Annie and Angels

I wrote this for our team blog and hope it will help paint a picture of something tangible about our work here.  So many of the families we work with think that anybody white can be trusted...when sadly a good number of white people (and other ethnicities) that visit Cambodia come for reasons other than legitimate tourism.......

Let me tell you about Annie.  You’ll understand that Annie is not her real name and we can’t post a photo or go into details but she’s real and her situation and many others like hers is real too.

Annie lives with her family in a vulnerable situation.  On a visit to her family, her parents said that a white guy had been coming to see them and giving them things.  He had also offered to take Annie to school.  It was clear from speaking to the family that this guy’s intentions were not good…at all. 

To help Annie the best it was important to make sure that her parents, those best placed to keep her safe could do so.  Some work was done with Annie’s parents and of course time spent with Annie.  Practical provision for the family has been given as well as alerting those that need to know.  And of course prayer covering the family. On a visit to the family I felt God say ‘Look up’ and I saw two big angels standing guard around the family.   

We continue to see Annie regularly and she loves to play with us and always has big smiles for us.   And now her parents want nothing to do with the white guy.  And Annie’s angels are still there.

From the city to an island...and back again

I can’t believe that I’ve been here in Cambodia for nearly two months now!  It has felt a little strange at times knowing that I’m here for at least two years which seems like such a long time after all the adventures of the last 3-4 years…it is still an adventure but more of a stationary one this time!

I feel like I am getting adjusted to life in Cambodia….the heat, the noise and the traffic of Phnom Penh to name but a few!  I am very grateful to live in a home with running water and electricity most of the time.

I am continuing to have regular language lessons but its certainly a challenge.  It could take me about 6 months to pass the ‘Survival in Khmer course’!  I’m currently learning about fruits and vegetables…and learning some new English words at the same time as there are fruits here which I have never seen before.

Last weekend we had a team retreat as our Director is visiting for a few weeks.  We got to meet up with the other Iris team based on the coast and we went to an island for a few days, complete with no wifi…bliss!  It was a great opportunity to relax and process my first few weeks here as well as deepen friendships.  

We ended our time on the coast with a wedding…no not mine…really it was a renewal of vows for one of our married couples….beautiful wedding on the beach (see facebook for photos).  I of course enjoyed the dancing to some classic 80s tracks at the end of the night!