Sway Sisapon. We are getting into somewhat of a routine. The days seem to be flying right on by. We can't believe August is over and its days into September now. Thankful we serve a faithful Jesus compared to our ever changing circumstances.
One Sunday evening we went on a small local adventure with Pastor Buntan and his family.
Here is a Khmer snack that is made specifically in Banteay Meanchay.
It tastes somewhat like a sweet rice cake.
We enjoyed this evening trying new snacks and making new memories.
We have been able to keep the two English schools running despite the Covid. Britton is helping pass out some monthly awards.
Savanna and sweet baby Olive.
After school discussions in Khmer and English. Savanna enjoys playing with these friendly Khmer girls.
Our landlord showed us of a fun hiking trail.
A short bike ride from our home.
Getting out in Gods creation is so refreshing.
Our home is located next to a small banana tree farm. We have yummy looking bunches of bananas hanging over our fence.
We finally feel ready to share about this day. This specific day was definitely one of the hardest days we've had in Cambodia, but a day where we seen God work a miracle before our eyes.
We know the vaccine for the Covid is a controversial subject. If we were in our home country there is no doubt that we would have chosen not to receive the vaccine. But here in Cambodia, not having the vaccine means not being welcome. We decided it was worth it for the sake of the gospel, so we could continue to love and serve our Khmer brothers and sisters in Jesus.
We received our first vaccine when we were still living in Battambang. After we moved to Banteay Meanchay they shut down the providence borders to help slow the virus down. Our second vaccine was scheduled for the 6th of August. After much debate and prayer we decided to leave our children home alone in Sisapon while we traveled for the day to Battambang to get our vaccine and come home before dark.
We left around 4:30am to arrive to the vaccine site at 6am. Our first hurdle was getting through the closed border. It was no problem to get through after we explained in Khmer to the guards that we were going to get our vaccine and would be returning home that afternoon. We arrived in Battambang and headed to the vaccine site only to be told that because of overflow the day before that they were not starting until 1pm. Our original plans was to be home to our children after lunch. We don't feel as comfortable leaving them alone since their Khmer is limited should anything go wrong. Also we didn't want to take them for fear they couldn't get through the checkpoint which was about an hour drive from our Sisapon home.
We arrived back on site in the afternoon with over one thousand other Khmer people waiting to get their second shot as well. We sat in the intense heat for 5 hours listening to them call out names. At one point we wondered if we had missed our names being called. Sometimes it may sound similar to our names or maybe our names were pronounced wrong since we do not have Khmer names. Britton went up to ask one of the helpers and he laughed at us. We also checked in where they were calling names and asked and they shooed us away. Finally at 5pm they announced they were shutting everything down and would resume the next morning.
We couldn't believe it. Here we were in another province without our children, what would we do? We both had been fervently praying throughout the day and we seemed to be in quite a hopeless situation. All the Khmer people got up and left. The place cleared out in 5-10 min. Earlier Britton had messaged Sophia who we work with in Svey Kong. They were just getting off work and headed our way to see if they could help us. We were all alone in the parking lot when they arrived. When they came in the gate Pastor Sarans wife Sophinet went running up the long driveway and into the tent and then on around the corner. We made a joke or two how we had already tried to get through but they wouldn't let us. And Sophia told us that God was always with Sophinet and that with Gods help she would convince them to give us our shots.
And wouldn't you know it, we looked over to see her shouting at us along with a group of Khmer people beckoning us to come to the tent to get our vaccine! At her commands, the Doctors agreed to unpack their things and give us our shots. What a day and what a miracle from God.
We were beyond grateful to get our shots, our blue vaccination cards and to be headed back home to our children. We truly did not expect that outcome. God is very intentional and He does hear the cries of his people no matter how big or small the cries may be. He kept us safe on the dark Moto drives to and from Sisapon. Even our Sisapon church family went over to our home and watched movies with our children since we didn't get back until late.
Sunday morning and a new believer...Praise God!
Afternoon bike ride to a nearby lake
School is still going well. The children are almost half way done with the school year!
Several afternoons were spent building a spot for a outdoor sink. With the English school being close, a place to wash hands is a must during this Covid season.
Evening view at the church in Sisapon
Lunch with Kim San. He's been teaching our boys some music.
Babysitting little Olive while Britton has a meeting with her parents.
Little Rosie ran away for a few days. We are thankful she has returned.
Britton had the opportunity to share on a Sunday morning. Kemsang does a great job translating into Khmer.
Sunday afternoon meetings with the Svey Kong and Sisapon church family.
The children are taking music lessons at a local church a few times a week.
Family day hikes at the nearby mountain
View from the balcony at the Sisapon church. The Prime Minister of Cambodia declared a set time on a certain day to call out to whatever god the people serve for the healing of Covid in Cambodia. Of course we prayed to the Living God. The one true God. We turned up the music loud and worshiped God through song and prayer. A special evening together.
Recently a YWAM team asked to do their Discipleship Training Course in Svey Kong where we work. So on this Saturday morning we left Sisapon and headed to Battambang to help them for a few days. We enjoyed a traditional Khmer breakfast before we received a terrible phone call that would change our weekend.
Pastor Sarans son had passed away that morning of a heart attack. Pastor Saran has already lost a stillborn son, a little four year old son and now a twenty seven year old son. Ratana left behind his beloved wife and son. Ratana taught computer to the youth in Svey Kong on the weekends. Friday evening he was celebrating his Mothers birthday with his family and Saturday morning he woke up complaining of chest pains. By the time they got him to the hospital he was with Jesus.
This was completely devastating for this family and we know now that God brought us to Battambang just in time to help them. We sang and prayed with together. Britton helped them prepare for the funeral.
Meanwhile two of our children broke out in unexplainable sores. Thankyou to all who prayed for them. They have since healed.
The YWAM team came to the funeral and spent time loving and praying for the grieving family.
Cambodians wear white for their funerals. It has nothing to do with being Christian, it is simply their culture.
Because Cambodia is a buddhist country, they will usually cremate the bodies. But the Christians have came together and bought a plot of land for burial.
A small graveside service, songs and prayers of Heaven. Weeping and mourning family for a son gone too soon. Our hearts ached with them yet we were encouraged to see their hope of meeting their son again someday.
Britton celebrated his 37th birthday on August 23rd. We were planning on having a big celebration but because of the funeral we delayed it.
We found some yummy pizza to enjoy while we celebrated the best Daddy and husband for our family.
Early morning Bible study in Svey Kong before we headed back to Sisapon.
Couldn't leave the village without checking in on some of our very favorite kiddos. What a joy to see them all again! We love them so much! We have enjoyed being apart of their daily lives for the past three years.
We will never get over the beauty of the jungle village.
A special lunch with the Svey Kong youth and the YWAM team.
Made it back to Sisapon with news of a dear sister in Christ, a Bible study leader at one of the home churches, had fallen and hit her head. The hospitals are quite full because of Covid and they are not admitting anyone besides Covid patients at this point. She passed away a couple days later. We were there to sing and pray with the family and Britton attended her funeral.
Sharing the homemade cottage cheese experience for anyone who might be interested ;) ...lovingly made for a lasagna that was used to celebrate Brittons birthday. Any sort of cheese is quite difficult to come by here in Cambodia. We have never came across cottage cheese here, even in the big city.
And it turned out! The ingredients for the lasagna came from Siem Reap, Poipet and Battambang as well as Sisapon. Its a joint effort to gather ingredients for such a special American dish.
It almost tasted like home (maybe 90%)
Birthday cupcakes made with butter icing instead of crisco icing. Hence the melty icing.
A beloved house church leader serving us some drinks. His outfit made us chuckle. Quite a common appearance for a village pastor, but we can't help but imagine the American pastors that we know. The thought brought light to a rainy and dreary afternoon.
Not quite a week later we headed back to Battambang to help the YWAM team again. A few reasons, some being the rise of Covid in our neighborhood and wanting to be there for the Pastor who had just buried his son, inclined us to go back to Battambang for awhile.
Enjoying dinner at the "Chinese Noodle man" Restaurant. Definitely a local favorite for our family.
Sweet baby Valor. Visiting a new little one born to some of our dear friends.
Thankful for the YWAM team helping and encouraging. Lots of testimonies and stories were shared. The villagers welcomed them with open arms.
Little SoakNa...oh how we love her. She truly is the cutest little girl.
Enjoying a birthday lunch for our dear friend Rith.
Time with Rith usually includes a long game of Risk and sometimes a swim.
Back in Svey Kong for Bible studies. Jesse is leading worship at one of the house churches.
Little games and prayers for the children.
A surprise birthday party for Britton. Lots of love and laughter.
Jesse has been a great friend to our children. He moved to Cambodia with his family when he was a baby. He speaks fluent Khmer and is more Cambodian then he is American. His heart for serving Jesus is so encouraging to our family.
Beloved Battambang...we still think of you as our home in Cambodia. A place we truly feel in love with Cambodia. We know your streets and your people well. You taught what it was like to truly live in another culture. You taught us a lot about Khmer culture. You are absolutely beautiful and we miss you when we are apart.
Thankyou to everyone who intentionally encourages and supports our family. You do not go unnoticed. We appreciate each one of you. Sending love across the ocean.
