Our team leader Bobby Michaels explains the Salt of the Earth program we're experimenting with this year - hopefully implementing with the fundraiser this fall and the whole mission trip next summer.
You'll also see the House Church rice distribution in progress. This was the smallest of the distributions we did. You'll see the Rice for Cambodia team (many PLR listeners) helping the Cambodian families carrying their bag of rice.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Cow Crossing
A typical cow crossing on a typical dirt road. We covered hundreds of miles of roads like this - often at 30-40 miles an hour top speed, with frequent cow slow downs. It's a real short video but I just had to include it!
Slideshow of My Final Two Rice Distributions
Just a few shots here of the last two rice distributions I did on the 24th. I've got so much more I'm ready to share with everyone!
You'll see pictures of our gathering of the first distribution which was our smallest but a real powerful one. We met with a local home church for worship before the distribution. They had two electric fans (that looked like they were probably built in the 60's) going for us - aimed at our side of the room. The house had no electricity - they had the fan they're taking extra effort to make sure we're comfortable during the brief worship service. Amazing people!
You'll also see some photos of the 1 kilo bags of salt. It's a new program we're testing this year with the hope of making it a regular part of the fundraising event in the fall and the summer mission trip - Salt of the Earth. This was the first rice distribution that included the salt. Why is it important? They don't get iodine in their diet - the soil is depleted and they don't do seaweed etc. So they get bad goiters and the sadest part of all, a lack of iodine when a child is developing can cause their IQ to be 10-30 percent lower than normal. It was extra special for me to be a part of the first time the salt was given out with the rice and scriptures.
There are also some shots of me (in the blue shirt) handing the rice to people and also giving away toys to children. This was extra special because my girls picked out these toys for the children in Cambodia. I'll upload some video of this toy giveaway at some point as well. It was a special moment.
I'm at SeaTac airport now - continuing my trip home from Cambodia that's taking about 2 days. More photos, videos and thoughts will roll out over the next week.
Kevin
You'll see pictures of our gathering of the first distribution which was our smallest but a real powerful one. We met with a local home church for worship before the distribution. They had two electric fans (that looked like they were probably built in the 60's) going for us - aimed at our side of the room. The house had no electricity - they had the fan they're taking extra effort to make sure we're comfortable during the brief worship service. Amazing people!
You'll also see some photos of the 1 kilo bags of salt. It's a new program we're testing this year with the hope of making it a regular part of the fundraising event in the fall and the summer mission trip - Salt of the Earth. This was the first rice distribution that included the salt. Why is it important? They don't get iodine in their diet - the soil is depleted and they don't do seaweed etc. So they get bad goiters and the sadest part of all, a lack of iodine when a child is developing can cause their IQ to be 10-30 percent lower than normal. It was extra special for me to be a part of the first time the salt was given out with the rice and scriptures.
There are also some shots of me (in the blue shirt) handing the rice to people and also giving away toys to children. This was extra special because my girls picked out these toys for the children in Cambodia. I'll upload some video of this toy giveaway at some point as well. It was a special moment.
I'm at SeaTac airport now - continuing my trip home from Cambodia that's taking about 2 days. More photos, videos and thoughts will roll out over the next week.
Kevin
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Half Way Home
Got on a computer for just a few minutes in Seoul. I'm nearing the end of the 11 hour layover and will be on a flight to Seattle in 2 hours. That's 10 hours. Another 5 at SeaTac then Horizon Air for a quick hop home.
It's interesting. I'm in that no-man's land of my body not having a clue what time it is - what meal I should be having or when I should be sleeping. I have a whole new appreciation for people who travel like this all thie time.
I arrived at the domestic side of the Seim Reip, Cambodia airport 2 hours before the flight left. Well, I'll know in the future not to arrive more than an hour early. While the Internation Terminal is big and new, nice and all, the domestic terminal wasn't even open when I arrived! They had us sitting outside in the heat for 45 min or so because they close down the terminal and turn off the AC in between flights - there are so few domestic flights.
Other than getting all sweaty again (after cleaning up at the hotel before leaving after two rice distributions in the morning) it was great to be with the nationals in the domestic airport. (Maybe 4-5 travelers like myself, the rest were Cambodians.) It was a 70 seat or so plane and took only 35 min or so to arrive at Pnohm Penh. Had to wait there about 3 1/2 hours before the Asiana flight to Seoul.
After arriving in Seoul I ended up having to exit through customs etc. - but not for my bags, they were checked all the way through - the Pnohm Penh agents couldn't do the boarding pass for Seoul. Fortunately I ran into our flight attendant team while I was looking around for where to go. They were very helpful - remembered my name and everything as they showed me where to go. Of course, I do kind of stick out around here. I sure appreciated their help.
Gotta run. The next leg is the 10 hour flight. Doing well except for a headache. Many more pictures, videos and thoughts after I get home.
Kevin
On the Way Home
Kevin is on his way home! The mission trip is still going on, so keep praying for the remaining team members. Kevin's total travel time is almost 40 hours. He promises to post some more content once he's seen the kids and rested.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Rice Distribution at Samraong
This was one of the larger rice distributions I was able to be a part of. It was in a very poor part of the nation. Out of 67,000 hectors of farmland, only 16,000 of it produced any food for the locals. They were in need in a big way. The video gets a little repetitive but I challenge you to watch the whole thing so you can get just a bit of the impact your donations have in Cambodia. Watch the faces.
Driving Down Main Street Arriving in Poipet
A short video of our driving down a part of main street arriving in Poipet, Cambodia. In the background you'll hear Pastor Lee talking about how he's looking forward to meeting one of his cousins that lives in the area that he hasn't seen in a long time.
At the very end, the guy that walked up to the front window stood there, then lifted up our windshield wipers left them standing up and walked off. He was either a bit off mentally or on drugs at the time. Pretty sad.
At the very end, the guy that walked up to the front window stood there, then lifted up our windshield wipers left them standing up and walked off. He was either a bit off mentally or on drugs at the time. Pretty sad.
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