Newsletters
With our regular newsletters, we aim to keep you posted on all the interesting and important news and updates of our programs and various activities. Enjoy reading!
January 28,2005
Dear friends and partners, It is time to wish each of you a happy and blessed 2005. The year started out with a reminder that life is short and not to be taken for granted. The tsunami in our neighboring countries caused us to pause and think about these families who have suffered so much - just like so many here. The waters in our ponds and wells - rose and fell that day - there was panic in several provinces as people tried to come to grips with what had happened. At first, they believed that there were evil spirits and then as the news spread of the earthquake and the resulting tsunami - people settled down again. Our condolences to all of you who lost loved ones in this tragedy - our prayers of thanks for all of you who were there and survived. Our thanks to our God for reminding us, yet again, to make each day of our lives count - to appreciate the gift of life - to remember to say I love you, to all around us.
Our holidays seem so long ago - we are all back at work - refreshed and renewed and working with fervor. We were privileged to open up a new office in the province of Kampot. My site visit to approve the office was an eye opener to just how many ways people managed to make a living in this country. We visited the salt fields near the border - a thousand families making a meager living from gleaning salt from flooded fields. The road, as usual, left a bit to be desired - the poverty, so very striking. What bothered me most was that at the end of the day - no one had any water to clean of their salt encrusted bodies. Sometimes, life is so hard. We visited a second community - more than 1000 families with no access to water - could they have wells - yes, of course - they are not budgeted for but I suspect that the funds will be there to meet this need as well. Then we moved down the road to visit with our farmers who have been in our program for the past 8 months - it was fun, for they were so proud to show off their fields of vegetables - all because of the wells. We ate fresh vegetables - which always taste better when freshly picked. Before we traveled back, we stopped at a local restaurant and ate our fill of the best crab in the world. A day of extremes - a normal day in our lives. We heard of some land near Phnom Penh that was for sale - so Tuit, Ming Wan, Nari and I went to take a look. It's not far from the city, electricity and city water will be installed, the land was legitimate with legal papers - the price - so very cheap compared to the inflated prices of land around the country - should they buy? For Cambodians, having a house to die in, is one of their most sacred needs. The land is not large and although cheap - 2 of them still needed to borrow money. Can we buy - yes! Their joy and their deep seated contentment is a lesson for me - a reminder that our staff - all of them, need a place to call their own. I had a trip to Siem Reap - all of the staff were there, even Kameak, our manager from Banteay Meanchaey. Something was up. Kameak wants to marry - he is 34 years old - he's wanted a family for so many years - now his time has come. He's rather shy - I asked all the motherly questions, what is she like. She is younger than him, and he says, she is ugly - but she is a hard worker and she likes my dreams for our families - she will make a good wife. Ani develops the giggles - she has to be his surrogate mother - like I was for her marriage - she says, he has a picture of the girl but he won't show it to us - he just showed it to Zach, Ani's 6 year old son. Kameak needs to borrow money for the wedding itself - I say, I can't see her picture - I can't help you. Ani squeezes herself with delight - Kameak knows when he is beaten. He gives us a quick glimpse - that's not enough, I say - he let's us hold her picture - she is not ugly at all but he doesn't want anything bad to happen before the wedding so he speaks disparagingly of her - Kameak, like everyone I know here - is afraid to want good things - his life has been too hard - I smile and he gives me a real hug. The wedding will be in February - it will be deep in the country side but all this matters little - Kameak will have a family to call his own. The month started with a reminder of how short life can be - the month has ended with a reminder of how full and varied life really is. What a privilege it is to live this life - I thank my God for this gift and I thank my God for the lives He has granted to each of you. May 2005 be a year full of life for each of you. Janne
