Updates

We have had a very busy day here in Cambodia. But before expanding on that, I (Jen) will go back to the last day in Thailand since we were unable to share those events with you. The day started with Cristen at the elementary school teaching English and me at the orphanage helping to take care of the little ones. We both loved those times. There are about 10 younger children at the Thai orphanage...the youngest just 4 months old. It was fun trying to keep up with them. When I come back to Asia in September, one of my tasks will be to begin to teach them English.

In the evening, we drove about 30 minutes farther up the mountain to another orphanage that Asia's Hope sponsors. It is in Hot Springs, and is located in a remote area at a church. The pastor of the church saw a need and started taking in orphans to live in the church. Just this past year, they became one of the Asia's Hope orphanages. All of those children are also from the Hill tribes...and are just as beautiful. We had a great evening of worship with them, and left them with some of the medical supplies, blankets, and toys that we had brought over. It really is surreal to be in the middle of Thailand...mountains and trees surrounding us...singing worship songs with a group of orphans.

Fast forward to today...we went to the genocide museum of Toul Sleng. I will give a little history here, because it is important to understanding what is happening in this country. In the mid seventies, the communist regime of the Khmer Rouge took over the country. There goal was to turn Cambodia back into an agrerian society. Everyone was forced out of Phnom Penh into the countryside to farm rice. Literally everyone. Imagine millions of people traveling out of the city. It took them only 24 hours to get everyone out.

If you have heard of or seen the movie, the Killing Fields, that's what happened next. A third of the population was killed. Ninety percent of the evangelical church was wiped out. The regime killed anyone with an education, military experience, religious connections, ties to the old government, relationships with foreigners...anyone who could continue building this country. The museum we visited today was once a high school that was turned into a prison where innocent Cambodian people were tortured and killed. Men, women, and children. The Khmer Rouge were systematic people, so they took black and white photographs of everyone that they killed. There are rows upon rows of faces in the museum. It is a pretty sobering experience.

Before the time of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia was considered the Pearl of Southeast Asia. Not anymore. Most of the people live in poverty...lacking food, education, or medical care. Fifty percent of the population is under the age of 18. There are 300,000 to 400,000 orphans. As with Thailand, these young girls are at risk of being swept up in the sex trade, where chances are good that they will end up with HIV and be dead by the age of 14.

There are 3 orphanages here in a city close to here (Prek Eng) and 2 up in Battambang. These children are absolutely beautiful. Asia's Hope rescues them before they can end up victims. They are happy and healthy and loved.

We got to see all of the children at a water park today. They had so much fun! It was hard to tell which children were with Vista's orphanage! We did get to visit each orphanage very briefly. I couldn't believe how big the property was that our orphanage sits on. It was a beautiful place for the children. Know that you are a part of helping to save their lives.

Tomorrow (Sunday) we will be going to church and then having a dinner outreach for university students. Hopefully we will be able to blog some more. I will also try to get some photos uploaded. It's a little trickier to do at the cafes as we have to create a CD to bring. We have some good shots though.

Thanks for your prayers!