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!  

Fortnight of firsts!

Well my first fortnight in the country was a fortnight of firsts...first time driving a motorcycle briefly (note to self: manuals are easier than automatics!), first Khmer lesson (language learning is going to be a challenge!) and first time of getting totally lost and then having to find my way home (note to self: learn the Khmer word for market before leaving the house solo!)

Its been great to start to get involved with the work of the team also. The team seems to have a good balance of work, rest, prayer and meals together! In Phnom Penh the team consists of 7 internationals (from the USA, Canada and the UK) and 2 Cambodians who are amazing!  

Work wise we run a children's club for those who live on the streets twice a week as well as support the families where needed.  Just this last week the team has been able to help a Mum (we'll call her Angela) who has been the victim of domestic abuse who lives on the streets with her children.  We have helped Angela get necessary medical treatment, ensured her and the children have a safe place to live for the short term and linked her up with another agency who has a refuge and specialist ongoing support.  Thank you God:)

We are also involved in a children's day centre which runs during the week.  The children who attend come from the slums and one of my key roles it seems will be to help train the Cambodian social workers who are currently teaching also....so it seems that my background of social work and being a school governor will be helpful!  Any ideas gratefully received!

Thank you for reading and for your support!  God bless you lots x

New beginnings!

Just over 3 weeks ago I arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital to begin the next chapter of my adventures.   I am working for the same charity as before, Iris Global and working specifically with children, women and families from the most at risk backgrounds.  My arrival was timed well as it was Khmer New Year within a few days of me arriving so most of the team went to the coast for a few days break. Good team bonding times were had and we got to celebrate Ruth's (a Yorkshire lass) 50th birthday.

Since coming back I have been settling into the house, work and city!  At present I am living in the team house and share a bedroom with the lovely Amy.  We even have our own ensuite wet room/bathroom and I'm delighted to say that the house has running water, electricity and a washing machine - I feel like I am living in luxury!

Here's a picture or two from our house roof.......complete with the hammocks for us to rest in at the end of a long day:

New chapter: Cambodia!

Having had some lovely time catching up with family and friends in the UK and continuing to work for Iris Global on their mission school administration, I have really felt God leading me to Cambodia.  This time it will be for the long term!  By long term I mean at least 2 years....which will be strange having moved around so much in the last 3 years!

I'll be living and working in Phnom Penh with a team, some of whom have been there for a year or more already.  The main aspects of the work are working with children living on the streets and in difficult situations as well as women working in the 'massage parlours'.  The team is planning to open up a 'night shelter' for the children who have nowhere safe to stay and I am hoping to be involved in that!

What will the challenges be?  I am guessing the change in pace of this being a long term commitment, language learning, adapting to a new culture and getting to know a new team and have new housemates....as well as learning to deal with the difficult situations we encounter! 

Thank you in advance for your prayers and support.  I couldn't do it without you!  God bless you lots x

So what's next?

After spending Christmas in Cambodia which was very nice but a bit weird to be honest....I mean the beach and BBQ sounds lovely but I really wanted to be eating turkey with all the trimmings, wearing a jumper and be with my family!  So I was very glad that I got to do that on New Year's Day instead after my return to the UK.

After spending some time with my family in Cornwall I will be heading back to sunny Salford to catch up with friends in the North West.  And then I plan to really seek God's face as I prayerfully consider what He has for me next.  As you might be able to tell by my last post about Cambodia I was really moved by what I saw so the future may include a return there.  To be able to use my professional skills, work for a great charity and make a real difference would be an incredible privilege.  Or maybe I'll return to social work in the UK which would also be a real privilege!

So thank you for reading once again - your support and friendship is so appreciated.   Please get in touch if you'd like to catch up and God bless you lots! Liz x

From Killing Fields to Living Fields

After my very fulfilling time in Mozambique came to an end, I co led an outreach with Seth to Cambodia, to work alongside our two Iris bases there.  What an incredible place.  Seth had to put up with 12 girls (!) and did a great job.  

Our first day in Cambodia really brought home the history and present.  In the morning we went to the 'Killing Fields' site where under Pol Pot's regime, about a quarter of Cambodia's population were tortured and murdered, all in the name of an extreme form of Communism.  As I stood on the mass graves and looked at the skulls I realised that on many levels I would have been first on his list. Middle class tick, educated tick, speak more than one language tick, professional tick, live in the city tick.  And what brought it even more home to me was that the killing started in the 1975, the year I was born and then stopped in 1978, the year my sister was born.  I felt chills down my spine along with a sheer sense of relief and great fulness to God that I had been raised mainly in the UK.

Later in the day we went to a cafe called Daughters of Cambodia.  The cafe is run by a Christian NGO who believe in helping women caught up in the present day horror of sex trafficking and prostitution.  All the girls who served us were once caught up in the sex industry but have since been been rescued and given new skills to make a new life for themselves.  From the Killing Fields to the Living Fields all in one day.

What struck me about Cambodia was how incredibly beautiful it is with lush forests and coastline and the people are some of the most friendly and welcoming I have ever met.  But there is another side, a much seedier side.  The brazeness of those involved in the sex industry is so 'in your face'.  The number of white much older men I saw with much younger Cambodian girls in 'massage' parlours made me so angry and the stories of children being abused and paedophiles having such easy access to children just made me weep.

So I was very glad to be part of an organisation that is restoring hope to children and women caught up in the darker side of life.  Children played with, women being taught English at their request and pamper sessions held for them and buildings being developed for children to have safe places to play and sleep as well as many other things beside.  All this being done in liaison with other NGOs and networks to ensure the best care is given and that the work is done in Jesus name, the name which brings real hope, freedom and love.