Transformation Hope

Today like each day this week we met for devotions with CHO staff. For us this was a new experience though as it was led in Khmer by a Cambodian. One of the regular translators worked the other way around i.e. from Khmer to English. We really experienced worshipping as one church as we were led through Exodus 17 v2-3 reflecting how the people complained to Moses they were thirsty and compared the situation in Cambodia and parts of Africa are dry yet others nearby are flooded. We should have faith and continue to pray for these situations.

The normal pattern of the day is Devotions 7:30-8:00, Work 8:00-12:00, Lunch 12:00-13:30, Work 13:30-17:00 from Monday to Thursday. After devotions some staff travel to their work posts, those with longer distances 10-20 km from Poipet starting earlier. There are 67 CHO staff, which is not quite 72, but each day the words of Luke 10:1-20 are re-lived.   Fridays have a different pattern, there are training sessions at the CHO office for some of the mobile staff and office team. Today this included an hour by Sue giving staff their own higher level version of the Oral Health training she had been delivering to the children at Safe Haven. The message can be sustained for the future by CHO staff and the benefit of themselves and families too because we have left a written version of the training in Khmer with them. Simple sustainable solutions are welcome here!

Next door to the hotel (Ly Heng Chhay) we have been staying is CHO's newest project the Hope Transformation Center.  Much of my time this last week has been involved with some project management tasks, wiring, screen printing tee-shirts, setting up overhead projectors for the conference centre and chapel.  Even a chance to test the first production runs of bread and cookies from the bakery!  The Hope Transformation Center's five floors are planned both to add to CHO's services and as an opportunity for training and income generation.  Ground floor includes a coffee shop, beauty treatments, spa and cosmetics, and the sewing unit.  First floor will be CHO's office, second floor the conference center, third floor a hostel with caretakers accommodation and the fourth floor the chapel but also available for community hire for wedding etc.

Doug and Maria spent their last morning a Safe Haven, whilst I also travelled out to fix a staff PC and prepare the set-up of the computer suite in the library building. A minor problem though was that there was no power in that building yet so we had to run quite a long extension outside from another building. Although this is not completed we did have it all up and running and within a few days there will be 20 PCs for the children to use. There was lots of interest and enthusiasm from the children when the PC booted up the first time.

The real highlight of the day was our end of trip meeting with Chomno, CEO of CHO, in the afternoon. This gave us an opportunity, having seen the work in detail, to ask all our questions about the many aspects of CHO's work and Chomno's medium term plans for CHO and vision for the future. We also explored the many areas that BRBC could support CHO on a church to church basis. One hope, one vision, one church.

As I write this (Saturday morning 2:45 am, UK time) we are having a breakfast before we start our journey home.  Over the weekend we hope to provide a further up date of our travels and summary of the trip.  Please do check back for updates and thank you for your continuing prayers.

Graham (28th October)