Why and How

Friends, visitors and supporters usually ask why and how we started our "Home". These "why" and "how" usually make me silent and will bring me back to our past trying to search for answers just how? Why? and Where? did we really start.
Hhhmmm... Honestly, "Home" was never in our mind and in our plans. Our desire is simplified in this four letter word, to be in the " will " of God in our service to Him. In anyway we can and in everything we do in our committment to make a change and a difference in the life of people here in Cambodia one step at a time through one person at a time through the knowledge of the true living God.
We started by helping one child then later on we realized we're becoming bigger and larger in number. Changing a life by giving a child a purpose and a value so he will have a future is our objective.
It's exciting to see each child change in the way they live and the way they see life.

Our Home

Having a big family like our Home needs several people to take care of the different needs of each member of our family. These wonderful workers of God are with us in our vision to make a difference in our world one child at a time.
Meet Raksmy - She came to our church to avail of our free computer and English classes in the early part of 2001. She starts to help us the following year as our church secretary. Presently, she follow up the health improvement of the children through proper nutrition and personal hygiene. Most of all, she help us with the character building of the children through our night family time fellowship in the word of God in our absence.
Her valuable part in the contribution for the children's welfare and future are beyond compare. We are thankful that she stays with us through many years of toiling imparting her own life to her own people.

recovering

We are very thankful that our 7 year old Ram which we fondly named Mark has continue to recover from health problem. He has been very active lately that we all feel satisfied with our effort to give him and others not only a home to live in but a health to enjoy.

Gardening

God has blessed us with a property for both our home and our school. One on the things that our kids maximize their time for fruitful revenue is gardening.
We have been into organic gardening eversince. From our hogs, chicken and turkey's waste we have a natural fertilizer.
Our kids have group themselves together and it depends on their group leader to divide the members into necessary work in taking care of their plots.
Their unity, attitude toward their leader and work attitude are also being motivated.
It does help us economically but most of all, it helps the kids to develop their positive attitude on team work thus improving their relationship to each other.

End opens a new beginning

We have a real good time tonight during our after service fellowship. Yummy food, hearty laughter and reminishing the many days that Ivan spent with our kids.
Most of us think that end is end. Something that we usually counted as a part of our life that has ended or maybe like a close book that we do n't want to open again.
But, it's not for Christians. For us, a new opportunity opens up for God to use us more and be more effective in bringing the news of the great things that God has wrought in our midst.
We are praying that the 4 young volunteers would be the voice of our children. They will be our mouth to places we can't go and to people we don't have a chance to meet
May they carry with them the burden of training the future leaders of Cambodia. An oportuntiy that many young people doesn't have a chance to do.

family outing

It's the first time of our new kids from Battambang to taste the sea water. Their home town is in the remote area of the northern part of Battambang. It's a place where there is no trail for both human being and car, that both the life of the car and man is in danger but, they call us and we found them by going to where they are.
Until now, I still consider it as a miracle to have them. We are on the opposite sides in the "world" like east and west. But, here they are with us.
It's also their first time to go out as family. They grow up not having a chance to see their parents or not having a chance to enjoy the "little" things we enjoy that most of us would take for granted.
Most of all, our home is their first "real" home. Hopefully and prayerfully, someday when they are able and it's time to leave our "home" they can say, "home is the place where your feet may leave but not your heart".

Nowhere to Go

Middle of last year, we realized that one of our kids are already grown up that he is able to find a job and support his family. Our initial plan is to send him home first to see his sick mother.
Word was sent to his remote hometown in Battambang. Days later, his mother called our female widow pleading to convince us to let Joel stay with us because there is no job and no hope and no future for him in their hometown. It doesn't matter if she die without seeing him but, as long as we will promise to help her son to have a brighter future is already enough for her.
To date, Joel still stay with us and our administrator has given him a job in the home. Joel's name was originally "Chawan" but we change it to Joel because it's easy to remember and the meaning conform to his features and traits.
Joel means strength. He truly became the strength of my husband during his temporary physical inability to move and to do the usual work in the school and home.