Marie's Rescue...FINALLY!

and I'm finally writing again. It's Nov 27 today, I started this blog Nov 22, and since then the internet has been out at our house. So, I'm a bit delayed, but so excited to tell you everything that's happened in the last week or so.
Well, we finally made it out to Marie's Rescue, and it was a gorgeous hot day, the compound is out in the country so it was so peaceful out there. Those kids, all 170 of them plus adults, have a beautiful home. I can't believe it took us that long to get out there--when I was thinking in August that I would try to get there right away. Just goes to show how long things take out here--into our 4th month and finally we visit.

marie ens rescue mission

ANyways, for those of you who don't know, Rescue orphanage is the orphanage I visited on my first missions trip, and is run by a retired C&MA missionary who's spent the better part of her life in Cambodia. When she was "asked" to retire at the age of 65, she still felt she had her best work ahead of her, so she literally retired in Cambodia, and went independent to start this orphanage. In true Marie fashion, it is growing non stop, aids homes for families, a home for young mothers needing a place to have their baby, two granny homes, with senior ladies that have no where else to go, an entire new wing now for more kids(the ones she was building when I was there before) a new school, AND the beginnings of Rescue 2, in Poipet. So many kids in need, and she just keeps getting the support she needs from the West to keep doing all this growing. She's into her seventies now, and graciously took us and a groups of staff who were interesting in visiting, around on a tour that Saturday afternoon.
She has just within days of our visit, received a family of 5 that she heard about the father murdering the mother in cold blood, so they pursued these 5 kids--the reporter who reported the story helped them get in contact. Also, she just got a 5 year old rescued from being "sold" into who knows what, so her stories never end. The kids all look well, are thriving, and enjoyed the suckers we brought them. WE were doing tongue tests to see what had already eaten one. The smart ones were stuffing them into their pockets, so when they asked for another sucker and we asked to see their tongue, it wasn't covered in food dye, so they got yet another one! We were on to them though, just pretended not to be!!! Sweet kids.
It was a blessing to have my children there to witness and be even just a small part of Rescue. IT was there that I first dreamed that my kids could step foot on Cambodian soil and see the world from other eyes. They all handed out candy. Julia played soccer with about 50 other kids in the big grass field, and Steph held babies, and played hand games with some kids. IT was fun. Maya shyed away, but eventually played with a teenager who took to her, at the playground. IT was a lovely visit, and we will return again.
Marie has a golden retriever names Suzie, that some of you may have read about in her children's book. Suzie is due any day now with her 5th litter of puppies--that whole afternoon we were there, she ran around and rolled in the dirt, I guess to relieve her of her pregnant heat. She was so filthy, they had to bathe her when we left. She was loving her freedom though, before the pups come along. A very nice dog. Her "husband's" name is Toby, and he's still a teenager, so we enjoyed him, too. The kids want to go back to see the puppies.
SO, after a great day last Saturday, we went to A rocking' Khmer church called New Life, here in town. Wow, is all I gotta say. Loud music, crazy worship--if you like that kind of thing (which I do, but not everybody does, and that's OK) it was so great. Just to see the power of the Holy Spirit among Khmer believers, when so often around the city, we see the drudgery, the poverty. IT was a blessing. And they prayed for us--the foreigners!!! The Khmer people prayed for us--it was a great blessing for me that sunday.
Interesting notes. I had to kill two cockroaches on the same day at school on Monday. Seems that after some time off, they were all out for a walk. The first I screamed only mildly as it was headed my way and then I bug sprayed the tar out of him. The second, no scream involved (cuz I was used to it by now!) I hammered with a kid's shoe, just outside my music room. Well, a few days later, as I was in the middle of teaching a gr 4 music class, I turned aside to deal with the CD. AS I turned back, I saw a few kids with eyeballs wide open, pointing to the floor.
You know, it's amazing, what your brain can think in a fraction of a second. In slow motion, as my eyes looked to the floor where they were pointing, my brain thought all of the following things: "Oh, what are they pointing at with such excitement? IT could be anything. But, it could also be another cockroach. If it's a cockroach, then I'd better not even take the time to look, but just get quickly out of the way..." SO, I can blame my brain for the scream that ensued, followed by a huge leap in the opposite direction. I think it took me 5 minutes to stop everybody from laughing, including myself, as all the students were pointing at was my paper that had fallen to the ground! Unbelievable. You probably had to be there, but at the time, it was really funny.
Dean's currenly in Hong Kong, for a ASCI inservice. Most of the staff went, but I gladly stayed home with the kids, and we're enjoying a girls weekend. I had work to finish up for the school, which most of it is all done now, so YAY! It's exciting for me.
Dean took my camera, so I wasn't able to take a picture of the cute little baby rat that the kind custodian caught in my Gr. 1 room. We saw evidence of him in the cupboard where he had been eating paint pucks (apparently yellow is a favorite flavor!) and sure enough he was here this morning when I got to school to get some work done. (There's no classes for kids Thurs and Fri). His little beady eyes, I felt sort of sorry for him. So did Robert, our custodian, as he couldn't really bring himself to kill him! The little cutie ended up running away before Robert could get him. So, I guess when he returns, we'll have a class pet! ha
There's a terribly cute little girl we see on our morning drive to school, who runs around the street where her mom in cooking at a restaurant. She is one of the many who often say hi to us on the way to school (same route, save white people, everyday). I had a couple little articles of clothing that didn't fit Maya any more, just some undies, a skirt, 2 tops, and I've been wanting to pass them along, but wasn't sure how they'd take it (rich, white people... You know.) ANyways, I got up the guts and just gave them the small bag of clothes, hand motioning in english, while they hand motioned in Khmer! THey were so incredibly thankful (That little mite is often wearing just a shirt that is oversized, and of course, it's filthy), and I even saw her in the underwear later that day. Apparently underwear is just a hot commodity for kids--not alot have it and if they do, they don't have the outerclothes, and that's all they wear. And that's just the girls. Most, and I mean many, toddler boys, just run around completely buck. Between them and all the men that take leaks on the side of the road, I've had my fill of male paraphernalia for a lifetime. NO need for sons anymore, I've seen it all now! haha Just jokes.
Well, must be off. Julia fell off her bike pretty good yesterday as I was racing her home on our last stretch of road (nice!) She hit her brakes in loose gravel and has two knees with no skin on them now, and lost a good deal of outer skin on the palm of her hand. "But I saved my head..." was her quote. No more racing. ANyways, they're at a friend's house and I will go pick them up, supper, blackout, and another day.
Bye the way, the weather is really nice now. THe rain is mostly over, and there is a cool breeze in the sunny mornings. SOme kids call it "cold" but it is just gorgeous. The kind of weather you just want to be on a beach with somewhere! Well, Lord willing that will be our CHristmas this year. IF we can find something cheap to book. Not minding ONE BIT missing out on all the Christmas hullabaloo this year! No shopping, no cards, no baking. OK, I might try to bake, and we will have parties and guests, but no shopping, now that's a treat. I will save up all my Christmas shopping to May, when I want to bring home luggage bags full of goodies for everyone! So, have fun those of you that love the busy-ness of this season!!!
xo,
L
PS I'll get Dean to get picts up soon.
PPS Steph's Khmer is actually starting to help us out with tuk tuk drivers! IT was so exciting the other day, when I didn't have a hot clue what he way saying, and Steph calmy stated, "he's saying, ''Go home.'" SHe could understand! Yay! IT was a crowning moment.
Bye for now.