Well this is likely to be quite a hodgepodge of thought. I have had two absolutely wonderful days in Battambang and have more to write than probably your desire to read. But since this is a blog - maybe that doesn't matter so much.
I left Phnom Penh on Wednesday morning. I took a taxi which is normally quite a bit faster than taking the bus. In fact the last time I made the trip the driver must have been in a hurry because because we made it in record time but I honestly thought on that it might actually be my last trip ever! I guess I complained - maybe too much - because Theary arranged for a "better" driver for this trip which in this instance simply meant "slower". Honestly - before leaving the city - we never went faster than 30 miles an hour!
It took about 4 1/2 hours to reach Battambang but I have to say that it was a very nice drive and Mr. Hao, who kind of reminded me of the Asian version of the driver on "Driving Miss Daisy", did an excellent job. Good trip.
My trip was a bit of a suprise for Kimlon, Ly Phalla, and the Culinary Training students. They knew that I would be coming but not the exact day. I actually wanted to come unannounced because it gives me a better feel of how things are going on a normal day. Of course when I arrived (about 2:00) they were just getting started after the lunch break and then it ceased to be a normal day. Since the mushroom production program was built on the property since my last visit the first thing that they wanted to do was show me the mushrooms. In the pictures below are about 1500 mushroom production packets which are producing several kilograms of mushrooms daily.
When I arrived at the house I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw. The house was actually a house - by no means oppulant but not anything similar to what we see in the slums of the city. We were very warmly received by Nimol's mom and grandmother and offered some bottled water and fruit. We chatted for quite a while about Nimol's progress both in English and in cooking. Her mom beamed through most of it and I think that she was pleased that we had come. She was also very grateful to CGI for the help that we were giving to her daughter and to their family. I explained that Nimol had "sponsor" in the States that were making her training possible and she said that she hopes to meet them one day and thank them as well. (That may actually be possible as her sponsors - Scott and Laura Kiesel - are planning to join us on a trip in March of 2012!) Anyway after quite some time had past I began to inquire about her current situation. Nimol's mom makes her living by getting up early in the morning and going to a market where she can purchase fruit at a wholesale market. She then goes to another market where she sits all day and tries to sell the fruit that she had bought. On an average day she can make about $2.50. $2.50 divided by four people living in that house is about .62 cents a day! I thought to myself - what if I only had .62 cents a day to live on? I can't imagine.
My mind began to race regarding what we might be able to do to help. Since we are having such success with mushrooms at the CTC I thought that perhaps mushrooms would work for her. When I mentioned the possibility her face lit up (apparently Nimol has been talking about the mushrooms!) but just a quickly her countenance fell and she said "Mushrooms need water and we don't have any here." In pursuing this a bit further Nimol's mom said that she has to buy her water from a water dealer. I wondered how much of the .62 that would eat up.
I asked if anyone in the area had a well. She said that one person did but they were not willing to share the water. I asked if it would be difficult or if she knew how much it would cost to dig a well. She didn't know but others in our group thought it would cost $500. A bit pricey but doable. Then someone mentioned that there might be a city water line not too far away. It would cost to connect but in the end would probably provide a better water supply. So right now we are in the process of researching options to help Nimol's family - first with water and then with mushrooms.
Before I left I had a chance to circle up and pray with the family and the guests. It was a good visit.
I am a late on new pictures from the dress contest. I actually have some but the bead work is the slowest part. I will definitely post some tomorrow. Please be in prayer for the Common Ground team. They should be on their way and will arrive here about this time tomorrow!
Until ALL have heard,
Chris
I left Phnom Penh on Wednesday morning. I took a taxi which is normally quite a bit faster than taking the bus. In fact the last time I made the trip the driver must have been in a hurry because because we made it in record time but I honestly thought on that it might actually be my last trip ever! I guess I complained - maybe too much - because Theary arranged for a "better" driver for this trip which in this instance simply meant "slower". Honestly - before leaving the city - we never went faster than 30 miles an hour!
It took about 4 1/2 hours to reach Battambang but I have to say that it was a very nice drive and Mr. Hao, who kind of reminded me of the Asian version of the driver on "Driving Miss Daisy", did an excellent job. Good trip.
My trip was a bit of a suprise for Kimlon, Ly Phalla, and the Culinary Training students. They knew that I would be coming but not the exact day. I actually wanted to come unannounced because it gives me a better feel of how things are going on a normal day. Of course when I arrived (about 2:00) they were just getting started after the lunch break and then it ceased to be a normal day. Since the mushroom production program was built on the property since my last visit the first thing that they wanted to do was show me the mushrooms. In the pictures below are about 1500 mushroom production packets which are producing several kilograms of mushrooms daily.
A 1500 Packet Mushrom Production Unit
Mushrooms
The mushrooms are being sold to a woman in the market who then resells them. The money generated from this aspect of the culinary training center is being used to help supplement the purchase of cooking ingredients needed for our CTC student to cook with. Pretty sweet deal actually. These mushroom packets will continue to produce for about six months and then need to be replaced. A similar project is being planned for one of the orphan homes where some of our students live. SKO orphan home operates on a shoe string and CGI is trying to help them with some income generating project so that they can become more self-reliant.
After the tour of the mushroom project the next item on their agenda seemed to be that I try the carrot cake that they had made earlier in the day! Since I had not had lunch just the mention of carrot cake started the saliva going but I have had "cake" here before and quite honestly I did not let my hopes run wild. But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The carrot cake was honestly one of the best I have ever eaten.
The Beginning of a Carrot Cake
Class is in session at the Culinary Training Center
On this trip I discovered that one of our girls is no longer staying at the orphanage. When I asked where she was staying the response was back home with her mom. A bit confused I began doing some further investigation only to discover that Nimol's father died two years ago leaving her mom to care for her own mother as well as her younger sister. Without a job mom made the difficult decision to send Nimol to the KNK orphan home where she would be safe and learn some kind of skill. Nimol came to be a part of the Culinary Training Center after I had met with the director late last year. Wanting to know more about her current living conditions I asked if it might be OK to call on the family at her home. Nimol said that she felt it would be fine and so in the afternoon on Thursday I was carried on the back of a moto several miles into what would be the outskirts of Battambang. When I arrived at the house I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw. The house was actually a house - by no means oppulant but not anything similar to what we see in the slums of the city. We were very warmly received by Nimol's mom and grandmother and offered some bottled water and fruit. We chatted for quite a while about Nimol's progress both in English and in cooking. Her mom beamed through most of it and I think that she was pleased that we had come. She was also very grateful to CGI for the help that we were giving to her daughter and to their family. I explained that Nimol had "sponsor" in the States that were making her training possible and she said that she hopes to meet them one day and thank them as well. (That may actually be possible as her sponsors - Scott and Laura Kiesel - are planning to join us on a trip in March of 2012!) Anyway after quite some time had past I began to inquire about her current situation. Nimol's mom makes her living by getting up early in the morning and going to a market where she can purchase fruit at a wholesale market. She then goes to another market where she sits all day and tries to sell the fruit that she had bought. On an average day she can make about $2.50. $2.50 divided by four people living in that house is about .62 cents a day! I thought to myself - what if I only had .62 cents a day to live on? I can't imagine.
My mind began to race regarding what we might be able to do to help. Since we are having such success with mushrooms at the CTC I thought that perhaps mushrooms would work for her. When I mentioned the possibility her face lit up (apparently Nimol has been talking about the mushrooms!) but just a quickly her countenance fell and she said "Mushrooms need water and we don't have any here." In pursuing this a bit further Nimol's mom said that she has to buy her water from a water dealer. I wondered how much of the .62 that would eat up.
I asked if anyone in the area had a well. She said that one person did but they were not willing to share the water. I asked if it would be difficult or if she knew how much it would cost to dig a well. She didn't know but others in our group thought it would cost $500. A bit pricey but doable. Then someone mentioned that there might be a city water line not too far away. It would cost to connect but in the end would probably provide a better water supply. So right now we are in the process of researching options to help Nimol's family - first with water and then with mushrooms.
Before I left I had a chance to circle up and pray with the family and the guests. It was a good visit.
Pictures from left to right ... Mom, Nimol, Sister, and Grandma
I am a late on new pictures from the dress contest. I actually have some but the bead work is the slowest part. I will definitely post some tomorrow. Please be in prayer for the Common Ground team. They should be on their way and will arrive here about this time tomorrow!
Until ALL have heard,
Chris
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