John's Description of below pics

The children directed us to a row of chairs and commanded us to sit. They all sat down in rows facing us, smiling and giggling with anticipation. “Where are the rest?” I asked. Someone said, “I think this is all of them.” No way. I knew we were missing Srey Pa, Srey Poa, Srey Ka, Meerlia and Soriya. Someone else said, “I think they have a surprise.”

The children stood up and began singing and reciting Bible verses in Khmer and English. We applauded enthusiastically, as the children beamed with pride. When they were finished, the children sat down and glanced back toward the kitchen.

When Soriya emerged, dressed in her hand-made apsara costume, we all gasped. It was like seeing a stunning bride enter the chapel, only more so. She smiled, bowed and read in English from a paper marked in large black letters, ‘Thanksgiving.’ She said something like this:

“Thank you, Daddy Dave, Daddy John and Pastor Jeff. Thank you for providing food and clothing and shelter and medicine for us. We thank God for you and pray for you. God bless you and your church. We will always love you.”

Sophal put the music on the boombox, and out they came: all of the missing girls -- each one more beautiful than the next -- like jeweled butterflies, they danced to traditional Cambodian music. Throughout the performance, they balanced silver platters covered with jasmine blossoms, taking care not to spill a single petal. As the final song reached its crescendoed peak, the girls broke into broad smiles and tossed the petals at us, filling the air with their fragrant blooms. A performance fit for a king, performed in gratitude for the meager sacrifices offered up by our little church in Columbus, Ohio. I’m humbled and moved.