Thursday........one of the last days in Phnom Penh

I got sad leaving the orphanage last night. We are counting down the last visits with the children and college students. There is a new girl in the orphanage named Paie.....she clings to me like her mom. She is the one I held at the pool when she was not feeling well. I am definitely attached to these children as a whole....but we all have a few that we are especially connecting with. Khai, Heang, Paie, Sarran, Linh, Srey Poa (spelled Srey Porche), Srey Pa, Srey Ka.....try keeping all of those last 3 straight.....Srey Poa and Srey Ka look sooooo much alike!!! Heang's name is really Sokheng.....I like that! :)

Ankgor Wat was really cool. I have tons of pictures but I cannot upload them until I find my camera (I think it is at the orphanage), get a CD made.....and you have to go to a specific place for that.....then get to an internet cafe where I can use a CD to upload pics. UGH!!!!! Ialso have a lot more pics of the children.

We are going to the White Lotus today......2pm. I am excited and anxious at the same time. This is the house where many former victims of forced child prositution live. I am not certain how old the girls/young ladies who live there are. I am drawing from 2 Samuel 13: 1-32. This is the story of Tamar. I first read about her in a book called "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore. Tamar is raped by her half brother then he writes her off and treats her like trash. The book takes the story further to imagine a scene where Tamar is weeping in a room....her dress is torn out of mourning/sadness/ruin....and her face is covered in ashes. There is an image in the doorway......at first she is afraid.....but then sees that it is Jesus. He calls her over to a mirror, places his hands on her face and asks her to look into the mirror. She looks into the mirror cautiously and sees a clean beautiful face agin......rosy cheeks, and a beautiful robe....He has restored what she lost.
I hope this helps me understand the girls/women at the White Lotus.

We went to Angkor Wat Tuesday........wow....the sites I saw on the drive up there! These are just like any pictures you have seen of a 3rd world country. Some sad, some so very awesome! I could not take many pics of that as we were moving pretty fast. What I saw:

*Cows lining the roadside grazing.......skinny skinny bone protruding cows.
*Water buffalo......being led around by small children......huge horns, just right there within reach on the roadsides....and many bathing in the water.
*Dogs running across the road.....you have to beep to get them to move.......I have not seen a fat dog thus far. They have to scavenge for the most part
*Many Many rural children riding bikes to school (sometimes to a school with no teachers) in their navy blue pants and skirts and white shirts
*Tons of motos with people.....people with oversized loads of grasses, pigs, chickens hanging over the seats. I saw a pig tied upside down as if it was dead.....going to slaughter.....but it was still slightly alive. I cried.
*Little children......boys.....walking alongside with sisters, brothers, family.....with no clothing on.
*Women sweeping the dirts off the driveways of market entrances.....seems pointless, but I want one of those cool looking brooms (and no! not to fly on!) :)
*Lollipop shaped palm trees scattered across large plains of grasses......flooded water, rice fields, etc............that was beautiful by the way

I saw many many more things.........

I cannot get over the begging.......I want to empty my pockets to everyone. Many times we do give out $$. The widows or moms in the markets with little babies nursing as they go around begging......the brother and sister who are begging all day instead of going to school.....I cannot understand why it was not me who was destined to beg for my meals. As many have said.....giving them $$ for the next meal is good.......I just wish we could solve the issue as a whole. God has plans though.....we have many other Christian and non-Christian organizations (NGO's) that are reaching out....one of which is Asia's Hope! (NGO= Non-profit/Non-Government Organization)

I will leave you with that for now. God Bless and please keep praying for this country.

Mindi