This last week

It is written 'bodily exercise profits a bit' or words to that affect. Happily, Cambodia is my place of daily profiting. By strategically locating ourselves on the top floor I have a daily guarantee of multiple heart-rate increases and muscle toning.

40 of the blighters up, and yes, 40 down

Apart from daily exercises, this week has been really interesting. The highlight was taking our little scooter for its first trip out of town to meet the amazing John Tucker. John used to work for a hospice in town that cares for AIDs patients. In his work he kept on coming across children who are HIV-infected. He has now established quite an amazing setup in a disused hospital wing 15km out of the city.

Children with HIV are treated here from all across Cambodia and even Vietnam. Many other ministries have spun out of this core: orphanage-clusters (one hut; eight children and house-parents) are in the process of being built for 200 children. There is day-care for HIV mothers so that the mums can keep working and a sewing room.

John is an ex-insurance salesman from USA, 58 years old, hugely passionate in what he does and a committed Catholic. He's had the prime minister - twice - and Bill Clinton - once - come visit the work. His pet hate: 'fundamentalist Christian groups who come out here to plant their flag and who only work with the healthy - they refuse to work with the sick'.

Sue with John (above) and the running stats board; how many patients by province

I did not take any pics in the hospitals as it would have been a bit invasive - but saw maybe 12 HIV children (of the 300 they are treating - once they are stabilised in hospital they return to the province and have ongoing care and follow-up) and perhaps 50 children with denge fever on drips. There is a denge epidemic here at this time.

We are getting ready to receive our little Khmer family - mum Lina and 15-year old Sopheak. I'll tell you more about how they get to come here in the next blog, when I have some pics too. Just to say that we are looking forward to having them and it is fun setting up their rooms too.

Cane delivery a la trishaw

Two beds and two mattresses on the back of a moto - he carved a magnificent path through the bedlam of Phnom Penh traffic!

Language learning continues. Enough said. Susie has the superior brains in this department so far . I've told her that we could do a 'Moses and Aaron' - I could be the man and she could be the mouth. She says - 'nope'.

Subscribe to Blog