Christmas

So, it seems that I need to apologize once again for the lack of posts. It's been very busy here...especially the last few days. Two friends from my church in Ohio (Vista Community Church) visited this week - bringing gifts for our orphanage and helping with a live-feed back to the church for Christmas services. What a whirlwind it's been! It was a wonderful time...only I am not sure that my words here will be able to adequately express all that took place. I'll give it a shot though.

Josh and Liz were sent by Vista to bring Christmas gifts for the kids at our orphanage and funds to purchase bicycles that the children needed in order to ride to school. Only, after delayed and missed flights, the luggage didn't arrive when they did. We were all praying for it, as it held not only the gifts but their clothing as well. Don't worry, I was able to help them out with clothes. Josh looked great in pink taffeta! (just kidding:)

Another reason that they came was to create video for the Christmas services at Vista this past weekend, as well as to help with a live-feed of the children. So, after we got a little sleep, we went out on Saturday to see the kids and get some video. Oh my...I think they get more adorable every time that we see them!

We showed up at the orphanage and all the kids were hugging us. They were so beautiful in their traditional dance outfits. I mean, our girls were absolutely precious. Pictures and video cannot do it justice. Everyone was hugging us...except the oldest girl, Longdich. I saw her off by the well splashing some water. They told me that she had been crying. The reason...because she was so overwhelmed by the beautiful clothes she was wearing. She said that she had never looked so beautiful before. It's those moments when I wish others could be here to truly understand the impact that they are making in the lives of these children. If not for people giving of their money and time to rescue these kids, she may never have had the chance to know how beautiful she is. On top of receiving food, a place to live, an education...these kids are finally able to see how valuable and loved they are...not just to us, but to the God who created them.

The older kids performed two traditional dances for us, and then the younger kids were able to sing. Josh was able to get great footage and spent the rest of the evening creating an amazing video (literally...we didn't really go to bed that night). Check it out here. I think it captures the beauty and joyfulness of our children.





One of the fun things for me to watch was how the boys were able to interact with Josh. They are so sweet and are fun to hang out with. But I got to see more of their playful side as they were showing off for Josh and the camera...doing break-dance moves, wrestling, standing on their heads, and generally just being silly. All the things you would see typical young boys doing. How great to see that side of them come out!

On Sunday and Monday mornings, we had a live feed with the kids back to the services in Dublin, Ohio. I know that many of you were there. Thanks for your kind words. So glad that you had a chance to "meet" our kids. They were intrigued with seeing you on stage...though I don't know that they quite understood what was going on. I think the highlight for them was seeing themselves on the computer screen as they looked in the camera. But, remember that many of these kids came from remote villages. A live-feed with America is beyond their understanding:)

Three of the suitcases arrived a day late, and thankfully, they were the three with the kids' gifts! So, Sunday afternoon, we brought them out to the orphanage for the kids to open. Again, it was one of those times that I wish others could be here to experience! In many ways, they acted just like your typical child, and in other ways, they amazed us with their generosity and continuous helping spirit toward one another. This is a Buddhist country, and typical Cambodians do not celebrate Christmas. That, plus the fact that these children were orphans and fighting for survival before coming to live at the orphanage...most of them had never celebrated Christmas before.

I found out when we got there that the kids knew that we were bringing gifts that day, so they had a really hard time falling asleep the night before:) But they are so respectful and patient. They waited for us to explain where the gifts came from and share our thoughts of our love, Vista's love, and especially God's love for them. And when everyone had their gifts, they took their time going through them.

I wish you could have heard the squeals of delight and laughter as they pored over each treasure. Socks and toothbrushes were just as exciting to them as toys and candy. Some played with each item as they took them out. Some spread the gifts around them. And they were just as excited with what their brothers and sisters received as they were for what they got. They shared with one another....one little girl gladly gave most of her candy away. The Slinkys were a big hit...not sure that they had ever seen those before!

And after they put them all away...they got them out again to look back over them:)

It was an incredibly special time. One of Liz's piano students gave some money to be used for the kids, and so we thought the time would be even better if they were treated to cake and a coke. We didn't realize that the orphanage directors were going to go all out. They got the kids a special meal of shrimp and beef with rice and sweet desserts. Even watching them eat was a blessing. They savored each bite, so obviously delighting in what they had been given.

Words just don't do justice to the time. Josh got lots of great footage. But even then, I wish I could have transported you all here to be a part of it. I don't deserve to be able to love these kids and be God's hands in their lives. Every time I am with them, I think about what they have been rescued from. And to see them smiling and laughing and getting to be kids. It's overwhelming.

You know, this time was not so much about the presents themselves...it was more about blessing the least. Orphans in this country are often neglected, cast aside, or worse - abused. One thing that strikes me every time we gather for fun at the orphanage is how the neighbors gather along the walls and outside the gates to see what's going on. They don't just look for a minute...they watch the entire time. They are drawn into the joy. And they are seeing these kids who are considered the least, be so richly blessed. What a testimony of God's love to others.

some of the neighbors watching

Liz and I both thought today about God's heart towards these kids. They knew that the luggage had been lost and prayed for it to arrive - as did all of us:). Of the four pieces, the three with their gifts in it showed up. It was a picture to us of how much He delights in them.

So here are a few shots and a couple of videos. Josh is going to put his footage together, and I am sure it's going to be awesome!

I hope you can see Senghong's eyes in this video. He cracked me up!

But that's not all!! Along with the Christmas gifts, the people of Vista generously donated money to purchase bicycles for the kids. They will use the bikes to get to school and have been praying each night for them since October. How great to be used to answer kids' prayers:)

Liz and I had fun at the bike shop picking them out and watching them put all the finishing touches on...baskets, bells, seats, etc. They loaded the big bikes into a tuk-tuk to take them to the house. And we were there with the bikes lined up when they came home from school. With donations from Vista and Liz's piano student, we were able to get 7 big bikes, 2 little bikes for the younger kids, and a small tyke bike for the 4-year-olds.

They were so excited! Screaming with delight! The little kids knew exactly which bike was for them - those two went right to that little bike and tried to ride it. They really couldn't make it go...so one would ride it while the other pushed behind, and then they would take turns. How two 4-year-olds can share so well is amazing!

The 6-year-olds took turns on the little bikes. And the bigger kids were able to have their own bikes at that point...two of the big kids were still at school. They were so happy...I don't think smiles could get any bigger. They just rode around the little yard in a circle the entire time we were there...which was about an hour. And were still riding when we left!

When the two oldest boys came home, it was so sweet. They didn't get upset because they weren't there for it all to begin. They went around to help adjust seats for some of the girls and started giving the little kids rides on the back of their bikes.

I really think they could have kept riding around that circle through the night:)

Savong (the orphanage director) shared that these bikes will save them 50 dollars a month in tuk-tuk fees since they will be able to ride to school. That's huge for them. But, I was also thinking that it made it feel like even more of a home...that's hard to explain. Most families in Cambodia have bicycles for the kids to get to school. These kids had nothing before, and a new bike was really beyond their grasp. But as a family, they were riding bikes together this night. So happy and proud. Again, it was God blessing them, telling them that they were His children, and He was going to take care of them. I am just so thankful that we are telling these kids over and over how much they are worth...after having experienced the opposite for most of their short lives.

getting the bikes in the tuk-tuk

Kimhou loved the bike, even though she can't pedal yet:)

The bigger kids started giving out rides.

The little boys and their bike

the little girls and their bike

riding in a circle...all night long!

the littlest ones figure out how to make the bike go:)

Thank you to everyone who sacrificed and gave to these precious children of ours. Last year, their circumstances were much less than joyful as they were merely trying to survive. I can't wait till more of you can come and meet them for yourselves. I guarantee your lives will be changed forever. Just ask Josh and Liz!