It has been a month since most members of our team returned from our Developing World Connections (DWC) /Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia trip to Cambodia. Jud and Jen both remained behind for extended travel in Southeast Asia – Jen going to Laos and Sri Lanka and Jud to Thailand and Myanmar. They seem to be in no hurry to come back to winter in North America.
It’s interesting that our collectively loquacious group appears to be encountering some difficulty expressing the magnitude of their Cambodia experience. Pictures, of course, speak volumes, and we keep in touch by email as busy schedules permit. We also plan to have a reunion party at Julie’s house in Santa Ynez, California, at the end of the month. Sadly, our Canadian comrades won’t be able to join us, but we hope they will be there in spirit and visit with us online by Skype. A few of us are already talking about participating in another DWC project, possibly in Peru at the end of this year or in early 2011. And we are all wondering what we can do to help relieve the massive human suffering in Haiti in some small way since we can’t immediately jump on a plane and start rebuilding.
Reflecting on the Cambodia trip, Susanne, from Santa Barbara, says one thing she has noticed is that she “didn't really appreciate what we went through” until she got home and could process it more clearly:
“While I was there everything was interesting, new and fun, but overwhelming as a whole with so much going on. Once I got home and began telling my story, I realized what a great experience it was helping other people who needed it. It's amazing that in just a few short days we were able to help build a home for a family! I keep picturing their faces, and wonder how they are doing right now in their new place. Everyone at home keeps saying they're proud of me, but it is really ME who is proud to have been a part of something like this.”
Heather reports from her home in Canada:
“My memory is full of visuals and my heart remembers the kindness and spirit of the people above anything else. Working so closely in the community and seeing the house built from start to finish are my most treasured thoughts. The sense of accomplishment that came from tying on that last stick to hold down the thatch was so fulfilling that I will be able to channel it in the future to help me to reach new goals. I am grateful to Cambodia, for being so beautiful in so many ways. I am grateful to DWC and to BABSEA for the programs that fostered the trip and brought together our terrific crew. No matter if we worked our hardest, or connected with the kids, I am confident that our team left a positive mark on the village and that we will be remembered for it. The trip has helped to recharge me and to find a bit of clarity on my life's direction. But the thing that keeps coming up is...where to next?!
I love Cambodia!”
Finally, from Karen, of Santa Barbara, your blog author:
A friend of mine who donated a silent auction item at one of our fund-raising events asked about my trip. I sent her some pictures and told her how I felt momentarily overcome by bittersweet emotions when it came time to leave the home we had built. The house-warning party was winding down, the sun was setting behind the distant hills, and the nearby rice fields reflected the twilight glow. I felt elation to be part of this adventure – I had helped create a home for a family in need. I also felt genuine sadness, knowing it was unlikely we would ever return to this place to see how the family has adjusted. So much had happened to change my world view in such a short time!
‘I feel really lousy complaining about the color of my brown kitchen cabinets,’ my friend said, nicely summing it up.
Later, coming home to the pre-Christmas hullabaloo made me even more poignantly aware of the enduring spirit of the Khmer people. Yes, the cities in Cambodia are chaotic. Yes, there is litter and pollution, and many roads and buildings are in disrepair. Yes, there are daily deprivations and stressors. Yes, many people there work very hard every single day and have few possessions to show for it. Yes, the Khmer people have been traumatized by years of conflict and the loss of loved ones in the genocide, and yes, there is a long way to go before there is a sound governmental infrastructure and true reconciliation can be achieved. However, one can see progress taking place everywhere as communities rebuild. And from my perspective, the rural people there seem to exude a kind of inner serenity and oneness with nature that we don’t typically enjoy here in the West.
I wonder, what do these Khmer people really think of us? Do they think we are just nuts for taking vacation time and spending our money to fly half way around the world to build houses, plant gardens, and install latrines? Our DWC and BABSEA contacts tell us the impact is tremendous, and we accept that. But because of the language barrier, we were never really able to get to the bottom of it with the families who directly benefited from our work. However, by all appearances, whatever they think of us, they certainly seem to truly appreciate the results. And we appreciate them, more than they will ever know.
Karen O'Hara
DWC Volunteer Participant
Cambodia, December 2009
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, December 21, 2009
December 17, 2009: Our final day.
Our final day of work: This morning we returned to the homes where we are building septic systems. The toilet has been installed at the first house and the latrine is nearly ready to use. It has two water storage tanks built of brick, one for “flushing” and one for “showers” (by water scoop). By the time the team left for lunch, plastering was under way and the roof had to be installed.. At the second house, work was completed on the exterior wall, and at the third house, Tommy, Denver and Karen went back to square one, helping to dig a hole for the septic system. Karen also was invited to help the mom separate twigs and other small inedible bits from rice spread on a bamboo mat.
Because there was limited space and work to be done, two separate groups were able to check out Chamcar Bei village and visit with the shopkeepers. Tommy’s group talked to the owner of the motorcycle shop, who is university educated and speaks excellent English. He has been operating his shop in Chamcar Bei for two years. Heather bought a karaoke CD. The cover looks like a soap opera picture. Most of the karaoke songs here seem to be about heartbreak (some human conditions are universal). A number of us, including Heather, Karen, Adele, Tommy, Gabby, and Kayla took off their shoes (as a sign of respect) and gave cash offerings to two passing monks, who gave each of us a blessing. Tommy says the monks wished us safe travels and blessed our worthy deeds. We were humbled by the experience.
Jud, Brian, Bob, Cesar and Jen also visited town and were invited to play volleyball with some local teenagers. On the bus ride home each evening, we have noticed many young men playing volleyball in their yards. It was the first, but by no means the last, game of the day.
Susanne, who is a professional chef, stayed behind at The Vine this morning to help prepare our lunch. By request, she cooked brown, rather than white, rice. If you are going to visit Southeast Asia, it’s important to like rice. We also had a delicious green salad with Dijon dressing and chicken soup. It was a treat for Susanne to get back in a large kitchen.
We had a relaxing lunch, knowing that our afternoon would be spent buying crafts made by local women as part of the BABSEA community restoration project and playing with children at the school. At lunch, Celeste and Heather played Backgammon. Jen and Brian played Cranium, and most of the others did yoga with Julie, who runs a yoga studio back home.
After lunch, we visited the community center where women make jewelry and Christmas ornaments of coconut shells, straw baskets, and woven cloth goods such as purses, scarves and table runners. Proceeds go toward women’s economic ventures. Because of the hard times in this area, most of the women were not able to get an education; this project is designed to help them be self-sufficient and learn about operating a business. It was a good time to buy gifts and souvenirs while making a contribution (the Chamcar Bei version of an economic stimulus package). It seems odd to think that friends and family at home are doing their holiday shopping and attending seasonal social functions while we are in rural Cambodia building latrines.
Our next stop was the community garden where we planted seeds and seedlings last week and earlier this week. The seeds are just starting to sprout, which is satisfying to see after heavy digging and planting in the hot sun. The community garden is another Developing World Connections/ BABSEA-supported economic venture.
Our next stop was the school, where we were greeted by an enthusiastic class of kindergarteners. They are a very lively bunch! We played games with them and the hula hoops we brought from Phnom Penh were a particular hit. Julie is an expert hula-hooper and everyone was impressed with her tricks. Jud, Brian and Vy played a competitive game of basketball with some older children (about 11 or 12 years old) and their teacher (who was wearing a long skirt) until a snake crawled onto the hard dirt court. The children threw stones at the snake, but the game broke up anyway. By that time, a soccer match had started at the back of the school – BABSEA volunteers versus our group. Gabby, who plays soccer at home, was a standout, but the BABSEA team still beat our volunteer team, even though some of them were barefoot. We learned later that they play nearly every day after work. It was a hot, dusty, action-packed game. Adele, Cesar, Tommy, Kasper, Denver, Jen, Heather, Brian and Jud rounded out the team. The rest of us cheered them on.
After saying our goodbyes at the school, we stopped at the reservoir, where a number of went for a swim to cool off. Gabby was the first to jump in. Tommy, who used to teach gymnastics, did a handstand on the railing before plunging in. A lot of the local kids were there, too, since it’s a favorite watering hole.
The day wrapped up with a celebration dinner at the Kep Lodge restaurant. We were touched when Mr. Tiery and Vy thanked us for our contributions during the past two weeks. We would all love to work with them again. After dinner, each of us received an honorary award in keeping with our unique personality traits. It’s amazing how much you can learn about people in such a short time. The evening wrapped up with some dancing. Tomorrow, most of us will head back to Phnom Penh, then on to Siem Reap to see the temples. Jackie, Michele and Jud plan to stay on the coast for awhile longer. Jud will be continuing on to Thailand and possibly Myanmar.
We have formed a bond and it has been an amazing time for all of us.
Because there was limited space and work to be done, two separate groups were able to check out Chamcar Bei village and visit with the shopkeepers. Tommy’s group talked to the owner of the motorcycle shop, who is university educated and speaks excellent English. He has been operating his shop in Chamcar Bei for two years. Heather bought a karaoke CD. The cover looks like a soap opera picture. Most of the karaoke songs here seem to be about heartbreak (some human conditions are universal). A number of us, including Heather, Karen, Adele, Tommy, Gabby, and Kayla took off their shoes (as a sign of respect) and gave cash offerings to two passing monks, who gave each of us a blessing. Tommy says the monks wished us safe travels and blessed our worthy deeds. We were humbled by the experience.
Jud, Brian, Bob, Cesar and Jen also visited town and were invited to play volleyball with some local teenagers. On the bus ride home each evening, we have noticed many young men playing volleyball in their yards. It was the first, but by no means the last, game of the day.
Susanne, who is a professional chef, stayed behind at The Vine this morning to help prepare our lunch. By request, she cooked brown, rather than white, rice. If you are going to visit Southeast Asia, it’s important to like rice. We also had a delicious green salad with Dijon dressing and chicken soup. It was a treat for Susanne to get back in a large kitchen.
We had a relaxing lunch, knowing that our afternoon would be spent buying crafts made by local women as part of the BABSEA community restoration project and playing with children at the school. At lunch, Celeste and Heather played Backgammon. Jen and Brian played Cranium, and most of the others did yoga with Julie, who runs a yoga studio back home.
After lunch, we visited the community center where women make jewelry and Christmas ornaments of coconut shells, straw baskets, and woven cloth goods such as purses, scarves and table runners. Proceeds go toward women’s economic ventures. Because of the hard times in this area, most of the women were not able to get an education; this project is designed to help them be self-sufficient and learn about operating a business. It was a good time to buy gifts and souvenirs while making a contribution (the Chamcar Bei version of an economic stimulus package). It seems odd to think that friends and family at home are doing their holiday shopping and attending seasonal social functions while we are in rural Cambodia building latrines.
Our next stop was the community garden where we planted seeds and seedlings last week and earlier this week. The seeds are just starting to sprout, which is satisfying to see after heavy digging and planting in the hot sun. The community garden is another Developing World Connections/ BABSEA-supported economic venture.
Our next stop was the school, where we were greeted by an enthusiastic class of kindergarteners. They are a very lively bunch! We played games with them and the hula hoops we brought from Phnom Penh were a particular hit. Julie is an expert hula-hooper and everyone was impressed with her tricks. Jud, Brian and Vy played a competitive game of basketball with some older children (about 11 or 12 years old) and their teacher (who was wearing a long skirt) until a snake crawled onto the hard dirt court. The children threw stones at the snake, but the game broke up anyway. By that time, a soccer match had started at the back of the school – BABSEA volunteers versus our group. Gabby, who plays soccer at home, was a standout, but the BABSEA team still beat our volunteer team, even though some of them were barefoot. We learned later that they play nearly every day after work. It was a hot, dusty, action-packed game. Adele, Cesar, Tommy, Kasper, Denver, Jen, Heather, Brian and Jud rounded out the team. The rest of us cheered them on.
After saying our goodbyes at the school, we stopped at the reservoir, where a number of went for a swim to cool off. Gabby was the first to jump in. Tommy, who used to teach gymnastics, did a handstand on the railing before plunging in. A lot of the local kids were there, too, since it’s a favorite watering hole.
The day wrapped up with a celebration dinner at the Kep Lodge restaurant. We were touched when Mr. Tiery and Vy thanked us for our contributions during the past two weeks. We would all love to work with them again. After dinner, each of us received an honorary award in keeping with our unique personality traits. It’s amazing how much you can learn about people in such a short time. The evening wrapped up with some dancing. Tomorrow, most of us will head back to Phnom Penh, then on to Siem Reap to see the temples. Jackie, Michele and Jud plan to stay on the coast for awhile longer. Jud will be continuing on to Thailand and possibly Myanmar.
We have formed a bond and it has been an amazing time for all of us.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
December 16, 2009: Saying Good Bye Soon
Today a few more members of our group succumbed to traveler’s ailments. The rest of us headed out to install septic systems. Once the holes are dug, it’s actually quite satisfying work. We all enjoy the meditative aspects of bricklaying. The downside is that there are only three trowels per site, and some of them are being used by Cambodian expert masons, so we have to take turns. For those of you who are from California, you will understand when we say it’s something akin to watching CalTrans workers on the freeway, or a joke that starts with the line, “How many volunteers does it take to build an outhouse?”
We tried to be productive by setting an example and picking up trash around the yard.
Jackie ran into a challenge when she needed to cut some bricks in half to fit an imperfect space. Seeing her attempt to break brick with an axe without cracking them into awkward shapes, a little girl in the family came along, took the axe from her and made a perfect cut. Brian mobilized a group of children to help carry bricks. His teammates report that he also slipped while working and put his hand right into a cow patty.
At one of the houses, there is a goat pen containing goats of all sizes and colors. There is nothing like the smell of goats in the morning! In the afternoon, the children take the goats out of the pen and herd them into the countryside to feed and stretch their legs. It’s fun to watch them trotting along. The other house has a very large and in charge pig rooting around. At a third house where we are to start work tomorrow there are two doe-faced cows tied up at the side of the house and an adorable speckled piglet running around.
Our hosts served us jack fruit and bananas and a third fruit the size of a kiwi but with a large seed and gooey white stuff inside (not all that popular). Jack fruit looks like a big honeydew melon with spikes on the skin. Inside it has compartments of fruit around a seed. It tastes a little like pineapple but has a rubbery texture. The bananas here are smaller than the ones we have at home and are a lot more flavorful. The bananas have seeds in them that are about the size of a pine nut.
We returned a bit earlier than usual to the hotel; most of us took a swim before heading out to dinner. Tomorrow is our last work day, so we are feeling a bit let down, knowing that members of our group will be going their separate ways and we will have to say goodbye soon.
We tried to be productive by setting an example and picking up trash around the yard.
Jackie ran into a challenge when she needed to cut some bricks in half to fit an imperfect space. Seeing her attempt to break brick with an axe without cracking them into awkward shapes, a little girl in the family came along, took the axe from her and made a perfect cut. Brian mobilized a group of children to help carry bricks. His teammates report that he also slipped while working and put his hand right into a cow patty.
At one of the houses, there is a goat pen containing goats of all sizes and colors. There is nothing like the smell of goats in the morning! In the afternoon, the children take the goats out of the pen and herd them into the countryside to feed and stretch their legs. It’s fun to watch them trotting along. The other house has a very large and in charge pig rooting around. At a third house where we are to start work tomorrow there are two doe-faced cows tied up at the side of the house and an adorable speckled piglet running around.
Our hosts served us jack fruit and bananas and a third fruit the size of a kiwi but with a large seed and gooey white stuff inside (not all that popular). Jack fruit looks like a big honeydew melon with spikes on the skin. Inside it has compartments of fruit around a seed. It tastes a little like pineapple but has a rubbery texture. The bananas here are smaller than the ones we have at home and are a lot more flavorful. The bananas have seeds in them that are about the size of a pine nut.
We returned a bit earlier than usual to the hotel; most of us took a swim before heading out to dinner. Tomorrow is our last work day, so we are feeling a bit let down, knowing that members of our group will be going their separate ways and we will have to say goodbye soon.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
December 15, 2009: The Completion of the Very Tall House
This was a very eventful, educational and rewarding day for us.
In the morning, Team 1 enclosed a wall-less schoolroom with woven bamboo mats. Team 2 returned to the very tall house determined to finish their work there. There really was no other option; the wheels were already in motion for a housewarming party this evening.
It seemed as if Team 2 saved the hardest part for last. After completing all the thatching, they learned that long sticks had to be applied horizontally to the outside of the house to keep the thatch from blowing up in the wind and rain. This required working in tandem, with one partner pushing wire from inside the house to the outside of the house and the other partner grabbing the wire, wrapping it around a stick and pushing it back through to be tied off. This task took some of the morning and all afternoon to complete. In fact, the last wire was tied off just after Team 1 arrived for the party at 4:30 p.m.
At lunch, we learned from Sarah that Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia plans to sponsor a week-long village clean-up on the main street of Chamber Bei village next week. The village features a collection of dusty, open-air shops, including a butcher shop where the meat sits out in the sun all day, a general store, a fruit stand, and a motorcycle repair shop. BABSEA wants to encourage the shop owners to spruce up in order to attract more business. After lunch, a few members of Team 2 joined Team 1 to start building a septic system at the home of a family participating in BABSEA’s community restoration project. Unlike the two houses, this time we had a schematic drawing to follow. Ravi, who is in charge of health and sanitation for BABSEA in Chamcar Bei village, explained that about 100 families live in the immediate area and only 15 of them have latrines on their property. It costs about $170 to acquire materials for a septic system, plus labor, which is a prohibitive amount of money for the vast majority of families. Without a latrine, people have to relieve themselves outdoors. During the rainy season fecal material can spread into inhabited areas and spread dysentery and other diseases.
Ravi noted that one reason Chamber Bei is so poor is because fighting continued there much longer than it did in other parts of the country, making it difficult for aid to reach its inhabitants.
At the house where we are installing the septic system, the family has volunteered to help educate their neighbors about sound sanitation practices. Although they live in relatively poor conditions, they also have a water filtration system that removes more than 90 percent of disease-causing bacteria.
The septic system requires the installation of three to four concrete cylinders, laid on top of each other in hand-dug holes more than four-feet deep. Holes are drilled in the concrete and pipes are inserted through the holes and attached to the privy. The walls of the latrine are made of brick. The door is pre-fab, like something you might find at Home Depot. The roof is made of corrugated metal. It’s sensational.
We plan to install a second septic system at another home tomorrow. It takes a couple of days to complete the project; we plan to have both finished on Thursday.
The day ended with our housewarming celebration at the very tall house. Mr. Tiery entwined flowering vines that were hung across the threshold and each person who worked on the house, including the parents, children, grandma and all Team 2 members, each cut one strand of the vine with scissors. Then the family welcomed us into their new home. They served rice wine (which has a real kick!) and duck stew with morning glory. We brought an assortment of snacks and beverages. Many of the local men lounged on the big table that we helped construct. Many more children seemed to appear from nowhere to enjoy the treats.
The family made a point of thanking each one of us individually. Seeing their appreciative faces was so gratifying; we just wish we could have expressed how much we all got out of the experience. We left at sunset with bittersweet emotions, knowing we would not be returning again to the very tall house.
In the morning, Team 1 enclosed a wall-less schoolroom with woven bamboo mats. Team 2 returned to the very tall house determined to finish their work there. There really was no other option; the wheels were already in motion for a housewarming party this evening.
It seemed as if Team 2 saved the hardest part for last. After completing all the thatching, they learned that long sticks had to be applied horizontally to the outside of the house to keep the thatch from blowing up in the wind and rain. This required working in tandem, with one partner pushing wire from inside the house to the outside of the house and the other partner grabbing the wire, wrapping it around a stick and pushing it back through to be tied off. This task took some of the morning and all afternoon to complete. In fact, the last wire was tied off just after Team 1 arrived for the party at 4:30 p.m.
At lunch, we learned from Sarah that Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia plans to sponsor a week-long village clean-up on the main street of Chamber Bei village next week. The village features a collection of dusty, open-air shops, including a butcher shop where the meat sits out in the sun all day, a general store, a fruit stand, and a motorcycle repair shop. BABSEA wants to encourage the shop owners to spruce up in order to attract more business. After lunch, a few members of Team 2 joined Team 1 to start building a septic system at the home of a family participating in BABSEA’s community restoration project. Unlike the two houses, this time we had a schematic drawing to follow. Ravi, who is in charge of health and sanitation for BABSEA in Chamcar Bei village, explained that about 100 families live in the immediate area and only 15 of them have latrines on their property. It costs about $170 to acquire materials for a septic system, plus labor, which is a prohibitive amount of money for the vast majority of families. Without a latrine, people have to relieve themselves outdoors. During the rainy season fecal material can spread into inhabited areas and spread dysentery and other diseases.
Ravi noted that one reason Chamber Bei is so poor is because fighting continued there much longer than it did in other parts of the country, making it difficult for aid to reach its inhabitants.
At the house where we are installing the septic system, the family has volunteered to help educate their neighbors about sound sanitation practices. Although they live in relatively poor conditions, they also have a water filtration system that removes more than 90 percent of disease-causing bacteria.
The septic system requires the installation of three to four concrete cylinders, laid on top of each other in hand-dug holes more than four-feet deep. Holes are drilled in the concrete and pipes are inserted through the holes and attached to the privy. The walls of the latrine are made of brick. The door is pre-fab, like something you might find at Home Depot. The roof is made of corrugated metal. It’s sensational.
We plan to install a second septic system at another home tomorrow. It takes a couple of days to complete the project; we plan to have both finished on Thursday.
The day ended with our housewarming celebration at the very tall house. Mr. Tiery entwined flowering vines that were hung across the threshold and each person who worked on the house, including the parents, children, grandma and all Team 2 members, each cut one strand of the vine with scissors. Then the family welcomed us into their new home. They served rice wine (which has a real kick!) and duck stew with morning glory. We brought an assortment of snacks and beverages. Many of the local men lounged on the big table that we helped construct. Many more children seemed to appear from nowhere to enjoy the treats.
The family made a point of thanking each one of us individually. Seeing their appreciative faces was so gratifying; we just wish we could have expressed how much we all got out of the experience. We left at sunset with bittersweet emotions, knowing we would not be returning again to the very tall house.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
December 14, 2009: The Humidity Creates Challenges
Chamroen and Rodelle went back to Siem Reap Sunday, so now our party is down to 18 people. Chambroen will be taking an English exam today and we all wish him well.
After a very relaxing weekend, we faced work Monday with a little less enthusiasm than usual. There was a thunderstorm during the night and the lightening was so bright it lit up the entire bay. In the morning we noticed how the intense humidity quickly sapped our energy. Team 2 set out to try to finish the tall house, while Team 1 worked in the community garden weeding, hoeing and planting.
After a very relaxing weekend, we faced work Monday with a little less enthusiasm than usual. There was a thunderstorm during the night and the lightening was so bright it lit up the entire bay. In the morning we noticed how the intense humidity quickly sapped our energy. Team 2 set out to try to finish the tall house, while Team 1 worked in the community garden weeding, hoeing and planting.
As Team 2 approached the house, they could hear strange, discordant music floating in the air. There was a funeral taking place at the house closest to the one we are building, less than a quarter mile away. The music and funeral keening went on all morning. Even if we were able to finish the house on Monday, we felt it would be inappropriate to hold a housewarming party on the same day as the funeral. We expected to see signs of the body burning, but none of us noticed any smoke, so we are not sure exactly what transpired.
Team 2 worked hard all day on their house but was able to finish by the end of the day; we attribute the difficulty with finishing to the considerable size of this particular family’s Dream. The Crosby, Stills and Nash lyrics, “Our house is a very, very, very fine house," keeps running through our minds. We are now adding horizontal sticks to the sides to hold down the thatch. That requires climbing to the top of ladders and scaffold and sticking wires through the thatch. We also built a lattice as a decorative touch and hauled in dirt for the porch. The family is already sleeping in the unfinished house.
Team 2 worked hard all day on their house but was able to finish by the end of the day; we attribute the difficulty with finishing to the considerable size of this particular family’s Dream. The Crosby, Stills and Nash lyrics, “Our house is a very, very, very fine house," keeps running through our minds. We are now adding horizontal sticks to the sides to hold down the thatch. That requires climbing to the top of ladders and scaffold and sticking wires through the thatch. We also built a lattice as a decorative touch and hauled in dirt for the porch. The family is already sleeping in the unfinished house.
Team 1 cultivated a four-row planting plot with the big hoes in the morning. The woman who owns the plot is 35 and has five children; she and her husband already have a house, but have no way to earn a living, so their Family Dream is the garden plot. The woman was so at home working barefoot in the garden. It was as if she grew out of the Earth herself. The main job was to remove the weeds from the four beds and reshape them into two 2 large, wide beds.
The rain from the previous night ratcheted up the humidity, so it felt appreciably hotter working in the full sun. The infrequent breezes caused joyful expressions of relief. The work was not complicated, but it was challenging physically, especially because of the heat. After lunch, there were two more garden beds to reshape and then plant with spinach seeds.
Our Fearless Leader, Tommy Marx, was ill today and had to spend the afternoon sleeping at The Vine. We are so used to him being such a bundle of energy, it was especially hard to see him suffer. He was really down for the count with stomach cramps for awhile there. Although he seemed much better by the time we picked him up at the end of the day, he was not back to 100 percent.
December 11, 2009: Dream Home #1 Done!
All 20 of us were able to work today.
Team 1 finished the house at Site 1 this afternoon. There was quite a celebration. Beer, sodas and snacks were served. We gave toothbrushes to the children and Vy explained how to use them. Some of the men had a lively game of hacky sack.
The new homeowners performed an impromptu ribbon-cutting ceremony orchestrated by our teammate, Chamroen. The hostess welcomed everyone into her home with the prayer-hand gesture and greeting used here and we each returned the courtesy before stepping over the threshold. Prayer hands under at the chin and a slight bow are a sign of respect and used as a substitute for a handshake.
Members of Team 1 report experiencing mixed emotions upon completing the house - happiness for the family who will live there and sadness that their job was done and they would be moving on to another project They all felt a strong sense of satisfaction that their efforts vastly improved living conditions for the family.
Meanwhile, at Site 2, work continued on the tall house. The roof was finished and corrugated metal sides were hammered on, so it looks quite a bit more substantial than it did a day ago. The back side of the house is thatch, which will have to be applied when we return on Monday. Gaps under the eaves above the corrugated iron also need to be filed in. Some of us would like to paint the metal, which apparently is recycled, but there is no money in the budget for paint. We also have to finish hauling dirt for the floor. It looks as if Party No. 2 will have to wait until Tuesday.
The weekend is coming up, and there is a lot of discussion about leisure activities in the area. Most of us plan to take the half-hour boat ride to Rabbit Island and some people plan to spend Saturday night there in rustic huts that dot the shoreline. Jud and Bob plan to visit Sihanookville with Cheryl, an Australian woman staying at our hotel, and Tommy is taking a small group to Kampot to get supplies. We all look forward to our two days of R&R.
Team 1 finished the house at Site 1 this afternoon. There was quite a celebration. Beer, sodas and snacks were served. We gave toothbrushes to the children and Vy explained how to use them. Some of the men had a lively game of hacky sack.
The new homeowners performed an impromptu ribbon-cutting ceremony orchestrated by our teammate, Chamroen. The hostess welcomed everyone into her home with the prayer-hand gesture and greeting used here and we each returned the courtesy before stepping over the threshold. Prayer hands under at the chin and a slight bow are a sign of respect and used as a substitute for a handshake.
Members of Team 1 report experiencing mixed emotions upon completing the house - happiness for the family who will live there and sadness that their job was done and they would be moving on to another project They all felt a strong sense of satisfaction that their efforts vastly improved living conditions for the family.
Meanwhile, at Site 2, work continued on the tall house. The roof was finished and corrugated metal sides were hammered on, so it looks quite a bit more substantial than it did a day ago. The back side of the house is thatch, which will have to be applied when we return on Monday. Gaps under the eaves above the corrugated iron also need to be filed in. Some of us would like to paint the metal, which apparently is recycled, but there is no money in the budget for paint. We also have to finish hauling dirt for the floor. It looks as if Party No. 2 will have to wait until Tuesday.
The weekend is coming up, and there is a lot of discussion about leisure activities in the area. Most of us plan to take the half-hour boat ride to Rabbit Island and some people plan to spend Saturday night there in rustic huts that dot the shoreline. Jud and Bob plan to visit Sihanookville with Cheryl, an Australian woman staying at our hotel, and Tommy is taking a small group to Kampot to get supplies. We all look forward to our two days of R&R.
Monday, December 14, 2009
December 10, 2009:Thatching the roofs
This is our second day of house-building. We are really starting to get the hang of it now. Framing at Site 1 was finished yesterday, but framing at Site 2 had to be completed this morning.
After framing, the roof is thatched. Then the walls and the floor are finished. For those readers who have never thatched a roof (which we presume is most of you), here is how it works: the layered straw is attached to a wooden rod about a yard long. Each piece has to overlap six inches to keep the rain out. The thatch has to be hoisted up onto the roof, where is it is hand-wired onto the cross beams. Aesthetically speaking, the appearance from below is quite pleasing. As one might imagine, a few of us had to get out of our comfort zones to climb the wooden frame walls and work on the rooftop (they say it’s best to face one’s fears). There is a great view of the countryside from up there.
One person has to stay on the ground to send up supplies by rope pulley, a forked stick or climb up and hand off to the thatcher. The supplier has to be able to respond quickly to requests such as “more wire,” “more thatch,” “camera,” “water,” and “shoes coming down.” Those who aren’t thatching have to tote dirt in wicker baskets for the floor, so as far as hard labor goes, thatching is preferred, even if one has a fear of heights.
We expect the Site 1 house to be finished tomorrow, but we will have to finish the Site 2 house on Monday. The Site 2 family’s Dream Home is a bit more ambitious than the Dream Home at Site 1.
Brian and Celeste, two of our Canadian teammates, have a unique perspective on both houses because they are filming at each site. Their objective is a time-lapse effect to show the houses progressing through various stages of construction from start to finish. The film will be used by Developing World Connections as part of an application for a $1 million media outreach project. Today Brian and Celeste hiked between the two building sites at least eight times, and they have helped out at each site, too, after setting up their equipment. They are really feeling the effects of the intense heat here and we really appreciate their efforts.
While we are building, we ponder the many cultural contrasts that are a source of fascination to us. Here are just a few examples:
• We are sitting on the roof of our house wiring thatch and the cell phone rings in our supervisor’s pocket.
• In this country where Buddhist shrines dot the landscape, there are Christmas trees at some of the hotels.
• There are no coins in circulation and the U.S. dollar is the currency of choice.
Change is made using riel on paper – it’s about 4,000 riel to $1 U.S.
• Our bus driver is on 24-hour call and sleeps in a hammock in the bus.
• People actually wave, smile and shout hello when we walk past.
• In the countryside, laundry is hung out to dry on fences lining the street, and rice is dried on tarps on the ground.
• Gas for motorcycles is dispensed out of Pepsi bottles.
It common to see three or four people on a small moto, including little children who sit wedged between the adults.
• While the people for whom we are building houses have very few creature comforts, they have friends and family close by watching out for them. The older ones take care of the younger ones, and vice versa.
• And, have you ever heard of Cambodian gelato? Well, it exists.
After framing, the roof is thatched. Then the walls and the floor are finished. For those readers who have never thatched a roof (which we presume is most of you), here is how it works: the layered straw is attached to a wooden rod about a yard long. Each piece has to overlap six inches to keep the rain out. The thatch has to be hoisted up onto the roof, where is it is hand-wired onto the cross beams. Aesthetically speaking, the appearance from below is quite pleasing. As one might imagine, a few of us had to get out of our comfort zones to climb the wooden frame walls and work on the rooftop (they say it’s best to face one’s fears). There is a great view of the countryside from up there.
One person has to stay on the ground to send up supplies by rope pulley, a forked stick or climb up and hand off to the thatcher. The supplier has to be able to respond quickly to requests such as “more wire,” “more thatch,” “camera,” “water,” and “shoes coming down.” Those who aren’t thatching have to tote dirt in wicker baskets for the floor, so as far as hard labor goes, thatching is preferred, even if one has a fear of heights.
We expect the Site 1 house to be finished tomorrow, but we will have to finish the Site 2 house on Monday. The Site 2 family’s Dream Home is a bit more ambitious than the Dream Home at Site 1.
Brian and Celeste, two of our Canadian teammates, have a unique perspective on both houses because they are filming at each site. Their objective is a time-lapse effect to show the houses progressing through various stages of construction from start to finish. The film will be used by Developing World Connections as part of an application for a $1 million media outreach project. Today Brian and Celeste hiked between the two building sites at least eight times, and they have helped out at each site, too, after setting up their equipment. They are really feeling the effects of the intense heat here and we really appreciate their efforts.
While we are building, we ponder the many cultural contrasts that are a source of fascination to us. Here are just a few examples:
• We are sitting on the roof of our house wiring thatch and the cell phone rings in our supervisor’s pocket.
• In this country where Buddhist shrines dot the landscape, there are Christmas trees at some of the hotels.
• There are no coins in circulation and the U.S. dollar is the currency of choice.
Change is made using riel on paper – it’s about 4,000 riel to $1 U.S.
• Our bus driver is on 24-hour call and sleeps in a hammock in the bus.
• People actually wave, smile and shout hello when we walk past.
• In the countryside, laundry is hung out to dry on fences lining the street, and rice is dried on tarps on the ground.
• Gas for motorcycles is dispensed out of Pepsi bottles.
It common to see three or four people on a small moto, including little children who sit wedged between the adults.
• While the people for whom we are building houses have very few creature comforts, they have friends and family close by watching out for them. The older ones take care of the younger ones, and vice versa.
• And, have you ever heard of Cambodian gelato? Well, it exists.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
December 8, 2009: Planting the Seeds: The Family Dream Project
December 8, 2009
Our group of 18 volunteers from Santa Barbara County, California, and Vancouver and Kamloops, Canada, arrived in Kep, Cambodia, December 7 after a jostling four-hour bus ride from Phnom Penh. Our group also includes one Cambodian participant, Chamroeum, from Siem Riep, and Kasper from Denmark. We are an eclectic group ranging in age from 14 to 70. This morning we were anxious to get our project started and gathered early in the lobby of our guest house before boarding the bus. Our first stop was a school in the village of Chamcar Bei, where we had an orientation session led by Sarah Dobbe, Chamcar Bei program manager. Sarah is from Holland and speaks six languages.
During the orientation, we learned that Developing World Connections (DWC) and Bridges Across Borders SOuth East Asia (BABSEA) first established a presence in Chamcar Bei in 2007 after doing a community needs assessment in 2006. There are about 800 families in the village and nearly 300 school enrollees. When the project started, there were approximately 580 families, so school enrollment also has swelled along with the need for assistance.
This part of southern Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand is infamous as a Khmer Rouge stronghold. Fighting finally ceased here in 1993 when the government promised land in exchange for a truce. While the region is now peaceful, the people here are still recovering from the trauma of the war years, making them prime candidates for the four pillars of Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia: education, health, livelihood and sustainability. While all the pillars are important, the most critical is sustainability, because the DWC/BABSEA project has a time limit of five years. Sarah told us the objective is to provide guidance and assistance, not encourage dependence.
After our orientation session, we split into teams and went through a “problem tree” exercise to learn more about the root causes of poverty and lack of education. The exercise helped us realize how inter-related and complex these problems are. While it was a bit overwhelming, we were advised that we can all make a difference, one project at a time. Following the Team exercise, we learned a few useful words and phrases in Khmer under the watchful eye of teacher Meas Theary.
The Family Dream project we are working on involves 26 poor families who are selected on the basis of established criteria. We start building two Dream Homes tomorrow –we are really excited to be able to create homes designed by the families who will be occupying them! An added dimension to our project is that is it being filmed as a promotional piece for DWC.
Today, after orientation and lunch, we planted two plots in the Chamcar Bei community garden. One group dug holes, filled them with manure, and planted eggplant seedlings. This brought a great deal of satisfaction to team members Bob, Jackie, Heather, Karen, Denver, Kasper, Michele, Rodelle and Jen because they got to work alongside the farmer who will be tending the crop. The farmer has six children and is a Family Dream participant. We were told that he can make more money selling the crop than working as a laborer and that our assistance enabled his children to remain in school for the day.
The other team, comprised of our Team Leader, Tommy Marx, and Participants Jud, Adele, Kayla, Julie, Gabby, Susanne, Brian, Celeste, Caesar and Chamroeum, planted radishes intended for sales to help sustain the entire community, including poor families who cannot afford to own their own land. These teammates are hoping the seeds with start to sprout before we leave for home December 18. We will be back at the garden next week to do some more planting and we plan to check on the progress then.
We are all in awe of the grace of the Cambodian people and the beauty of the landscape and look forward to continuing our work here.
Team Cambodia
December 2009
Our group of 18 volunteers from Santa Barbara County, California, and Vancouver and Kamloops, Canada, arrived in Kep, Cambodia, December 7 after a jostling four-hour bus ride from Phnom Penh. Our group also includes one Cambodian participant, Chamroeum, from Siem Riep, and Kasper from Denmark. We are an eclectic group ranging in age from 14 to 70. This morning we were anxious to get our project started and gathered early in the lobby of our guest house before boarding the bus. Our first stop was a school in the village of Chamcar Bei, where we had an orientation session led by Sarah Dobbe, Chamcar Bei program manager. Sarah is from Holland and speaks six languages.
During the orientation, we learned that Developing World Connections (DWC) and Bridges Across Borders SOuth East Asia (BABSEA) first established a presence in Chamcar Bei in 2007 after doing a community needs assessment in 2006. There are about 800 families in the village and nearly 300 school enrollees. When the project started, there were approximately 580 families, so school enrollment also has swelled along with the need for assistance.
This part of southern Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand is infamous as a Khmer Rouge stronghold. Fighting finally ceased here in 1993 when the government promised land in exchange for a truce. While the region is now peaceful, the people here are still recovering from the trauma of the war years, making them prime candidates for the four pillars of Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia: education, health, livelihood and sustainability. While all the pillars are important, the most critical is sustainability, because the DWC/BABSEA project has a time limit of five years. Sarah told us the objective is to provide guidance and assistance, not encourage dependence.
After our orientation session, we split into teams and went through a “problem tree” exercise to learn more about the root causes of poverty and lack of education. The exercise helped us realize how inter-related and complex these problems are. While it was a bit overwhelming, we were advised that we can all make a difference, one project at a time. Following the Team exercise, we learned a few useful words and phrases in Khmer under the watchful eye of teacher Meas Theary.
The Family Dream project we are working on involves 26 poor families who are selected on the basis of established criteria. We start building two Dream Homes tomorrow –we are really excited to be able to create homes designed by the families who will be occupying them! An added dimension to our project is that is it being filmed as a promotional piece for DWC.
Today, after orientation and lunch, we planted two plots in the Chamcar Bei community garden. One group dug holes, filled them with manure, and planted eggplant seedlings. This brought a great deal of satisfaction to team members Bob, Jackie, Heather, Karen, Denver, Kasper, Michele, Rodelle and Jen because they got to work alongside the farmer who will be tending the crop. The farmer has six children and is a Family Dream participant. We were told that he can make more money selling the crop than working as a laborer and that our assistance enabled his children to remain in school for the day.
The other team, comprised of our Team Leader, Tommy Marx, and Participants Jud, Adele, Kayla, Julie, Gabby, Susanne, Brian, Celeste, Caesar and Chamroeum, planted radishes intended for sales to help sustain the entire community, including poor families who cannot afford to own their own land. These teammates are hoping the seeds with start to sprout before we leave for home December 18. We will be back at the garden next week to do some more planting and we plan to check on the progress then.
We are all in awe of the grace of the Cambodian people and the beauty of the landscape and look forward to continuing our work here.
Team Cambodia
December 2009
Group to Go to Cambodia in December 2009
The one of the last DWC Teams of 2009 will head out to Cambodia on December 5th. Following on the work done by the Men's Group in November they will continue to build Dream Homes for Cambodian families in the area of Kep.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Thank you, Good-bye and Thank you.
Another week has come and gone and I find myself sad to be writing this blog. We just finished our last week in the village and although I am looking forward to some of the comforts of home, I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to some of the friends I have made.
We returned from Kep Province on Monday morning and headed out to our third Dream Home to start building. The family is a family of five, a mother, her two sons and two daughters. Her husband passed away due to illness and their house was old and made of mud and it had fallen down. When we arrived it looked as if they were sleeping in their yard. It is heartwrenching to see, but so good to know that we can help to make it better for them. We spent our first day there mixing and pouring cement to secure the frame. Once we had the frame secure we began to attach sheet metal to all of the walls and thatching to the peaks of the walls. It’s awesome that we were able to complete so much in the three weeks that we were working in the village
On Thursday afternoon and Friday morning we were back to work at the Community Vocational Training Centre. We spread around two truckloads of dirt to help fix some of the road and low spots that collect water. It was hard work and the heat had finally kicked in. I think it was actually the first time I saw Mr. Theary break a sweat!
Throughout the week the group took turns riding into the village in the evenings to visit the youth group. It was nice to be able to sit down with them, show them pictures of our families and be able to help them practice their English. They are all so eager to learn! Mom, I hate to break this to you over the Internet, but after seeing one of my pictures of you they all agreed that you were “lop lop”… and they then understood where I got it from!
Our bike rides back home after youth group were always an adventure. We usually tried to leave early enough to ensure we were riding in daylight but apparently our timing isn’t always as great as we would like to think! On one such trip I had a scorpion run out in front of my bike and for the longest time I just couldn’t put my finger on what that gecko on the road was carrying… until I got closer and realized what it was! I know, a major DUH! on my part!
Friday proved to be the hardest day emotionally on this journey so far. It was time to say goodbye. In the afternoon we visited the first house that we completed. It was phenomenal to go back and see the house that we had built for them turned into a home. It brings tears to my eyes to remember their gratitude for us. The whole team had gone through our luggage and picked out some clothes and items that we would no longer need to give to the families. There was clothes, hammocks, sandals, towels, etc. It feels good to know that the smallest of sacrifices of us giving up a few shirts or pairs of shorts (or in my case all but one because apparently I can’t count!) means so much to them. I know that I will take that feeling with me wherever I go. Once we were finished at the first house we headed out to the third house to pay them a visit. We left items for them as well. I cannot imagine the hardships that the mother is going to have to face in the future, raising four young children alone, but it brings a smile to my face to know that we had a part (no matter how small) in making it easier for her. Putting a roof over her children’s heads I feel is the least that we could do to help her. Sometimes you wish that you could do so much more, but I know that by doing what we have done we have helped her to be able to focus on her kids now, and not on where they will find shelter from a storm.
After dinner on Friday (our last with Pha) we headed into the village for a party that the BAB staff were throwing for us. There were speeches of goodbyes, thanks, and good times shared by all. The mothers from the three homes we built were there as well, it was good to see them all together and heartwarming to hear their thanks. Mr. Theary made sure that we all knew that we were welcome to come back at any time and that he would always find hard work for us! Some of the youth group thanked us for our help with their English and just for being there to visit with them. Sarah, the local program director with BAB, mentioned that when we first arrived in the village they had originally planned for us to complete two houses in our three week stay with them. I am proud to announce that we completed three houses, repaired a playground, picked (and twisted!) a field of yams, re-distributed two truckloads of dirt, dismantled a chicken coop, and dug countless holes. I am so proud of the team to know that our hard work has paid off so much for the village.
Each member of the team got up to say our favorite parts of our time in the village, what we will remember most and thank certain people that made our stay easier. Every single one of us was blown away by the village of Chamcar Bei. I know that coming here everyone always tells you that Cambodians are some of the friendliest in the world and I can now say from a first hand experience that they are. I’ve traveled to quite a few different countries and I have never experienced the welcome, or made friendships so fast as I did in Chamcar Bei. The village truly has a lot to be proud of. After the speeches, feast of fruit and the team (most for the first time) experiencing rice wine mixed with coke, it was time to dance! While I designated myself photographer for the evening, the rest of the team was taught traditional Khmer dances by the youth group and BAB staff. The hardest part of the night came when it was time to say goodbye. Both Theary and Cham Nan moved me to tears as they gave me hugs goodbye, said they would miss me and told me to come back and visit.
I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the people that helped to make not only mine, but the entire team’s stay here so amazing. First off, Pha, our housekeeper and cook. What an amazing, beautiful woman she is. She always has a smile on her face, will do anything she possibly can to help you and is above all an amazing cook!
Mr. Theary, the Volunteer Assistant with BAB. Mr. Theary was always the first person to laugh when we were having a tough time, let us have a tough time for a little bit longer, then teach us the easy way to do it. In his words, “I want you to use your personal skills first, then learn from me.” I would love to think that he learned as much from us as I know I did from him. My Khmer would not be nearly as good (okay, not really good, but better than it was) if it weren’t for him. He was patient, kind and always provided a laugh!
Cham Nan, the Dream Home Coordinator with BAB. Although Cham Nan’s English is limited he more than made up for it in hand gestures, demonstrations and a want to help us. As I know I have mentioned before, his smile could light up a job-site and he was always there to help us when a piece of wood was just too hard to nail through, or a nail just a bit out of our reach. I have no doubt that it is largely due to his guidance and patience that we were able to finish three houses in our time here.
Peou, BAB staff, my personal saviour. Had it not been for Peou both times my peddle fell off I would have been stuck trying so hard in my broken Khmer to get my bike fixed. Without him I probably would have ended up with two left peddles!
And to the countless other residents of Chamcar Bei who came to everyone’s assistance any time something went wrong. I have no doubt in my mind that we will all be taking back great memories of the people and the village.
Driving away from the village on Saturday morning I was filled with mixed emotions. I was looking forward to a shower and a fan, but it felt like I was leaving my home. I have left a piece of my heart in Chamcar Bei, a piece that I am glad to give away because I know that what I did here is 100 times better than what I could have been doing at home in the same time. I will take this experience with me everywhere I go and I will never forget the friendships I have made, the people we have helped and the overall good feeling residing in me just knowing that maybe, I finally have made a difference. Afterall, that is the exact reason why I came here in the first place. It was not to see Angkor Wat, to visit the Killing Fields or to have a bit of a vacation (although they are definitely appreciated!). I came here to help those who wanted to, but could not necessarily help themselves, to give of my time and myself to help to better someone else’s life because everyone deserves a chance at a happy, peaceful life. I know that we are all blessed to live where we live and to have what we have and I know that I am so lucky to have gotten the chance to pass that on and maybe, just maybe, pass on a little bit of hope.
I want to end this blog by thanking all of those who helped to make this adventure possible not only for me, but for everyone on the team. I know that I could not have done it without the support of my family, friends, countless donors and the community. By helping me you have helped to better the lives of people you may not ever meet, but yet you found it in your heart to help anyway. This world is a better place because of you, please don’t ever forget it! In the words of William James, “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
And of course, thank you again to all those who commented last week, I love reading them! Very soon we will be able to discuss our experiences in person with all those back at home.
We returned from Kep Province on Monday morning and headed out to our third Dream Home to start building. The family is a family of five, a mother, her two sons and two daughters. Her husband passed away due to illness and their house was old and made of mud and it had fallen down. When we arrived it looked as if they were sleeping in their yard. It is heartwrenching to see, but so good to know that we can help to make it better for them. We spent our first day there mixing and pouring cement to secure the frame. Once we had the frame secure we began to attach sheet metal to all of the walls and thatching to the peaks of the walls. It’s awesome that we were able to complete so much in the three weeks that we were working in the village
On Thursday afternoon and Friday morning we were back to work at the Community Vocational Training Centre. We spread around two truckloads of dirt to help fix some of the road and low spots that collect water. It was hard work and the heat had finally kicked in. I think it was actually the first time I saw Mr. Theary break a sweat!
Throughout the week the group took turns riding into the village in the evenings to visit the youth group. It was nice to be able to sit down with them, show them pictures of our families and be able to help them practice their English. They are all so eager to learn! Mom, I hate to break this to you over the Internet, but after seeing one of my pictures of you they all agreed that you were “lop lop”… and they then understood where I got it from!
Our bike rides back home after youth group were always an adventure. We usually tried to leave early enough to ensure we were riding in daylight but apparently our timing isn’t always as great as we would like to think! On one such trip I had a scorpion run out in front of my bike and for the longest time I just couldn’t put my finger on what that gecko on the road was carrying… until I got closer and realized what it was! I know, a major DUH! on my part!
Friday proved to be the hardest day emotionally on this journey so far. It was time to say goodbye. In the afternoon we visited the first house that we completed. It was phenomenal to go back and see the house that we had built for them turned into a home. It brings tears to my eyes to remember their gratitude for us. The whole team had gone through our luggage and picked out some clothes and items that we would no longer need to give to the families. There was clothes, hammocks, sandals, towels, etc. It feels good to know that the smallest of sacrifices of us giving up a few shirts or pairs of shorts (or in my case all but one because apparently I can’t count!) means so much to them. I know that I will take that feeling with me wherever I go. Once we were finished at the first house we headed out to the third house to pay them a visit. We left items for them as well. I cannot imagine the hardships that the mother is going to have to face in the future, raising four young children alone, but it brings a smile to my face to know that we had a part (no matter how small) in making it easier for her. Putting a roof over her children’s heads I feel is the least that we could do to help her. Sometimes you wish that you could do so much more, but I know that by doing what we have done we have helped her to be able to focus on her kids now, and not on where they will find shelter from a storm.
After dinner on Friday (our last with Pha) we headed into the village for a party that the BAB staff were throwing for us. There were speeches of goodbyes, thanks, and good times shared by all. The mothers from the three homes we built were there as well, it was good to see them all together and heartwarming to hear their thanks. Mr. Theary made sure that we all knew that we were welcome to come back at any time and that he would always find hard work for us! Some of the youth group thanked us for our help with their English and just for being there to visit with them. Sarah, the local program director with BAB, mentioned that when we first arrived in the village they had originally planned for us to complete two houses in our three week stay with them. I am proud to announce that we completed three houses, repaired a playground, picked (and twisted!) a field of yams, re-distributed two truckloads of dirt, dismantled a chicken coop, and dug countless holes. I am so proud of the team to know that our hard work has paid off so much for the village.
Each member of the team got up to say our favorite parts of our time in the village, what we will remember most and thank certain people that made our stay easier. Every single one of us was blown away by the village of Chamcar Bei. I know that coming here everyone always tells you that Cambodians are some of the friendliest in the world and I can now say from a first hand experience that they are. I’ve traveled to quite a few different countries and I have never experienced the welcome, or made friendships so fast as I did in Chamcar Bei. The village truly has a lot to be proud of. After the speeches, feast of fruit and the team (most for the first time) experiencing rice wine mixed with coke, it was time to dance! While I designated myself photographer for the evening, the rest of the team was taught traditional Khmer dances by the youth group and BAB staff. The hardest part of the night came when it was time to say goodbye. Both Theary and Cham Nan moved me to tears as they gave me hugs goodbye, said they would miss me and told me to come back and visit.
I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the people that helped to make not only mine, but the entire team’s stay here so amazing. First off, Pha, our housekeeper and cook. What an amazing, beautiful woman she is. She always has a smile on her face, will do anything she possibly can to help you and is above all an amazing cook!
Mr. Theary, the Volunteer Assistant with BAB. Mr. Theary was always the first person to laugh when we were having a tough time, let us have a tough time for a little bit longer, then teach us the easy way to do it. In his words, “I want you to use your personal skills first, then learn from me.” I would love to think that he learned as much from us as I know I did from him. My Khmer would not be nearly as good (okay, not really good, but better than it was) if it weren’t for him. He was patient, kind and always provided a laugh!
Cham Nan, the Dream Home Coordinator with BAB. Although Cham Nan’s English is limited he more than made up for it in hand gestures, demonstrations and a want to help us. As I know I have mentioned before, his smile could light up a job-site and he was always there to help us when a piece of wood was just too hard to nail through, or a nail just a bit out of our reach. I have no doubt that it is largely due to his guidance and patience that we were able to finish three houses in our time here.
Peou, BAB staff, my personal saviour. Had it not been for Peou both times my peddle fell off I would have been stuck trying so hard in my broken Khmer to get my bike fixed. Without him I probably would have ended up with two left peddles!
And to the countless other residents of Chamcar Bei who came to everyone’s assistance any time something went wrong. I have no doubt in my mind that we will all be taking back great memories of the people and the village.
Driving away from the village on Saturday morning I was filled with mixed emotions. I was looking forward to a shower and a fan, but it felt like I was leaving my home. I have left a piece of my heart in Chamcar Bei, a piece that I am glad to give away because I know that what I did here is 100 times better than what I could have been doing at home in the same time. I will take this experience with me everywhere I go and I will never forget the friendships I have made, the people we have helped and the overall good feeling residing in me just knowing that maybe, I finally have made a difference. Afterall, that is the exact reason why I came here in the first place. It was not to see Angkor Wat, to visit the Killing Fields or to have a bit of a vacation (although they are definitely appreciated!). I came here to help those who wanted to, but could not necessarily help themselves, to give of my time and myself to help to better someone else’s life because everyone deserves a chance at a happy, peaceful life. I know that we are all blessed to live where we live and to have what we have and I know that I am so lucky to have gotten the chance to pass that on and maybe, just maybe, pass on a little bit of hope.
I want to end this blog by thanking all of those who helped to make this adventure possible not only for me, but for everyone on the team. I know that I could not have done it without the support of my family, friends, countless donors and the community. By helping me you have helped to better the lives of people you may not ever meet, but yet you found it in your heart to help anyway. This world is a better place because of you, please don’t ever forget it! In the words of William James, “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
And of course, thank you again to all those who commented last week, I love reading them! Very soon we will be able to discuss our experiences in person with all those back at home.
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